Music star Garth Hudson, who never forgot his London roots, dies at 87

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Garth Hudson, an Arva Medway graduate who was raised in London before going on to musical fame with The Band, has died at age 87. We covered his love for London 11 years ago ahead of his induction into what’s now the Forest City London Music Hall of Fame. This story by James Reaney appeared in the April 7, 2014 editions of The Free Press.

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In my London, one good measure of an icon is the ability to thank those who shaped a stellar career.

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Truly generous in his acknowledgment of great London-region souls who shaped his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career is Garth Hudson.

One excellent example of this openhearted grace in a 1993 article by Free Press colleague Ian Gillespie.

With a Toronto interview with Hudson and other members of The Band concluding, Gillespie found Hudson had a list of Londoners he wanted to thank. Raised in London Township and Broughdale, Hudson left London three decades before, in the early 1960s. He went out on the road with Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Dylan and The Band.

In 1993, he passed Gillespie a list of the names, people he wanted to thank. During the discussion with the keyboardist, Gillespie added three more.

Last on the list, in Hudson’s hand, was the late Jack Wingate, a longtime friend of The Band’s. The former Free Press staffer also worked at the legendary downtown London shop Words and Music. Wingate “used to lend and sell Hudson all kinds of records that needed to be heard,” Gillespie wrote.

Names on the list that need more research are Nellie Milligan, apparently an early piano teacher of Hudson’s, and Earl Ray. Other names are well-known here. Among them is London music icon, the late Don Wright.

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Also listed was a teacher of Hudson’s at Arva Medway secondary school, the late Alex Clark, an iconic London church organist. Clark stayed in touch with Hudson, who often sought his keyboard advice.

Two London Music Hall of Fame members, the late dance band leader Johnny Downs and reed player, conductor and educator Phil Murphy, made the list. Hudson joins them as a 2014 London Music Hall of Fame inductee, along with jazz pianist John Noubarian.

Listed from the classical scene were Clifford von Kuster, first dean of Western’s music school, and T.C. (Tommy) Chattoe, a theory and harmony teacher. In 1993, Hudson wrote “great” beside Chattoe’s name. Chattoe remembered Hudson fondly.

So did von Kuster, who sent greetings to Hudson when The Band played Toronto’s Massey Hall in 1970.

Sax players Derek Knight, Tony Caminiti and Paul Fleming were on the 1993 list. So were drummers Bob Comber and Glenn Bricklin.

That’s a terrific list – and it wasn’t the only time Hudson shared his London tributes.

Almost a decade later, Hudson passed on a similar list in a phone interview with this writer. He mentioned Noubarian, who inspired him as London’s keyboard king in the 1950s. He repeated some names from the ’93 list and added many teachers at Medway.

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He even took time away from the phone to write out and recite a tribute to another Medway teacher, perhaps named Mather.

“After pointing out the inconsistencies in the music business, he suggested I remain interested in a career in agriculture and keep music as a glorified hobby,” Hudson said then with laconic glee. “I never forgot that. Everybody liked him. Later on, he became principal. He was a prince.”

One week after this story appeared, we covered Hudson’s formal induction into the local music hall of fame. In a story published on April 14, 2014, Hudson, who had lived in Woodstock, N.Y., for decades, said:

“The north branch of the Thames still flows – and yes I have fished in the north branch of the Thames,” Hudson said during his speech, reflecting on what has continued in London since he left.

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