My Favorite Earnhardt

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32367551/mediaviewer/rm89817090/?ref_=tt_ov_i

Fresh from watching the Prime Video release of the Imagine Documentaries, Everyone Else, and NASCAR Studios, in association with Dirty Mo Media, production of Earnhardt, I am full of emotions. 

Yes, emotions. 

I was one of the millions of Dale Earnhardt fans. 

I knew about his daddy, Ralph. 

I knew about his career, and how he won Rookie of the Year in 1979, beating out Harry Gant and Terry Labonte, and went on to win his first championship in 1980 for Rod Osterlund Racing.

When Richard Childress picked up Earnhardt and put effort into winning the championship in the mid-1980s, a seismic shift was brewing.

Winning championships in 1986 (RCR's first) and 1987 showed he was no flash-in-the-pan, but a juggernaut - a force to be reckoned.

During the All-Star Race in 1987, Earnhardt was forced into the infield grass, never lost control, and regained his lead (never passing anyone) - the so-called Pass In The Grass - earning him the nickname "The Intimidator".

When Wrangler pulled out and GM Goodwrench arrived to sponsor RCR's No. 3 Dale Earnhardt car for the 1988 season, the paint scheme went from blue and yellow to black.

More success followed in 1990, the year I started watching, and 1991 marking his fourth and fifth championships respectively.

Then, in 1993 and 1994 his sixth and Richard Petty-tying seventh championship were realized. 

Throughout the years Earnhardt had coupled his extraordinary and aggressive driving style with heart-stopping wrecks that he would walk away from seemingly unharmed.

The Intimidator seemed like The Immortal.

With all of his championships, Earnhardt had never won a Daytona 500, arguably the most important race to win in the world of NASCAR.

The Great American Race victory was realized in 1998 in grand style by Earnhardt, earning him a high five from every single crew member lined up to congratulate him at the race's completion. 

Earnhardt was a Champion.

Earnhardt was a god.

The next year, 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Earnhardt's son, started in the Cup series driving for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

And, in 2001, with Earnhardt Jr. pushing fellow DEI teammate Michael Waltrip to victory in the Daytona 500, Earnhardt lost his life in a last lap crash.

Watching that final race of Earnhardt's life in the documentary series brought the emotions back in full force.

I cried. 

Hard.

Memories flooded my brain and my heart.

Losing Earnhardt was catastrophic - then and now. 

What watching Earnhardt did for me, though, was show me why so many in the sport and beyond, not only loved Dale Earnhardt, but love Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

I honestly never got it.

Upon the conclusion of Earnhardt, I did.

Like Earnhardt before, Earnhardt Jr. wanted only to be loved and seen by his father. 

Like Earnhardt, that was a rarity for Earnhardt Jr. 

The words wrapped around Earnhardt for the documentary say, "When Racing is everything, you'll sacrifice anything."

Read that again.

"When Racing is everything, you'll sacrifice anything."

Dale Earnhardt sacrificed everything for racing - his family relationships, his friendships, and, ultimately, his life. 

His death made Earnhardt ascend to mythic proportions. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed to be on a similar path, but he wasn't his father. 

He is a different species.

Although never as successful on the race track as his father, Earnhardt Jr. has had incredible successes as a driver, and as a team owner with his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller for their JR Motorsports team. 

Earnhardt Jr. is an incredible communicator, thinker, and talent picker. 

Earnhardt Jr. is a loving husband and father who is hyper-involved with his family.

He has parlayed his popularity - winner of 15 consecutive NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards - into a successful broadcasting career that spans several types of media. 

Most importantly, Earnhardt Jr. retired from competition at the end of the 2017 season. Though controversial, he chose to do what was right for him, and the years that followed have only been incredibly successful and lucrative for him. 

With Earnhardt Jr.'s blessings, contributions, and platform, Earnhardt brought Dale Earnhardt back on the screen for legions of fans. 

Though still god-like for many, this series shows a more complicated Earnhardt. 

Dale Earnhardt will continue to be a hero, and his legend will continue to thrive as it should.

I will always remember Dale Earnhardt and my immense fandom.

I'm just glad I understand why Dale Earnhardt Jr. has such a loyal, steadfast, and ever-growing fandom that may have started because he was Earnhardt's son, but grows ever-bigger because he is his own man.

https://www.swooon.com/1194966/who-is-dale-earnhardt-jr-married-to-amy-kids/

Red Corduroy Pants - Track by Track with Composer Gregory Smith

 

Composer & Producer
Gregory Smith
talking to Professor
Bill Tiberio

Red Corduroy Pants debuted on January 17, 2025, and is the first jazz EP composed and produced by Ithaca College freshman and music composition major Gregory Smith.

I asked Smith to respond to a series of questions to find out why he was attracted to writing a jazz EP, and how he found inspiration to pen the different songs on the project. Here are his responses in his own words.

