Memorializing a Musician
A death does not just happen once but lives with us throughout our lives in various forms of loss and remembrance.
One of my more memorable funeral offerings was playing music at the grave site of drummer Brian Keenan, the drummer for the 60’s American psychedelic soul band the Chambers Brothers. He performed internationally for thousands of people but died young at the age of 42 in 1985 from a heart attack. In spite of his massive career success his grave site was left abandoned and overgrown.
His daughter Anna Keenan rededicated his grave site in 2019. We gathered at the Queen of Peace Cemetery in Stamford, Connecticut with a brand new plaque that read,
“In the still silence of the forest lies a cherished son, brother, and unknown father to one”
I was fascinated to learn that even though his daughter Anna grew up without her father she too became a talented drummer. She drew so much inspiration from her father’s career success as a musician and felt that live music would be an essential part of this memorial service.
I was thrilled when I got the phone call. I remember listening to the album “Time Has Come Today” , a gold LP on Columbia records. How do you do justice paying homage to a famous musician? Anna and I worked together to choose a set of traditional Irish tunes that reflected ancient familial roots. These included Parting Glass, Homes of Donegal, God Save Ireland, Danny Boy and When Irish Eyes are Smiling.
It was a beautiful sunny day, the priest read some traditional Irish blessings. It was a reminder that death does not just happen once but lives with us throughout our lives. It’s never too late to re-visit a loss, interact with it and relate to it in a new way through poetry, art and a musical offering.
If you’re seeking music for a funeral or memorial service in honor of a loved one, feel free to reach out. Sound & Memory creates custom music programs across genres. You can learn more about our live music offerings at this link.
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