Response to Sally's Page
Don Downin (California)
I just finished reading "Sally's Page". It sure was nice of her to take the time to reflect on memories of Ken career and their relationship. With the rush-rush
of today's people it's a rare find that someone like her cares enough to do this. I wonder if Ken was beginning to like the Wurlitzer more than Hammond
towards his final years? Sounds like maybe so. I like his works on both organs equally well. Sure sounds like he was very very busy and certainly
professional about his work. It's too bad he's still not with us. Guess he'd be 94 this year. Wouldn't it be great to still hear and see him play. Guess that
might be a bit much to expect from any 94 year old, and in this time when few care much about organ (or any kind of real music for that matter). Well,
thanks to your web page, there are still some of us that care still around, and no one can take that away from us. I do hope I can attend the October
Dedication evening.
Thanks again or sharing Sally's story. And, especially thanks to Sally.
Joan Brown (Michigan)
What a wonderful man to have kept so many people interested in his music.
So glad to hear that Ken's music is staying alive in the hearts and ears of so many people.
Bruce McLean (Australia)
It seems to me that this is an important missing link in the current information - as close as you will be able to get to Ken himself. I share with you the fear
that he had with his heart problem and no doubt the angio-gram and by-pass techniques available today would have saved his young life. Sally's writing
also highlights the transient lifestyle of a professional entertainer relying on bookings anywhere, day in and day out. The satisfaction from a performance
must be so high that the lifestyle becomes either tolerable or just simply accepted. It would be very difficult for any permanent arrangement with Ken and
Sally to have worked without Sally's preparedness to be "on the road" as well and live out of a suitcase. I suspect she would have.
With the change in music style at the time of Ken's passing, I have wondered about what his future may have been. His name was so strong that he would
have managed to get a few more years on the circuit playing to an older audience, and there was the great organ revival in the mid-70's when the electronic
organ boom had children everywhere being introduced to music. Ken would have been a great role model under a Yamaha sponsorship and toured the world.
We bought an organ for older son Andrew, but he didn't go on with it sadly, as he did show potential. Ken of course, may not have been prepared for a
sudden drop in interest in his music, and this could have been a very sad period.
It was a very nice touch to head the page with "You Are My Love Song".
Don Boudreaux (Louisiana)
Just finished reading Sally's page, what a wonderful tribute to Ken.
I got the video and really enjoyed it, how I wish I could play like those guys.