Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 16 June 2018
Jose Feliciano donates guitar he performed US anthem in 1968

By LUIS ALONSO LUGO rator John Troutman.
Associated Press “He plays genres that rep-
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was resent the diversity of the
50 years in the making. American musical experi-
Jose Feliciano on Thursday ence.”
donated to the National The National Museum of
Museum of American His- American History is home
tory the same guitar on to the Star-Spangled Ban-
which he performed “The ner, the actual flag Francis
Star-Spangled Banner” dur- Scott Key saw flying over
ing the 1968 World Series in Baltimore’s Fort McHenry
Detroit. in 1814, which inspired the
His Latin jazz-infused rendi- words that would become
tion, the first one personal- the national anthem.
ized by a pop artist, took Asked about the recent
the national anthem for criticism President Donald
the first time to the Top 40 Trump has aimed at NFL
charts but also brought him players who take a knee
heavy criticism from those during the anthem to pro-
who accuse him of destroy- test racial injustice, Feli-
ing a sacred song. ciano did not find them at
“My records were not fault.
played. I mean, it was not “Those people who want
good,” the winner of nine to kneel, they should have
Grammy Awards told The that right,” he said. “It does
Associated Press. Grammy Award-winning artist Jose Feliciano performs the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the not mean they are degrad-
“But I call it bittersweet be- Smithsonian’ National Museum of American History in Washington, Thursday June 14, 2018. ing the anthem by kneel-
cause the really only good Associated Press ing.”
thing that ever happened attention of people “be- him to sing the anthem in writer he used to write lyrics Feliciano said he is currently
to me from the ‘Star-Span- cause a lot of times they September to celebrate and a letter he received in working on a biographical
gled Banner’ was that I met went to a ball game, paid the 50th anniversary of their the 1970s from a member TV documentary to be re-
my wife.” no attention to the an- 1968 World Series. of the Jose Feliciano fan leased next year, and on
Feliciano, known for hits them. They sang it but they Besides the 1967 guitar, the club in Japan. a book about the story of
such as “Light My Fire” and sang it with no feeling, and 72-year-old Puerto Rican “He is incredibly important his life written by his wife,
“Feliz Navidad,” says his they sang it quickly.” songwriter also donated a to understanding the fabric Susan.
version was inspired by gos- He now feels happy that pair of his iconic sunglasses, of our American culture,” “As far as books go, I am
pel and he did it to get the the Detroit Tigers invited a performing stool, a type- said Smithsonian music cu- pretty excited”, he said.q

The Gottis made sure the Travoltas were well fed for ‘Gotti’

By ALICIA RANCILIO acters and be better at
Associated Press what we did, so I think it’s
NEW YORK (AP) — John a different film if we had
Travolta and Kelly Preston done it then, than now and
didn’t just receive the Gotti a better one.”
family’s blessing to make a The actor says one of the
biopic about the late, infa- things viewers will take
mous crime boss, they also away from the film is how
were fed well, in true Italian popular Gotti was.
style. “Unlike (John) Dillinger and
“Victoria Gotti made us a (Al) Capone, Gotti was
gorgeous spread one after- loved and I discovered
noon. It was awesome,” re- why he was loved.
called Travolta at the film’s He was actually like a lo-
premiere Thursday. cal Robin Hood, he was a
“We’ve had quite a few good will factor to many
meals. Quite a few great situations, whether it was
Italian meals,” added Pres- putting businesses back
ton, who plays Gotti’s wife, in the black, and profit
Victoria. again or supporting fami-
“Victoria cooked us din- lies that weren’t doing well,
ner, an amazing dinner in or neighborhood celebra-
the same house that she Victoria Gotti, from left, Kelly Preston, John Travolta and John Gotti, Jr. attend the premiere of tions, so they loved him on
and John lived in for many “Gotti” at the SVA Theatre on Thursday, June 14, 2018, in New York. a personal level,” Travolta
years, and the family was Associated Press said.
in and out and we spent meal just when we landed loved it. That was thrilling.” built up such a plethora of The movie “Gotti” was
all day long together and here four or five days ago “Good things are worth information and we found sanctioned by the family,
it was wonderful and then after the whole family had waiting for and we were out how to design the film and some critics say it’s too
we’ve had other meals seen the film and that was waiting for this and I think itself and I think we had sympathetic and favorable
together. We had a great incredible because they all the time we waited, we time to work on the char- toward a mafia boss.q