Sir Duke

At first glance you might have thought this was going to be about Duke Ellington. Or the Stevie Wonder song of the same name.  No, this is about THE Duke. John Wayne. Born Marion Mitchell Morrison he went from a stage hand to one of America's western heroes.  He did other movies besides westerns, but the western movies seem to be the most popular.  As I was putting together a double shot of John Wayne movie songs this morning it got me to thinking about all of my favorites.  Maybe some of these are yours too.

• Rio Bravo(w/ Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson and Walter Brennan)
• Eldorado(w/Robert Mitchum and James Caan
• Chishum
• True Grit(w/Glen Campbell)
• The Alamo
• The Green Berets(w/JIm Hutton, Bruce Cabot and George Takei)
• Hellfighters w/Jim Hutton, Bruce Cabot, Vera Miles, Katherine Ross)
• Rio Lobo
• The Shootist
• McQ

There were many others. I remembered too how when John Wayne appeared on the Oscars in 1978..and everyone was pretty sure it would be the last time..how I remember looking at my father and seeing a tear or two in his eye.  Many of us I think did that night or a short time later when the Duke died. But as long as the tapes and DVD's hold out he will always be around.