Q: Hello Gregory, thanks for answering some questions about your premiere EP Red Corduroy Pants. You bill it is a jazz work, so my first question to you is, why jazz?

Smith: “I have always had a deep appreciation for jazz; a genre of music that is so encouraging of expression and emotion. Listening to artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Ryo Fukui is so rewarding because you can feel their moment-to-moment thoughts, ideas, and feelings so palpably through their playing. I wanted to put together a project that was reminiscent of this style of expression and emblematic of my style of jazz writing. I harbor a very deep appreciation of the artists of the Jazz Quartet Era, and so I wanted to arrange for a similar ensemble.”

Q: Tell us about this work, track by track. Start with “Red Corduroy Pants”.

Smith: The first song, the titular “Red Corduroy Pants”, was one of the first songs I had ever written. I wanted to make a very catchy and quotable jazz tune with a lounge-y vibe and a flavorful use of chords. It takes influences from songs like “Doin’ Time” by Sublime and “So What” by Miles Davis in its use of repetition in the accompaniment. Bill’s (Tiberio) playing on this song is very sensual and intimate, and his tone really draws the listener in. The B-Section of this tune features an upbeat Latin-inspired groove with driving snares, plucky bass, and stabbing piano. I feel that this chart really opens up the world of this EP by starting out very intimately and introducing a real drive while still remaining delicate and sensual throughout.

Q: Next is “Keep it Comin’”, talk about that.

Corey Stark on keys

Smith: “The tune “Keep it Comin’” features Corey Stark on piano laying down some crisp, clean piano runs.  The front half of this song uses a repeated drum groove that you don’t really find in classic jazz anywhere. I wanted to make this project feel more modern by implementing some hip-hop influences, essentially pumping some modern sensibilities into the whole project to really make it feel new. The back half of this song does feature a pretty standard swing rhythm with a walking bass accompaniment, but this, to me, connects the modern style with that of the classics that have come before. Keeping that balance is very important to me.

Q: “That’s the Bell!” sounds frantic. What can you tell about this song?

Drummer Trevor Torres

Smith: The next song, “That’s the Bell!” is my personal favorite. It is inspired by the feeling you get when the last bell of the school day rings in high school. I wanted to capture that panicked, frantic, and excited energy. I also wrote this song to give all the instrumentalists a chance to show their chops. The groove starts right off the bat with a double time swing and frantic accompaniment. Bill (Tiberio) rushes in with the main melody and then transitions into his own improvised solo. He wails on the saxophone, ripping through blues-y runs and shrieking high notes. Next, Corey (Stark) on piano shows off his chops by absolutely pounding on the keys. His solo is energetic and hectic and so fun to listen to. Then, everyone cuts out except for Trevor (Torres), the drummer. He brings the energy down a little bit, drawing in the listener with sparse interjections on the toms. Then, he ramps up the tension by falling into a more consistent groove, finally cueing in the rest of the band to run through the main melody one last time. This song really is a treat for any attentive listener. It features endlessly creative and colorful solos from extremely talented instrumentalists.

Q: “Play Somethin’” is next, and it sounds a little different than what came before. What’s this song’s story?

Bassist Jake R. Smith

Smith: “Play Somethin’” is a really classy swing groove, something I don’t often write. I had a lot of fun coming up with the chords for this one, making it sound as classy as possible, while still falling in the same style as the rest of the project. The melody is catchy and fun, and the solos on this track are great.  The standout for me is Jake’s (Smith) bass solo which interestingly utilizes the high and low ranges of his instrument in a very fun and creative way. “

Q: The next song on the album slows things down and sets a mood. What can you tell me about that composition?

Smith: The ballad of this project, “It’s Snowing in Central Park”, is inspired by Bill Evans. The quiet melancholy of this song is expertly performed by Corey (Stark) on keys. He is tasteful in his use of licks, and he plays with such delicate beauty. For me, this song is a Christmas song. I like to say, “I know it’s Christmastime when it’s snowing in Central Park”. The general mood I wanted to elicit was the feeling one gets on Christmas Eve, sitting on the couch late at night, when the only thing lighting up the room is a Christmas tree. The world stops for a moment, the snowflakes seem to fall a little gentler, and the glow of the lights seem to warm a place in the heart that the cold outside is unable to reach.”

Q: The last track on the EP has an incredible and catchy groove. It sounds familiar the first time it’s heard, yet it is an original work. Why?

