Eddie Marie: Karaoke Queen

A friend:

On Feb. 18, 2011 Eddie Marie lost her battle with cancer. She was Long Beach's Karaoke Queen, loved and respected by all. She was an extraordinary and adorable entertainer with a heart of gold that matched her golden voice. She loved America and the veterans, she brought her karaoke machine to the old Long Beach VFW Post 1746 and the Lakewood American Legion Post 496 among other establishments in the Long Beach area where everyone had fun. She will be missed by all who knew her.

2/25/11: My first close friend to pass away...

3/5/11: Just got back from the Memorial for Eddie Marie Kurgan which began at 1 p.m. at the American Legion, 5938 Parkcrest, Long Beach, California.

It was attended by close to 500 people and it was truly magnificent just like she was. God bless those who took care of her so well in the end, and her family in Alabama who raised up such a beautiful person.

Newpaper article about her here and from her hometown in Montgomery, Alabama:

JONES, Miss Eddie Marie Kurgan was born in Montg, on Feb. 19, 1947 to Elizabeth Jones Gholston, and Abe Snow (deceased). At an early age she confessed faith in Jesus Christ and joined the Troy Chapel AMEZ Meth. Church. Marie graduated from Carver High School in Montg. She moved to Chicago, IL. where she started her career in music. She eventually moved to Long Beach, CA, where she continued to sing and became known as the Black Queen of country music. Marie departed this life on February 18, 2011 in Lakewood, CA. Services will be held in Long Beach, CA on March 5, 2011 at 1:00 PM. She leaves to cherish her memory, her loving mother Elizabeth Jones Gholston; three brothers, J. T. (Shirley) Coleman, Willie J. Gholston Jr., James (Josefa) Gholston, all of Montg. Also fraternal siblings Marshall (Carmellia) Taylor, Alfreda Snow, Larry (Alice) Snow, Joyce (David) Allen, Orum (Nicole) Snow, Deborah (David) Brown, Ray (Irma) Snow and Tanya (Terry) French.

My heart is broken.

UPDATE:

Purple balloons were released symbolizing Eddie-Marie's departure after Proud to Be an American was sung acoppella [sic] which was her favorite song to end her shows with...

MORE NEWS (9/11/11): PLANS FOR "BLACK SWAN" MEMORIAL TO BE PLACED IN NASHVILLE CEMETERY

Update 10/9/11: Very soon, our own Black Swan will be placed near the fountain at Woodlawn Memorial Park (picture below taken before being shipped to Nashville from India):

Thanks to Eddie Marie's close friend Sherilyn for conceiving of and helping to arrange for this beautiful memorial and for the two pictures above...and many thanks to Rob, without whom it would not have been financially possible.

 MAY, 2012

 Eddie Marie's Final Resting Place

Woodlawn Memorial Park

Nashville, Tennessee

*  *  *

February 19, 1947 - February 18, 2011

Soulful Singer of Country Music

The Beloved Lady is Home

 EDDIE MARIE JONES KURGAN

Born: Montgomery, Alabama 

*  *  *

My first close friend to pass away...

You always wonder what it'll be like.

I remember when it happened to my Dad.

We were living in Hawaii where we'd moved in 1964 from Las Vegas for his business. A year or two later, his oldest friend and former business partner passed away.

I was home alone with him (my Mother was on the Mainland--as they call it there--I think) and I remember feeling rebuffed by his response to the phone call because I went to hug him and he pushed me away.

I felt hurt...and yet, at the same time, I understood completely.

My husband just now came and hugged me and I just cried. We both smiled, too, because we both had loved Marie and known her eternally upbeat take on life (although he didn't know her for as long, or in the same way as I did, since I met her long before we were married). We'd last shared a lunch with her at The Cheesecake Factory in Marina del Rey last year where we sat outside near all the yachts and ocean air.

No, I don't suddenly feel my own mortality like you so often hear people say. I've felt my own mortality for quite awhile already, thank you very much! And Marie was not afraid to die (I know, because I asked her).

She was pretty, she was fun, and she loved life.

And...I really miss her!

She really should have broken through in the music business, too. She sang...and you could feel it in your heart.

Years ago, I was at one of her live performances. One grey-haired lady just couldn't contain herself and ran up on stage and hugged her!

THIS is what Marie (Eddie Marie Jones-Kurgan) brought out in people all of her life...and it is what I will miss the most.

Eddie Marie Kurgan's heart was in Music Row

2/26/11: Eddie Marie: Karaoke Queen

'Barack Obama Doesn't Care About White People!'

Why hasn't the flooding in Nashville, Tennessee gotten any presidential or media attention???

From Larry Elder: Just how big a deal are these floods, anyway?

Media ignores critical emergency in Nashville, Tennessee

No looting, no crime, no media:

From REDSTATE.COM

If you live outside of Nashville, you may not be aware, but our city was hit by a 500-year flood over the last few days. The national news coverage gave us 15 minutes, but went back to focusing on a failed car bomb and an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While both are clearly important stories, was that any reason to ignore our story? It may not be as terror-sexy as a failed car bomb or as eco-sexy as an oil spill, but that’s no reason to be ignored.

WE ARE NASHVILLE

A message to all members of Tea Party Patriots re: tea party convention

We are receiving many calls and emails asking about the tea party convention in Nashville. Tea Party Patriots is not participating in the tea party convention.

A couple of months ago, Tea Party Patriots Local Coordinators decided they did not want to to be involved in this endeavor because the ticket prices were out of our league.

There has been a lot of press coverage about the convention recently. We recommend thoroughly researching the convention before purchasing a ticket.

Tea Party Patriots, Inc.

National Coordinator Team

Visit Tea Party Patriots here