• | cannot begin to tell you, what joy I'm experiencing in this very moment. Yesterday, while singing in Cobbham's remembrance service for Milton Leathers, Catherine Downs approached me, and said, "Calvin, I have Todd Murphy's original art work from the opening night of the Morton Theater, when you presented your one-man show. Bertis and I, would love for you to have it."

    Calvin Orlando Smith

  • Todd Murphy was one of my dearest friends. He and I spent countless hours on rainy and moonlit evenings, in the unrestored Morton Theater, observing all of its beauty, power, charm and history.

    CALVIN ORLANDO SMITH

  • Todd did three large paintings of me, that hung in an airport in Texas. The three large panels, of my unclad torso, that hung at the top of an escalator, which as he told me, were later stolen. Todd died months ago, and his work is owned by Elton John and Monica Kaufman, Bertis and Catherine Downs, to name just a few. One day, while Todd and I were jogging in downtown Athens, I actually stole the confederate flag, out of a Trellis, that was erected at the entrance for the SAE Fraternity's 'Old South Day! In a mad dash,

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  • we ran past First Baptist Church, with an entire fraternity, some even on horseback, in hot pursuit! At the corner of Prince and Pulaski, I tossed the confederate banner into the middle of the street, which caused the fraternity to stop their chase, and retrieve their banner. Once the two of us made it to Wendy's on Prince Avenue, as we both fought to catch our breath, while panting, Todd said, "That was Incredible!" I miss my friend Rest in Peace ~ Merry Christmas,

    Calvin Orlando Smith