Leader Of The Band

My Dad has been a major influence in who I am and what I do. He gave me opportunities for

professional growth (working as an electrician and mechanic for his company) as well as

personal growth (music lessons!). I'm not sure he fully recovered from my driving lessons ...

My earliest memories involve him ... watching him play his trumpet on stage, working side-by-side as he patiently taught me to be an electrician, mechanic, musician. I remember being enchanted by stories of his extraordinary life as a musician in the 1930's, 40's and 50's. He joined the Navy during World War II and served as a construction electrician, or 'Sea Bee' before traveling with the Navy Band on USO tours.

He is a master electrician and master mechanic, and started a stage lighting and sound business with his father that operated for 75 years. He owned one of the original WWII searchlight advertising companies, too. Those are his lights in the photo (right) of the grand 're-opening' of the original McDonald's. Click the image for a larger view.

He played a big part in the history of our hometown, San Bernardino, California, witnessing Tong wars in the underground tunnels frequented by early Chinese immigrants, taking music lessons from Ernie DeSoto, orchestra conductor for the old Opera House in 1922, hand-cranking an old silent movie projector on Sunday evenings for families visiting Urbita Springs or Pickering Park, and selling newspapers for a nickel apiece at his father's garage during the Lindburgh kidnapping case.

He told me of rushing down to the 'new' National Orange Show Fairgrounds to help open the huge doors of the Exhibition building, allowing the flood waters of 1933 to flow harmlessly through ... then helping shovel out 2,000 feet of mud, eight feet deep, after the waters receded. The mud was later used to fill and level ground for the race car track.

He and his father provided lighting and sound for virtually all of the exhibits in southern California for many years.

He taught me to be a stage hand, then a stage electrician and gave me the opportunity to work with the biggest stars of

the 1960's, 70's and 80's.

We worked for the Rolling Stones' American tour in 1966, and with Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin when they were simply warm-up bands. I helped a very intoxicated Janis Joplin to her bus; same for Jim Morrison, Sly Stone, Grace Slick and Johnny Cash. Our backstage passes are a directory of 'Who's Who' in the music industry.

Dad and I were also part of the historic NASA/Dryden Space Shuttle Support Team at Edwards AFB, and worked together on movie sets like 'Yellow Rose,' and 'Die Hard.' We also worked TV locations like 'Twelve O'Clock High,' 'Combat,' 'Rat Patrol,' Bonanza,' 'Mannix,' 'Barnaby Jones,' and 'Cannon.' I was introduced to Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Reagan during their tenures.

Alzheimer's Disorder has changed his life drastically, and has robbed him of almost everything but memories of Mom

and his music. Even though he does not remember who I am,

I remember who HE is and I love him very much. He gave

me the opportunity to have an extraordinary life of my own,

inspired by his example.

His name is Irvan but everyone calls him ' Stumpy.'

I love you, Dad! Bravo Zulu ... WELL DONE.

Signed,

Bobby Jean

US Navy Veteran

Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Buddy Ebsen were just 'some of the guys' to Dad, and we saw them several times a year. Christmas cards and letters were exchanged, too. Along the way, a talented young poet that I used to sneak backstage at Swing Auditorium concerts grew up to have one of the biggest selling albums of all time: 'Born In The USA.'

Dad invested his heart in the Mason and Shrine organizations, becoming a Jester in the 1980's and Leader Of The Band in 1991. His primarily affiliation was with Al Malaikah Shrine in Los Angeles, although he traveled widely and participated in their charitable activities throughout the country.