Email: 4/27/2013 - Barbara Ann and Don Jones

From: b.a. barnett [mailto:babaccordn@earthlink.net] 

Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 7:29 AM
To: Don Jones;
Subject: brace yourself, bad news

Hello Don,

So sorry you and I never met in person, and very, really deeply sorry to leave this wonderfully exciting world of trad jazz I only discovered less than 3 years ago.  But it seems my number is up.  If there is unfinished business I have inadvertently left behind, please contact my best-in-the-world daughter-in-law, DEBRA BARNETT  burnsdebburns@comcast.net, and tie up those loose ends properly.

I have a favor to ask you, Don.  With whatever discretion you can apply, could you please contact Joe Fos and give him a message from me?  I understand he’s on cruise at this time, and wish I had taken care of this a long time ago.  In our college days, Joe and I had a brief and subtle ‘thing.’  He has never left my heart.  I want him to know I never fully let him go, and that I regret never singing along with his piano.

And if you don’t mind, wish a fond farewell to Alice and John Contreras.  They mattered to me. Many thanks for whatever and ALL that you do for so many good folks.  See you down the trail, my friend.  Happy trails.

Barbara Ann Barnett
~~~no longer to wrangle an accordion 

 ________________________________________________________________

On 4/27/13 2:45 PM, "Don Jones" <pubdonj@verizon.net> wrote:Dear Barbara: 

    I can only imagine what you are faced with at this time; your message sounds so dire. 
    I would happily contact Joe Fos, but we have no such name in our list of subscribers nor musicians. 
    I'm copying this to Alice and John so they can read for themselves what you've Emailed to all of us. 
    Tried phoning you a minute ago but got a "disconnected" message instead. 
Debra:
    Assuming it's not possible for Barbara to reply, please fill me in on what's going on with our favorite "Accordian Wrestler." 

Best Regards,
Don Jones, Publisher

The American RagFrom: b.a. barnett <babaccordn@earthlink.net>

Date: Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Subject: Re: brace yourself, bad news
To: Don Jones <pubdonj@verizon.net>


Hi Don,

Thanks for writing back.  Joe Fos is the pianist who circled around the center of the Sun Valley Jazz  Festival.  I’ve known him since our college days, and had always hoped to be able to reconnect with him, somehow, through jazz.

Competent friends here in the S. F. Bay Area have created a blog to celebrate my music, track some of my personal and music history, etc.  If you care to, you can access through good old friend, Dorothy Bender , at dbender@gmail.com.  There’s an adorable little b&w film clip there taken by my paternal grandfather when I was 7 and my sister was 10, flying kites and playing our accordions (1949).  Also great old western accordion music I performed for years with various groups, but my favorite was actually a cowgirl duo, with Sagegrush Swing, only a few years before I immersed myself in trad jazz..

Functioning here where I live in Santa Cruz is, so far, not diminished; spirit is strong; support and love coming from all corners, I’ve been immensely blessed in my life.  Check out the blog if you want, and pass it forward.

Thanks for contacting Alice & John; they were both special to me, and for trying to get ahold of Joe.  Perhaps someone out there on your list knows of him and his whereabouts.  IF SO, HE KNEW ME AS BARBIE JENSEN!  All I know now is that he is currently on a cruise.

CARRY ON!!  I’m stickin’ around as long as it feels this good!

Very best to you and everyone you love, and every single one of those trad jazz players! BE WELL, DON, AND KEEP SHEPHERDING YOUR WAY THROUGH THAT FABULOUS MUSIC.

Barbara Ann Barnett