Pantechnicon

I love me here and there. When you need me you will let the recorded voice of blues singer Bessie Smith voice tragically lost of this country in 1937 to the fans of her music. There has recently been a rebirth of sorts through the medium of the stage production of me and Bessie a production featuring the voice of Linda Hopkins. Yeah. Meet. Me. Good evening I'm Bill cavernous And tonight on Pentagon will hear the Words and Music of Bessie

Smith through the work of Linda Hopkins Also on tonight's program learns as a look at the week's news in review. Being here and you know we're not there now and you know. I would say you're with the sounds of sherry and a blue ribbon like you know where you can combine together. It would seem. The you know the hearts. I'm just talking about how we use it how happy when I saw how she was on stage. She wasn't happy she convinced me that she was happy because I bought her book from school

and sneak into the US. And I was jumping up and down in my seat. This one was just saying in and how voice. My could I never hear a voice like this in my life. It was. You know I don't I don't think I am but you know history of this would anybody else. It was my business me. The production of me and as a current day playing at the Charles Playhouse in Boston has kept the musical majesty of Bessie Smith alive. In addition to the stage production an album has been recorded featuring music from the production. Recently reporter John Morgan talked with Linda Hopkins about the production and about Bessie Smith. Music you'll hear in this piece is that of the performer in me and Bessie. And that of Bessie Smith herself. I think you'll be able to tell the difference. Bessie.

Smith saw. What it was. How did the show originate. I've been doing. It's all it's own it's me it's like 260. So I listen well I know more about business so my manager and I sit down one day and rue decided that I would have to write it myself we had looked at the script a lot of people had but it wasn't what I wanted to do a business. Smith Did you know her personally. No I only saw her once but I never met her. Was she an inspiration to you. You know now I'm on it stays doing business with Iraq. I am really a little girl 11 years old each time I. Go this minute that's how I was when I saw her. And I was so fascinated by this lady

until it just I guess stuck in me for a while but once I got into show business myself this was where I was doing these things not even realizing that this is what I use in this lady do under Fletcher hymnal. Piano player that I played with her. He said you know if I didn't know Bessie Smith was where you was Bessie Smith and I could and I say when I saw her when I was a little girl I say and I like her song and he said Well Ronnie you you going to come. You're becoming reincarnation. Damn I think I don't know what reincarnation means. And I can't wait to see what do you mean by that. You know never seen another picture of her until I went to Europe and someone showed me a picture of this is it. And I just said what did you get my picture from. And he said as

much good as best. Why was it that the brewers were so appealing then and have remained so appealing now. The bloom is just like a gospel. Rich which comes from the Gospel. It's that feeling that you know feeling that you can reach out for. The blues really is the hope for Usenet as it expressed in the private life of. Something that is happening deep down inside of them. They can they can sort of talk it out they can sing it out listen to someone sing it out and they can answer back to it and just say you know the blues can bring out. Some of the. You know hurt. Then again the others I was struck listening to the Show Me investigate how open the blues they are about things in life. Probably

more open than other styles it is. The blues is the blues is the only real song that you can almost see is real it is real folk person you know is real for you like you know if you got something inside of you that. That. You can't talk to anybody. You know you can get it out with the blues. Is there a special significance of the blues to the blacks. Maybe more

so than the whites even though everyone can appreciate it. Is there something there deeper for them. Maybe a black person in a white dress. At one time maybe a man who. Needs help or freedom sells tightness or something that would keep their mind going. The Blues could really pre a person to be themselves again. Time magazine did a piece on Bessie Smith in 1970 and one of the things that the article said about her was that Bessie Smith was a womanly wail that somehow remained proud of its well what do you think about that. That's what I'm trying to tell it is see the Blues a woman many a woman a woman can listen to the blues and purples and you like you say and I can say like I say you're been a girl wearing but you don't grow down that woman can express also

true amended letter she can say oh yeah you know she could just say tell them about it you know because you know nine times out of 10 more women abuse by me than men who abuse women you know. So that's where it awoke comment by now you know you see best to tell a woman she can make a song and a woman the listener doesn't make the list. And we're going to see that's what I've been trying to tell you. You see a best in a blues singer would tell you what you can speak out. Yeah it was people you know one thing that you can speak out for yourself if you want to. Maya Angelou was a black writer I don't know if you're familiar with her but she wrote Yeah she wrote her autobiography called I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. And one thing she said that I want to talk with you about what she found that the black people have survived through the years in relation to how strong the ministers the

poets and the blues singers have been around them that their influence has has kept them going kept them inspired and lifted their hearts. Do you think that's true true. The Gospel and the blue. Yeah the blacks really so bad because if it had not been me lift choice for the gospel the blacks would have been the blues came along which. Is the same as the gospel just different roots that gave it to this. You mentioned in the show how she had been accused of drinking too much and her carrying ons were her downfall but you say that's not true. See. People were down and that's really why I don't want to don't pour out of Bessie Smith because I understand. Reading back over her life and the things that she went through it.

