I received a telephone call, last night. Having Bob Angelucci call me isn't unusual, but this call took my breath away.
For the second time, we've lost one of our own. Someone we'd shared such a huge part of our lives with.
"Chuck" Bob said, "Tom Hoover has died", and my heart stopped for a minute, it seemed.
Bob continued to give me what few details he had and my mind wandered back almost half a century ago. Tommy was two days older than I am. When my family moved to Camp Hill, Pennsylvania he was one of the first friends I made. Two 12 year olds beginning the 8th grade. So many memories have come rushing back, providing tears and some laughter as well.
Tom was brilliant, talented, undisciplined and far from a saint, but he was and is my friend and I love him .
I remember the speed reading contests in school. Finally, at 1,500 words per minute, it was only the two of us left. He beat me at 1,600 words per minute.
Tom lived behind Camp Hill High School and there used to be sock hops every Saturday night. As we became teenagers, Tom formed "The Pyramids", his first band. When the school officials wouldn't let him play one evening, he set the band up in his backyard and emptied the hop. 300 hundred kids in the parking lot with Tom playing on his lawn.
Because of Tommy, I met the men I call friends, today. It's been a gift I never really had the chance to thank him for. Bob Angelucci and I met in Tom's living room. We would later attend college, together, and start a friendship that's lasted for more that 40 years. I first met Dave Bupp and Buddy King at a "Battle of The Bands" that involved "The Del-Chords" and Bob's group, "The Endells".
As Tom Paine, Jim Seville and Terry Crousore joined "The Endells" my friendship with them began, as well. When Tom quit "The Magnificent Men" I had to track Bill Richter down, between college classes, and get him to agree to play that weekend with the band. The rest of that story became history.
There's a hole inside me. One that can not be filled. Although we hadn't stayed in close contact, Tommy was always there in my thoughts and my heart. I miss him.
THOMAS HOOVER
1946 - 2008
"Friends are like balloons; once you let them go, you can never get them back. I'm gonna tie you to my heart so I never lose you"
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend. This saddens me also.
May all the happy memories of Tom sustain you through this very difficult time. You and his family are in my prayers.
Chuck,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ginger. Let the good memories of what you had keep you warm.
*waves to Ginger* It was great meeting you...
While it’s true that nobody will ever remember Tommy Hoover as a saint, he was a friend to many. To call him undisciplined is an understatement. Never has one person held so much promise and frittered it away. But that was part of Tommy’s charm.
ReplyDeleteThe Program Director said that I should write down a memory of Tommy. I just had to write two.
The Band Master
I had to have been about twelve when I ran into Tommy at a high school football game. Tommy had been asked not to return to the high school at just about that time. Tommy, being the good school booster that he was, attended the home games regularly. There sat Tommy with a duffel bag on his lap. As the marching band began to play a snare drum, sticks and a stand emerged from the duffel. Tommy played, usually in between the notes that the band was playing and filled where he thought the marchers needed a bit of help. Tommy was having a grand time, until the teams were called onto the field for the coin toss. He was even being quiet when the director of the marching band appeared and confiscated Tommy’s drum kit. ‘Hoov’ didn’t blink an eye; he merely nodded to the teacher and winked at me.
I don’t remember what the score was at half time, but I do remember the band taking the field for the half time show. Tommy reached into the duffel and dragged out a rather battered trumpet, which he proceeded to play loudly and well with the marching band. The crowd around us exploded with laughter when the director climbed the bleachers to confiscate Tommy’s mouthpiece. They laughed even louder when Tommy played the rest of the half time show without said mouthpiece. Tommy didn’t see the rest of the game because he was ejected from the stadium, but I will remember the smile on his face for the rest of my life. I wonder what happened to that trumpet.
The Keyboard Hero
I was about thirteen when my older brother (aka The Program Director) took me to my first Magnificent Men appearance. TMM and another act were appearing together, each set up in opposite sides of the room. TMM were on break when we arrived and had already stolen the show during their first set. All was well and normal when they started their second set. Tommy Hoover sat behind his prized Hammond B-3 and kicked the hell out of it (that’s musician talk for played very well) for the first two songs. Before the third song he motioned for me to join him behind the Hammond. He yelled for me to watch what he was doing, then he motioned that I should play the notes as he had. The next thing that I knew, Tommy was standing behind me yelling the next chord change in my ear. Nobody played like Tommy in those days although I tried valiantly. Bob and Jim both knew that something was different but the notes were right and when I worked up the nerve to look they were both smiling. I admit it, the bug bit me right then and there, and nobody was more pleased than Tommy. Another keyboard player was born.
I will never forget Hoov, that certifiable genius with the big laugh and the bigger heart. Thank you Tommy.