[Dixielandjazz] Re: Lesson From Jack Teagarden, Almost

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Listmates,
 
A few weeks ago there was a discussion about Jack Teagarden.  
Several musicians on the List were telling their stories of how 
they met Jack.  I sent a couple of the messages to my good friend 
Bob Havens.  In reply, Bob sent me the following email and gave 
me permission to post it on DJML.  
 
Bob mr.wonderful at ringwald.com
 
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Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 1:08 AM
Subject: Re: A Lesson with Jack Teagarden (almost)
 
Thanks for the Jim Beebe story about he and Teagarden.  
 
I was in Chicago during that same year that Jim mentioned and was 
playing an engagement with Al Hirt at the Empire Room of the 
Palmer House Hotel.  I stopped at the   Club Continental to 
listen to Scobey's band  several times after finishing our show.  
Teagarden and his band were also in town but I had not managed to 
hear him yet.   
 
One night our band  came on stage to do our regular hour show.  I 
was scheduled to do my impression of Jack Teagarden's recording 
of LOVER. The curtain opened and we walked out on stage to begin 
our show.  I peered out into the audience and low and behold , 
right at the front table nearest the stage sat both Bob Scobey 
and Jack Teagarden.  You can imagine my feelings when I realized 
that I would have to do my Teagarden impression  when Jack was 
sitting in the audience right in front of me.  I was probably  as 
nervous  as I have ever been in my life.  
 
In later years I found out from the guys in Jack's band  that one 
time Jack did an impression of me doing my TIGER RAG solo while 
moving the slide with his foot the same way that I did it.  That 
was the biggest compliment I could ever get coming from 
Teagarden.  
 
Jack and I became good friends after first meeting that same year 
in New Orleans.
 
I still rate him as the best ever of all trombonists.       
 
Bob Havens
 
Hot Tram Tooter & Bubble Blower