A message from Whitley' and Art will be on the air' Jan. 22'

[Waverider]

"A Visit to Art
Sunday January 15th, 2006

We visited our bereaved friend Art Bell this weekend. Ramona, his beloved wife of ten years, died suddenly on January 5th, and now he’s very much alone. As has been happening so often lately, I got a message about Art in a roundabout way. I want to share this with everyone who visits this website, because I know you all care so much about him.
We flew to Las Vegas on Saturday morning, then flew back on Sunday. While Art needs friends, he isn’t capable of long periods of social interaction right now. This is typical of the mourning period.

It was raining when we arrived in Las Vegas and checked into the Best Western hotel. When we saw Art, he talked about his radio station KNYE and said that Ramona’s voice could still be heard making some of the announcements. On Sunday morning, the day we left, I opened the curtains onto a bright, sunny day—a complete contrast to the day before. I said to Whitley, “It’s a bright, sunny day,” and sang a little of one of my favorite tunes, which was made famous by Johnny Nash years ago: “I can see clearly now, the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the rain clouds that had me down. It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day.”

A little later, I was waiting in the car while Whitley checked out of the hotel. I tuned the radio to KNYE 95.1 and heard Art’s voice doing a commercial. The music they were using in the background was the same song I had been singing earlier.

I realized I had gotten a message: It’s going to be hard, but Art is going to be all right. That sunshiny day will return for him.

Art’s fans should note that he told us he plans to talk about Ramona’s death on his regular Coast to Coast AM radio show at 10 pm Sunday night, January 22. You can listen on your local Clear Channel station. "

http://www.unknowncountry.com/diary/

To read Whitley's meditation on Ramona Bell's death, click here.

[SetiCruncher]

Thank You

[SETIsLady]

yes thank you waverider, and I am so grateful to Whitley for keeping Arts fans informed of his well being, and very grateful that Art has a true friend in Whitley & Anne.

I wasn't going to say this , but I am going to anyhow. I expected much more from George and C2C, I am extremely dissappointed in them all the way around, after this tragedy. They seem very detached from this, and if it weren't for Art there would be no C2C, how soon people forget.

When Art moves on from his weekend shows, I will cancel my streamlink membership. Until then its worth the money I pay to hear Art.

[Shirleypal]

Thank you so much Waverunner, Art is lucky to have friends like Whit and Anne. As sad as it will be I am looking forward to hearing Art talk about his beloved Ramona on Jan. 22nd.

[dotcosm]

This is good news. I wish there were some way we could actually help Art, but it's so frustrating being invisible fans who are really just strangers to him. Such a bizarre phenom, feeling deeply connected to people never met in the 3-D world.

It will be difficult to hear him next weekend, but I will listen.

[Shirleypal]

I wasn't going to say this , but I am going to anyhow. I expected much more from George and C2C, I am extremely dissappointed in them all the way around, after this tragedy. They seem very detached from this, and if it weren't for Art there would be no C2C, how soon people forget.

When Art moves on from his weekend shows, I will cancel my streamlink membership. Until then its worth the money I pay to hear Art.

I agree with you wholeheartedly Setislady, I have kept my streamlink so I can download Art's show, haven't listened during the week since GN took over. Next time I see someone post what a nice guy he is I will throw up.

[joequinn]

I know from personal experience that one of the hardest aspects of being a survivor is having to sit there, naked and alone and for hours on end, and to accept condolences.

And that is what Art has to do on the 22nd. That IS the show for the 22nd. So let's just bite the bullet and get it done that night!

(Of course, Prem Rad is embarassed about the current situation. They were just about ready to push Art over the cliff once and for all, now that the New Radio Order is finally in place after three years of preparation. But Ramona's death forces them to hide their bulldozers and wait until people forget --- as they always do --- before they try again...)

[mudwoman]

I wasn't going to say this , but I am going to anyhow. I expected much more from George and C2C, I am extremely dissappointed in them all the way around, after this tragedy. They seem very detached from this, and if it weren't for Art there would be no C2C, how soon people forget.

You have always bee an lady. I rarely am. The night when the news broke, many of us gathered in the ORR. George gave a canned, insipid, boiler plate statement about Ramona's death, and then went on with the silliest, dumbest show I ever heard in all my life. The guest, and George were yucking it up - I was burning up. I asked then if George was a heartless bastard, and was gently rebuked for my question at the time. I will ask again. Are George and ALL the Prem Rats heartless bastards?

