People are talking about Dick Clark's return to his "Rockin' New Year's Eve" show and how he looked good or how he looked bad. Hey! He's 76 years old and is recovering from a severe stroke. Let's remember that people die from strokes! Let's also remember that Dick Clark is a significant person in contemporary music. He showcased popular music (rock & roll) before it was, indeed, popular (or safe.) Sure, he made a lot of money. He was also the first to bring rock music to network New Year's Eve programming. Think of it, 1972. The Beatles had come and gone and we were still watching Ben Grauer and Guy Lombardo ring in the new year. This is no knock on Ben nor Guy. I would prefer them over Carson Daily, but that's another matter. Getting back to Dick Clark. His company put on the best show, hiring the best and hottest music acts. Ryan Seacrest and (my good buddy) Marysol Castro were also excellent choices! He had the best acts because he should have them. Modern music owes a debt to Dick Clark. He may have been on camera a little too long during the show, but when a "family member" is not at his best, or worse, shouldn't we look beyond the obvious? After all, for many of us, Dick Clark is family.
