My brother, Preston ‘Prez’ Hubbard, was a uniquely talented individual - above all he was a gifted musician, an artist, and a bit of a jokester with a wonderful sense of humor. He was king of the nick name. It was part of his way of endearing people to him.
(you were really in when he gave you one of his famous nick names)
Preston developed his artist’s eye at a young age. I can remember growing up with him and at an early age - 4 or 5 - his artistic sensibilities were evident. And to my mother's credit, she encouraged and nurtured those aspects of Preston's personality. Preston had his open, joyful, sweet personality at a very early age as well and those of us who knew him well know what I'm talking about. He naturally drew you in and you instantly felt special in his orbit.
Preston had three major gifts and passions - his artistic talents, his main passion -music, and women - it's true - and the women loved him back too.
I remember when he got his first electric bass - a 1964 Fender Jazz bass which he bought at Ray Mullen's Music in Pawtucket, RI. He had that bass for a couple of decades until it was stolen out of a T-Birds equipment truck. When Preston was in the 6th grade, he formed his first band, The Executioners, and naturally they practiced in my Mom's garage. Their first gigs were at school and JCC dances and Brown University frat parties. Later during the 60s, he was in other bands called Napalm Sunday and Mr. Todd, but ultimately, this wonderful music called the blues and early jazz, what we now call American roots music spoke to him and drew him in. It was around this time he started playing with Scott Hamilton, Fred Bates, Chuck Riggs and eventually, Chris Flory in Scott's R & B swing band - the Hamilton Bates Blue Flames. He realized that to play this music well, he had to learn the upright, string bass. His first upright bass was a full size all metal bass he and Rory Mac Loed 'borrowed' from the Hope High School band room. Eventually, he got a proper carved wood bass and with the help of Ray Brown's book, Bass Method, taught himself the instrument which he would become forever associated with.
At this point, Preston enrolled in art school - RI School of Design, but left after only two years to pursue music, eventually joining Roomful of Blues
with Duke Robillard. This was one of two stints he did with Rhode Island's blues standard bearer. In 2012, he was inducted into the RI Music Hall of Fame as a member of Roomful. Preston had a long (almost 50 years) career playing music. He frequently traveled outside the US including the old Soviet Union with the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Preston had a wide range of interests -a diverse set of things attracted him. Although he was a lifelong atheist, he loved Christmas - it was his favorite holiday. He also loved Mexican religious folk art - he had many Virgin Mary statues and representations of Día de los Muertos or day of the dead art pieces.
Mexican folk art - Harley Davidson motorcycles, blues/jazz, R&B - it was all a part of Preston.
I'm not going to go over his 50 year career - it would take too long, suffice it to say that where ever he went, he became an immediate influence on those around him, particularly the musicians he associated with. I would sum up his attitude as this: No matter the style of music or art, if it's good, he was all in.
There have been quite a few nice tributes written about Preston - Duke's piece on facebook and Bruce and Chip's piece in Motif Magazine as well as
tributes from St Louis, his adopted home.
The National Blues Museum, which just opened in St Louis, is going to set up a display celebrating Preston's 50 year career next April.
All of our lives were enriched for knowing Preston and the World was a better place for his having been here.
So long, Pinky. It was our pleasure knowing you.
Preston Hubbard - ¡Presente! - salute, salute, salute
-Paul Hubbard
www.prestonhubbsrd.com
/ paul.hubbard.969
7 ноя 2016