[MoJo]

Thank you so much Waverider for the update. I think at this time what we all might think about is the best way to communicate with Art and supporting him through this sad time. What can we do to help fill some of the void, in the gentlest way possible and not overwhelm. My thanks to Anne and Whit for being there and communicating with us. It's heart warming to know that we're considered more of a friend than a fan. If I remember correctly, when my Dad passed away, my Mom confided in me that the saddest days were the days after family and friends had to return home and get back to their lives. While we went back to routine, she had to rethink her path. That first year or two were the loneliest, especially the nights. I dread to think I might have to face that loneliness someday. I guess we'll just let him take the lead and continue to keep him and Ramona in our prayers. Hope I'm not rambling, I guess I'm feeling a little over protective. Just my nature. Thanks for listening,
Elizabeth

[Lord Moon]

please let us know if there is anthing more we can do...

[Graphix Girl]

Thank you Anne and Whit for keeping us all informed and for being such good friends to Art. It is very much appreicated that you thought of his fans here at the FF and recognize how much we all care about Art, even though we are virtually strangers, we are still connected.

Frankly, I was surprised to see that he would be going on the air so soon but I'm glad he is. It is a very good sign that he is moving forward and being on the radio will, I'm sure, be a great comfort to him, as difficult as it might be at first. That will be a show that I wouldn't miss for the world.

Art, you are an inspiration to us all.

[Live365]

I, too, have something I wasn't going to say, but in light of this development, it may not be as tasteless as it would have been a week ago. But I truly worried we would never see Art again. In my darkest thoughts, I believed he was a destroyed man, and would live the rest of his days as such. But was it Joe Quinn that said radio is Art's Other Love (paraphrase). And that is where he will find his solace. And his new purpose.

My thanks also to Anne, Whitley and Wave for sharing this. Anne is right. The sun is shining today. The show that night will be painful for all (host and listeners), but as it always does, life will go on from there.

[Prker]

Yes, a big ~ Thank You ~ to Anne & Whitley ~

I just have to say, I am glad that Coast to Coast is still on the air,
but 'NO ONE' can take the place of Art!

At times, while listening to the show, I will think, "Oh God",
Art would NEVER have said THAT!

I do believe Art knows what he has to do and will do it, in his own time.

At the same time, also knowing, that he will see his
beloved Ramona, again ~

Here's to the days of ~ http://www.artbell.com ~

BTW, Thank You, Waverider!

[Tinkerbell]

yes thank you waverider, and I am so grateful to Whitley for keeping Arts fans informed of his well being, and very grateful that Art has a true friend in Whitley & Anne.

I wasn't going to say this , but I am going to anyhow. I expected much more from George and C2C, I am extremely dissappointed in them all the way around, after this tragedy. They seem very detached from this, and if it weren't for Art there would be no C2C, how soon people forget.

When Art moves on from his weekend shows, I will cancel my streamlink membership. Until then its worth the money I pay to hear Art.

I agree with you 100%, SETIsLady. Any information I've learned about this whole thing, has come from this Forum, Unknown Country, and 1 or 2 other sources. But since the one announcement on the C2C website, there has been nothing, as far as I know. I don't listen to George, so I was unaware of what had been said on the air, but I wasn't suprised to read what you posted. Art has been treated shabbily by them before, but to do when he's going through what is probably the worst time of his life, makes me feel alot more than disappointed! Art deserves better, but like you said he does have true friends and faithful fans that will support him always.

Tinkerbell

[Live365]

Any information I've learned about this whole thing, has come from this Forum, Unknown Country, and 1 or 2 other sources. But since the one announcement on the C2C website, there has been nothing, as far as I know. Art has been treated shabbily by them before, but to do when he's going through what is probably the worst time of his life, makes me feel alot more than disappointed! Art deserves better.

The advertisement for "Predictions with George Noory" has been up on the C2C site for a month now, but as of 1/17 PM, still no announcement that Art will return Sunday night. Which to me and many, is huge news. Worthy of a blurb of some kind, no?

It took me a while to get there, but it's no longer deniable. C2C "belongs" to someone else now. I just feel for the folks who rely on that site for information, and are unaware of the other sources.