December 18 - Keith Richards; Edward MacDowell (The Musical Birthday Series)

Keith Richards (b. 18 December 1943) is a guitarist and member of the legendary Rolling Stones.

There But for the Grace of God

“An April 2010 article revealed that Richards yearns to be a librarian.”

--- Wikipedia

Old Keith Richards, seventy-six,

Still plays guitar, still knows his licks,

He’s had success that few attain,

Honors and financial gain

Earnings from the Rolling Stones

Bought the several homes he owns,

Something of a music god,

But beneath his rough façade

This ragged dogged septuagenarian

Yearns for the life of a city librarian.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

Edward MacDowell (18 December 1860 – 23 January 1908) was a pianist and composer who was once immensely popular, and has a few works that are still occasionally performed.

Songs of Yesteryear

MacDowell’s “To a Wild Rose,”

                    Was one of those

Items in every piano anthology.

It’s now so very déclassée

           One can hardly play

The piece without a mumbled apology.

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