My late mother and Harry's late mother were sisters, which makes Harry Jr. and me first cousins. Harry has been a leader in providing Hurricane Katrina relief for New Orleans.
My late mother and Harry's late mother were sisters, which makes Harry Jr. and me first cousins. Harry has been a leader in providing Hurricane Katrina relief for New Orleans.
Harry with Ruth and Mathilda in 1989. One of his early big
fans worked on our hometown weekly the Westboro News and this photo was on its front page, with permission. My wife
Ruth and I honeymooned in New Orleans in '73, and returned in for Harry Jr's and Jill's wedding.
Harry's recital program photo, 1974.
Jill's mom, Glenna Goodacre sculpted the Women's Vietnam Memorial unveiled in '93 in Washington DC, and a 7' tall standing portrait of former President Reagan for the National Cowboy Hall Of Fame. She also engraved Sakajawea, the Indian woman who guided the Lewis and Clark expedition, on the gold-colored one dollar US coin. Look on the blanket in the coin's engraving with a magnifying glass to see her initials "GG".
Around 1990, Ruth said to me, "Why don't you make money at music, like your cousin?" She was kidding of course - I can't sing and played no instrument at the time. She gave me a harmonica as a gag Christmas gift. Lo and behold, I quickly discovered that I could play by ear. Now, my hobby is entertaining at folk venues. I did a concert at Riverbend Farm, the visitor's center of the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. I won a folk music contest on Cape Breton in Nova Scotia in 2000, and along with local musicians with played New Year 2002 in on a beach in Dominica.
I think it's wonderful that Harry Jr has so many fans. He is a fine person, and he comes from a very wonderful family.
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