I'm glad she was a good then. Thinking of committing suicide at least she saved herself. Mrs Smith was mistreated by whole lot of her friends but mainly by her husband. You know that women I used to lead from growing up in our face you know I checked on is out and out in Maine where we were the one that was coming up throw one Harley and one that really took the freight it was true. Do you wish you could have been her friend. Really I wished I could I would have. Made this lady the best friend in the world and that's why today I am doing Bessie Smith. I'm hoping I can really look the part. Oh what if she had been allowed to bid. Maybe she could have the

same thing that I have which would me and therefore I do have friends and that's what I some time on stage when I say Lady I'm trying to give you something that you'd pay. You know I do repeated to myself a minute I'll stay. She didn't have a gravestone until 1970 antennas just one

put on. Again a deputy district with her idol. She wanted to reach out to her really. I'm here you know. And you have not forgotten because you have brought me where you are meant to be. I can imagine this with. Was in her mind because I met Johnny Depp only words and we talked about with me and she you know. As Shia said Oh if I could have been a supporter you just just laid eyes on her. General jerk I want to do something good. Bessie Smith and she got a chance. You know she didn't live long out but she can go. Smile it as she did do something for a great lady a great legend the greatest lineage. There's never been another blues singer I don't think that have created the popularity and

love of people like this. Smith What about your own beginning in singing. How did you get started. I've been saying you know my life really ever since I can remember myself saying I remember my first song when I really first thing in the public and in the church. My grandmother taught me a song and I think right today what is it. Let others see Jesus in you. And I mean just singing around churches all my life and when I was singing in church street dancing you know you know my booth was always going to be seen. We've been in this but oh my life I can remember being in the spotlight so where people would notice me I'd do something to make a move. Notice me. I always want to be seen.

And then I I was singing this and that's good. But I really got me. Jackson heard me singing one day in the church a little girl and I got the same house and she was shocked over it is because I have a child's voice but I had her phrasing I did it every identical phrase that she did on her record and see she was fascinated on this piano player to play for me. Was it a rough struggle to get to where you are now. Because. I've been issued and the two other people just really people have been ignoring me but really. I think is a gift. You know I didn't know you would see.

Linda Hopkins playing the lead role in the Boston production of me and Bessie at the child's play I recently interviewed by John Morgan. Finally on tonight's pantechnicon Les Lions with a look at the week's news in review. The court decisions made major news this week. The death penalty was again a court issue with the Massachusetts Supreme Court taking a different position from that of the United States Supreme Court. The Massachusetts court asked by the legislature for an advisory opinion on a bill before it declared that the death penalty is unconstitutional in

this state as cruel and unusual punishment. The United States Supreme Court has held it is constitutional under circumscribed conditions but they overturned a death sentence in Louisiana this week for murder of a policeman because the Louisiana law makes capital punishment mandatory for a police killing. The law must recognize the possibility of mitigating circumstances as in other murders the court held a 5 to 4 decision. A move in the legislature here to amend the constitution on penalty for murder was hung up in the last session and is not expected to receive action in this one. The United States Supreme Court action Thursday in striking down a New York law against Sale of contraceptives to youth under 16 affects Massachusetts law also in several of its parts. The court ruled that the First Amendment right of privacy extends equally to minors and that right is violated by a state intrusion on sexual relations unless

for compelling reasons. New York's contention that it's law supported legislative policy against sexual intercourse by juveniles was not a compelling reason. Chief Justice and Rehnquist dissented. Other parts of the voided New York law are the same in Massachusetts and numerous other states. Massachusetts law unlike New York's also buys advertising of contraceptives and their sale or distribution by other than a doctor or a registered pharmacist as in vending machines. The court held that its decision last year preventing advertising of prices of drugs as commercial speech covers also contraceptives. The Master's legislature voted to ask Congress for a constitutional amendment to ban abortions. Eight other states have it would take 34 to call a convention which is the alternative that the Constitution provides for the procedure for an amendment initiated in Congress. The Congress can make the choice it has had many

applications for a convention but always refused them. The case against the convention being that it would open up the whole constitution for moves to amend and so threaten the Bill of Rights. The New Hampshire legislature Wednesday voted down a bill to ban abortion. The Massachusetts Senate has taken an opposite action on the civil rights of homosexuals from its action against the rights of women for abortions. The state Senate rejected a bill to buy homosexuals from public employment upholding its earlier vote to ban such discrimination. A referendum and Miami went the other way. Repealing an ordinance there that by discrimination against homosexuals in public employment or housing or public accommodations. Miami's ordinance was made the focus of a crusade against homosexuals and its success there opens a national campaign that's arouse national resistance of homosexual organization. The Connor and ministrations

