Fathers Day

This is Fathers Day weekend -- designed, I am sure, to create spending and help the revenue of retailers.  But -- I am a free marketeer -- so that's OK with me.  But it is a day we celebrate fathers ( and grandpa's etc.)

My dad wasn't perfect -- I will tell you that right off the bat.  But who is?  My dad was not a machinist -- although he was a good one and that is how he earned his living.  He was not a lot of things he professed to be.  So what was he?  He was a MUSICIAN -- a trombone player.  That is why he did those other things to get to his real love -- to play his horn and lead his band of fellow musicians.  I am always reminded of Dan Fogelberg's song "Leader of the Band".  Some words are such a perfect description of my relationship with my dad.  "He gave a gift to me I know I never can repay --  His blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul". Dan, thanks for those words -- you must have had a dad like mine.  I know for sure Dad and I could read each other's mind when we were playing a gig together.  We were in the zone. We just didn't need words.  WELL Enough of this maudlin stuff.

Dad was not a virtuoso on the trombone -- but he was good enough to satisfy his hundreds of followers at the American Legion, The Eagles, The Moose, The Elks and hundreds of other venues in his short lifetime.  He instictively knew what to play for the crowd who was paying the bill.  He could sense their mood and modify the music to fit it.  He was a master at that.  And it worked!

I started playing the trombone in the 5th grade once a week -- learning the SYB book one note at at a time.  When I was able to play a few notes dad started teaching me how to play a little melody -- by ear.  As time went on -- we would sit  around -- sometimes in the back yard on a blanket -- and he would play and I would copy what he played.  Then one fine day -- I remember it well -- he told me to play a song (Whispering) and he would play the same song but with something different -- that is called improvising or a better word is "Jammin'".  That  started me on a trip with scores of bands through college and the Air Force Band and as a semi professional musician, that I continue on to this day.

Dad left us far to early -- he was 51 when I got that awful call from a Park Ranger at Raccoon  Lake  -- giving my mother the phone for that sentence that has burned into my heart ever since -- "Daddy's Dead.  He died of a heart attack!"

But, like I said, no more sad thoughts on this fathers day.  Dad had a gig the next weekend and rather than cancel it -- I played in his place.  It was what he would have wanted and it was what I wanted.  People came and we celebrated his life.  His Theme song was "Just One More Chance."  I must admit -- It was pretty difficult to play that theme song for the last time -- but time and life goes on.  And so it did.

So -- Dad -- you would be over 101 now. You wouldn't like being stiff and sore and unable to get around like you did when you died -- But --  You would love watching football as you loved to do.  They have instant replay so good now that it is unbelievable. And the TV sets are enormous and they hang on the wall and you can carry them with one hand!  And , Dad, you can use a phone in your car while your are driving -- and that same phone -- which is a little  thing -- can give all sorts of information to settle arguments -- which you loved to start, I recall. You were never at a lack of an opinion.  Well, hell, Dad, There are so damn many things that are so different  -- we have computers that run everything now -- cars are about to drive themselves -- Oh one more thing -- the girls at the beach wear such tiny little bathing suits -- I KNOW that would get you all excited.  I don't have time to tell you all the latest stuff that we have now that you didn't even dream of back in the 60's when you left us.  Life has certainly changed a lot.  It would blow your mind.

But I am guessing -- although I don't know for sure -- that you already know about those things.  Well, anyway -- Happy fathers day, Dad.  I need to play a few notes to warm up the old trombone  I have a gig tomorrow at the VFW.  I know you will be there helping me out when I start to hit a wrong note.  You always are.  I love you dad.....  Thanks for everything.

From the Heart of Olaf Hart.....