Anybody who wonders why a band breaks up has never been in a real band.
Allow me to give a great example. Before I moved to New Orleans to play with The Assunto Dukes, A Dixieland Tribute, I lived in Fort Myers, Florida, for 20 years. During the majority of this time I played with Pat O’Brien’s Palm City Jazz, generally a trio. I played tuba, Pat O’Brien played banjo, and Bob Schroeder played clarinet, and they were both singers as well. (One of the great things about my musical career in Florida, is that I was always the youngest guy in any band, and all the other musicians called me “Jimmy.” I also usually had first choice of The Dixieland Jazz groupies. Sadly, most of them were born during The Roosevelt Administration—and not Franklin).
Bob and Pat were both seasoned musicians who played jazz festivals across the country for over 40 years. Both were now retired, and living in Florida. At the time, they were in their 70s and 80s. For about a 10 year period, we worked regularly, usually having at least one steady gig a week…which may have made me the most gainfully employed tuba player in the state.
I’m going to attempt to remember this chronologically. Deep breath. During this 10-year period, Bob quit the band—but rejoined a few months later, Pat fired Bob, Pat fired Bob’s replacement, Bob begged to come back, so Pat let the second replacement go, but Bob coul
