The Loss of  Real Friends

 I just found out from Tom T-Bone Stankus that a great friend to musicians died May 1, 1999. His name was Lloyd Throop (pronounced Troop), and Lloyd was well known to any musician that played at Faro Blanco in the Florida Keys. An amazing amusing "old man of the sea" who was SO wise to the world. From rating records for a major record company, to surviving at-sea hurricanes lashed into his sailboat and breathing from his SCUBA tank, to dancing barefoot with the finest ladies, to being my roommate and best friend almost every time I played at Faro in the 80's, Lloyd was one of the wisest, finest human beings I have EVER had the pleasure to be around. I spoke with him shortly before he succumbed to his emphysema, and he was still smooth, talking my girlfriend into God knows what on the phone!

Lloyd, you will be missed, my friend! All of our lives were made so much better by knowing you!

2/19/03 

                One of the days I hoped would never arrive, just did . We lost Lady Eve today, following the loss of her husband Don back in May '91. They owned and operated Whitcomb Music Ctr. for many years in downtown Claremont NH, and had helped every musical soul they ever met. I worked in the store off and on since I was 10, and learned so much from those two. They called me their "other son". Lady Eve could mesmorize one not only with her voice, but her poise, and her dignity as well. She was the Consummate Professional. The Real Deal.  I've never known nicer, warmer, classier, more awe-inspiring human beings in my lifetime, and I fear I never will again. Their legacy is carried on by their only child Aaron, a fine rock guitarist, and my "little brother" since he was born. If you knew them you'd understand - the World is much lesser without the two of them. I have so many great stories I could tell, and I probably will. Au revoire, Our Funny Valentine. Damn!

7/7/03

        Just found out that Harry Dailey, original Coral Reefer bassist and occasional partner to Pete Merrigan, has recently passed away. A truly nice man, with a lot of talent and love of music. I saw him recently on an old rerun of Sat. Night Live, playing with Buffett, and he was so full of joy. I got to jam a few times with him and Pete around Newport/Sunapee, and will miss him very much. Roger Bartlett wrote and performed a great song for Harry on his site (www.rogerbartlett.com) called "Heaven's Band". Check it out.

From the Washington Post:
Harry M. Dailey, 51, a bass guitarist who played and sang with Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band and was a co-author of the Buffett hit "Volcano," died of an apparent heart attack April 18 at his home in Falls Church. He had suffered over the years with illnesses that included the Epstein-Barr viral ailment.

2/2/05       

     Jim Hollis just wrote me that Big Joe Burrell just died. That's the end of an era for me - Don and Lady Eve, now Big Joe. I was just missing Eve and thinking about the good times the other day. More about Big Joe on my Updates/Blog/Confessions Page.

Burlington, Vermont - February 2, 2005

Big Joe Burrell lived up to his nickname. He was a larger than life figure for the Burlington music scene. A mentor, an ambassador, a character... and a legendary performer.Big Joe arrived in Vermont in the mid-70s ... by then a well-traveled and seasoned sax player.Born into a big family in Michigan in 1924 -- Burrell had an early love of music. He bought his first saxophone for 15-dollars -- and used his skills to work his way out of depression-era Detroit. He eventually worked his way on to the big stage in the 40s, 50s and 60s -- playing with jazz greats like Count Basie, Etta James and B-B King. - excerpt from Glide Magazine

Big Joe Burrell, the gregarious saxophone player who towered over Burlington's music scene for three decades, died Wednesday morning from complications following abdominal surgery. He was 80.Burrell learned from Count Basie and B.B. King and passed his knowledge on to a new generation of musicians including Trey Anastasio of Phish. His sweet sax drifted into the ears of untold thousands across the world, across the country and across Vermont after the Michigan native arrived in Burlington in 1976. His reach went as far as blues festivals in Europe and as close to home as Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe on Church Street, where he played every Thursday.He was an imposing physical presence, but with his cherubic face, large spectacles and larger smile, he was a friendly presence, too, quick to support any charity event in town.Burrell was big in name, big in size and big in reputation. If the Burlington music scene had a patriarch, a Jedi jazz master, it was Big Joe Burrell. - excerpt from Burlington Free Press