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06 Apr 12 - 10:35 PM (#3334798) Subject: Obit: Johjn McGann RIP April 2012 From: Mary Katherine http://bluegrasstoday.com/40095/john-mcgann-passes/ |
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06 Apr 12 - 10:37 PM (#3334800) Subject: RE: Obit: Johjn McGann RIP April 2012 From: Mary Katherine Copying text from the link above, since I don't know when it will expire. And the sad news just keeps coming… John McGann, noted instrumentalist and acoustic music educator passed away this morning in Boston. He was on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music where he taught mandolin and guitar, and led a number of string ensembles. He was also a gifted performer who was conversant in a wide variety of musical genres. We understand that John had been diagnosed with a kidney condition just a few weeks ago, and was thought to have been responding well to treatment. He had been away from school, but the expectation at Berklee was that a full recovery was anticipated. John leaves behind a wife and young daughter. David Hollender, who served with McGann on the Berklee faculty, described his colleague as… "One of the nicest, funniest, most knowledgable people I have ever known. The things he knew about music would blow your mind. When he was out playing with Matt Glaser, they used to play a game on stage called "Ask John." No matter what instrument he had in his hands, people could call out any Beatles tune, and he could start playing it on the spot. He knew bluegrass, jazz, gypsy jazz, classical, Celtic and American folk music well. John wore lot of hats. He was a great musician and we will miss him terribly." One bluegrasser whose life John touched is Sierra Hull, who studied with him every week while she was enrolled at Berklee. "My heart is so heavy with the news of Johns passing. He was a special person and has been a great inspiration to me. I feel so blessed to have known him, and to have studied with him during my two years at Berklee. He was one of the most gifted mandolin players and musicians I have ever met. He knew how to teach in such a way not to intimidate, though he knew more than I will probably ever start to grasp. He always carried with himself with a smile, and was a great encourager to anyone that he was around. Thanks to him, my Berklee experience was one that I am proud of and thankful for. He will be so greatly missed!" Bluegrass Today offers our most sincere condolences to the McGann family, the community at Berklee, and all John's many friends and students who loved him dearly. |
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06 Apr 12 - 11:09 PM (#3334802) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: katlaughing Sounds like he was an incredibly talented and likeable person. Condolences to his family and all who knew him. Thanks, kat |
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07 Apr 12 - 04:33 AM (#3334843) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: Dave Hanson He was a well loved and respected member at The Mandolin Cafe, a very knowlegable man who was willing share it all with the rest of us. It's been a bad few days for losing the good guys, Earl Scruggs, Barney McKenna and now John, RIP all. Dave H |
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07 Apr 12 - 05:29 AM (#3334853) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: Nick That's really sad. I never met him but corresponded with him a bit about 8 years ago and he spent time bothering to reply and I learned a lot from that correspondence. Apparently also a big fan of Allan Holdsworth so his breadth of likes is very wide. One of my favourite tunes is a tune called Canyon Moonrise which is the reason I was in contact with him. I wrote to him out of the blue having heard the tune on an album he made with Kevin Burke and a friend I played with also liked it so armed with the chords and tune from his website (which has lots of good stuff on it) we gave it a go. I wrote to him about the tune - both to say how much I liked it and with some queries about the chord voicings he used - and back came a reply very swiftly. We engaged in a correspondence and, as I say, I learned a lot. No real reason for him to do it in the way and depth that he did so I sense that he was a really good guy. His mandolin playing is excellent as well and I have a cd of his I play often. How sad. |
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07 Apr 12 - 09:57 AM (#3334919) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: GUEST,jrf We saw the most beautiful performance last night at Kennedy Center in DC by a group of his Berklee students who - having just heard of his passing on the 8hr drive from Boston - arrived and performed from the heart dedicating all to their prof and friend - how they could sing and play while processing this loss was a tribute to their art and to him - unforgettable performances and made me want to know more about this inspirational teacher and artist. |
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07 Apr 12 - 02:07 PM (#3335015) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: Desert Dancer My husband and I are just getting to know the mandolin world, since he took the instrument up a few years ago. John McGann looks to have been a wonderful teacher and artist -- so sorry to have his death bringing him to our attention. ~ Becky in Tucson |
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07 Apr 12 - 02:37 PM (#3335028) Subject: RE: Obit: John McGann RIP April 2012 From: GUEST,JVerdun I met John several years ago to discuss various guitars and mandolins. He was generous with his opinions and willing to share his experiences openly. I have great respect for him as a musician and as a person. He will be greatly missed- the music lives on. |