It is interesting that often when we read about the death of a famous person, we sometimes personalize it. We reflect on how that person has touched our life, what impact the person has had on us, and what memories we have that connect with the person's name and the person's fame.
I have to confess that I was never really a big fan of Opera, but that did not stop me from being a fan of the vocal talents of Luciano Pavarotti. One of my strongest memories of Pavarotti was his connection to my childhood barbershop. For more than two decades, I went to the same neighborhood barber. He was the only barber in a small shop he owned, was of Italian descent, and he absolutely loved the tenor's voice. It was in my neighborhood barbershop that I first became aware of the magnificent voice of Luciano Pavarotti. For years I would get my hair cut while listening to the voice of Pavarotti. Sometimes it would be on televised videotape behind the barber's chair. Often, it would just fill the air on audio tape. The shop has been closed for many years, but the memory of it felt vivid when I heard of Pavarotti's passing on September 6, 2007. .
I never got the chance to see Luciano Pavarotti in person. I never saw any of his performances live. I never met the man. However, I have enjoyed many of his performances over the years on television and on audiotape. Certainly many others did as well, as Pavarotti has been the best-selling classical artist, with more than 100 million records sold since the 1960s. Opera lovers surely treasure his recordings with soprano Joan Sutherland. He recorded the first classical album to reach No. 1 on the pop charts. In addition, Pavarotti was able to promote his tenor's voice in popular music. He can be found in the music collections of Elton John, The Spice Girls, Sheryl Crow, and Liza Minnelli and has shared the stage with rock and pop singers, including Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and Bono of U2, to raise money for charities.
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