11/23/2019
I am at the record store this week finally realizing Terry Katzman will not be coming back to provide me with the direction I need in working at Hi Fi.
The musicians, and the people entwined in the local music scene, that have died this year thus far, is a long list indeed.
But, to me, none has been more sudden and unexpected than that of Terry Katzman. (And, I'm sure for many of you, who had the opportunity to work alongside or just have Terry be a part of your lives, the same holds true.)
This year's passing of Willie Murphy and Tony Glover, and just yesterday, Willie Walker, had more impact on us old âwest bank hippiesâ, then it had on the Longhorn crowd. They were established legends in the music scene, years before I booked my first artist and before I met Terry.
The much more recent losses of Ed Ackerson and Rob Van Vranken, brought me to realize that even âthe kidsâ I got to work with during my booking days, are leaving us too early for me to fathom.
BUT, having Terry Katzman in my immediate daily routine the last several years, I was just getting to know him, again. Despite years of working with him in the earlier days of Sams/First Avenue, Husker Du and Replacements, Oarfolkjokepus and Garare Dor', as sound staffer and record producer, I never got to know him as well as I do now.
Recent years found me correcting my past history with Terry. He did work for me at one time, although my memory had him only âworking for the bandsâ directly, NOT for me or the venue. This memory lapse, on my part, was clarified by Terry, not too long ago, after we started working together at the record store. He reminded me how little sound staff got paid in those days, and my constant diatribe on âvolume controlâ. He remembers, these items, much clearer than I.
Recent years found me discovering that his knowledge of recorded music expanded way beyond the âpunk/garageâ categories, where my memory had narrowly placed him.
His reminiscing about Longhorn âjazzâ performances, he attending, while underage, to the more recent education I got from him on âcountryâ music, after I tried to chastise him for NOT immediately viewing the Ken Burns documentary âCountryâ, are very fresh memories for me.
Terry not only expounded on early jazz recordings, going back to the local group, Natural Life, but would discuss ânationalâ jazz names, like McCoy Tyner and Wynton Marsalis, artists I had booked back in the day, but knew very little about. Whereas, Terry would load me with specific details, naming dates, producers, and discographies all instilled in his database (mind).
Some of the âbestâ interview bits in the recently released Mark Englebretson âJay's Longhornâ, were the Katzman interviews. Terry downplayed his part in the documentary, when I told him I was going to see it at the MN History Center recently.
His role, of course, in the early alternative music scene of the late 70's and early 80's, I anticipated was âgreatâ. BUT, as the documentary pointed out, the Katzman participation was LARGER than âgreatâ within the larger framework that included the Longhorn, Oarfolkjokepus, Su***de Commandos, and Husker Du, amongst a great many other variable memories.
Of course, when I suggested to Terry he might learn something from the Ken Burns documentary âCountryâ, he proceeded to give me details about Ferron Young, Bob Wills, and many artists, that were a mystery to me. After being educated, I now think Ken Burns had made a mistake in NOT interviewing Terry before releasing his âcountryâ documentary. Terry did not educate me with a âknow it allâ attitude at all. It just seemed he was bemused by the fact I was so uninformed about country music history.
It has been a very long week at the record store this week waiting for Terry to come back. And the upcoming weeks will be even longer.
NOTE: Tomorrow (Sunday - Nov. 24th) at Hook & Ladder - 2PM-5PM - memorial for TERRY KATZMAN
Penny, Nick, Ben â I wish I had taken more advantage of the short time providing me the opportunity to learn from the husband, the father that you have suddenly lost and will miss dearly, as I and many others will.
