The brass band news web site 4barsrest.com has reported that Lieutenant-Colonel (R) Ray Bowes was promoted to Glory on Saturday, 13 February 2010. He had been taken to hospital on Thursday after sustaining a fall. Complications set in and he passed away peacefully at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Bowes was a part of the “golden age” of Salvation Army music. He was a member of the International Staff Band for 42 years. As a player in the ISB he was a member of the solo cornet section and also played flügelhorn. He also served as the Bandmaster of the ISB for several years, and was the bandmaster of the Harlesden Corps band for many years.
Bowes was also a noted Salvationist composer, contributing many items to the Band Journals and other publications throughout the years.
Source:
4barsrest.com
I remember when I was living in Montreal in ’77/’78, playing in the Montreal Citadel Band, I was playing bass trombone, with the privilege of sitting beside Fred Calvert, Solo Euphonium, who then was well into his 80’s and still then a great player.
But I digress, for at the time, I was still playing my old Imperial G Trombone, and enjoying it immensely.
I had however, in the early fall purchased a brand new Bb/F/Eb Besson Sovereign Trombone, for a princely sum of $957.00 Cdn.
We were due to have Major Robert Redhead, then Terr Music Secretary of Canada, and Lt Col Ray Bowes visit our Corps for a day, and I had suggested to our Corps Officer, that I would like to have my Trombone Dedicated.
He talked to Robert and he then deferred to Lt Col Ray Bowes, who kindly did the honours on the platform of the famous old Citadel Platform, ‘neath the Grand Organ.
(A humourous side to that was I was transferred my the company I was working for in May, and I was playing during the service the last Sunday we were there.
As I was packing up my instrument, and geting ready to leave, Derek Rogers, who was then our First Chair Trombone player, and was then on his way to becoming a Professional Trombone player, asked why I was taking the instrument – and I told him that I had purchased it, for me.
He had thought that I was going to leave the instrument for the band seeing as I had had it dedicated prior to playing it with the band.
He was somewhat disappointed, as he thought he might have had the chance to play it when I left.
It was a temporary downer for him.
Sadly when I was living here in Vancouver, my lovely Bass Bone was stolen from the trunk of my locked vehicle, which was parked in our so called secure underground garage in the High Rise that my wife and I lived in.
It was a lovely instrument and was the first Bass Bone I had tried with double plugs.
I really adored that instrument and am sad that they didn’t make it such as the first type that Besson produced.
I have no idea where it is now.
Lt Col Bowes was very kind and generous to take the time to do the honours for me, when I was just a young bandsman, just working my way into the realm of newer bass trombones!
I shall never forget him!