Ed McMahon Dies at Age 86

This morning came with the news of Ed McMahon's death. Fighting bone cancer and pneumonia Ed passed away shortly after midnight at the Ronald Reagan/UCLA Medical Center.

Ed McMahon is probably most widely known as the side kick to Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show." Ed McMahon also hosted "Star Search" and was the face of "America's Publishers Clearinghouse" sweepstakes.

A talented pitch man, Ed McMahon was born Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. on March 6, 1923 in Detroit, but it was in Lowell, Massachusetts this pitchman honed his chops. At the tender age of 15 Ed took his first job behind the microphone for a circus visiting his home town. And that is how he began.

An engaging laugh, jokes, skits and trademark phrases like, "H-e-e-e-e-e-r-e's Johnny" and "Hi yo" (we call them memes in social media) Ed was a forerunner of the early days of television and grew into a household icon. He will be missed

The Dead with Warren Haynes

I was eleven years old when the American icon Jerry Garcia left this planet for good. At that time in my life the Grateful Dead were just a band with a cool name that I knew very little, if anything, about. Jerry's death was much less significant to my generation than Kurt Cobain, who had died just a year before. Kurt's death impacted my generation greatly and Jerry's death impacted multiple generations.





As I grew older, people shared "The Dead's" music with me; like many others it grew on me quickly. However, I always accepted that I would never have the opportunity to see one of the all time greatest bands. Let's be real, Jerry was gone and as far as I knew was not coming back anytime soon.





What's left of the Grateful Dead is some very serious musicians that are approaching 70 years old. Drug and alcohol use was a staple of the band for 30 years; which equals out to health problems, such as liver transplants. But the music after 44 years is still alive in the band and the fans, both old and young alike.





Last night I had the privilege to see The Dead with Warren Haynes from The Allman Brothers play three sets of classic Grateful Dead songs. It was an experience I never thought I would have, and most likely will never have again. I was born in the wrong generation when it comes to the Dead, but fortunately people like Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Mickey Hart still have a few gallons of gas in them to continue jamming hard. The Dead with Warren Haynes will be an experience I will never forget.




Photos Taken With iPhone!