He
worked with Diana Ross, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli and Miles Davis but
trumpeter, composer and producer Gil Askey was better known to the people of
Frankston as the elderly gentleman who gave his time to young musicians and
could ''talk the leg off a table''.
''He was
our living link to the history of Motown and he embodied the loving of life and
the loving of music,'' said saxophonist, band mate and close friend Paul
Williamson.
Askey -
considered to be one of the architects of the Motown sound - died at his home
in Frankston on Wednesday at 89 from an aggressive lymphoma. He is survived by
his Australian-born wife Hellen, three children (Gregory, 65, Deidra, 62, and
Emile 31), six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
''Everyone
was equal to him,'' said youngest son Emile. ''He treated the person serving
you at the drive through the same as he treated Diana Ross.''
Askey's
last days were filled with phone calls from music luminaries who had heard of
his illness, Emile said. ''He wore himself out talking to Stevie Wonder, Motown
founder Berry Gordy and American Idol musical director Rickey Minor.''
In
Australia, he has been lauded by contemporaries including fellow trumpet player
James Morrison who said: ''I think it was best said by founder of Motown
Records Berry Gordy - Gil was 'the glue that kept everything together'. He was
the guy who was able to bring together talented people so they could make music
that just wouldn't happen the same way without him. He was one of those musical
gems that comes along once in a generation.''
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