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Upon hearing about Jan's passing...I wrote a few
words about my last experience in seeing Jan back about 8 to 10 years
ago, and posted them on the Beach Boys Britain website Message board.
Someone thought I should post them here:
Just wanted to share a little something in rememberance of Jan Berry.
Quite a few years back, Alan Boyd had called me and told me he had been
invited by Gary Griffin (who was playing in Jan and Dean's band at the
time), to come up to Windsor (just north of Santa Rosa--about 40 miles
north of San Francisco) to see Jan and Dean.
After we arrived, and obtained our backstage passes to this little tiny
theatre (couldn't have held more than 500 people), we went backstage to
talk to Gary, and to also see Jan and Dean. I had met Dean a few times
before, and after talking a bit with him, Jan came into the dressing
room to say "hello".
He was without his shirt, and explained that he had been "out front
signing autographs for people in the heat", and had come back to change
his shirt before the show. If you know Jan, he would always make
himself available to sign autographs before each show. He loved the
contact with the fans. And was always so sweet and lovable.
But, poor guy, to see him "shirtless" it appeared obvious that his
physical condition looked worse than I had imagined before. After we
shared a laugh or two, he went to get a fresh shirt and to get ready
for the show.
After he stepped out, I asked Dean about him. "Dean, how does he do
it?" Dean replied, "It's his life. It's his "Garden of Eden". It's what
keeps him alive. He loves the fans; loves the music, loves the fame."
When I asked Dean about his physical condition, Dean replied that Jan
still had occasional physical therapy, and was also in a lot of pain,
some of the time. He also pointed out that Jan's BIG HEART was the main
thing that kept him going. Jan wanted to entertain and to make people
happy.
After the show, which was fun, and had everyone dancing and singing in
the aisles, we popped backstage for another quick chat and to say our
"goodbyes".
I remember Jan sitting in the same dressing room, where we had seen him
earlier. He was again without a shirt, sweating, slouched in a chair,
completely exhausted, with his eyes closed and head back. He looked so
content.
We didn't want to disturb him, so we whispered to Gary and Dean to step
out of the room with us to say our "goodbyes". We asked them to give
our regards to Jan. It would be the last time I'd see Jan and Dean.
And hearing of his death, all I've been able to think about is Jan in
that chair: Peaceful and Content.
What a sweetheart he was. God Bless him.
Panayiotis |
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