Crooks Second Line March

January 28, 2019

Crooks Second Line March

Richard Crooks was a legendary drummer who played with a line-up of some of the most legendary artists on some of the most beloved recordings of the twentieth century as one of the leading A-list session drummers in America during his thirty year career. Anchoring such musical talent as Dr. John, David Bromberg, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Louden Wainwright, and more- just to name a few. He moved to Key West with his wife in 2008 and immediately spent his “retirement” immersed in the Key West music scene until his passing in December of 2014.

During his time spent in Key West, he made a major impression on the musical community in Key West, just as he had nationally during his working days. He could often be found playing Sunday Jazz at the Green Parrot, the Gardens Hotel, and Sloppy Joe's, among other venues. His passing was a great sorrow to the many who knew him and as a way to honor the man.

In 2015, friends organized the first New Orleans style second line march as a way of remembering the recently passed legend and friend. The parade was attended by hundreds and a new Key West tradition was born. The next year the event was opened up and designated as a fundraiser for the Bahama Village Music Program. Anyone who wanted to honor and recognize a recently departed loved one was invited to participate and the event blossomed into what has become a huge and wonderful way to show respect for departed friends and loved ones.

 

This marks the fourth annual public celebration and yet somehow it is the first one that I have been able to attend and after experiencing all the love and good feelings of those honoring their departed friends, I feel bad that I had not made it before now, it is a wonderful event for a great cause.

The crowds gather in the parking lot of the Hog’s Breath Saloon, most holding placards with enlarged photos of those lost friends and loved ones. For those who feel compelled to participate, yet do not have someone to honor, placards of famous celebrities lost in the past year are available as well. It is a party-like celebratory atmosphere prior to the start of the actual march. 

Attendees begin gathering at 2 PM and the official march leaves at 3 sharp as the literally hundreds of participants march down Duval Street under police escort and with a New Orleans style band leading the way, just like famous second line marches that take place in the Crescent City itself.

I encountered so many friends who were honoring lost souls and even was sad to learn about the passing of a couple of friends that I had not even realized had died. The past year has been a very difficult one in Key West as we have had a seeming explosion of suicides in addition to the natural deaths that happen normally during any given year.

Kathy and I had five friends take their own lives just in the past year and it has been sad and exhausting to continuously have to deal with such terrible loss. This event allowed, perhaps for the first time, a chance for some of our friends to reclaim some of the joy and friendship that these people brought to our lives to be celebrated in a positive light. It was so amazing to see so many of our friends smiling and joyful in celebration of lost souls rather than frozen in grief. It is always a process, but this sort of event can and did go a long way to help.

http://www.crookssecondlinekw.com/about