Doug Bell's Corner
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In the summer of 1976, I had the memorable, lifetime, experience of touring with Perry Como across the U.S. as a vocal member of the group THE ESTABLISHMENT. From Chicago to Long Island to Westbury to Las Vegas and the Hilton hotel. Every show sold out, and every minute on stage an amazing experience with a soft-spoken giant of show business. I am truly saddened by his passing and grateful for the memories.

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Tue 15 Feb 2005

Back home from the hospital after a lung infection. On long-term infusion of an anti-biotic. Lots of procedures...all painful...not a happy time. Do not take life for granted. Enjoy everyone and everything. Each moment, a day with health and no pain should be held close to you

Fabri...the person in Jakarta....has sent me an email...now in a safe and secure part of the country. Not a victim of the waves.... However...so many were. Lives lost instantly. And so much destroyed.

I spoke with a father of a soldier from this area who has returned from Iraq. His unit was in the first incursions there. All of them returned. It was a mess...bombing and booby traps...close encounters. The father said his son's worst moment was when a young boy Iraqi opened the door of the humby five or six soldiers were in....pointed the gun at this soldier...and the soldier was ready and fired first..

Hated to kill such a young person...there was no choice.

When will people stop all of this...and learn from the past?

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Sun 13 Feb 2005

I have just returned from two weeks in the hospital with a lung infection. Lots of pain....still a way to go. That is why I have not posted anything recently.

What a world....a place where you can not pick your favorite Perry Como recordings....and just relax and listen. Glad to be back where I can listen especially to the his songs of faith and inspiration.

We never thank the doctors, nurses....and all who come to our aid at times as these....as we should. Each one has become a special person in my life. To all of those and any who prayed for me...My heartfelt thanks. Once again God has seen me through troubled, painful times. It was not easy to feel His presence during the worst of time.....however...I knew he was there...and now that things are seeming to be better I feel Him so close.

If only I were Ervin Drake....I could write a song of praise.

Doug

Name: Paul Grenier
City: New Bedford MA
Sent: Mon 17 Jan 2005

To know him is to love him.. Always great.

Name: Michael J. Berezney
City: Rochester NY
Sent: Tue 04 Jan 2005

To Doug:
I was touched regarding the lady in Jakarta who is a fan and look forward to an update. I would be happy to provide some financial support to send recordings to her or others in the "third world". "Man does not live by bread alone" Please let me know.
Michael

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Sun 02 Jan  2005

Many stations played Christmas Music . . . I tried to listen while in the car. When they played one of Mr. C. (Mr. Christmas) . . . I am still shocked and amazed at how good . . . his voice . . . the rendition . . . his heartfelt meaning . . . It made Christmas . . . for another year in my heart. Merry Christmas.

I have received a posting from a young lady in Jakarta Indonesia. I sent her two cassettes of Perry's songs . . . which were unavailable in her country. I am sending her an email . . . praying she survived the recent disaster in that part of the world. Will let you know if she is able to reply.

Doug

Name: Irene
City: Asia
Sent: Thu 23 Dec 2004

I am a big fan of Mr. Perry Como. Although it is too late, I wish I could've met him in person earlier. I might be aged 12 during his last concert, I didn't hear much of his name in my environment back then. I first heard his song last year; the "Catch a Falling Star", and then "O Holy Night", followed by his Christmas songs collection.

I was struck and amazed by this singer's charming voice. I replayed them over and over again. The songs may not be those we youngsters of the new millennium era are accustomed to listening, but his voice made it very special to my ears and I enjoy listening to them every now and then.

I pray for you, Mr. Perry Como. Thank you for the golden voice that accompanies me. It means to me much more than anyone else might imagine.

Name: Charlene
City: Ocala, FL
Sent: Sat 18 Dec 2004

I thought you might be interested in this little exchange that took place last week with a friend who is also a Como fan.......I wrote to her:

"A neighbor was just here. Perry's "O Holy Night" was playing on the CD when she came in and she had to listen. When it ended she said that she thought his singing of the carol beat out any other singer....ever. She compared his singing of the song to some by opera singers and said she felt his version had more feeling and depth than anyone else could [or did] ever give it. She said when she used to teach in the public schools...back when they were allowed to have Christmas programs that included some religious music....she always used Perry's singing of the song as an example of how it should be done. She often had her choral group sing along with him to learn the song the correct way.
Quite a compliment from a former music teacher, eh?"

Here is her reply:

"It's an established fact that the world knows Perry owns Ave Maria but in my opinion, he owns O Holy Night - I totally agree with your neighbour - I don't think anyone, ever, sang the song as good as Perry. It is my all-time favourite Christmas carol without question!"

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Sun 05 Dec  2004

Check this page on this website. For information about Nick Perito's Book. Many have heard or seen his name . . . but do not know how much he contributed to Perry Como's music and career. And there were many more who had the good fortune to either know him or work with him. The last I saw and spoke with him was at the Hershey Arena conducting for the Perry Como Christmas Show. He was very busy carrying out compositions and sheet music...and other things after the show. Yet . . . he stopped and talked with me for a few minutes . . . He did not have to do that. But he did. I will ever be thankful for that brief meeting.

