Crooners for Cures

The idea for the Crooners project was given life late in 2010. A close friend since high school, Keith Summers, called and asked if I wanted to get together a band. Another friend of ours, Roger Scott, and I started working up some tunes. We had all played together in high school so it was a lot of fun, but a bit harder than it used to be. We decided to pan handle on the street corners of downtown

Springfield and give a portion of what was thrown in the hat to charity, with one stipulation, Keith would not be a poster child for Muscular Dystrophy. So we had to come up with other charities. Unfortunately, Keith got pneumonia late spring 2011 and his lungs never recovered enough to allow him to carry on. I met Keith at the 2nd floor NE stairwell of Glendale High School, long before there were ramps and elevators in schools. He was looking up the stairs from his wheelchair and I could tell he needed some help. I offered, he accepted, and from there a lifelong friendship began. Keith was totally dependent on others for practically every physical need, yet Keith was never dependent on anyone. He refused to be bound by his situation and Keith imparted that inner strength to those around him. As was best put by our friend Roger Scott, "He is the toughest man I have ever known." Keith was a friend to everyone that he came in contact with and just like the band, he never would allow the focus to be on himself, but wanted to do all he could to help others. That, people, is what Crooners for Cures is all about, others. Keith passed away March 14th 2012, and he is now free of the body that bound him.