Friends,
Writing the Max Creek biography has led me down some strange, but beautiful rabbit holes. I was recently researching Max Creek’s first big gig at the Mapleview Ballroom in Washington, Massachusetts. The venue had a lot of history. It went through multiple transformations over the years and changed hands four times between 1928 and 1997. Woodrow "Woody" Witter purchased the club in 1971 and eventually renamed it Woody's Roadhouse. Woody owned and operated the club until 1997 when it was finally forced to close. It was ultimately demolished in 2021.
Tons of legendary bands played the club. I found myself in a Facebook Group dedicated to preserving the venue's memory and stumbled upon a beautiful tribute written by Jim Reynolds, a journalist who had written for The Berkshire Eagle and The Berkshire Record. Turns out that Jim is also an English teacher and the bass player for Harvest and Rust, a Neil Young tribute band. Interestingly enough, Harvest and Rust is playing a festival in Vermont this summer with Max Creek.
I interviewed Jim for the book and he shared with a bunch of historical newspaper clippings about the Woody’s Roadhouse with me. One clipping contained an ad for The Boys of Summer, which featured members of the legendary Rhode Island band, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, including bass player Pat Lupo.
Surprisingly, Pay Lupo's brother, William, was my junior high school science teacher. I always thought that was super cool. I mentioned Mr. Lupo in The Potato Puff Surprise. Here’s what I wrote:
Jenks Junior High had an interesting mix of teachers, and Mr. Lupo and Mr. Palo were my two favorites. Mr. Lupo taught science and fancied himself as the “cool” teacher. His brother Pat played bass for John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band, a popular Rhode Island rock band that hit it big producing the soundtrack for the movie Eddie and The Cruisers.
Mr. Palo was the school’s music teacher. He made the entire class watch the Woodstock movie. We had to have permission slips signed by our parents in order to watch the film. Only one student did not get permission and had to wait outside the classroom for the duration of the movie. Personally, I enjoyed watching the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.
I did a quick search and learned that Pat Lupo passed in June 2021. He was sixty-six years old. However, I was stunned when I read his obituary and saw that his brother was referenced as the “late” William D. Lupo. My heart sank. I had no idea.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the old TV show The Wonder Years. If you’re familiar with the show, there’s an episode where Kevin is struggling in Math and his teacher, Mr. Collin’s, takes the time to tutor him after school (season 3, episode 20 for those keeping score at home). Unfortunately, his teacher dies right after the final exam, leaving Kevin with unresolved feelings about the entire situation. It’s a touching episode and the opening narration has always stuck with.
“Teachers never die. They live in your memory forever. They were there when you arrived, they were there when you left. Like fixtures. Once in a while they taught you something. But not that often. And, you never really knew them, any more than they knew you. Still, for a while, you believed in them. And, if you were lucky, maybe there was one who believed in you.”
Do you ever feel that everything in life is connected? I do. As I mentioned, the Max Creek book has led me down some wonderful rabbit holes. Like life, rabbit holes can be surprising, enlightening, fun, and of course, brutally sad.
-Tom
P.S. Did you have a teacher that you will never forget? Leave a comment and let me know!
P.P.S This one is for you Mr Lupo!