›

Conrad Johnson Director of Kashmere Stage Band RIP

pointmanpointman 1,042 Posts
edited February 2008 in Strut Central
Sad to see Prof leave us but at least he went out after having the greatest bday party ever.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/music/5511176.html
A day after being honored Saturday by former students for his distinguished career as director of the Kashmere Gardens Stage Band, Conrad O. Johnson has died. He was 92."However, we are profoundly joyous that he was given the greatest 92nd birthday gift that he could have ever requested, on Saturday night at the Conrad O. Johnson Gala Concert," said members of the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation in a prepared statement.Johnson, who died Sunday evening, was affectionately known as "Prof" to his former high school students from Kashmere Gardens.The Victoria native moved to Houston at age 9 and graduated from Yates High School and Wiley College in Marshall. He returned to Houston to teach music at Washington High School and, in the late 1960s, at Kashmere, where he remained until retiring in 1977.Alumni of the award-winning band reunited for Saturday's concert to perform the group's unique amalgamation of big band, jazz, funk, R&B and rock. A documentary film production crew was on hand to film the reunion and gala Saturday.Johnson left Methodist Hospital less than 24 hours before Saturday's Conrad O. Johnson Gala Concert."He was completely delighted and extremely pleased to meet, greet and to hear his beloved students of Kashmere High Stage Band from the glory days of Kashmere High," Joan Bolden Hubert, board secretary of the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation, said today.Johnson's friends and former students hope the film and a CD with recordings of the reunion concerts will help in the creation of an interactive center near Texas Southern University.Organizers said they need about $300,000 to start the project, which would celebrate the city's musical legacy and offer music training for children.Chronicle reporter David Barron contributed to this story.[email]robert.crowe@chron.com[/email]

  Comments

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Sad to see Prof leave us but at least he went out after having the greatest bday party ever.

    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/music/5511176.html

    A day after being honored Saturday by former students for his distinguished career as director of the Kashmere Gardens Stage Band, Conrad O. Johnson has died. He was 92.

    "However, we are profoundly joyous that he was given the greatest 92nd birthday gift that he could have ever requested, on Saturday night at the Conrad O. Johnson Gala Concert," said members of the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation in a prepared statement.

    Johnson, who died Sunday evening, was affectionately known as "Prof" to his former high school students from Kashmere Gardens.

    The Victoria native moved to Houston at age 9 and graduated from Yates High School and Wiley College in Marshall. He returned to Houston to teach music at Washington High School and, in the late 1960s, at Kashmere, where he remained until retiring in 1977.

    Alumni of the award-winning band reunited for Saturday's concert to perform the group's unique amalgamation of big band, jazz, funk, R&B and rock. A documentary film production crew was on hand to film the reunion and gala Saturday.

    Johnson left Methodist Hospital less than 24 hours before Saturday's Conrad O. Johnson Gala Concert.

    "He was completely delighted and extremely pleased to meet, greet and to hear his beloved students of Kashmere High Stage Band from the glory days of Kashmere High," Joan Bolden Hubert, board secretary of the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation, said today.

    Johnson's friends and former students hope the film and a CD with recordings of the reunion concerts will help in the creation of an interactive center near Texas Southern University.

    Organizers said they need about $300,000 to start the project, which would celebrate the city's musical legacy and offer music training for children.

    Chronicle reporter David Barron contributed to this story.

    [email]robert.crowe@chron.com[/email]

    Man: RIP!

    A true Texas giant.
  • pointmanpointman 1,042 Posts
    I had the very fortunate chance to not only share the same room with the man but watch the Kashmere Stage Band reunion at Kashmere High School Friday.
    It was incredible.
  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    What a story! It's so good that he lived to see the reunion. RIP!
  • yoigotbeatsyoigotbeats 1,667 Posts
    RIP

    I was listening to Sparkplugs this very morning.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    I knew I was going to regret not being able to make the reunion show.

    RIP...
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    I knew I was going to regret not being able to make the reunion show.

    RIP...


    I was planning on missing a few hours of work to catch it, but I got caught in the rain and cold wind on Thurs and was stuck in bed until sat morning.
  • troublemantroubleman 1,928 Posts
    What a story! It's so good that he lived to see the reunion. RIP!

    Recieving their just accolades is a luxury not many talented people get. Glad he was able to enjoy that. RIP.
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    RIP.
  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    Rest in peace. I'm glad he went out on top.
Sign In or Register to comment.