Dear Stephen,
I think in past letters to you, I may have mentioned this guy, but this time I wanted to formally introduce a friend of mine to you. He knows me better than probably any other living being on this planet. He's my kindred spirit, and I love him dearly. We're both from the same hometown of Muskegon Michigan, we both attended Muskegon Community College, then we both transferred to Western Michigan University, then we both moved to Grand Rapids Michigan, and then we both joined the Grand Rapids Community College band. All that time, doing the same things in the same places, we never crossed each other's path or even knew each other at all until we met in the band in Grand Rapids! Then we discovered that we lived only one mile away from each other...connected by the same side street! How spooky is THAT?! We've lived parallel lives, and it's bizarre. (He said, "Hey, uh, I'm gonna go somewhere, and, if you're there...I'm SCARED!") hehehe
His name is Charles Johnson. In case you want some musical cred about him, he's good friends with Kirk Whalum. He's toured with Lionel Hampton, and Bobby McPheron. He's been a jazz musician ever since I've met him, which was over 25 years ago. He plays every instrument you toss at him. He currently lives in Memphis TN, and has a band there (they play a mix of jazz and gospel), called K'west. If you go to www.KwestProductions.com, you'll see more about him. (Click on the lion's head...)
Here's a recent photo of him...
He plays the bass guitar, the cello, keyboards, drums, etc., and he's taught at University level, he's done so much more than I can even remember, but he's an amazing guy and I tell ya, if he had asked me, I would have married him in a heartbeat, no hesitation whatsoever. I loved him more than life itself, back in my mid-20's, when I looked like that Glamour Shot photo...
But alas, even though we're both musicians, and we were in the same band, (he played Tuba), I didn't have the same calling to playing professional music in front of an audience like he did. He loved me too, and still does, ("more than I realize," he said yesterday when he called me), but he felt he had to go out and try to achieve his dream----so, even though it killed me, I told him to go and do it, and I'd be there for him every step of the way, supporting him no matter what, and encouraging him when he needed it. He's had it very rough, it's been a tough climb, but he's got it goin' on now, and I am his #1 fan.
Like most art-sy-fart-sy types, (you, me and Charles), we tend to get scatterbrained sometimes, overwhelmed, and our follow-through isn't always the best. He's promised me CD's and photos and tour books and all sorts of stuff, for YEARS....but I haven't received anything. The BUM! But he promised me once again yesterday on the phone that he would mail a bunch of stuff---years' worth---very soon. I said, "You sound like a damned broken record with that hollow promise, ya boneheaded musician, but I'm gonna let it slide, and wait by the mailbox like always." So, if I ever GET any of that stuff, I'll try to put some here for you to check out. I want to also send it to Kevin Chalfant to check out, in case he can do anything to help promote his band. (It's a long shot, but what the hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained).
Charles Johnson deserves to hit the big time. He's paid his dues, he's worked his ass off and he's stuck to his dream despite missing out on other things, like love, marriage, kids, etc. He's chronically single, but he's also sometimes a naughty boy, and of course, I love that about him. He used to show up at my house in Michigan, standing at my doorstep at 3 a.m., wearing a tux, after performing "a gig," asking if he could crash with me....but sometimes he would just sit in my driveway in his car, and fall asleep, without ever knocking on my door. He said he just "wanted to be near me, but didn't want to disturb me as I slept." My heart melted when he told me that. He is also a very highly sensitive person like I am.
Well, I just wanted to say, "Hey Steve, big surprise---I've loved musicians all my life, so you're just the flavor of the month...you've lasted 30+ years as the flavor of the month actually...so I guess it's more accurate to say, you're just the latest in a long line of musicians to ever touch my heart."
Bye for now. Have a great weekend. And, to quote Charles, I love you more than YOU will ever realize.
Love, Rebecca
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Kw'est Live 5.17.09
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Kw'est Live show from 5.17.09
Kwest 5.09-1658.jpg
Copyright 2009 Darius B Williams
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