Calendar Letters: Words of Glen Campbell

Thank you for an awesome article on Glen Campbell [“His Heroic Coda,” Aug. 9], an amazing person. The lyrics he turned out give me goose bumps to this day. It’s trite to say, but we may not see that kind of resonance from a country song again; my sympathies to those who missed it.

Michael Connelly

Brooksville, Fla.

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I was Glen Campbell’s secretary in his early years and worked for him through 1976. Your article today in the Calendar section touched my heart as Glen did when I started at CBS TV City that August morning. Glen nicknamed me “Rosie” my first week at work.

It doesn’t seem enough, but thank you for your wonderful appreciation of this great talent, I don’t know what else to say as I’m grieving.

Rosemary Chiaverini

Sherman Oaks

The toughest ticket in town

Thank you for your article about the Hamilton ticket prices [“‘Hamilton’ Deserving of Every Ovation,” Aug. 13]. I have no problem with the VIP high-dollar tickets, so long as they don’t overwhelm the seating. Offering those as a few rows each night and/or as a special show surely helps with the bottom line and perhaps encourages slightly lower prices farther back.

Chip Ossman

Altadena

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I saw the show twice in San Francisco. Once through buying a season pass. The second time I waited for any last-minute actor/producer tickets that were released before the show to persons waiting in line at the theater. There is no guarantee this will work on a given night, but the ticket salespersons at the Orpheum said it occurred with regularity in the second half of the show’s run. You had to arrive at least three hours before showtime. The tickets were released about an hour before the show.

The sales price was the ticket value. I got great orchestra seats for $200. So there is not any discount as with the lottery seats.

Stephen Cassidy

San Leandro, Calif.

Norman Lear sends a message

In his letter to The Times regarding Norman Lear [“Calendar Letters: A Boycott of President Trump,” Aug. 13], Bob Munson states the whole point of the TV show “All in the Family” was that everybody should get along. As a longtime viewer, I disagree.

“All in the Family” was full of teachable moments, and many times the character of Archie Bunker, the representative of the shameful values we were trying to move away from, is shown how damaging his bigotry and hatred can be.

Norman Lear, in his boycotting of the White House reception, found a teachable moment about bringing to our attention the damaging rhetoric and policies of the current administration. His actions are well in line with what he established with the show many years ago.

Dean Micheli

Alhambra

The kindness of Barbara Cook

Your appreciation [“Barbara Cook Made Song Lyrics All Her Own,” Aug. 9] was moving, celebratory and incredibly comforting somehow.

I had the unique and intense experience of chaperoning a young opera student who was taking a private singing lesson, a one-on-one that Ms. Cook yearly donated in an auction benefiting the Actors Fund.

She conducted the lesson in her beautiful home one afternoon. The student’s voice was gorgeous, she was obviously trained, but she was having trouble connecting with the lyrics. Ms. Cook had her come over to her and asked her to sit opposite, so their knees could touch. She then asked the student to hold hands with her and just sing to her, looking in her eyes. The energy that went back and forth between them as Ms. Cook gently coaxed her student was something I shall never forget. It was a transformative afternoon.

Her kindness was as huge as her voice.

Susan Varon

New York City

‘The Crown’ should ascend

Glenn Whipp really thinks “Stranger Things” is better than ‘The Crown” as best TV drama [“The Gold Standard,” Aug. 10]? While these are two excellent productions, among several others, picking “Stranger Things” (which I really liked) over “The Crown” is a baffling decision. “The Crown” was superior in every respect with regard to superb casting, imaginative directing and editing and brilliant writing. Mr. Whipp may not be an Anglophile, but it’s clear that he prefers the supernatural.

Richard R. McCurdy

Burbank

Editor’s note: Glenn Whipp was predicting which program would win and not expressing his personal preference.

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