Track and field doesn’t get much exposure in America except in an Olympic year, but the upcoming Summer Games in Paris that begin July 26 have put some of this nation’s top track stars squarely in the spotlight. For at least the duration of the games they will be the nightly leads on ESPN, and NBC is using the Olympics to attract new subscribers to their Peacock streaming service. They’re putting numerous hours of live coverage on Peacock, and have already done a trial run by putting almost all the Olympic trial broadcasts on Peacock. The person who will be…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn Musicians across the idiomatic spectrum are joining forces to rebuild a cultural shrine in Mississippi. That’s the 200-year-old former home of the great Mississippi John Hurt in Avalon. It had been restored and turned into a museum, but it was recently burned to the ground. While no culprit has yet been arrested, it has been widely seen as the work of racist vandals. The home contained rare recordings, guitars and more. Immediately after the disaster struck, Mary Frances Hurt, the artist’s granddaughter who is director of the non-profit Mississippi John Hurt Foundation and the primary curator of…
In a little less than a month the 2024 Summer Olympics begin in Paris. There is no global sports spectacle quite like them, although the World Cup comes close. But the difference is the Olympics offer topflight international competition in a host of sports. Track and field, gymnastics, swimming, even sports that you normally wouldn’t think of as Olympic events like baseball, golf, tennis and soccer, are part of the 2024 Summer Games, as well as longtime popular staples like basketball and volleyball. There are 40 sports in this edition, and some like Flag Football and Softball are recent additions.…
By Ron Wynn Shonda Rhimes has an extensive and impressive track record in Hollywood as one of the most prolific and outstanding producers and creators in television. Her many projects include the long-running ABC series “Grey’s Anatomy” and the big streaming hit “Bridgerton,” as well as the iconic “Scandal.” But another of Rhimes’ passions is golf, and last week she took it to another level. Rhimes became the owner of the Los Angeles Golf Club, the first team in the TGL league. On Instagram she shared, “I can’t wait to bring my passion for golf to this incredible venture. Joining…
By Ron Wynn Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba has an important and inspiring story to tell. She’s sharing it this fall with the release of her memoir “The Road Is Good: How a Mother’s Strength Became a Daughter’s Purpose” (Viking). The book is an homage to Aduba’s late mother Nonyem, who died in 2020. It includes anecdotes from her mother, aunts and uncles — as well as her findings from her trips to Nigeria and New York for auditions to tell a “unique coming-of-age story” and a “timely examination of Black immigrant identity.” “When I initially started thinking about writing a…
By Ron Wynn The entertainment world has been paying tribute the past few days to Bill Cobbs, one of America’s premier character actors, who passed last Tuesday at 90. Cobbs appeared in more than 200 films and/or television shows as well as many plays over a career that dated back to 1969. A Cleveland native, he initially worked in that city’s theatrical circuit before moving to New York. There he joined the Negro Ensemble Company, acting alongside Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. His first on-screen role came in the original version of “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” in…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The transformation of Tennessee baseball from mediocrity to championship status was completed Monday night in Omaha. The Volunteers won the school’s first Men’s College World Series title by defeating Texas A&M in the third and deciding game 6-5. Tennessee had to win consecutive games after losing the opener. The victory completed a season where they won a record 60 games, becoming the first SEC team to reach that plateau while losing only 13 and leading the nation in home runs. They also became the first number one team to win the Men’s College World…
The death last week of the great Willie Mays also marked the end of one of the few remaining links to a bygone era. Mays, who died at 93 may have been the greatest all-round player of the modern (post-integration) era. He combined power, speed, percentage hitting, throwing and defensive ability in a manner that some could surpass in terms of individual categories, but none could top for total brilliance. He was also among the first players to jump from the Negro Leagues to the majors as a rookie. He made his debut in 1951 for the then New York…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — One of Nashville’s, indeed the entire state’s, greatest homegrown jazz musicians was John Lucius Green Sr. A Tennessee State University graduate and also member of the original Aristocrat of Bands, Green made history on two fronts. As an artist, he performed with a number of legendary acts as a founding member of the New Imperials, among them the great Sam Cooke. As an educator he was a band director for over three decades, teaching at the elementary, middle and high school levels while also operating summer camps for underprivileged youth. His daughter, Dr. Jewell…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Several top stars in multiple fields of entertainment are scheduled to appear and/or perform on the 2024 BET Awards, which are scheduled for this Sunday. They will be hosted once again by Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson. “I am thrilled to be returning as the host of the ‘BET Awards’ for the third time,” she said in a statement. Drake leads the nominations with seven, including an Album of the Year nod for his eighth studio album, “For All the Dogs.” One of the awards he’s up for is the music video for “First…