Meeting Woody Herman

At the time I was taking lessons from
Ed Von Hoff, my mother took me to hear Woody Herman and his band. At the intermission we actually got to meet him and someone took this picture. It was 1965 and I was 10 years old. It was such a thrill to hear and meet him, let alone get to take a picture with him!

At the break, I also met the trombone player. I wish I could remember his name. I went up to him and said I played trombone too. He said, "Great, maybe you will be playing up here one day." I said I wanted to be in an orchestra. He smiled at me. Then, I innocently said to him, "I saw you puffing your cheeks when you were playing. I thought you weren't supposed to do that?" He looked at me, smiled again, and said, "Well, you are right. I shouldn't be. But I am."