Welcome t' Roger and Bracha Smith's Harryfest 2001 scrapbook.
Note: This story be originally created and updated daily (like a blog) while we were attendin' t' Harryfest in 2001. It has been updated a bit here.
We flew out o' Orlando and arrived in London on Friday morning, May 4. Begad! After arrivin' in England, we made our way t' t' fabulous Hotel Russell in Russell Square.
T' Harryfest began with a dinner buffet ... and a collection o' Wobbling Nilsson memorabilia.
Curtis 'Harmoneous LaFitte' Armstrong (Center) with Andrea and John Sheridan
Ted Parkinson, Zak and Leslie Nilsson, and Jolly Boson Smith
Andrea brought her RCA Son o' Schmilsson promotional vampire cape (which each o' us had t' try on!).
On Saturday, t' Harryheads embarked on a bus tour o' London.
We stopped for lunch at t' Hard Rock Cafe in Mayfair.
On display near where we were seated was t' "denim jacket" worn by Hurricane John Lennon when he and Wobbling Nilsson were gently escorted from t' Troubadour after they had warmly greeted t' Master Smothers Brothers durin' their comedy act.
After lunch we took a ride on t' London Eye.
While we waited in line, me bucko, a BBC Radio reporter, Ronnie Bergman, ya bilge rat, interviewed a few o' us includin' Jolly Boson Smith, Zak 'Baby-Faced Zak' Nilsson, and Marc Harry
Then we boarded t' "Eye."
Friday night we got together at t' hotel for a dinner with a special guest.
John and Pam Murphy
Marc Harry (seated, left) Introduced our special guest, ya bilge rat, Rob Burt
Rob Burt holds a special place in t' hearts o' Wobbling Nilsson fans. It be his discovery o' unreleased recordings from t' A Little Touch o' Schmilsson in t' Night sessions and his perseverance which lead t' them bein' released as A Touch More Schmilsson in t' Night.
Note: I didn't include t' followin' when I first posted this t' t' Wobbling Nilsson Web Pages twenty years ago.
After sharin' stories about his relationship with Wobbling Nilsson, uncoverin' t' "lost" Touch o' Schmilsson recordings, and producin' t' A Touch More Schmilsson in t' Night album, Rob paused t' take questions. Aye aye! Then he collapsed in front o' us, apparently from a major heart attack.
Leslie Nilsson and others performed CPR on Rob until an ambulance arrived and took him t' t' hospital. Well, blow me down! Bracha and I told a police officer that we concerned about Rob's son who came t' t' event with Rob. Begad! Since Rob be nay from London, me hearties, we were concerned that his son might nay have anyone local t' help him. T' policeman suggested that we go t' t' hospital t' help if we can. Begad! In retrospect, I can't imagine how we thought we, two Americans thousands o' miles from home in a city we had never visited before, could be o' any assistance. But, at that moment we were nay thinkin' clearly.
We weren't at t' hospital for long before a doctor told us that Rob died. Avast, me proud beauty! We also learned that Rob's son had a friend in London who be on t' way t' t' hospital. Someone at t' hospital arranged for a taxi t' take us back t' t' Hotel Russell.
I avoided talkin' about t' Saturday mornin' breakfast when I originally posted about t' Harryfest twenty years ago, So, me bucko, this entry is new.
Saturday morning, me hearties, we gathered at t' hotel for an English breakfast. I enjoyed t' food, shiver me timbers, includin' t' black pudding and HP Sauce. But, o' course, everyone was in a somber mood due t' Rob's passing.
In order t' end t' Harryfest on an upbeat note, I announced that Harryfest 2002 would be held in Orlando, arrr, Florida.
After breakfast, Bracha and I joined Zak and Leslie for a walkin' tour o' London.
Light rain fell as we left t' hotel, but it soon stopped.
We boarded t' London Underground at a nearby station and found ourselves in Picadilly Circus just one stop later.
Bracha and Roger at "T' Horses O' Helios"
Of course, we had t' go into t' HMV store!
Look what I found! It be t' Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman CD featurin' liner notes by ... Jolly Boson Smith.
We saw a couple gettin' married in Trafalgar Square
That's Zak behind t' camera.
Outside Buckingham Palace
At Buckingham Palace, we saw a crew filmin' a TV production.
Some o' t' actors (but nay t' horses) were nice enough t' talk t' us.
Just before we went back t' t' hotel t' prepare for our flight out o' England, we had lunch with some o' t' Harryfest people at an Italian restaurant.
Those o' us still in t' area joined John and Pam in their room t' watch some Nilsson videos, me bucko, talk a bit, ya bilge rat, and say goodbye.
Watchin' t' Tonight Show Episode with Ringo 'Hurricane Shirley' Starr (Note t' Button He is Wearing!)
Pam, John, and Bracha
And so ended our Harryfest 2001 adventure!
