callmeshorty

"Yes, I did. Met and performed with her. It was a beautiful experience, she was a natural powerhouse, in a beautiful way. She never half did anything! I hear even in the bus when the bands were riding together, she sang full voice when she studied a song. The memory was being a contractor for a recording date she had, I was responsible for the individual musicians she worked with that day. The music was sent to me in advance to have it ready for the date. The date went down, with no mistakes! When I saw her last we were good buddies. 'Rhythm Is My Business' was the album if anyone wants to check it out!"

"Benny Carter. The man who called me from Philadelphia in 1941 to join his orchestra. He was so versatile, a gentleman, so understanding, so patient and he dug the sound of my bass drum!"

When asked about how old he was at the time he said, "you do the math!"

"Depends on the situation. Say it with love I don't care!"

"Life is unpredictable, that I couldn't really tell you how it happened. I found myself in the midst of it and it was marvelous. Being put together by a mutual friend, Dr.Willis Kurk, without ever knowing each other. I met him as a drummer, in 1948. He stayed in Indianapolis and he got his teaching degree. He became president of city college in San Fransisco, where I moved to. He was Joy's lifetime friend. Much life went on, before Joy came into the picture in a time when i needed someone. She came much after the death of my first wife. He introduced me to some of his homies with his wife, and took me to LA. Joy was in that group.When I saw her, I made up my mind, that's what I wanted. Seeing her dressed beautifully at concerts.

Joy: "He courted me everyday for one year. Gifts, flowers, it wore me down after one year."

Shep: "The same guy that introduced us was our best man. We went to Las Vegas to be married."

Joy: "We invited 25. 72 came, from all over!"

Shep: "We didn't want to get caught in the commercial wedding trap. We flew her minster from Indianapolis We got married in a super suite. It's been up hill ever since, she's my reason."

"I believe, after being trained as a classical percussionist and going into jazz to make a living, which meant putting aside so many things I learned, my favorite memory is recording with Patti Page. She did her gospel album in New York, and the arranger did a beautiful job of it. Some [of the band members] said he didn't put enough timpani in there. They called me to do some timps and chimes, and I played the whole set without any scores, only allowed to listen to first takes. This experience pops up my in my mind whenever I hear gospel."