Penny,
Hope I'm not intruding, but I just wanted to share an extraordinary series of exchanges to and from just two of the people we knew "Away back then". I know it's overlong, but its been just unbelievable for me. Exchanges follow:
This is from Diane Smith:
John, I'm trying to put together all the pieces of the murky Paradox past and it occurred to me that you and your bandmates once played a gig at Disneyland. Was that you or do I have you confused with someone else?
There were so many Disneyland connections -- like the time they wouldn't let us in because the Dirt Band's hair was too long, or the time when Johnny McEuen was working in the magic shop in the castle. So many good stories out there it's hard to keep track of them all!
Diane
My note to John Hutmacher, while forwarding Diane's missive:
My Dear Friend, It occurs to me that Diane's misconception may have it's genesis in the "Tall Tailing" of a certain friend of mine. To wit - you. Ms. Diane was a waitress at the Paradox, which was in Orange, California. I cannot remember if you ever went there yourself, but you met many of the same musicians that I did back then, and I have no other explanation as why else she, and others, would ever think such a thing. Do you? (I thought not.)
So, if you wish, you have my permission to contact her and put the poor girl's misconceptions to rest - or not - depending upon your sense of humor at the moment, of course. Do look up wearetheparadox.blogspot.com to see if you remember anyone from that time. Penny Nichols is stopping nearby in Davis on her way to giving a seminar in Oregon in June, and we hope to connect then. She was the 16 year old blond vocalist with perfect and relative pitch who was born with only one ear, and was the first female vocalist I ever played with. She's the one I used to say sounds like Judy Collins, only clearer.
Be well, my friend. I'll know by Diane's response whether or not you actually responded to her query.
"J. B."
John's response to me:
OMG John didn't see her email.......Fuzzy rememberances.....Magic Shoppe......Band playing......Penny for sure.....she is the one I gave the anhaeuser busch name to on her list at the ???something??? club in OC on chapman??? wow.....this alzheimers meds are great....just take them and all sorts of things come in the e-mails.......
Just sent yr security posts to my dear friend Corky whodidn;t know I was still in touch with you....what a day this has been....what a rare mood I'm In......and I thought it was just because the inlaws were away today with Margo at the Casino........
Will Copy Corky if I may and will write Diane........
A Bientot
IGOR
Hutmacher then sent this to Diane:
Dear Ms Smith ...
As a former representative of the Wurlitzer Company in Dekalb, Illinois and employee at the Wurlitzer Exhibit in the Magic Kingdom of the 60's wedged stratigically located at the corner of Main Street wedged between the Magic Choppy and the Hills Brothers Coffee bar on the left.....I was most surprised to read you posting to my dear Friend Dr. John.....It brings back many memories of times gone by and special memories to always savour.....I had a brief look at your blogspot and was impressed to see several name familiar to me and will monitor with yr kind permission to follow a bit...... Thank you for the memories and also if anyone was declined a booking because of attire, it was my dear friend and VP from the HS I attended..Mr. Dale who looked after enforcement in those days.......
May everyday be your best !
Kind regards,
John Hutmacher ( my place on the Tacoma Facebook shows a mightly Wurlitzer I was honoured to play a few years ago up in Bellingham, Washington...a piece of hisroy )
I was sending this to Diane, when John's above message came in:
My Dear Diane, I couldn't resist sending your query regarding Disneyland to a very dear friend of mine from that era. He is, amongst other things, a classical keyboardist (piano, harpsichord and organ), business man and, to his credit, the instigator of the unfounded rumor that I ever played Disneyland. I haven't been to "The Magic Kingdom" since before the "Mr. Lincoln" exhibit was installed. And that was, I believe, while I was stationed in Germany. Flash! I just received John's missive to you re: "In rccpt of fwd ... ." He's just one of many good and true friends I made in those days. Thank you all.
"J. B."
Diane sent this to the two of us. wow.:
Dr. John and Media John:
The two of you have made my day! Things were not going well this weekend and then all of a sudden I was transported back to Lincoln on Main Street, USA, at which, to quote a source .... "Mr. Lincoln would start having spasms or just bow forward and stop in the middle of the show....." This was, according to the source, the summer of 1966, so if Dr. Besharian did not play Disneyland during or after that event, then it must have been a different John Besharian.
What a small, small world we live in. Cheers to the both of you. Let the Wurlitzer play on. Diane
Whereupon I sent this to both of them:
Diane,
We aims to please. We does indeed. We hasn't had this much fun in ... (fill in the blank - and the well).
Once again, into the breach.
Looking Forward (Janus-like),
"J. B."
So, my dear friend, I'm now pounding my head with the heel of my hand, whilst asking myself, "Self? why did you wait so long to be dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st century?". I do, by the way, understand why this exchange is believable - because of you and all the others we met during that very special time in our lives.
As they say "Down South": "See Ya!", (hopefully in June).
"J. B."
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