2014 Obit: Dave Zeitlin (McCabe's in Santa Monica)

Subject: Obit: Dave Zeitlin from Los Angeles.Any info?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 01:47 PM

My friend Dave Zeitlin passed away recently. A fine tenor voice, musical guitarist, and a wonderful teacher, a mainstay at McCabe's Guitar Shop for years. Does anyone have info about his passing?

Subject: RE: Obit: Dave Zeitlin from Los Angeles.Any info?
From: GUEST,Autoharper
Date: 26 Nov 14 - 11:12 AM

This was posted on the McCabe's Guitar Shop Facebook page:


The McCabe's family has lost one of our brightest stars.

We are saddened to report the passing of legendary teacher Dave Zeitlin.

More than a teacher and player, Dave headed up our school, produced our flyer, and was a gentle soul who contributed to McCabe's spirit like no other. To say he will be missed is a massive understatement. He has left a hole that can never be filled.

A note from his family is below...

Dear Friends,

I am sorry to send this news...
As some of you know David broke his hip last December. His recovery was never complete, and in the last several months he had more falls and trips to the hospital. About six weeks ago his diabetes, congestive heart failure and confusion increased and David did not want any more surgery or trips to the hospital. We decided on home hospice care. Sadly, his health and declined more rapidly than expected, and David needed 24/7 care.

He passed away Friday morning and was finally without discomfort for the first time in years. We will miss him every day. He was a kind, loving, funny, mensch not to mention a great teacher, musician and writer.

There will be no funeral. The family hopes to have a memorial in Los Angeles after the holidays. David's sister and brother will prepare an obituary for the Los Angeles area. Should anyone ask, David would like no fuss or flowers, but instead donations to Hospice of Humboldt hospiceofhumboldt.org or resolutioncare.com or a charity of choice. I hope you will share the news with those you feel would want to know. He truly treasured his friendships with all of you.

As David often said, "Love and lollipops to you all."

Subject: RE: Obit: Dave Zeitlin from Los Angeles.Any info?
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 26 Nov 14 - 11:34 AM

This was a man with a beautiful tenor voice, a musical guitarist, and a great teacher. McCabe's Guitar Shop has a great loss. He overcame a childhood stuttering problem by singing and playing for people. His father Jake was a friend and host to folk singers such as Carl Sandburg and Woody Guthrie. Jake Zeitlin ran a large bookstore, Zeitlin and ver Brugge on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. He introduced folk music to Dave as a child. Dave grew up in an environment that fostered the expertise as a folk song performer. He sang Mexican songs beautifully as well as American mountain ballads. He was an empathic and compassionate guy with ability as a fine music teacher. He tried his hand at advertising, getting a degree in it from Arizona U. but soon found that the phoniness and superficiality of it didn't work for him so he elected to teach guitar and voice instead. I think he made a good career choice. I know that he left many indebted appreciative students who will always remember him.
       We had great times together.
With Stan Halperin, the three of us explored Mexican music in Tijuana. Dave was around at the inception of the song We Shall Overcome when he recalled Guy Carawan and I in the back seat of his old Buick revamping the song prior to Guy's introduction of the song in Greensboro, N.C.                              Everyone who knew Dave loved him. He was kind, gentle, and optimistic without being cloying or phony about it. I remember him singing Lilian "Boss" Ross's song, with the tune by Sam Eskin, "The South Coast" effectively and dramatically. Dave was in the theater department at Los Angeles City College. I often had lunch with him and the actor/director Alan Arkin across the street from the school. So many memories and I am deeply saddened by his departure. I thought Mudcatters should know about him. Oh yes, he produced a children's album by his first wife Patti and Marcia Berman (McCabe). Thanks for indulging my remembrance of him which always brings to mind the many people in music that are never nationally recognized but serve influentially in their own communities.

Subject: RE: Obit: Dave Zeitlin from Los Angeles.Any info?
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 27 Nov 14 - 07:14 AM

He sounds like a wonderful guy and I have included him in the "In Memoriam" thread. My condolences to all who knew and miss him.

RIP

Peter

Subject: RE: Obit: Dave Zeitlin from Los Angeles.Any info?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 11:58 PM

I took a few flamenco guitar lessons from Mr. Zeitlin at McCabe's back around 1998. I do remember him as a kind man.

Subject: RE: 2014 Obit: Dave Zeitlin (McCabe's in Santa Monica)
From: voyager
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 08:57 AM

Dave Zeitlin taught my 1st fingerpicking guitar class at McCabe's back in the late sixties. Just imagine a large lecture hall at UCLA (Westwood, CA) with 50 players all plucking Libba Cotton's Freight Train

When I die don't bury me deep
Just at the foot of old Chestnut Street
So I can hear that old number nine
As it rolls on down the line

Just don't tell 'em what train I'm on
And they won't know what route I'm gone
Just don't tell 'em what train we're on
And they won't know what route we gone

Thank you for a life in music.
voyager