Home : Plato's Words : March 2003

March 2003

My words for this month will be very short.

Today, March 6, 2003 I just received word that Mr. Linton Garner passed away early this morning. Linton was someone I felt honored and lucky to know for a number of years. One of the first jazz gigs I ever did was with Linton at Rossini's. So many people truly loved him and I believe he knew that as well.

One of my favorite memories about singing with Linton was at Rossini's when in his mischievous way he would say to me "we have had a request for the song JIM". I would remind him that we had just played it in the previous set. He would then tell me that the special request in fact was his own and he would give me that marvelous smile as he spoke to me as though it was a little secret that we wouldn't tell the audience that we had already performed the song. I was so happy that he liked how I sang that tune. I never knew the song before but he taught it to me one night and after I learned it I loved to sing it with him every time I was at Rossini's. Another song that I really hadn't known before hearing Linton play it is I HEAR MUSIC. On a quiet night in Rossini's he sang and played it for me and inspired me to learn it. Now it is one of my favorite standards to sing. Even more than the music that I was able to make with Linton I will miss his gentle demeanor and wise comments about the world we live in.

Linton never had anything but kindness and warmth in his words to and about other people. I never knew him to complain about anything and loved the fact that he was so positive about life and all its mysteries. Linton truly was a great, great man that left an impact on each and every one of us that were lucky enough to get to know him.

Karin