I never did lose my touch for dixieland

Abstract

I knew Johnny Wittwer’s father way before I knew Johnny. This was when Johnny was just a little kid. His dad was known as J. J., and he used to come round the places we played on 12th and Jackson. He was a big music fan. In fact I sold him a saxophone one time. I lost track of Johnny until he came in with his dad to a club called the 908 Club at 908 12th Avenue, where I was working with Al Pierre. This was about ten or 12 blocks from the Black and Tan. All the musicians would come and sit in, that is, if they could play. Johnny was there to sit in. He bought me a drink and we got to talking about the old days. He was kinda surprised at the way I played. I was playing alto and clarinet then. He said, “You sound like you could be from Louisiana.” From the first we took a liking to each other. Johnny came from a very wealthy family. His grandfather and great-grandfather owned a factory where they made Golden Glint shampoo. I remember his grandmother used to live in an exclusive part of Seattle. She had a little Pekinese dog that was 14 years old. The poor dog lost all its teeth so she had dentures made for it. First time I seen a dog wear dentures. When you got money you can do anything.