Its probably not necessary for me to post this, because theres so many good friends who have already been made aware of the situation, but theres no one like Paul Geremia and were fortunate to have him in our lives.... So help if you can. I used to hang out with Paul and many others at the bar at Billy Goodes, where he sometimes played. Jim McGrath told me Paul had a stroke. Pretty sad. What a talent Paul is... This brings some memories back.... Billys had a pool table, and I was often holding court on that table, me n my bro Ron Clendenine; but when Paul played, we pushed the pool table up against the wall, slapped a sheet of three quarters plywood on top and Paul set up there for his performance... so we had Paul but no pool table. A fair exchange. Billy Goodes Tavern was a locals hangout for many years, going back to my grandfathers time, and I was very sorry to hear that Kevan Campbell had to sell out, sign of the times... and a great loss to the local music scene; not to mention social drinking. Everyone who was anyone performed there, including Kevin Sullivan and Abbey Rhode, Mark Quinn, Jim McGrath, Phil Kane and a host of others. My son Lars played there a coupla times. Bob Loudon. John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Boys. James Montgomery... Those who routinely drank there are legion... The aforementioned, sometimes in great quantity (whiskey for my men, beer for my horses), with Mark A Rauseo and Frank Dwyer and Sergei Sikorsky, Joseph Andrade, Arthur Chapman, Bert Duguay, Ron and Julie McCloud, Kevin Fish, Pat Shea, Tommy Sheehan, and my good buddy Farnum Brown, amongst many many others, too many to name and too many dead and gone now, pillars of the community. ...I know Ive forgotten someone important whos still living (hopefully) (too many good friends gone n buried to list em all...), but I dont drink so much anymore, so my memory isnt so good. Some of us grew up there, and we knew nearly everyone who walked in the door or sat at the bar. ...Newport is a drinking town, and the trendy meat markets were down on Thames Street. Speaking of trendy drinking establishments, Im sorry to hear that Pat Dugan passed. Billys was a fair piece off the beaten track, and we loved the joint.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 00:25:12 +0000