[Harp-L] Chris Michalek R.I.P

[Shuffling <shuffling@xxxxxxxxx>]

Another man done gone, another harp falls silent.

I, like everyone else here, was shocked to learn the news about Chris.  I didn't know Chris all that much, but I met him once many years ago on a trip to Minneapolis and we corresponded occasionally for a relatively short while afterwards.  I had reached out to him and although he didn't know me at all, he met up with me, generously shared his knowledge of the harp, took me to Whiskey Junction for a jam and got me up on stage for quite a long time, and was thoroughly magnanomous. He was talented, curious, smart, disciplined, interesting, and driven to learn and achieve and share.  At that time, he had recently sold his software business and was devoting himself full time to harp - I was certainly impressed with that (as well as envious) and very much admired his devotion to the instrument. I was also blown away by his musical abilities.  When the controversy over the World Harmonica Summit broke on this list-serve, I felt compelled to weigh in and defend
 him. 

My deep-felt condolences go out to his wife, family, his many friends and everyone else who knew him.