From: Hugh Messenger Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 22:33:05 -0600 (CST) Subject: BOUNCE harp-l: Non-member submission from [Salvia~ol.com] (fwd)
Just found this one in my "non-member submission" folder.
Sorry this didn't get through sooner. I'm making arrangements for harp-l-workers to handle this kind of bounced mail, so that things like this don't fall through the cracks.
-- hugh
- ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 10 Nov 1996 13:07:17 -0600 From: owner-harp~rgon.garply.com To: owner-harp~rgon.garply.com Subject: BOUNCE harp-l: Non-member submission from [Salvia~ol.com]
>From owner-harp~oo.garply.com Sun Nov 10 13:07:07 1996 Received: from foo.garply.com (foo.garply.com [165.113.188.2]) by argon.garply.com (8.7.3/8.7.3) with ESMTP id NAA25367 for ; Sun, 10 Nov 1996 13:07:06 -0600 From: Salvia~ol.com Received: from emout08.mail.aol.com (emout08.mx.aol.com [198.81.11.23]) by foo.garply.com (8.7.3/8.7.3) with SMTP id NAA10306 for ; Sun, 10 Nov 1996 13:07:05 -0600 (CST) Received: by emout08.mail.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) id OAA06717 for HARP~arply.com; Sun, 10 Nov 1996 14:06:33 -0500 Date: Sun, 10 Nov 1996 14:06:33 -0500
To: HARP~arply.com Subject: Fwd: William Clarke funeral 11/9/96
We have forwarded this message by Mary Katherine Aldin:
WILLIAM CLARKE FUNERAL SERVICE
Today (Saturday) at 3 p.m. William Clarke' funeral service was held at Green Hills Memorial Park. Many many hundreds of fans and friends jammed the chapel and overflowed out onto the patio and steps outside. A tape of Bill's music played while people filed quietly up to look into the coffin before taking their seats. Bill's body was dressed as for a performance, including his trademark dark shades, and there was a harmonica in the coffin, which remained open throughout the entire service. Mrs. Christine Smith, widow of Bill's mentor George "Harmonica" Smith, opened the proceedings with a hymn. This was followed by a series of tributes by friends, fellow musicians, music business colleagues and relatives, many of whom broke down in tears as they tried to convey their sense of who Bill was and what he was to them. Among the speakers were Bill's son-in-law, Edwin Lopez; Alligator Records owner Bruce Iglauer; longtime blues booking agent Tom Radai; blues radio show hosts Ed Archer and Gary Wagner, and more. Letters were read from special people in Bill's life who could not attend in person, including Charlie Musselwhite and Dick Shurman, and a farewell letter to Bill from his wife Jeanette was also read, in which she told him that he is going to be a grandfather. The constant theme of the speeches and letters was what a wonderful and kind person Bill was, his intense love of his family first and his music second, the great sense of relief everyone felt that he was clean and sober for the last months of his life, and the sense of shock and loss at his early passing. Fortunately, we were reminded, he left a tremendous musical legacy. Barbara Morrison sang another hymn, and Mrs. Smith was joined by her youngest daughter Darlene for the closing music, which they sang as people filed past the coffin to say a final goodbye on the way out the door. Cars then lined up and proceeded up the hill to the graveside, and friends met after the ceremony at the home of Jeanette Clarke's closest girlfriend. The large number of musicians, friends and fans who came to say goodbye was a fitting tribute to the scope of his influence, both musical and personal. I'll be writing a longer, "real" obituary for Living Blues Magazine in the next few weeks but I know that Bill had many friends on blues-l, who expressed love and concern for him back when he was ill in the spring, and I thought that you would want to know about the service. Also, there was a funeral program handed out at the entrance where the guest books were to be signed; of course, I couldn't take enough copies for ALL his friends on the list, but if anyone would like a xerox copy of it as a memento of Bill, email me your snail and I'll be glad to mail you one.
Mary Katherine
- --------------------- Forwarded message: From: Salvia~OL.COM (Char and Mike) Sender: BLUES~ROWNVM.BROWN.EDU (Blues Music List) Reply-to: Salvia~OL.COM To: BLUES~ROWNVM.BROWN.EDU (Multiple recipients of list BLUES-L) Date: 96-11-10 09:15:52 EST
William Clarke: March 29, 1951 - November 3, 1996. Hearts poured out to show love and appreciation for husband, father, friend, and harp player William Clarke, whose funeral service was held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, November 9, 1996 at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. The chapel was filled, spilling some to the outside of hundreds of family, friends, and fans of, and we two Blues-L'ers, as Clarke aptly put it, "a simple man." Just as William would want it, his music was playing in the chappel and outside from people's cars.
Gospel singers Christine Smith, Darlene Smith, Pearline Booker, and Barbara Morrison gave spritual uplifting and put a sunny spot in the attendees' cloudy skies, among them, the widow of Clarke's mentor, George "Harmonica" Smith and one of Smith's daughters. Guided by music minister Rev. Root, remembrances touching, funny, and heartwarming varied from Clarke's son-in-law Edwin Lopez, Ed "The Geezer" Archer of KPFK, Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records, to Gary Wagner (of KLON), to name but a few. Some of William's personal friends who spoke could hardly speak from being grief stricken. We all filed out of the chapel to the refrain of "When The Saints Go Marching In."
A brief gravesite service followed afterwards, with a sunset surprise. A flock of ducks flew overhead, precisely as William's casket was placed over the grave site, perhaps taking with them William's spirit that just itself flew heavenbound. Other VIP attendees included, Doug MacLeod, Charlie Musselwhite, Rick Estrin (of Little Charlie and the Nightcats), Bernie Pearl, Harvey "Harmonica Fats" Blackston, Rick Holdstrom, Ann the Raven (of KPCC), John "Juke" Logan, Brenda Burns, Ellen Bloom, "Flattop" Tom Hall (of Flattop Tom and his Jump Cats), Stan West, Dan Jacobson (editor and publisher of Southland Blues Magazine), Janiva Magness, Jamie Woods, Johnny Rover, Jeff Turmes, Marie and Gil Duarte (of Lamar's Record Shop, and 78 collector).
A final gathering took place at a private residence, during which time these authors presented to William's widow Jeanette Clarke and children Gina and Willie, the many remembrances and condolences of Blues-L members that we printed from postings. Mrs. Clarke wishes to say thank all of you for your kind words and love. William, you are in a better place now. We will all miss you and your music. You will live forever through your music.
Sincerely Yours,
Char Ham & Mike Williams "Keepin' the Blues Alive"
