WE ARE SORRY TO ANNOUNCE:
Jimmy Trapp had a stroke followed by a ruptured aorta on
Tuesday the 23rd. After 15 hours of surgery and
intensive hospital care he died Wednesday August 24th at 7:15
PM PST.
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Walter Trout has written to Jimmy
Trapp in memoriam:
Jimmy Trapp was my friend. We go back
almost 30 years together. The first time I met him, he came to Costa Mesa to
audition for a band called "Midnight Angel". We all hung out, sat around. We
loved him immediately and hired him on the spot without even hearing him
play. Needless to say, when he showed up to the gig and was a great player,
we were all very happy!
He started the Walter Trout Band with
me and was there from day one. He was the best man at my wedding, and I was
the best man at his wedding. He was my brother. He was a great musician and
musical partner for me.
His humor, his intelligence, his friendship will all be missed more than I
can find words to say.
God Bless you, my brother Jim. You are at peace now. Walter.
Marie Trout has written to Jimmy
Trapp in memoriam:
Jimmy was there the
night I met Walter. He was there on the stage with his impenetrable,
stealthy, unmovable presence. He was looking down as he always would do on
stage, but you still knew that nothing escaped his attention. Walter was
jumping around and making his music jump out at me, doing knee bends and
bends of strings, making faces and primal screaming with both guitar and
voice, Jimmy was behind the front man’s onslaught with a subtle smile and an
attitude of calm and solidness.
That night and every
night Jimmy was there with his solid and steady deep tones behind the flurry
of notes that comes from Walter. Jimmy and Walter had a telepathic
connection that allowed them to change the song or change the chord
progression at a drop of a hat, by just looking at each other and making eye
contact. Jimmy and Walter were brothers on the road.
As steady and solid
as Jimmy was musically – he had a “mad man” inside of him off stage. The
jokes and practical jokes that streamed from Jimmy made all of us laugh
until we had stomach cramps and tears. He had a knack for picking up
everyday items and making them into “performance art” – a wine opener with a
cork decorated with sharpie became a clapping man, a towel, some ketchup and
you would meet the “singin’ nun”… Jimmy would make a ride in the band van an
experience, an adventure of whacky jokes, a journey into the beautiful and
twisted mind of a genuine comedian.
Jimmy was and is no
more. He will be missed by all of us in and around the band. He was our
brother, friend, “road dog”, off and on the stage a presence you could never
ignore. Big Jim, we love you! May you travel in peace and dignity across the
waters of eternity. May you fish and golf in heaven, and may you find
yourself able to feel all the love that we, your friends have for you. May
you know, how you were loved and how you will be missed, but most of all may
you find peace and beauty in God’s presence.
Marie