Vince Guaraldi with
Charles Schulz' character
Schroeder

Smith: “That last song, “Waltz for Vince”, is an homage to the late, great Vince Guaraldi. Vince Guaraldi, of course, wrote all the music for the Charlie Brown television specials, and his music has always had a huge influence on my taste. I really wanted to pay respect to such a wonderful musician and person by putting a lot of effort into the structure of this song. To start, the tune opens with a melody on saxophone. Bill’s (Tiberio) carefree rhythmic placement lends a cheekiness and playfulness that really encapsulates the energy of the tune right off the bat. Then, after a clever little time signature change, Corey (Stark) lays down another piano solo that is blues-y and catchy and very clearly inspired by the colorful melodies of Vince Guaraldi. The song switches time signatures again, back to the waltz feel to have Bill (Tiberio) play through the main melody.  The song then has another time signature change to 5/4 time, where the whole band plays an electrically energetic and satisfyingly syncopated melody that rings out joyfully. Finally, the time signature changes one last time, back to the waltz, to cap off this ode to one of my biggest inspirations. This track is rewarding for all types of listeners: people who love Charlie Brown Jazz, people who love classy blues, people who love math music, etc.

Professor Bill Tiberio
on sax

Q: Thank you for spending time explaining the tracks to this first EP of yours. Good luck to you with Red Corduroy Pants and any and all future projects. Do you have anything else to add about the project or the experience?

Smith: “Thank you so much! Yes. I’m really proud of this first effort and think it is an accessible listen for all music lovers, not just jazz aficionados. For those on Ithaca College’s campus, or for those who would like to travel there, the musicians will be performing all of Red Corduroy Pants at a live concert on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at the Hockett Family Recital Hall. Admission is free for all audience members. Thank you for the opportunity to speak about Red Corduroy Pants. The album is streaming on YouTube, Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, and wherever music streams. There are some hard copies being sold at the concert as well. Thanks again."

Greg Smith, composer,
composing...

Ithaca College's Gregory Smith and All That Jazz

 

Freshman Composer and Producer
Gregory Smith

Ithaca College freshman Gregory Smith arrived in New York with two objectives. The first was to succeed as a college student, the second was to bring his first album to fruition. He’d already launched the demo album before leaving for his freshman year at Ithaca College. Smith knew that the campus would house a hotbed of talent that would breathe life into his compositions. While working hard to keep up with the academic workload, and making friends, Smith set to work on finding the talent needed to breathe life into his compositions.

Jazz Professor at IC and
Saxophonist Bill Tiberio

A fortuitous pairing of Smith and his Jazz Band professor, Bill Tiberio, was the springboard making Gregory’s goal a shared passion. In addition, working with talented musicians who already loved jazz in his Jazz Band class, Gregory started to create inroads with fellow students who might be interested in recording his work. Having Tiberio on board was a great thrill for Smith.

When asked why a seasoned professor and musician in his own right would want to be a part of a first-semester-freshman’s project, Tiberio replied, “Greg’s sincerity of approach and his accomplishments already as a composer piqued my interest in performing his music.”

What was initially a small project to record a few songs, “…quickly blossomed into a full recording project, now released, and an opportunity to perform it live on the Ithaca College campus,” Tiberio remarked. He went on to state, “Greg’s music is soulful and intelligent, and will be well-received by the musical community at IC and outward from their as well.”

Senior at IC
Corey Stark

Having Tiberio on saxophone was a coup, but Gregory needed to find other musicians who are at the top of their game who were willing to create the album. Luckily, senior Corey Stark, an enormously talented multi-instrumentalist and composer, came on board the project at the pianist. Trevor Torres, composer and drummer extraordinaire, added his skill as a percussionist. “His understanding of the drum set and the application of complex rhythms as well as melodic quotations constantly create the perfect groove,” Smith explained. 

Senior at IC
Trevor Torres

Rounding out the quartet needed to make the album is Jake R. Smith, an incredibly talented left-handed bassist. Like Smith, he is also a student composer at Ithaca College.

Freshman Bassist
Jake R. Smith

Smith worked tirelessly on the project for his newly constructed band. He organized rehearsals before studio time – he wanted everything to run smoothly and as close to perfect as possible. Smith made connections in the Sound Recording Technology Department to help record the tracks and learned everything he possibly could on his own. Fellow IC students Amara Evans and Bella Chaine recorded the album.

After the recording session, Gregory poured over the pieces to edit them into a coherent, balanced, and polished finished product.

Creating this album is a dream come true for Smith. Upon closing Smith stated, “I truly hope everyone who listens to this work gets a different feeling out of each song. They all have a lot of love put into them, and they are all songs that I am inordinately proud.” As for the artists who performed Smith’s music, “The musicians I was able to get to perform these tunes are so skilled at their respective crafts, and I am so grateful to have worked with them.”

Now Smith and his fellow Ithaca College bandmates including Professor Bill Tiberio are holding a concert to perform songs from the album Red Corduroy Pants live. The event plays at Ithaca College’s Hockett Family Recital Hall on February 2, 2025 at 7p. Admission is free for all audience members.

Photos taken by: IC Freshman Greta Irico