Play Me A Song
by
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There were several band members exempt from the draft – Phil due to his paralysis, Joe due to the accident and the pins still anchoring his ankles and legs, Hank due to a hernia, and Tommy due to poor vision bordering on legal blindness. The once tight-knit band of brothers in the Vernon Troubadours and the Joel Palmer Orchestra had been Tommy’s eyes as well as his guardians; taking care of him on and off the stage. But with the majority of the guys called to War and the four remainders in flux, Tommy found it increasingly more difficult to maneuver with his sight in continual decline. Phil was devastated when his best man opted to head home to Mount Vernon. Phil, Joe, and Hank decided to tough it out as long as possible. As the War escalated, the bands dwindled, and leaders scampered to find replacements. With only a few guys left, Phil was ready to pack up and head home. But Mary was not. She had waited too long for the opportunity to see the world, and as exhausting as traveling was, she was not about to give that up so soon. Years earlier, Phil had met a female bandleader named Mary Marshall in South Carolina. Not an instrumentalist herself, her main talent was her stature – “a 5’ 6” pretty blonde” who was the leader of an eight piece all male orchestra. Intrigued by this assemblage, Phil, when asked, agreed to join the group. Phil wired Marshall the details of his and Mary’s arrival and requested transport from the train station. Having waited over an hour, a taxi was summoned. Upon arriving at the hotel, Phil checked the bandstand only to find his unopened telegram still sitting on the piano. Although Philly and Mary were leery regarding the lack of concern on the part of the leader, it was decided they would stay. They were in desperate need of cash, and this was an opportunity to earn some. The band was good, but in no way compared to the Palmer group. Still, Phil was working. Several weeks flew by, and although the band played on, the dance would be quickly over. It happened one morning at two am. The band was still playing its’ set when the hotel boss seized the bandstand, faced the audience, and bellowed, “O. K. That’s all folks. Everybody out!” Turning to the startled members of the band, he ranted his directive at the musicians. “Everybody out! Get out! All of you!” Phil leaned over to start packing up his horn when he caught a glimpse of the boss packing. Partially covered by his jacket, there was no mistaking the gun. Phil recalled, “I never got out of a place so fast in my life!” A brief stint with the Dick Shelton Orchestra took the couple to Indianapolis, Indiana where the band entertained at the Gingham Gardens and broadcasted live from WCBS nightly. The admission to the Gingham Gardens cost a hefty one dollar per person with food and a drink included in that charge. From there it was a long trek to the Rainbow Room in Albany, New York. The gigs continued to see-saw. As the War raged on and pulled from the ranks of the orchestras, Phil moved on to New Orleans, Louisiana where he joined the Carvel Craig Orchestra, a mainstay at the famous Blue Room in the Roosevelt Hotel. At the home of jazz, Phil was in his element, and Mary fell in love with her favorite of all the cities she had been to. It was great while it lasted, but Phil felt the end was in sight. Mary’s prayers were answered as one phone call changed Phil’s premonitions.
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About the Book
Play Me A Song is a historical retrospective of the unusual circumstances of the lives of my parents. Both of Italian descent, each struggled with poverty, physical ailments and limitations, and the lack of education. From his miracle birth in 1917, the snippets chronicle my father’s journey as a traveling musician, composer, and arranger with insight into the workings of his musical creations and his genius. Tormented by adversities throughout his career, my father’s shoulder was my mother whose stabilizing foundation kept him afl oat and our family together with her perseverance, determination, and love. For the three of us, it is a story of survival.
About the Author
Born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, the author was surrounded by music and by musicians for her entire childhood. Her dad, a professional trumpeter, composer, and arranger, became her lifelong mentor as she followed in the steps of the musical Lucchine clan. The author attended SUNY, Oswego and Rutgers University where she earned BS and MS degrees in the Geological Sciences. She enjoyed a thirty-six year career as a science educator. Presently retired and living in Flemington, New Jersey, the author relishes the freedom to travel, write, and volunteer in community service projects as a member of the Flemington Womans Club. With many new ventures to embark on, the author still remains committed to two vital facets of her life. In addition to supporting our Native American Children for the past thirty-seven years, music remains the cornerstone of her life. Active as the band librarian and principal player in an ensemble known as the Grand Staff, whose mission is to award scholarships to musically talented seniors pursing music in college, the author is still playing her trumpet sixty-two years after blowing her first note. Music will forever be her passion and connection to her past.