Pastorale, by Rod McKuen (2 vinyl record set, 1971, $3 for the set, has some scratches.)
The thing I like (hate?) about blogging is doing the research to write them. I am constantly learning new things. Finding out how little I know keeps me humble. For example, I never knew Rod McKuen sang until I found his record in our collection. Then, I figured he probably recorded just the one.
Actually he recorded more than 200 records, of which 63 went gold or platinum. He wrote over 1,500 songs, some of them major hits for performers from Madonna, to the Boston Pops, to Frank Sinatra. His music was nominated for 2 Academy awards and a Pulitzer. Then there were his poems- 36 books that sold more than 65 million copies. (Can you just hear humility oozing from my fingertips as I write this!)
Personally, he is an amazing survivor. He made public his battle with chronic depression, and the pain left by an abusive step-father. He was also a leader in getting laws changed to allow adopted children in GB access to their biological parents' medical records. Amazingly he was also the first performer to insist on, and receive permission from, the South African government to allow "mixed seating" for his concerts.
So where have I been all this time? Sleeping?
You can find these records in the record section. (We also have some of his poetry books.)
