FAB 40
BY GH ANDREW PHOTOS BY GH ANDREW
W
e’ve noticed that the returning events following the C-19 have been over the top and such it was with the Fab 40 Get Back show in May at the Discovery Green Park downtown. This lineup, led by Dave Bassingame, has a strong returning cast of musicians including an orchestra with over 20 members with Sitar players plus, this year, a live chorus. Pretty cool, eh? This show featured the Beatles album, Let It Be performed in its entirety plus an assortment of other Beatles favorites. (Let It Be was recently featured in Peter Jackson’s documentary, Get Back.) Local relevance of this show, in addition to good music, is the makeup of the band’s members - a cast of volunteers from across the greater Houston metroplex including the Galveston Bay region. This series of one-off performances has spanned over the decade and features iconic albums from the ‘60s with their original scores (remember albums?). Sadness struck the group a mere week before showtime with the sudden passing of co-front man John Senderling of Taylor Lake Village. John was musically connected with many and, notably, helping others through the Houston Music Foundation’s Artists for Artists crisis relief fund. Locally, Senderling performed with Andy and The Dreamsicles both on stage and at the Oleanders Festival. He leaves behind a young family and many friends and fans.
The reach of the Fab 40 runs deep and answering the last-minute show call was Johnny Ono, who has appeared on the Greater Houston music scene, and, locally on more than several occasions, with the band Already Gone at Jackie’s Bar & Grill. Ono fit in perfectly and it was onwith-the-show attended by a full house under the Houston skyline. This was an over-the-top performance that went down on a relaxing Mother’s Day Sunday evening. Well done, Johnny! Let It Be was the Beatles hit final album before the band broke up and scattering. Houston’s Fab 40’s passion for the music is sincere and appreciated by those who attended. The band’s cast has changed over the decade and the core team of members make room on the stage for new musicians. The members today were allowed to share the stage, back then, as youth, thus passing along the music across generations. Sounds like good karma to me…..
Play on!!!
JOHN SENDERLING
JOHNNY ONO
GREG TILLMAN DAVE BLASSINGAME 16
Bay Area Houston Magazine | JUNE 2022
The reach
FAB 40