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Thu 02 Dec  2004

This morning on Good Morning America...Laura Bush, our first lady...the Bush's fourth Christmas in the White House...She was showing the decorations and displays.
She mentioned one as Toyland, the song written by Perry Como. One can only guess she meant sung by Perry Como. Victor Herbert wrote the song.
That must mean she remembers Mr. C.

I remember being in the White House in 1948...Truman was president. Again when Reagan was in the White House. We had lunch in the East Room. If I stopped there you would think ....only the two of us. There were about 100 representatives of the news media there.
You had to be in his presence to understand his captivating personality, his concern for our country.

President Bush has just returned from Canada. He was there to continue his message of what the country is trying to do. He was and is...concerned about what other countries think of us. I saw some news coverage of protestors and was bothered that one person said he should be prosecuted for his war crimes. There were other subjects. No family always agrees with everything. It is so with nations.

Nations are made of people. If we all agreed on everything....it might be a dull place to live.
The diversity of ideas is much better. It hurts when a person in another family says something negative about a member of our family. Most families need to clean up their own act before doing that.

Perry Como sang about Peace on Earth. In the song, Toyland...he sings..."Once you have left it....you never can return." Once you become a person who has nothing good to say about others...you join a rank persons remembered only as agitators. Often those persons do not have good records as being peace makers...or being willing to admit that others have their right to their opinions.

Negative criticism is just that. Come up with some positive criticisms and you will be surprised how many will listen.

Ever hear a negative song from Perry Como? He did much good in his private life.. as he did in his profession.

Everybody
Is Lookin' For An Answer:
Everybody is lookin' for an answer,
Now that you've tried your way,
Why don't you try my way?

Everybody is lookin' for a sunrise,
Peace of mind,
Is surely hard to find!

Why don't you think it over,
Before you step into oblivity?
Why don't you think it over,
Before you play your game with destiny?

Everybody is lookin' for an answer,
Now that you've tried your way,
Why don't you try my way?

Everybody is lookin' for a sunrise,
Peace of mind,
Is surely hard to find!

We'll always walk together,
In every kind of weather,
If you will only take my hand!

The joy of understanding,
Is ours without an ending,
Someday we'll find the promise land!

Everybody is lookin' for an answer,
Now that you've tried your way,
Why don't you try my way?

Everybody is lookin' for the sunrise,
Peace of mind,
Is surely hard to find! ( Hard to find! )

I hear the church bells ringin'
And now the songs they're singin'
I know you soon will take a stand . . .

The joy is in forgiving,
And all the while you're living,
You'll only find it's in the plan!

For the world is in His hand!
( In His hand! In His hand! )

Everybody is lookin' for an answer,
Now that you've tried your way,
Why don't you try my way?

Everybody is lookin' for the sunrise,
Peace of mind,
Is surely hard to find!

Everybody is lookin' for an answer,
( Now ) that you've tried your way,
Why don't you try my way?

Everybody is lookin' for the sunrise . . .

Words and Music by Evangeline Seward
Spoone Music Corp. ASCAP

Name: Sandra Nelson
City: Grayson, Saskatchewan
Sent: Sat 27 Nov 2004

I was a fan of Perry's, all my life. When I was growing up, I remember Mr. Como, coming on TV. We only got one channel, so when he was on, I told my mom, I loved him. I went to the TV and I started kissing the TV. I am now 50 years old but I'll never forget.

Name: Anne
City: Helotes, TX
Sent: Sun 21 Nov 2004

Doug Bell--how wonderful you and I were in the same area at the same time, it seems. I graduated from Lee H. Edwards High School in 1963 in Asheville, NC, and Montreat, NC was a favorite place of mine back in those years. To find a fellow aficionado of Perry Como means a great deal. I thought to look Perry Como up on the internet and found this wonderful page. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Just sent an e-mail to one of your contributors on line...real or not...I loved growing up with the Perry Como Show. He is probably my all time favorite performer.

Thanks, again.

Anne

Name: Doug Bell
City: Charlotte, NC
Sent: Mon 11 Oct  2004

The new recording formats..DVD audio and SACD...?

The format George Townsend has chosen is well worth waiting for. In the meantime...fans will want to purchase almost any format available. That is easy to understand because some of the releases are tempting. The question is the "source of the recording, the engineering, the quality of the remix."

The integrity of the record producer and the label do not always tell, or give the real source of the master..

Those of us who waited for the 33 1/3 album can tell you it was well worth the wait.

VHS and Sony Beta...later 8mm video...digital video...and DVD. What is in the future?

Just as in playback and recording equipment...all are not equal. A person may say..they are all the same...just more bells and whistles... That is not always true.

The purchase of some recordings...from really unknown sources...or ones not fully disclosing the process of the original..and the copies made of copies of which are made only for the profit of the ones who present them as original...only keeps the honest companies from being able to produce the highest quality CDs or video. They can not go to the expense...and then have some "pirate" make inferior copies and sell them to unsuspecting buyers.

It is much like paying for a great steak...and really getting a hotdog.

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