Yachats Oregon Writer Rick Schultze

On February 21^st longtime Yachats resident Virginia Gilmore proprietor of The Rock Park Cottages passed away. I’d known Virginia for many years and shared many a pleasant hour discussing a plethora of topics. As a former newspaper writer herself she would often call me with story tips and a few times I interviewed folks who stayed at the Cottages; Photographers, artists, and other interesting people. Virginia was a walking history book, full of stories and her passing reminded me that it is valuable to maintain contact with those people in our lives that are part of our history. Virginia had friends from all over and could point out where they’d fit in her life. I’m sure there are many people that have Virginia Gilmore stories and recollections and how she fit into their lives. I know those stores would be fascinating to hear.

It just so happened that the day I heard the news of her passing I had just finished talking on the phone to an old friend of mine from my college days who became a colleague when I was in the music business in California.

He currently is an entertainment broker in Nevada and specializes in tribute bands; bands that perform music made famous by others. Some of the bands play rock and roll from the Southern Rock Bands like Lynard Skinner, Marshall Tucker, and The Allman Brothers to name a few. Other bands pay tribute to The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and of course Elvis.

This tribute concept has been going strong for over thirty years and is an indication of how the music of each of these bands fits into someone’s historical memory. People go to the shows and remember what they were doing, where they were, and how they were living when the music they were hearing was live back then in their lives.

My friend and I had been discussing the different trends in music today as opposed to yesteryear when we stumbled upon event that we’d been involved with back in the late sixties. It was a concert in Sacramento featuring The Jefferson Airplane, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The New Breed and Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. We did the psychedelic light show that lit up the stage in the open air stadium. The memory of that stuck both of us as very funny and for the next few minutes we told each other our recollections of the show. The Strawberry Alarm Clock got their embroidered jackets stolen, The Nitty Gritty Dirt band playing an old time gut bucket bass and washboard, The Jefferson Airplane mesmerizing the crowd and the totally insane Captain Beefheart who rattled and babbled and played what many questioned was even music!

Historically the concert was the biggest to have been held in Sacramento at that time and still is in the annuals of the history of rock in Sacramento and the poster of the show is on display at the rock and roll museum in Sacramento.

An hour after the conversation with my friend ended and I’d been informed of Virginia’s passing it made me pause and savor the conversation I’d just had. We’d touched upon our history together and how that had fit into our lives. I was sad about Virginia, but glad I’d touched some historical bases with my friend.

I’d suggest we all do that now and then, you never know when you won’t have the chance again.

A memorial for Virginia Gilmore will be held on Saturday March 14^th from 11: am to 12: pm at the Presbyterian Church in Yachats and a gathering with take place from 12: pm to 2: pm at the church where people can share stories and remembrances of Virginia.

To reach Rick Schultze email:yarick@pioneer.net