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A.B. Spellman: Why did you choose jazz as a career?
Bobby Hutcherson: My good friend Herbie Lewis, we were in junior high school and Herbie played
bass and he had a trio. I told Herbie, "How about if I perform?" and he says you know,
"If you buy a vibraphone you can play in the trio and we'll have a quartet and we'll be
like this, the Modern Jazz Quartet." He says, "And you can play, you can make money
and meet girls." I said "Ooh that sounds good." Herbie says, "Bobby we have a concert
in two weeks" and I had just got the instrument, "I can't play a concert in two weeks, I know
nothing. He says "I'll take a felt pencil and write down which bar on the vibraphone
for you to hit next as we play the song." So I said, "Okay." My mom was the proudest lady
in the world. "That's my boy, he's going to go, he just started playing it and he's a
genius already, watch what's going to happen." Well, we got out there and we got ready to
play the concert and the stage manager walks up to us and he says, "Okay kids, you're on
next" and he said, "Oh by the way Bobby I saw a bunch of stuff written all over your bars
and I took a wet towel and wiped it, wiped everything off." I said, "Oh no you didn't!"
He says, "Yes I did!" Now he says, "Now get out there and play!" And my heart went boom, boom,
boom, and the curtain opened up and I think I hit the first note and then after that was
complete chaos and all the kids at school started laughing and going crazy and yelling
boo. But my mom was sitting out there in front and she had this thing, she says, "That's my
boy." She gave me the strength to get up off the mat after being floored like that and
keep going. If I died right now, I'd want to have people who know when they hear my
record being played that they can say that's Bobby Hutcherson playing. It's important to
have that signature. I think the most important thing that I can offer young musicians is
once you get up on the bandstand understanding that you're now asking for this prayer to
come through you. When you think about music it's got to be that way, just the thrill of
being able to play another note, not to win anything or get a trophy. That way you can
stay humble. When I was younger, I thought the music came first and now that I've gotten
older I realize it's only a reflection of the images of the people I love and being
with God. Music is complete circle, but even more, a complete world.