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Post by howard lee on Sept 7, 2020 9:50:44 GMT -5
Yesterday, I received an email from an old Newsweek coworker, whom I haven't seen for 25 years, at least. He has been living in Ireland for 25 years and lost touch with our friend, Darrell, who some of you may remember was my country music mentor, and taught me more about that genre and playing it than anyone.
My friend's note also indicated that he had found out Darrell died this year, at the age of 87, in a nursing/rehab center in his native Ohio. On March 11. I just found out this morning.
His nephew, who had been looking after his affairs, likely never understood our friendship or how his relatives (including his dad, Darrell's brother), had sort of "adopted' me and treated me like family—one of the highest compliments anyone ever paid me. He didn't bother to send me a note over these past six months to let me know. I'll cut him slack—these have been challenging times. But still. One would hope there is a little bit of decency left in the world. Darrell and I had been friends since 1983.
We had so many great picking parties when Darrell lived in Connecticut and after he retired back to Ohio, in the Miami Valley, with his younger brother and other friends. I wrote to him the last couple of years but never heard back, and a nurse at the facility last year told me he was pretty deaf and couldn't hear his phone ring.
Here's a portrait I made of him in CT, circa 1984. I found this other one of the two of us, circa 1994, on his family farm. He had a great guitar style and a silky smooth baritone singing voice, like Willie Nelson only on key. Good-bye, old friend.
He played a 1968 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom, that he had ordered new.
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Post by drlj on Sept 7, 2020 10:15:23 GMT -5
Sorry to read of your friend’s death.
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Post by coachdoc on Sept 7, 2020 11:35:06 GMT -5
Sorry, Howard. Hard to lose old friends.
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Post by t-bob on Sept 7, 2020 11:43:57 GMT -5
Howard
loss and grief and tears
old human friends and canines also
RIP
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,904 
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Post by Dub on Sept 7, 2020 17:33:14 GMT -5
Oh, Howard, we are so sorry. It’s hard losing any good friend but a close mentor is family. I understand.
Our hearts go out to you.
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Post by gbacklin on Sept 7, 2020 17:39:22 GMT -5
Deepest sympathies.
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Post by Marshall on Sept 8, 2020 9:03:12 GMT -5
Thanks, Howard.
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Post by TKennedy on Sept 8, 2020 9:29:25 GMT -5
Great story Howard. I think everyone has a few people like that in their life. Folks that opened doors for them into wonderful worlds that most likely would never have been experienced in the resulting fullness (or possibly at all) without that chance encounter..
There are definitely several in my life, a couple are still alive.
Thank God for them.
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Sept 8, 2020 9:33:46 GMT -5
I’m sorry for your loss, Howard.
Mike
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Post by billhammond on Sept 8, 2020 9:35:36 GMT -5
Great story Howard. I think everyone has a few people like that in their life. Folks that opened doors for them into wonderful worlds that most likely would never have been experienced in the resulting fullness (or possibly at all) without that chance encounter.. There are definitely several in my life, a couple are still alive. Thank God for them. I introduced Terry and his wife to ring bologna from Thielen's Meats in Pierz, Minn. |
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Post by TKennedy on Sept 8, 2020 9:57:06 GMT -5
Great story Howard. I think everyone has a few people like that in their life. Folks that opened doors for them into wonderful worlds that most likely would never have been experienced in the resulting fullness (or possibly at all) without that chance encounter.. There are definitely several in my life, a couple are still alive. Thank God for them. I introduced Terry and his wife to ring bologna from Thielen's Meats in Pierz, Minn. And we are going to die fifteen minutes sooner than expected because of it - but happier. |
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Post by coachdoc on Sept 8, 2020 10:00:52 GMT -5
Hmmm... Mentors in my life. Father Kell, best reader of the gospel according to John. Don Zepp the best bluegrass banjo picker I knew, better frailer. Introduced me to Doc Watson and MJH. Scott Bennett, My partner in the Hilladelphia Philbillies and taught me all the Dead&Beatles I know, and some fine harmony singing. Dr.Robert Brogan, Director of my Family Medicine residency Eddie Pennington, started me using a thumbpick and all that it entailed. Maureen O'Reilly, wife and center of my life for last 30+ years. ...Can't leave out my parents. Wonderful people both. Now you know me better than most.  |
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Post by Marshall on Sept 8, 2020 13:16:53 GMT -5
PS - Where's the guitar?
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Post by howard lee on Nov 19, 2020 19:50:28 GMT -5
In Saginaw, Michigan, as far as I know. With the nephew.
Thank for the condolences and good wishes, everyone, even if I am more than two months' tardy. It was hard news to receive, but I have some good memories, and have also incorporated some of his colorful country expressions and witticisms over the years that will carry forward into the future—a fitting tribute, I think.
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Post by fauxmaha on Nov 19, 2020 20:20:57 GMT -5
I'm sitting here trying to think what I could have been doing a few months ago that caused me to miss this thread.
Sorry about that, and sorry about your friend.
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Post by Village Idiot on Nov 19, 2020 21:27:15 GMT -5
It looks like you're missing a guy that everyone of us would have loved to have known. So sorry to hear about the loss.
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Post by howard lee on Nov 20, 2020 8:55:01 GMT -5
It looks like you're missing a guy that everyone of us would have loved to have known. So sorry to hear about the loss.
He was a good one. Genuine and authentic and mischievous as the day is long. You would have gotten a real kick out of him.
Oh—and a wonderful guitar player and singer. He knew scores of old country songs.
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Post by Hobson on Nov 20, 2020 11:20:00 GMT -5
Howard, maybe it's no coincidence that you revived this thread before posting about how many relatives you lost in the Holocaust. You were fortunate to find a great mentor and friend and to be included in his family.
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Post by howard lee on Nov 20, 2020 11:28:31 GMT -5
Howard, maybe it's no coincidence that you revived this thread before posting about how many relatives you lost in the Holocaust. You were fortunate to find a great mentor and friend and to be included in his family.
Very fortunate to have been friends with this man for 37 years.
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