LEE DOMANN NEWSLETTER -- JUNE/JULY 2006

Table of Contents:
1. Highway Heroes
2. Updates at www.leedomann.com
3. Itinerary
4. Monthly Quote


1. HIGHWAY HEROES -- Sometimes our heroes on the journey are those who have walked closely with us for years. That was Roger Evans, my friend who died this past May 30 at the age of 64. Roger and I met in 1972 in Kansas City and became instant friends. We played music together, he with his 1964 Fender Jazzmaster, and me with a rattle trap set of drums. Many times, it was just the two of us. Other times our friend, Ted Corgle, took over the drums and lead vocals and I moved to rhythm guitar and vocal harmonies. Ted had a great voice and sounded more like Elvis than Elvis. Roger was laid back, wearing his white leather shoes, strumming the Fender, with an ever-present lit Pall Mall hanging from his lips.

We played some tough venues, like the 605 Club just off 12th and Vine in K.C., MO. Or the Dew Drop Inn in Desoto, KS. But the people liked us and we liked them. Our set list included things like:

Walk Don't Run --The Ventures
Sleepwalk -- Santo and Johnny
There's A Riot Goin' On -- The Coasters
Proud Mary -- Credence Clearwater Revival
Silver Wings -- Merle Haggard
That's Alright, Mama -- Elvis Presley
A White Sportcoat and A Pink Carnation -- Mary Robbins

But more than a fine musician, Roger was one of the dearest friends I'll ever have. I used to joke that he knew things about me that probably even God didn't. He was a great, great listener and not once did I ever feel judgment from him, only acceptance and love.

It was Roger who said to me one afternoon in 1978, "Lee, you have a poet's heart. You should be writing songs." No one had ever suggested such a thing to me, though I'd had a secret desire for years. [See last month's hero, Beth Scalet.] I began to write songs a week later.

He had a variety of health problems all the time I knew him and eventually succumbed to cancer. But he was assertive to the end, saying that hospice had come to his home "too damn soon." It was hard to argue -- he was still driving his car the day before he died.

I was not at his funeral, but I understand they played Ventures music. He would have liked that. I take personal comfort in knowing that my friend, Rev. Doug Brown of Valley View UMC in Overland Park, officiated at the service.

Roger considered himself an agnostic. But like so many people I have known who describe themselves that way, Roger was one of the most spiritual people I've ever encountered. He said to me a year or so ago, "You know, Lee, I don't go along with all that church stuff, but I believe something or someone must have put this whole thing together. There's SOMETHIN' goin' on, man."

A few days after he died I had occasion to play in a concert at Shawnee UMC in Shawnee, KS with the church band. Ron Ferris, another dear friend and formerly a member of "my" youth group at Central Ave. UMC in Kansas City, KS, along with the others joined me in a brief musical tribute to Roger. We sang the following, written in 1922 by a preacher whose name is unknown to me:

"Oft I sing for my friends when death's cold hand I see
When I reach my journey's end, who will sing a song for me?
I wonder who will sing for me
When I'm called to cross that silent sea
Who will sing for me?"

It was an honor to sing for you, Roger, and with you. Friends can be heroes. You'll always be one of mine.


2. UPDATES AT LeeDomann.com --
These are new additions since the last newsletter:

Road Reflections
May 24 - "Tiger Mart vs. On The Run"
June 8 - "Stomping Ants/Saving Turtles"
June 22 - "Sunsets and Death"

Lyrics
"There's A God (And You Ain't It)"
"Jesus Laughin'"


3. ITINERARY THOUGH OCTOBER, 2006
(for more info, contact Lee at leedomann@hotmail.com or 615-292-8357)
UMC = United Methodist Church

July 16 - Blackman UMC/ Murfreesboro, TN am worship 615-893-0347
July 23 - Embry Hills UMC/ Atlanta, GA am worship 770-938-0661
July 30 - St. John's UMC/ Albuquerque, NM am worship 505-883-9717

Aug. 6 - UMC of Yorba Linda/ Yorba Linda, CA am worship 714-777-2885
Aug. 13 - Chapel Hill UMC/ Wichita, KS am worship 316-684-1117
Aug. 20 - University UMC/ Wichita, KS am worship 316-686-6765

Sept. 9 - Cambridge UMC/ Cambridge, IL pm concert
Sept. 10 - " " am worship
Sept. 10 - Reynolds UMC/ Reynolds, IL pm concert
Sept. 17 - Auburn UMC/ Auburn, NE am worship/pm concert 402-274-3329
Sept. 24 - First UMC/ Hutchinson, KS am worship 620-662-2386
Sept. 30 - Blue Valley Memorial UMC/ Manhattan, KS 5 pm worship

Oct. 1 - College Ave. UMC/ Manhattan, KS am worship 785-539-4191
Oct. 22 - Cornerstone UMC/ Smyrna, TN am worship
Oct. 22 - First UMC/ Dickson, TN pm worship
Oct. 29 - Main Street UMC/ Bedford, VA am worship/ pm concert


4. MONTHLY QUOTE --
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." -- Voltaire