Posted on 04/04/2014 4:06:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Who are the REAL kings (and queens) of cool? National Portrait Gallery runs exhibition of the 100 coolest Americans, Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Debbie Harry
Years after they first made their mark Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Madonna and Blondie are all still hip enough to have earned a place in the top 100 coolest Americans.
The 'American Cool' exhibit is currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington, D.C. America, until 7 September.
Included in the exhibit are the likes of jazz musicians such as Miles Davis and Billie Holiday, actors such as Johnny Depp, and singers such as Elvis Presley and Debbie Harry.
The term 'cool' originated in the United States in the early 1940s when legendary jazz saxophonist Lester Young brought the central African American concept into the modern vernacular.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
What do you mean ‘scary nasty’ ? :)
Agree. The Lizard King should positively be on the list. :)
Seriously, read her history. I think I'm the only musician who didn't hit it. She was probably about 70 at the time, leathery skin from too much time in the sun or tanning beds.
And a damn yankee in Savannah...
VERY good. :)
The list is all liberal’s idols.
Best Dan guitar...Skunk’s out solo on Bodhisattva.
Personally, all my life I had an aversion to “cool.” Not that I gravitated towards its opposite (geekdom, or whatever) at all, either. Not in the least. It’s just that I always observed that those who seemed to most value “coolness” were invariably the most vapid people around.
Always sought out individuality and strength of character. Even when I was actually quite young.
wow. ok :)
Almost all....a couple like John Wayne and at a stretch Clint might make our list.
Nice.
I agree with most of your comments, but Ringo doesn’t qualify because he’s British. But mentioning Ringo - who covered “Matchbox” and “Honey Don’t” - calls to mind another very cool guy, Carl Perkins. As for Jim Morrison, I disagree; he was too out-of-control to be cool, and his death bordered on suicide, which - by both of our criteria - would disqualify him. Of The Doors, I always thought that Ray Manzarek (RIP) was Mr. Cool, followed by Robby Krieger.
Cool, Cool? Louis Prima.
Bix Beiderbecke? Cool until you find out he molested a five-year-old girl.
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