During our tour, it has been interesting to notice the changes in weather. Monterey still seemed like California, just a little cooler. However, today our travel to Springfield, Oregon really felt like the northwest, with lots of fog and a light rain. Springfield is just west of Eugene, the home of the University of Oregon, but is still big enough to be considered a city in its own right. In talking to a gentleman from Portland after the concert, he remarked that, while they do get their fair share of rain, on sunny days there is no place he would rather live.
At our performance at Springfield High School, many people wanted to talk to us afterwards, and asked us to sign the concert programs. We also met a retired Navy Band member, Dale Vanderpool, who was a percussionist in the band beginning in the 1970s. He had experience in a few fleet bands before coming to Washington. During his time here, he played for three years with Country Current, which at that time included the legendary Bill Emerson on banjo. He was also a member of a few other ensembles, and spent some time in the band supply department. After 22 years of service, he retired to Veneta, a town just to the east of Eugene. He then worked for the post office for twenty years, and is now completely retired. Naturally, he was happy to come up and talk to our drummer, Chief Musician John Parsons, after the concert.
Chief Musician Jamie Way plays trombone in the Commodores.
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