"Leader of the band"

This is a very special post that I am dedicating to my father Charles S. Ferguson who died on April 12th 2013 at the age of 81. I completed this 8"x 10" Oil portrait in just a matter of hours for his memorial service reception. I rushed to get it ready to be displayed. The painting actually isn't even finished yet. It is still in an under painting stage. But I knew my Dad would have wanted me to have done something like this for him. He was always very proud of my artistic endeavors and he always took a keen interest in them.

My dad worked at the Post Office for 41 years before retiring in 1998. But my father was also a great musician. He played the trumpet, drums and a couple of other instruments as well. I remember as a kid seeing him playing the drums in a band featuring my mom on piano and my aunt performing vocals at a local nursing home. As my dad was playing the drums I noticed him dozing off while performing and yet he never missed a beat. ( I am not making that up).

And so in memory of my beloved father I chose a song by Dan Fogelberg titled "Leader of The Band" a song Fogelberg wrote as a tribute to his own father who was a high school marching band teacher. I thought this song was very fitting. Enjoy...

My dads panama hat that he used to wear will hang near my easel in my studio.

My next blog will feature an update on the book release "The Art of Caring" and I'll resume telling my corny jokes. See you next time..