[Harp-L] Gary Primich

["Mick Zaklan" <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Just a terrible loss for the harmonica world and the blues community.  At
the age of 49, I have to believe that Gary had another ten CDs left in him
and a lot of teaching also.  Gary used to come out to hear me when he was
first starting out.  One night in particular I remember he had stumbled
across a bunch of old mic parts and insisted I take one.  The guy barely
knew me; he just wanted to do something nice for a fellow player.  I'll
always remember that.
   A lot of harp players probably envied Gary's situation; him being able to
play harp full-time for a living.  But I'll never forget Gary's S.P.A.H.
seminar a decade or so ago.  Looking and sounding road-weary, Gary explained
in detail what it was like to drive to hundreds of road gigs in a smelly
van; babysitting eccentric musicians and fighting with club owners.  He
confessed that he was barely making ends meet.  It was not a pretty
picture.  I also remember him saying that, when he got home from touring,
the last thing he wanted to do was to pick up a harp.  That mowing his own
lawn gave him more enjoyment, at least temporarily.  Lucky for us, he always
got the itch to play music again.
   I loved seeing him twice at S.P.A.H. conventions, playing for his fellow
harpists.  Both times he turned in killer sets.  The last time it struck me
how far his singing had come over the years.  His phrasing was beautiful; he
had evolved into a fine blues vocalist.  But my favorite thing about his
harpwork was how hard he swung.  Nobody could play a jump blues better.
Man, I'll miss him.

Mick Zaklan