Thursday, March 01, 2007

PUT ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES...AND I BOARDED THE TRAIN

From the Associated Press
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - February 2, 2007 - Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn will return to Colorado for concerts in three cities next week, his first performances in the state since he was shot in the head during a carjacking attempt in Denver nearly a year and a half ago.

Cohn will play in Boulder, Breckenridge and Aspen, according to his Web site.

In August 2005, Cohn was shot during a botched carjacking. Joseph Yacteen, 27, pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder in the shooting and was sentenced in October to 36 years in prison.
Cohn, 47, told The Daily Camera he feels some anxiety about his return: "The truth of the matter of is, and I'm well aware of it though it's hard to convince your brain, the chance of anything like that happening again, especially where it's already happened once, are pretty slim."


Cohn, who's married to ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas, had a hit with "Walking in Memphis" and won a Grammy in 1991. His latest album is due out next summer, his first since 1998 and fourth overall.

That's good news!

Several years before this horrible carjacking, I met Marc Cohn on my train. He and his 5-year old son were returning to New York after a weekend in Connecticut. His son was seated across from him, using his dad's legs as a highway for his "Hot wheels" cars. When I collected his ticket, I said something original like:

"Marc Cohn, right?"

"Yep" he said.

The traffic on Cohn's leg came to a stand still, as his young son looked up at me in wide-eyed amazement.

"I really enjoy your work."

"Thanks!"

Marc's son now sat frozen, staring up at me with his mouth agape.

I saw you singing backup for Carly Simon when she did her free concert in Grand Central.

Yeah, that was a lot of fun.

I put Marc's tickets in my pocket and moved on to the next passenger. I could feel Marc's son's eyes glued to me as I walked away. It was then I heard the boy utter this memorable line:

"WOW dad!... You know the Conductor?"

I guess celebrity is a relative thing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny I was just belting out "Walking in Memphis" in the car just this morning. I wanted the little one to appreciate good music, if not his mother's singing.

Looking forward to his comback.

Looking forward to more stories from the mighty conductor!
ecv

Anonymous said...

Great story and a great song
always enjoy reading your blog

Anonymous said...

"Crazy Train" Is it possible that some-how, some-way that Ozzy will ever be riding Metro North?
And on that day you would happen to be the conductor on that train?!! I think a live performance belted out over the P.A. would be more than appropriate!!!!
jk
P.S. Except for maybe a New Canaan train.

Bobby said...

I can picture it now. I'm singing "Crazy Train" over the PA, and then I bite the head off a bat. Great visual!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, bad visual--bats are RATS on wings!

Nope, you'd NEVER even dare!

Remember "See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil...?!?

LOL!!! ;)