| Show - ‘t : 4lituitaiNgitrAZIEUVE4 ZW21111MENIMMEMIMI UMEMIMJMMfiaMIM 0 The legendary musician Lionel Hampton always has lived his life on the upbeat But a time came when he was sorely tested Wis E JO - : r 1T:1''i:::4-i- g Li 0 0 0 By FS Wallace Terr ONE DAY A DRUMMER named Lionel Hampton was making a twordirg with his idol Louis Armstrong at NBC studios in Los Angeles Armstrong pointed to an instrument sitting over in the corner and asked Hampton what it was "It's called a vibraharp" Hampton said NBC used it as chimes f4- for intermission signals during radio broadcasts "Do you know how to play Armstrong asked "Yeah" Hampton lied "Play somethin' then" Louis Armstrong said Never having played a note on the instrument before Hampton tapped out a solo he'd learned from an Armstrong itr recording 'Man that sounds great" Armstrong said 'Let's put it on record" They did "Memories of You" marked the first time jazz was played on the vi- braharp Hampton made sweet musical history and found his instrument I had set out to discover the seem of Lionel Hampton a musical genius for six decades What I uncovered was more than a portrait of a great man I found a love story Today at 83 Lionel Hampton—one leadof the last of the great big-baers—gives upward of 200 concerts a year here and abroad a pace that might defeat someone half his age Although he's a jazz legend celebrity is no big deal to him and he's very modest about his accomplishments His zest for life is infectious just love everybody man That's how I am" he said that famous grin sweeping across his face But in 1971 Hampton faced a crisis that nearly ended his career He was in Toronto on tour with his band when be got a phone call from Bill Titone his record producer "Lionel I want you to be brave" Titone said 'Gladys is dead Come on home" Today 20 years after the loss of his wife Lionel Hampton can still recall the pain "It felt like the world was coming to an end" he told me as we sat in nd apartment rising high above Lincoln Center and the Hudson River on New York's West Side "I miss her" he said "I miss her" Hampton had experienced untimely Webb Used Itemptuu ( ekes the insinement be made bison "I deal ever West x k 4 t'"1114ZO"kwi'1 st--7 e Mire" be Ms at St - Belem OD tour in 1257 adr LL stre Vs We ZEIO Chubs 'We nen tee peed team he t 111171 it' '''''' --: doicre losses of loved ones before—his father the grandmother who raised him He had survived hard times and racial insults along his journey to international stardom But nothing so tested his faith in music in the power of love and in God Himself than the loss of Gladys When she died the music stopped "I didn't want to play for a long time" he recalled Hampton is a man who throughout his life has deeply entrusted himself to women Unusual for a man of his generation he leaned on them they guided him His wife was his love his friend and his mentor How was Hampton able to put his rife back together after his loss? To find out you have to go back to the beginning to the first woman in his life Lionel's first love was his grand- mother Mama Louvenia An evangelist and healer in the Holiness Church in Birmingham Ala she took him to church every day and four times on Sun- day "She just taught me so much" he re- - called 'She taught me to pray Have love in your heart She would be careful about keeping the Corrunandments Do not steal I can't take one penny from nobody III find out that someone has overpaid me I tell the agent Give it right back And share When I was little if I had five pennies and you asked for one I would give you two" Then a laugh broke from deep in his belly "I never would share my drums though -- I'd keep them man" "I just loved my grandmother" he continued "She took me everyplace And she was everything to me" He liftd ed a photograph of a beautiful litde girl from the polished top of his grand piano "That's her man" he said sepia-tone- ER 112 PAGE II IONE 1G 1991 PARADE MAGAZINE |
