Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday Afternoon
MBOTMA Spring Kickoff
2:00 p.m.
http://minnesotabluegrass.org/as_main-stage

Jerry Flynn 1949-2013

(by Alan Jesperson)

On December 20, 2013, Jerry Flynn passed suddenly in his home. He was 64 years old.

He was one of the finest people I have ever known.  We met at a Doc Watson concert in 1964 and remained fast friends since. He was unbelievably honest; he wouldn't even make a U turn.

He began singing and playing bass in the Middle Spunk Creek Boys in 1973 and continued until he resigned in 2001. He said he had done everything he ever wanted to do: recorded five albums, played on television and radio, performed at dozens of colleges and festivals, played after a dog act in Wisconsin, and much more.

 He was a voracious reader and seeker of information, and his second love after music was photography. Make that third; his first love was his wife Leslie.

 He and I did many things together over the 49 years we knew each other. We traveled across the eastern US, doing whirlwind tours of Washington DC and New York City at rush hour, him pointing out landmarks as I drove like an insane taxi driver. We were at the Newport Folk Festival in 1966 and, he reminded me recently, that I had indeed seen Flatt and Scruggs there, which I had forgotten. He had a photographic memory and helped me when I couldn't remember things I had done.

 He was the band's bookkeeper and after each gig, he would ask me if I had a pen to write out the checks. I did, and he never gave them back. I'm sure in his dresser there are few hundred pens of mine.

 He had a wonderful voice and was much appreciated at our many jam sessions where he would open up his vast library of Merle Haggard songs with just the perfect chord progressions. He was a perfectionist.

 He was also a great raconteur. He could embellish even the lamest gag into a finely-tuned gem. He did much of the front work for our band and always had the audience waiting for more insight into what's happening.  He was the brains behind many of our arrangements, both musical and floral. He listened to a broad spectrum of music and was always coming up with great ideas, and if the band was actually listening, we would adopt them.

He always loved a challenge, both in his work and his play. He could watch sitcoms and read a biography at the same time; how did he do it?

We all suffered a great loss. We will miss you.

Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday Afternoon
MBOTMA Spring Kickoff
2:00 p.m.
http://minnesotabluegrass.org/as_main-stage

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