Fly Amero & his friends transform a dark day into a night of healing through music
“How can you be here tonight?” was the question asked of Fly Amero by friends and fans who knew he had lost his dear friend of over 3 decades and band-mate Larry Hoppen, one of the founders of Orleans, who had died less than 24 hours earlier.
“The show must go on,” replied Fly. “It’s not just a slogan, you know. Everyone in the entertainment business takes it very seriously. If Lance [Larry Hoppen’s brother, another Orleans founding member] had a gig tonight, he’d be there too.”
Fly began by delivering the terrible news for those who didn’t already know, followed by 3 Orleans classics. By the time the crowd sang, with Fly, the last chorus of Dance With Me, we had all been lifted through Fly’s personal grief to a higher place only music can take you.
Then Fly’s friends began to share the stage with him: Wolf Ginandes on bass, Allen Estes on harmonica. The energy shifted a little, from memorial to entertainment. Finally J.B. and Dave Brown joined Wolf & Fly to bring the house down!
Fly thanked the crowd for sharing this “living room” with him during a difficult time.
Something special — indeed magical — was at work last night. Everyone felt it.
Thank you, Fly, for using music and your extraordinary rapport with your audience to heal all of us a little bit last night. We hope you were healed a little too.
So sorry to hear about this news. Music is the best therapy ever and has such wonderful healing properties. Thank you for posting. I stopped in to hear Sebastian. Now I wish that I had gotten there a lot sooner.
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