[A Greene]

I play in the Syracuse Area - any gig or band that calls. There are many other players doing this kind of work in this area including a wonderful showman/vocalist/keyboardist named Donald Ransom. Our paths crossed many times over the past 14 years. I had not seen him for some time but just played a couple gigs with him over the past month. In fact, last Thursday (July 14)we played a little outdoor bar/festvial and I helped carry his equipment out. We talked a bit about keyboards and his job at the local DPW (Department of Public Works)

Donald was in his early 50's (I guess) and was very proud of driving a snow plow for the City of Syracuse. During the summer, he drove road repair/construction equipment. Really nice guy who NEVER said a bad word about anyone - and in the music business that's rare.

Turns out a couple days ago he was killed by accident at work. A fellow DPW worker hit him with a truck. Wow!!! Just like that no more. It's very sad and makes it difficult to get up and work on ii-V's or get excited about a new this or that.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Rick Adams]

Much sympathy to you, death is such a final thing, so hard to embrace and deal with and at the end of the day what is life anyway? You can't change the past, you can't bring him back, but you can play a tune for him and you have to carry on your own life but that doesn't mean you can't respect his memory at the same time - tough though it can be to do.

 

[RootyTootoot]

As you said. It puts things in perspective. It's good to remember good things about good people, though. "Things die/Friends die/Self itself will die/I know one thing never dies/The judgement of each man." Something like that..

 

[rleitch]

It is amazing how the death of someone you're not related to, or you don't know particularly well, can really have an impact on you. Maybe among musicians this is particularly the case because pro and semipro players are actually much closer in some sense than they're really aware of. Despite the competition, bitching, etc. there is a real camraderie there. I'm very glad to hear that your friend had a good life--that seems to take some of the edge off these moments.

Rory

I doubt this is a direction you want this thread to go, but I have to say that I am pretty constantly shocked by the seemingly dangerous conditions I see public works guys--from road repair to garbage removal--working under. The other day I watched this guy cutting cement sidewalks with one of those big circular saws--no safety glasses, no ear protection. It's like their safety just isn't an issue?

 

[rabbit]

Greene,

My condolences on the loss of your friend
and fellow musician.

rabbit

 

[heath]

Rory

I doubt this is a direction you want this thread to go, but I have to say that I am pretty constantly shocked by the seemingly dangerous conditions I see public works guys--from road repair to garbage removal--working under. The other day I watched this guy cutting cement sidewalks with one of those big circular saws--no safety glasses, no ear protection. It's like their safety just isn't an issue?

You got that right. There's lots of jobs that make it painfully obvious that human life isn't all that important. Safety should be the top priority and finishing the job placed at the bottom of the list. This also goes for people observing safety rules and showing respect for all human and animal life as well. How many drivers out their would just assume run another person over in the street to get home 10 seconds faster to pop another t.v. dinner in the microwave. This kind of stuff is what makes me think people today have completely lost their minds.

 

[jmm1713]

I actually knew this guy ... very sad

http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2007/07/dpw_worker_injured.html

 

[ismail]

"not fair" fits well here...
my condolences.

 

[jmathesonjr]

I too offer my condolences to you.

I play quite regularly with a band that was formed in the late 1940s. At 41, I am the youngest member of the band. This year, we lost the leader and front man of the band. Over the years I have been playing with the group, there have been many members of the band who have passed away, but the loss of this man was truly hard to take. His death at 78 was not wholy unexpected, but it did come as a shock.

Greene,

Keep practicing the ii-Vs. Also when you think of your friend, there may be a tune that he loved to play or that you associated with him. If there is, make it a part of your repertoire. Keep his memory alive in the music that you play.

I think he would like that more than anything you could do.

Again, my condolences.