We miss you Kerry!

Kerry Dull had more influence on us than he could have ever imagined. He was not only a great director, but a friend, a mentor. 
 
I emailed Dian Dull for a while after Kerry stepped up to play sax in Heaven's "House of Blues". She filled me in on a part of Kerry we didn't know. Kerry was a Christian, Saved by Grace and devoted to His service. When he passed, he did so in the company of friends from the church they attended in Kissimmee.  
 
A funny thought, some of us will get the honor of playing "Wind Dancer" over and over and over and over for all of eternity. :) I am not sure I am ready to play lead trumpet with a flute and violin standing next to me for eternity, but I'll suck it up to see Kerry again. I'd like the chance to say thanks. 
 
You know, one of the last time I talked to Kerry was at UW-Whitewater in March of 1991. He had the CHS guys there to see our jazz concert. Afterward, he shook my hand and said something to me that I will never forget, because it touched me. More than I ever knew it would. He said, "Now that was awesome! You should be proud. You are finally playing like a man!" 
 
The last time played with Kerry was at the Alumni concert in '93-ish? We were in the last song of the night and Kerry had just wrapped up a pretty "Dull" solo. I had the honor of wrapping up the solo set with some screaming high notes (mainly because he loved them so much (um, er, yeah right). He never really fully apprecieated Maynard, but I think between Scott Markowski and I we broke him down.)  
 
Maybe now he is teaching Maynard some of the more challenging parts of "Year of the Tiger", over and over and over and over again. Then again, maybe he is just chillin' with some shades on in the mauve colored blazer we always saw him in. 
 
Dare-2-Be... Dull! Amen! 
 
Your friend, 
Dan Billington