VOA标准英语2011--Remembering Folk Artist Bill Morrissey

Remembering Folk Artist Bill Morrissey

Singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey, 59, died on July 23, but his death hasn't received the same attention as that of Amy Winehouse on the same day. Based in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, Morrissey was well known to folk music fans, releasing 10 studio albums and earning two Grammy nominations¹.
One of Bill Morrissey's Grammy nominations came for his 1999 album "Songs of Mississippi John Hurt."
Bill Morrissey became a professional musician at a young age. He grew up studying the great folk singers and songwriters of the 1960s. He also spent time working in restaurants and as a commercial fisherman, no doubt studying his co-workers as he went about his business, and later turning their quirks² and behaviors into song. Songs about old mill towns and the people who populated them was a specialty³ of his. "Small Town On The River" is one example.
Morrissey's own life was as difficult as those of the characters in his songs. He battled alcoholism, depression, and was eventually diagnosed as bipolar. And, as he wrote on his website, "I'm on medication for depression, but sometimes the depression is stronger than the medication." He persevered⁴, however, and, on good days, continued to write and perform.
Morrissey released "Something I Saw, or Thought I Saw" in 2001, featuring songs written soon after his second divorce. Many critics compared it to Richard and Linda Thompson's break-up album "Shoot Out The Lights," as both deal with fractured relationships. "Birches" is one of Bill Morrissey's best-loved songs. It about the middle of a marriage, telling the tale of a love that's still strong, but perhaps not burning as bright as it once did.
Morrissey died while on tour, which is likely when most performers would prefer the inevitable⁵ to happen. In addition to his 10 solo CDs, Morrissey and his good friend Greg Brown released a Grammy-nominated duo CD. He also wrote a well-received novel called "Edson," and had just completed a second novel at the time of his death. If you'd like to find out more about Bill Morrissey, his songs and his books, visit his website: Bill Morrissey.net.

1 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

2 quirks   

n.奇事，巧合( quirk的名词复数 )；怪癖

参考例句：

• One of his quirks is that he refuses to travel by train. 他的怪癖之一是不愿乘火车旅行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All men have their own quirks and twists. 人人都有他们自己的怪癖和奇想。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

4 persevered   

v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
• Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句

5 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。