Passing of a Dear Friend

When I returned home from being out of town yesterday I got a call from the wife of an old friend of mine with news that he passed away on Saturday.

Paul Spanton (aka B.P. for "Big Paul") was the bass player in my band in Philadelphia back in the late 1980's. But he became more than that, he was like a brother. BP was from England and I will never forget his unique sense of humor. He enjoyed a good glass of wine and restoring vintage BSA's. He was a connoisseur of fine things. As long as I knew BP, he never had an official "day job", yet he managed to find enough work to buy a house. He taught me how to make Shepard's Pie one cold, snowy evening in Philly. I still have the Bella Bartok piano book he gave me for Christmas one year and the 37 Gretsch he sold me "cheap". He was a true friend who championed my music. I often sent him songs before I released them to get his stamp of approval.
Paul was an accomplished musician who played bass and piano. After I got the news, I sat back and had so many great memories of our years together. Paul is survived by his lovely wife Karen.
I love him and miss him already.

私が町からあることから昨日家に戻ったときに私は彼が土曜日に渡したニュースとの古い私の友人の妻から呼出しを得た。 ポールSpanton (「大きいポール」のためのaka b.p)は80年代後期のフィラデルヒィアの背部の私のバンドのベース奏者だった。 しかし彼はそれが兄弟のよう、彼だったより多くになった。 bpはイギリスからあり、私は決して彼の独特なユーモアを忘れていない。 彼はワインのよいガラスを回復型BSA楽しみ。 私にまだ彼がクリスマスのための私に1年を与えたBella Bartokのピアノ本がある。 ポールは低音およびピアノを弾いた堪能な音楽家だった。 私がニュースを得た後、私は何もしないでい、私達の年のそう多くの大きい記憶を一緒に有した。 ポールは彼の美しい妻Karenによって存続させる。 私は彼を愛し、既に逃す。