[Dixielandjazz] PA Jazz Society Memorial For Bill Fortune

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

A befitting send off and home going for obviously a very deserving 
gentleman,
  R.I. P.  Bill Fortune,  and I hope you guys played "Won't You go Home 
Bill Bailey for him too :))

That folks is how all Funerals and life celebration ceremonies should 
be conducted,
  Good on you Steve and Paul, and all the others who participated.

Wish I had been there myself.

Tom Wiggins   Bringin' it back One FUNERAL AT A TIME and turning them 
into wonderful Life Celebrations.



Subject: [Dixielandjazz] PA Jazz Society Memorial For Bill Fortune

   Nancie Beaven <baglady4 at juno.com> wrote:

> Hi Mates:
> Once again, the Barbone Street Jazz Band reminded me why I know how 
lucky I am
> to live on the East Coast!!! Today's memorial event for Bill Fortune, 
past
> President of the PA Jazz Society, who we lost in November, and Mardi 
Gras
> celebration, (remainder snipped for brevity)

Dear Nancie:

Oh my, thank you for such glowing words. It was quite an honor for us 
to be
there along with Dough Smith and his All Stars.

Additionally for list mate info and Tom Wiggins, we started our portion 
of
the event with a N.O. Funeral March for Bill, in a very crowded venue, 
the
Moose Lodge in Easton PA. Started to play after several family members 
gave
short eulogies and others spoke about him.

We played two dirge choruses of "Just A Closer Walk" while Bill's family
gathered with us in the vestibule. Then we had a diminuendo drum roll, 
loud
to soft as if the body was being lowered into the grave, and then soft 
to
loud followed by a roll off as we prepared to leave the grave site. 
Played a
rollicking "Saints" as we marched up the aisle to the band stand with 
the
family Second lining behind us. We to the stand and family to the two 
front
center aisle tables. Very few dry eyes among the 250 or so in the house.

Rest of the program was Mardi Gras Funky Dixieland with banjo, tuba, 
N.O.
drummer rhythm. Lots of fun and kind of like Rebirth Brass, but with 
much
more of a  Dixieland spin.

Thank you Nancie, for giving Martha and me that Hot Antic Jazz Band CD. 
We
put it on for the ride home and it was wonderful. Reminding of us that 
day
last fall we all spent together with Michel Bastide (Hot Antic leader) 
and
friends at the recording session in Taggert's studio in NJ.

Enjoyed meeting several groups of other list mates and am still coming 
down
 from the gig. Bill Fortune was an extraordinary man, good friend and we 
are
all blessed for having known him.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


_______________________________________________
Dixielandjazz mailing list
Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz


________________________________________________________________________
Check out the new AOL.  Most comprehensive set of free safety and 
security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from 
across the web, free AOL Mail and more.