“A Tribute to Loonis McGlohon”

     Loonis McGlohon was an incredible man.  A gifted  and well known composer, musician, patron of the arts, husband and father, I am proud to have had him as a friend.  As busy as he was, he always found time to help many a young artist along a career path (I am one of those) and he never refused a request for help for any cause that he deemed worthy.  When he died a couple of years ago, there were well over a thousand people at his memorial service.

      For many years Loonis gave free concerts at a junior high school during their “Fine Arts Festival.”  He talked me into doing an art program for the kids there which I have done now for over twenty years.

      Since he took no money for his concerts, the school wanted to honor him in some way, so they commissioned me to do a “tribute” painting to be presented to him on stage at the next “Fine Arts Festival.”  With his wife Nan’s help, I put together a collage of “stuff,” including mementoes from various performances, tributes from other musicians and the actual original sheet music, complete with corrections, from “North Carolina is My Home,” which Loonis did as a TV special with his friend Charles Kuralt, and for which he is probably most well known.  When we pulled the curtain away and unveiled the painting, Loonis cried, and I must admit that I had some tears welling up as well.  The message in the middle of the painting “We Love You Loonis” was apropos.  Driving home that night, my wife said to me, “I’m starting to understand what you do.”  That was nearly fifteen years ago.  I’m still doing it and I still love it, especially moments like that.

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