Artie Shaw, the legendary music figure of the 1930s and 1950s, died Dec. 30, 2004, in Newbury Park, where he had lived a number of years before his death. On Aug. 4, the Big Band & Jazz Hall of Fame Orchestra will pay a tribute concert to honor Artie Shaw in Vista. Shouldn’t a similar concert be played locally to honor this musical legend who lived and died here? Shouldn’t a painting or photograph of Artie Shaw be hung on a wall of the Countrywide Center for the Performing Arts?

We have a park named for Alex Fiore. We have a library named for Grant R. Brimhall. Couldn’t we do the same for Artie Shaw? His talents ranked with Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington. And Artie was our neighbor.