Jim was born in 1943 in Florida where he later attended Florida State University. Curiously enough Jim was banned in Florida as well as several other southern states (let the record show my beard and I do not count Florida as the South) for allegedly threatening to show 'it' crowds at his shows.
Jim wore an epic beard for most of his adult life even though his most iconic pictures are with out it. He as been quoted as saying all of his musical genius and artistic inspiration were derived from his beard and another part of his anatomy. Jim was overly fond of his own 'Little Jim' and often offered to show it off. He also wrote several poems about it. This obsession of his was a two sided sword as it both got him banned from many venue but made him very popular with the ladies.
Random other Jim Stuff:
His favorite singer were Elvis (no beard) and Frank Sinatra (no beard)
Favorite poets were Allen Ginsberg (my mother's friend) and Jack Kerouac
He became infamous early in his career when the Doors performed the song 'Light my Fire' on The Ed Sullivan Show. Because of its obvious drug reference, Morrison had agreed not to sing the lyric "girl we couldn't get much higher" on the air, but when the cameras rolled he went ahead and sang it anyway – cementing his status as rock and roll's new rebel hero
He drove a 1967 Shelby GT that he named "The Blue Lady"
He was 5' 11" and weighed between 140-185. The difference in weight thanks to the shear heft of his beard and an enormous drug problem.
Jim died of a 'heart attack' in a bathtub in Paris. By all accounts his beard played no part in his death.
Despite the fact that this picture is sans-beard my beard and I chose this song for listening pleasure.
Separate note - We just signed up for Trail run at Whitewater Center on 1/19 if anyone wants to come. 4,8, or 13 mile courses. We signed up for the 13 of course.
Well said bearded one, well said.
ReplyDeleteSelfindulgent plus vainity multiplied by madness and divided by altruism equals tim b., regards VOSS
ReplyDelete.