I have an old friend, let’s call him “Jamie,” whom I first met in high school. He is, in fact, one of my oldest and dearest friends, someone who helps me remember that years later I am still somehow the same person I was at fifteen. “Jamie” showed up unannounced at my first marriage on a hot Memorial Day weekend, and kept my parents entertained despite their concerns about that same first marriage. He and I visited all through our college years, and beyond. These days, he lives diagonally across the street from my parents and sends me photos of them walking the dog in the park.
“Jamie” is also categorically, historically and forever linked in my mind to Chaka Khan. In high school, he had every album, knew all the words by heart, went to see her perform. “Jamie”’s loyalty to Chaka Khan has lasted through the ages, so whenever I happen upon a Chaka Khan reference, I make sure to send it to him, and honor the connection.
Imagine my delight, the other day, when I happened to notice that someone from the Chaka Khan foundation had stumbled upon this blog. Immediately, I sent “Jamie” a screenshot and a note, to which he replied, “the meaning of life being Chaka Khan = the voice of a good friend that gets me through it all…good and bad; a voice I have grown up with and been a constant, always there; captures subtlety, depth and beauty.”
At last, I suppose, I understand “Jamie’s” connection to Chaka Khan, because just as Steve Martin explains in the Three Amigos that we “all have our El Guapo,” it is equally the case that we all have our Chaka Khan, “the voice of a good friend, in good and in bad.” A voice that sustains us, and keeps us company, thorough the ages.
Comments 11
What a friend you are Vicki – and “Jamie” too – I love this portrait of two pals. Sustains us indeed.
Posted 05 Jun 2010 at 10:12 am ¶Wonderful story –
Posted 05 Jun 2010 at 2:43 pm ¶Friends like that are such gifts to have in our lives.
P.S. I love your Three Amigos reference!
Posted 05 Jun 2010 at 5:28 pm ¶You of course know, given that I can envision a certain scene in a shared past, that I love this.
Posted 05 Jun 2010 at 7:13 pm ¶Tell Jamie I have met Chaka Khan and she’s pretty amazing in person!
Posted 05 Jun 2010 at 9:41 pm ¶Thank you for sharing this with us. I think this kind of friendship – throughout time – is one of the best. Almost like its own version of ‘for better or worst.’
Posted 06 Jun 2010 at 6:28 am ¶this is so true, and so beautifully put. i was just rereading your literary mama article about music from 2008 this morning….i can feel that in my gut.
Posted 07 Jun 2010 at 6:25 am ¶love to you, friend!
This is pure awesomeness, Vicki. Chaka Khan made an impression on me when I first saw her (maybe on Solid Gold?). My sister’s first perm (her long straight hair transformed into curls!) was inspired by Chaka Khan. She’s so genuine–there isn’t that staged, rehearsed, nothing out of place feel that I get out of some singers’ performances. I’m going to show this to my little nieces so they can see what being a woman can be like.
Thanks for the birthday wishes and all around goodwill. I’m happy that you’re one of the voices of friendship that I count on in my life.
Posted 12 Jun 2010 at 5:57 am ¶I love this blog post and especially the video. Thank you!
Posted 14 Jun 2010 at 10:54 pm ¶Okay, I love Jamie, and you know I love you, but I also love the fact that you fit Chaka Khan and the Three Amigos into the same blog post. “We all have our El Guapo” is one of my favorite movie quotes of all time!
Posted 26 Jun 2010 at 7:58 am ¶one of my favorite songs ever
Posted 05 Jul 2010 at 7:32 pm ¶Post a Comment