energy bill is being picked apart in the House Ways and Means Committee. The president angrily charges that the bill is being gutted under pressure from oil and auto interests. He particularly protests the committee's vote yesterday to remove control over natural gas prices. Now he said it cost consumers more than a billion dollars a year. The committee voted down the proposed rebate on small car purchases and removed the standby gasoline tax for this year. The committee eliminated from the bill a proposed three cents a gallon gasoline tax to support development of mass transportation. Imagine a young back from his Africa campaign has raised criticism in Congress by applying the term racist to all recent American presidents and to the governments of Britain France Britain Sweden and Russia. He was called on diplomatic and intemperate. Young explains why nothing personal and his use of the word racist. Rather he meant an

insensitivity to race from a lack of understanding of a cultural difference. Part of my job is to get us out of that he said. But he says the Russians have had less racial experience than way. So I don't fear the Russians in Africa because of their racial awkwardness. President Carter defended young to congressional leaders he said Young and made great strides in developing relations with third world countries. And Senator Javits Republican of New York said Young is helping the United States in Africa he's speaking the language of the developing world. The New York senator said it's language that Britain's prime minister has adopted with some moderation and discussing the problems of the Third World countries and Britain's relations with them. Many are among the 27 lands represented in the British Commonwealth convention held in London this week in connection with the Jubilee Year observance of Queen Elizabeth's 25 year reign. Prime Minister Callaghan warned white supremacists of Rhodesia and South Africa that they're

clinging to minority rule is leaving many blacks to feel that the gun is their only means to win freedom. He said the convention must not fail to examine the problems of race relations and human rights. The convention was diverted in its early sessions by concern over an anticipated attempt by I mean over again to join the meeting but yesterday I mean this cause that is threatened. Crashing of the convention was a hoax. He hadn't left Uganda. While Young was explaining his race relations campaign is basic to foreign policy Mrs. Carter representing the president called on the governments of seven Caribbean countries to explain and press the president's Human Rights Campaign one of the countries was Brazil which especially resented Carter's precepts. But Mrs. Carter reported that she was encouraged by her frank discussion with Brazilian officials. Sanders can anyone want to join Speaker O'Neill yesterday in pressing the Carter

administration to express its active concern against violence in Northern Ireland. The three met with Secretary of State Vance Governor Kerry in New York. Absent from the meeting joined their appeal all four had on St. Patrick's Day made statements against the Irish violence on their own. Governor Kerry condemned the IRA and urged Irish Americans to withhold any aid to it. Rumors of progress on relations with Cuba brought criticism from Republican Senate Leader Howard Baker that forecast a problem in the Senate if negotiations with have been successful. But Castro was quoted this week that the prospect of resuming diplomatic relations is far off. Probably not before the 1980s. Senator Baker also protested the way Congress is conducting an investigation. Revelations of a Korean campaign to influence congressmen by bribes. Baker insist there must be a fully bipartisan inquiry and a president appointed prosecutor. But Attorney General Bell today rejected

the idea of a special prosecutor. Governor a carcass is disappointed over some details of four important pieces of legislation and has raised the possibility of vetoes. He definitely threatens veto of the extension of binding arbitration on municipalities pay of police and firemen in its present form. The budget he says is on balance by cutting the 8 percent tax back to its former 5 percent to legislators complaining that the redistricting bill favors certain incumbents. The governor's asked a veto could be sustained. Though the auto insurance bill relieves motorists of a big rip off and relieve safe drivers in high risk pools the governor objects to removal of the requirement on the companies that they must insure drivers with bad records. The New England Journal of Medicine published studies that describe an excessive death rate in parts of Boston Roxbury South Boston south and north digester where the death rate reportedly is 20 to 30 percent above that for the state. Boston's rate

has found the highest. Well next the Boston rate is 50 percent over that for the Newton Wellesley Weston area. Boston is pre-natal death rate eight times out of framing. Boston's excessive deaths are found in part to a lack of effective fire prevention and gun control but also to bad housing poor nutrition and poor health care. Lori Lyons who returns on Monday's pantechnicon. Next week on Pentagon joined us for a series on energy in New England. We'll also look at water quality in Massachusetts. Jerry Miller will look at TV cops and how they flout the law. Lieutenant governor O'Neal returns from China. We'll talk with him and Barbara Jordan will address Harvard's commencement. That's all next week on technical. And technical has produced for WGBH radio by Greg

Fitzgerald engineer tonight was crazy. I'm Bill cavernous have a pleasant weekend. KING.