My first and most lasting recollection of Russ was at Bones
Fest VII in Louisville, Kentucky where he gave a vintage
performance.

At the Saturday night public show, Russ demonstrated his
amazing ability to play bones while changing the pitch. But
the best part was yet to come. Many RBS members will
remember that before Russ could leave the stage, Al Cowett
asked him to tell the story about playing bones in his
college ROTC band. Russ was a person who knew how to tell a
story. And he had the audience in stitches. I am grateful
that we have that performance preserved on the Bones Fest
VII two-volume video.

During the performance, Russ told us the bones he was
playing were a set of whale bones he bought in 1941 at
Kitt's Music Store in Washington, DC.

Since that day three years ago in Louisville, I have been
absolutely fascinated about those bones. But it wasn't until
this July at BFX that I got the chance to see Russ and his
whale bones again.

As luck would have it, Russ was directly behind me in the
group photo shoot at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
Afterwards I asked Russ about his whale bones. Without a
second thought Russ told me details about the place he
bought them, and took the bones out so I could view them up
close - and give them a rattle! This is my most cherished
memory of Russ Myers.


Scott Miller
Saint Louis, Missouri

>It is with extreme sadness I'm posting the death of Russ Myers...