Just a friendly reminder for all you fans and friends of our lately departed, blessed and beloved Raoul: the benefit and tribute happens at the Brewhaus this Sunday, Dec. 5, from 2 p.m. to midnight. Live music by many friends, plus food, giveaways, silent auctions and whatever else we can do to raise money to cover official costs of his passing.
It’s gonna be a blowout, baby. Make sure to attend if you can. Raoul was truly one of a kind and we want to send him off right.
During the ensuing 25 years in the Springfield scene he played guitar in several bands including Raoul & Company, Elvis Himselvis, the Cheezy Messiahs, Rock Quarry, Dr. Feelgood, Black Magic Johnson, Sarah Schneider Band, the Hired Hands, Springfield Shaky and for whoever would hire him for a night of music with drinks and pay included. While others worked jobs and played the weekends or refused to come out of the house except for a guaranteed price, Raoul made music because that is what he did and he did it no matter what he had to do to do it. He drove old vehicles, sometimes went hungry and often wondered if he’d make enough cash playing his guitar to pay the rent, but he never wavered in his way of living for the moment, for the music and for the majesty of life.
For the record, he had a broken hip his last few months and being poor with no insurance had some trouble getting decent medical attention. By the time Raoul made it to the hospital with assistance from his dear friend, my sister Sara, he was unable to walk. They found advanced cancer when testing for hip surgery. He received a six- to eight-months life sentence on Monday and was gone by Friday night. We sang songs to him in his last hours, watching for a bushy eyebrow to raise in acknowledgement of a welcome tune and familiar voice. He went peacefully and passed on out on Neil Young’s birthday, a nice touch by a beautiful person, well loved and universally respected not just as a heartfelt musician, but as a friend, mentor, party pal, father figure, brother-in-arms and blessed soul.
To the wise and wonderful, round mound of sound Raoul Brotherman: Long may you run.
It’s been a good month of Sunday’s
And a guitar ago
I had a tall drink of yesterday’s wine
Yeah, I left a long string of friends
Yeah, I left some sheets in the wind
And some satisfied women behind
Won’t you ride me down easy, Lord
Ride me on down
Leave word in the dust where I lay
Well, I’m easy come, and I’m easy go
And I’m easy to love when I stay
Our nation was founded, Mr. President, upon the principal that with the respect to our pursuit of happiness each of us are created equal one to another and the rights of everyone are diminished when the rights of any one of us are threatened.
This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.
Noland…
Today, we are engaged in the continuing struggle to defend the right of those in committed family relationships in respect of gender to receive equal services in place of public accommodation, such as hospital—-and places of employment without first having to produce proof of legal authorization under powers of attorney.
Kennedy…
Today, we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free.
Noland…
So ultimately this is not even a legal legislative issue, that let alone can not change what is in our hearts. We are at long last confronted with a moral issue which essentially asks the question of whether all Illinois residents are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities. Whether we are going to treat our fellow citizens as we wish to be treated.
Kennedy…
This is not even a legal or legislative issue alone. It is better to settle these matters in the courts than on the streets, and new laws are needed at every level, but law alone cannot make men see right. We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the Scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution.
Noland…
Again, legislation can not solve this problem on discrimination, it must be solved in the homes and in the hearts of every citizen and every community across this great state.
Kennedy…
But legislation, I repeat, cannot solve this problem alone. It must be solved in the homes of every American in every community across our country.
Noland…
We send young people from Illinois to fight for freedom throughout the world and we teach our children here at home that all men are created equal but are we to say to the world that much more importantly to each other if not our children that this is state where all are created equal except for those that are born with different gender different affiliation. That we have no second class citizens except the gay or lesbian.
That we have no discrimination or gender bias except for the respect for the gay or lesbian; we have previously voted to uphold that principal such discrimination is not allowed in the conduct of housing and employment law in Illinois now comes the time for the state to complete their promise.
Kennedy…
We preach freedom around the world, and we mean it, and we cherish our freedom here at home, but are we to say to the world, and much more importantly, to each other that this is the land of the free except for the Negroes; that we have no second-class citizens except Negroes; that we have no class or caste system, no ghettoes, no master race except with respect to Negroes?
Now the time has come for this Nation to fulfill its promise.
Noland…
We owe them and owe ourselves and our children a better state than that.
Kennedy…
I think we owe them and we owe ourselves a better country than that.
Noland…
That is all the vast majority of the people our state are asking. It is a question of fairness, nothing more nothing less. And in answering it I ask the support of my fellow colleagues in this chamber and all the good people of this great state.
Kennedy…
This is what we’re talking about and this is a matter which concerns this country and what it stands for, and in meeting it I ask the support of all our citizens.
* Vote against gay unions sets Meeks apart in race: Supporters of civil unions will see their votes “split between five or six candidates, while Sen. Meeks will get all the votes of those who are against it,” said Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, who praised Meeks for views that he said “conform to the beliefs of the majority of Chicagoans.”
