Apollo Lee reports the death of Jazz musician Lionel Hampton. Lee studied at the music school Hampton endowed at the University of Idaho.
lionel taught me something several years ago. “are you a musician?” he asked me, when i asked him for his autograph. “yes, but i’m not very good,” i told him. “well,” he replied, “keep at it. practice until you can’t hold your instrument anymore. keep writing and playing and you’ll get better.” his life is the most important lesson. he played until he was almost 94 years old, holding down a vigorous touring schedule that would burn out people half a century younger.
