By Ronnie Zahm
I am proud to say that Mr. Terry was our next door neighbor in Bayside. When I was in elementary school, he introduced me to Archie Moore, who had the biggest hands I had ever seen. In the 1960s seat belts were not required. One day he invited all of us neighborhood kids to go for Carvel ice cream. There had to be eight of us loaded into his 1965 Malibu convertible, which my brother later bought from him.
Mrs. Pauleen Terry was his wife and was a wonderful person who died early of cancer. I ran into his son Butch when he was working for Pan Am. At that time in 1986 I was working in Switzerland and was listening to Voice of America Europe Radio when they were playing music and talking about Mr. Terry and his teaching of music to Quincy Jones to name a few. I decided to send him a post card. When I returned home, he sent me a post card telling me he was also in Switzerland at that time!
In Switzerland I had one of the best times of my life and got to see another legend in concert, Ray Charles. Music is a live root to everything and Mr. Terry is just that. True he passed and had a great life, but as he said the Music Keeps Keepin on! Sadly I attended my friend Danny Young’s dad Snooky Young’s funeral in 2011. Mr. Terry and Snooky had a great friendship and from what Mr. Terry wrote about Snooky, they had nicknames for each other. The two played on the “Tonight Show” when it was in New York City. Funny how things go full circle. Johnny Carson’s license plate was 360GUY (all around guy). It is true.
Many years ago, Mr. Terry played out here in Hollywood. Calif. I took my Mom and Dad to see Mr. Terry, who dedicated a song to them.
One thing I remember was the lamppost at Mr. Terry’s house, where he mounted a flugelhorn. I remember trying to play it. When I visit Bayside, that old horn placed there by Mr. Terry over 50 years ago will have a special meaning to a great legend and neighbor. I hope the town of Bayside will recognize that.
To Gwen, Butch and the remaining family and friends, he was a great, great man and will be missed! With happiness to have known him and sadness to lose him.
Ronnie Zahm
California
