[Dixielandjazz] Re: Louis Armstrong and more

[LeslieMRag at aol.com]

Drummer Barrett Deems referred to Armstrong as Pops and told me it was  
because Armstrong was like a father to him. He worshipped the man and said  playing 
in his band was the highlight of his career.
 
And another topic entirely:  we finally posted a new poll on the  Mississippi 
Rag site, so you are all invited to vote (_www.mississippirag.com_ 
(http://www.mississippirag.com) , click on  "Online poll"). The last poll (which went on 
forever because I had  little time to update it) was on bassists. Milton 
Hinton won by a wide margin,  with Pops Foster second. And, speaking of 
bassists... I was sad to  hear of Keter Betts' death. With the deaths of Ray Brown and 
Arvell Shaw in  recent years, it seems that the great ones of old are pretty 
much gone. It does  seem, however, that there are quite a few excellent younger 
bassists active  on the festival and club circuits.
 
Leslie Johnson
_editor at mississippirag.com_ (mailto:editor at mississippirag.com)   OR
_lesliemrag at aol.com_ (mailto:lesliemrag at aol.com)