IN MEMORIAM 2
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| There lies the story of how Downey passed from this life." (Sax player) Hayes Hopper got some musicians together for the funeral," Carol Downey said "and we chose a place Stan would have enjoyed. The band escorted the casket to the service and back. Four people, friends and family, including one attorney, told some memories of Stan. At the funeral and at the graveside, the band played some of Stan’s songs. It was very moving for all of us." When not practicing law, the Downeys were half of Tradewinds, a four-piece dance band that played at private parties, engagements at The Club and even on cruise ships. The other half of the band was Hopper on sax and Robert Brantley on guitar. "Robert and Stan were original members of the band," Carol Downey said. "In 1976 I was working at Brookwood Medical Center. Some of the doctors knew Stan, and knew he needed a piano player. And they knew I played the piano. That’s when I started, and I’ve been with the band about 30 years. Hayes has been with us about 10 years. Stan's last gig was on a Monday before he died of a heart attack on Saturday. "He never stopped practicing, the law or the trumpet," Carol said. |
| That last gig was 55 years after Stan's first one. “He started playing the trumpet at age 14," Carol said, “and at 15 was playing in clubs. He played at a lot of places. One that some of the older people may remember was called Pappy’s out on Highway 78." But Weathington said those who knew Downey only as a musician knew only a part of the man. "He thought of self as a trumpet player who practiced law," Weathington said, "but he was a good lawyer, and he was well thought of as a person. As a city attorney, I went against people he represented many times. He was a man you didn't just respect, he was a man you also liked." But the melody didn't fade when Stan Downey died. Tradewinds is still playing at places in the area. "We had contracts," Carol said, "but now there is just Robert, Hayes and me.” People know that nobody played the trumpet like Stan, and those who heard him play know we could never find anyone who would be able to replace him." Wayne Martin's E-mail is wmartin@bhamnews.com |
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