In Memoriam

In 1965, my first year as a music student at the University of Buffalo, I met John Hill, another music student. We became not only good friends, but over the years performed together in a variety of professional bands. Below is a pic from around 1971 of “The 8 of Us.” John is third from the left, I’m second from the right. (Yep, we were hippies!)

We also performed in the UB Jazz Ensemble, which I directed. John is on the far left, playing the Baritone Sax. I’m waving my arms as director.

All these years later, I had lost track of John. Until I received an obituary announcement from a funeral home in Buffalo. John had passed away. I can’t begin to tell you the emotional impact of that email. Suddenly, all of us in our mid-seventies understand what faces us all too soon.