There will be a full article on Martin Luther King Jr. forthcoming on this site. In the interim, we commend him for dedicating his life to freedom and equality for those with moustaches and without.
The Bright Light Social Hour. Photo by Wylie Maercklein.
Jack, we’re very excited to feature you here on ‘This Is Not a Moustache.’ We first came across you and your excellent band, The Bright Light Social Hour, via the American Moustache Institute. Your original sound, musical talent, and moustache-friendly lifestyle has led to your music being frequently nominated as the soundtrack here at our headquarters, and it was one of the highlights of our year to meet you at your concert in Reno. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this interview.
Detroit Photographic Co. Special (William Henry Jackson seated at table in Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad car).
Thanks to the Shorpy Photo Archive for publishing this image and bringing Mr. Jackson’s exploits to our attention.
It is indeed rare to come across a human specimen who experienced as much as William Henry Jackson (April 4, 1843 – June 30, 1942) did in his lifetime. Even when we are researching only individuals of the moustached variety, where excellence and sportsmanship is expected, Mr. Jackson is a very distinctive character. Simply gaze upon the above image to confirm this statement as fact. The detail is exquisite, and I suggest that you click through to the view the image in full resolution. Admire Mr. Jackson’s fine railroad car, his work hung upon the walls, his 8×10 view camera on his desk, and most of all, his well-groomed moustache. Then come back and read the rest of this article.
Music is better with a moustache. Featured here is the 1977 band ‘Ram Jam’ and their cover of a classic Leadbelly blues song. The band consists mainly of awesome dudes with ‘staches and a couple of clean-shaven mortals. Your task, gentle reader, is to rock as hard as these guys…yeah!
However, this is a good time to bring up the long-standing rivalry between Virginia City and Carson City. The hirsute denizens of Virginia City have been awarded ‘Most Bearded Community’ at this event enough times to agitate the natives at the Nevada Day Parade (which is held in Carson City). This year, the Carson lads were able to muster a majority and kept the prize.
But is it really such an achievement? After all, Virginia City has a permanent population of less than one thousand residents (2010 US census). Yet we (your narrator has spent formative years of his life in Virginia City) are able to consistently muster more than 60 people to this event. Meanwhile, Carson City (with a population of over 50,000) can barely beat us! And some of their contestants do not even have moustaches!
Let them have their brief moment of sunshine. If that’s all Carson City can muster out of their entire population, they are more deserving of the ‘least hirsute’ prize. We will be back next year, and we are growing.
Here’s a few images from the event. Hope to see you there in 2012!
All text by Asa Gilmore unless otherwise noted. All other materials are copyright by their respective owners, and attribution has been given where possible. If your work appears on this site and you would like to have it removed or have the attribution changed, please contact us and we will be happy to oblige.
