[Dixielandjazz] Anna Wahler, RIP

[Edmetzsr at aol.com]

Dear Listmates,
    It's sad for me to pass along the news that  Anna Wahler, one of the 
grandest of the ladies who has vigorously supported OKOM  for the past 25 years or 
so, has passed away. Anna, the proverbial mother of the  Buck Creek Jazz 
band, a person who was rarely ever seen missing from the band's  performances, 
whether it be a local concert, a West Coast festival (of which  there have been 
many) or an international cruise, lost her battle with cancer  within the past 
24 hours. My information came this morning from Frank Mesich,  co-leader of 
the band who visited with Anna on Monday, after news came that the  end was 
nearing during a concert that the BCJB played on Sunday evening in  suburban D.C. 
Frank's words to me were, "Anna has gone to join Fred".
    For those who are followers of Buck Creek, you know  that Anna and Fred 
Wahler helped form the BCJB and encouraged the band at its  outset, providing 
their home on Buck Creek (Lane) in suburban D.C. as a  rehearsal venue for the 
musicians. Anna and Fred later hosted many concerts and  even full fledged 
festivals over the years. Both became very well  known among festival goers. As I 
have had the pleasure of subbing for Bill  Richards on piano from time to 
time, I never once played with Buck Creek whereby  either Jim Ritter or Frank 
Mesich failed to intoduce Anna (or Fred while he was  still with us) to the 
audience. All of us in the business should have such loyal  fans.
    So for those of you for whom this news comes as a  shock, please keep 
Anna in your thoughts and prayers at this time. I'm  certain more details will 
follow.
Sorrowfully, Ed Metz