Surprise's...Somerset Gallery and "Old Acquaintance"

Email and Face book are such amazing things...Today I had a message from an old friend Steve Gres from High School...with this fun photo on his Face book....1968 Miami Rock Festival...Steve the was my boyfriend and took me to this amazing event.
Thank you Steve.


I didn't realize till just now what a historic event it was! Guess I need to ask Steve who we saw...I do remember being impressed with all the car's honking in Miami...never heard that before and Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night!

The Miami Pop Festival was a two day pop music event at Gulfstream Race Track on May 18-19, 1968. It was attended by an estimated 100,000 people.This concert was promoted by Michael Lang ( Promoter of Woodstock)

Bands featured at the festival included Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, The Mothers of Invention, Blue Cheer, and Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Jimi flew in and sang Fire , Foxy Lady, Getting my Heart back Together and Purple Haze. Sunday's concert was rained out; Hendrix wrote "Rainy Day, Dream Away" about this. Chuck Berry, Blues Image, Pacific Gas and Electric and Three Dog Night also performed. The opening act on the main stage on Saturday was a little known group called The Package and the closing act on that same stage was Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East, Monterey, Woodstock... these are the shows that people talk about. Only the fans know of the lesser-known shows such as the Miami Pop Festival in 1968.

In my life growing up I have used various names. My Mother found my name when she was 10 years old on a movie with Bettie Davis were there was a young beautiful blond girl named Deirdre, she was Bettie a friends daughter. She was young so when she went to name me she didn't remember how to spell it or pronounce it right. The name Deirdre is a old Irish name and is pronounced Dear Dra...but in England and America it has been changed to Dee Dra...or Dee dreee...the Galic name is hard for the English tounge. When you hear the name Deirdre pronounced by Bettie Davis it is the most beautiful name in the World...(Dear Dra) it is my favorite way to say the my name....you can see a little of the movie by clicking on it...unfortunatly you can't hear her say Deirdre...must rent it for that..it is interesting though....."Old Acquaintance" 1943


I changed it to Deirdra from Dedra when I was married.
In case any friends from my school years are trying to find me I was called. Dedra Bailey...in elementary school...Dedra Dingley when I lived with my beloved step father...Deirdra Sharkey first marriage and Deirdra Doan for the past 26 years!
I lived in Riverside California, Mississippi, England, Oregon and Florida, Berkeley CA, Miami...landing in Oregon...Seaside, Portland, Eugene and now Salem.

I also got an email that 2 of my Mixed Media Pieces will be in the Winter 2010 issue of Somerset Gallery..."Dreaming of Klimt and Hope"
I am leaving the Klimt piece as a surprise to see when it comes out!
June blessings!