Irving R. Levine Signs Off

Irving R. Levine, NBC's longtime economics correspondent, died Thursday at the age of 86. He was on the air from 1950 until 1995. Levine was known for his distinctive collection of bow ties, which he became his signature.

Levine also had a significant career beyond his economic reporting. He was the first American television correspondent allowed to live in, and broadcast from, the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. He also covered the building of the Berlin Wall, the 1960 uprising in what was then the Belgian Congo and the travels of Pope Paul VI to the United Nations, India and the Holy Land, among the first international journeys by a pontiff.

Interestingly, Levine began his journalism career as an obituary writer and reporter for the Providence Journal.

I was listening to The 70's with Steve Goddard today and heard an Elton John tune I hadn't heard in a long, long time. Mama Can't Buy You Love, a song Elton recorded with Philly soul producer Thom Bell in 1977, returned him to the Top Ten in 1979, but that year's Victim of Love was a commercial disappointment. Elton also launched a comeback tour in 1979 accompanied only by percussionist Ray Cooper.

My favorite Elton costume was his Donald Duck outfit. Interestingly, he looked right at home in a tutu, too. Go figure.

Behind The Music

VH1 is bringing back "Behind the Music" this summer. The first two subjects: Lil Wayne and Scott Weiland. I thought the first two would be Rihanna and Chris Brown. It just goes to show what I know.

The End of an Era

Here is the last song ever played at Super CFL...Life Is A Rock (But 'CFL Rolled Me).