You know Mike..the real finish to that story is what a small world it is..

Many years later..about 1982 or '83 my jobbing band had begun to do very well in Chicago society circles.

I needed a solo violin for a gig and got the name of an older guy..John Frigo.
It turned out that John got his start in show business with Paul Whiteman as a bass player..then moved on to Jimmy Dorseys band where he played bass thru the early and mid 40's.
Later he formed a group "The Softwinds" a trio..the members were John..Ray Brown and Herb Ellis !(almost forgot Lou Carter..piano player who did alot of dates when Ray was doing something else..when Lou was there John played bass..when Ray was there John played violin..Billie Holliday and many others recorded several of the songs written by the Softwinds.."Detour Ahead"..Billie did it..Stan Kenton..lots of folks..also " I told You I Love You, Now
get Out!"..done by everybody from Woody Herman to Cybil Shepherd !)
They gigged all over the Midwest and West thru the late 40's and early 50's.
Then John came off the road to become the "fiddle" player on the National Barn Dance..a radio show out of Chicago that actually pre-dated the Grand Old Opry.
When Herb and Barney Kessel and Charlie Byrd went on the road in the 80's as "Guitars Galore" John and I went to Jazz Showcase in Chicago and I was reintroduced to Herb who remembered me and signed the ES 175 that I had at the time.
About a year later Ray came thru town with I think Wynton Kelly (piano player) and signed the same guitar.
Herb is very sick these days..he's been fighting alcohol abuse for many years..Barney Kessell is also very ill and uninsured and recently had to sell off several of his old guitars.
John Frigo is 88 and in great health and will be playing at my daughters wedding on Oct. 27th.
He tours all over the world and was the replacement for Jon-Luc-Ponty at the North Sea Jazz festival last year or the year before when Jon got ill.(maybe 3 years ago..my memory is not so good sometimes)
I was so fortunate to get to meet all those guys when I was just a green kid..it really taught me alot about integrity in music..and many of the lessons I learned back then I still use today !
There was another guy hanging around Herb in those days..he had just come to Hollywood and was making a real name for himself as a session guy..years later I had the pleasure of sharing stages with him in Phoenix..kid named Glenn Campbell !
Sonny Bono was doing session work then too..actually Barney Kessell did alot of Rock sessions too..Tommy Tedesco was just starting out...jeeez...so many talented guys !

Bob (strolling down memory lane) Young



[This message has been edited by bob young (edited 09-04-2002).]