| A story I heard about Harry James...admittedly second hand. Our community band had invited a guest conductor, a military band director, to come down as a "special guest" for one of our Remembrance Day concerts. We got this fellow sitting around having dinner and a beer after the concert and he told us that when he was a playing musician (before he was awarded his "single stick"), he was stationed in a place where it was only about a three hour drive to where Harry was having a concert. Needless to say he and three of his buddies drove down (they were all trumpet players) to take in the concert.
As it happened, he managed to get some "ear time" with Harry and found out that Harry had a particular penchant; when he was on the road he insisted that his hotel have a swimming pool. Why? Because he swam laps underwater to keep his air and body in shape for playing. Now, that doesn't seem to fit in with the story that Harry was a "lover of the lager"... and might even be "stretching the truth a little"... so don't take it as "gospel". |