 Tony Price In Loving Memory November 30, 1943 - August 14, 2009 |
| Tony Price grew up in Okemah, Oklahoma, and considered himself to be fortunate in many ways, especially where music was involved. He felt lucky to have had the opportunity to get into music at a time when a multitude of things were happening. When he began to develop his playing ability, he felt that most of the best old standards had already been written. Blues and R&B were fusing with Country Music to form what was to become Rock and Roll, and Jazz was expanding and being played in a variety of ways.
He insisted he was fortunate to have had a piano instructor, Mrs. Bea Wells, who instilled the value of learning to play as many styles of music as possible. Tony said he had been lucky in other ways too, such as continually surrounding himself with accomplished musicians. He would have been the first to point out that you can learn from anyone. He said the novice musician have something to offer the professional, if the pro will just pay attention. Price also said that another "lucky" thing for him was the willingness to work at his music. Tony admits "I am not one of those musicians to whom everything comes easy. I have to really work at it sometimes". Tony knew his luck really began with whatever amount of talent God gave him, along with parents and his family who were always supportive of his musical pursuits. Before Tony left this earth, I found the last thing he had written and I would love to share it with you: "It was only in March during a discussion regarding my being diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer was the cruel but accurate advantage of being able to say good-bye to friends and loved ones mentioned. The enormity of this problem only begins for me when I think of you and several others who I hold close to my heart. The good time memories come to me real fast. As I write, I cannot recall a single bad one. I guess life is supposed to work like that." All my love, Tony |
