Keeping the Spirit Alive - RIP Chris Cochems

Last weekend at the Bronco Billy’s Ukulele Jam, Chris Cochems and his lovely wife Helen sat right up front.  Chris and his wife were thrilled to find out there was a ukulele jam so close to their home and had become regulars.  Chris contributed so much, always bringing several beautiful ukuleles with him to share as well as his vast music collection.

 Every time Chris would get a song packet, he’d create a spiral bound notebook with fun photographs. He was a collector of ukuleles and music, with a love for parodies, and he brightened up Bronco Billy’s and made sure Diane and I knew how much he appreciated us and that we made he and his lovely wife feel comfortable right from the start. He instantly became an enthusiastic member of our ukulele community and said that the Fremont Ukulele jam was at the very top of their social calendar.

Chris sent two song suggestions to me – and a whole bunch more this time around.  Lots of Simon & Garfunkel songs, and others. He had also given me access to his voluminous music collection which will take me a while to get through, proudly proclaiming that we’re welcome to anything but just don’t give web page address out.

As we all sang and played music together, with Chris and Helen sitting right up in front, I realized that there's some sort of special magic that brings all of us together, yet I could not quite pinpoint it.  People from all walks of life gathered together and we shared our music and a bit of our souls with one another, with promises to get together and play soon. How would anyone know that it would be the last time we'd get to play music with Chris?

I didn't get to the Hayward Ukulele Festival until almost the end because I had to pick up my niece and family from the airport. And when I arrived, I heard the news...Chris passed late in the week. We'd been emailing back and forth about songs right up until the end. He sent me about 20 pdfs of song suggestions including several Simon & Garfunkel songs.

There will be a big, empty place in the front at our next Bronco Billy's Ukulele jam on April 19th. It's where Chris Cochems and his wife Helen sat surrounded by several ukuleles proudly displayed, spiral-bound books of jam packets and a constant presence and smile. I didn't know Chris for too long, yet he managed to touch our lives just like everyone who comes and goes.

The last email I got from Chris said, "You and Diane nailed it on the Rose." It was a song he'd requested and I put it into our packet. I wasn't sure how well we could pull it off, but it works out. 

No matter where we are in our lives, or what path we take, we can keep the spirits of those with us and those not with us alive by sharing the music and the stories. The music and the stories will transcend generations and remain in our hearts forever.

Chris Cochems RIP

We won't forget you...we'll think of you every time we gather together to play our ukuleles and sing...and I still have your fabulous, voluminous music collection...

All of us who will remember Chris...