Two Buddy’s Breathing

October 1, 2015

“A Little Ditty Called Happiness”

is the last song on the CD, Run On Anything.

The outro is a carnival of harmonica

recorded by this man, Buddy Wakefield.



He called me “West Coast Buddy.”

I called him “East Coast.”

We were both from Texas.

I’d found him on Google once

when I was seeing if there were any other

Buddy Wakefields. He was excited

and would send me family photos

of large bands of musicians from the early 1900’s,

posed together, all Wakefields. We were not related.

“Everyone knew Buddy as the ‘Harmonica Man.’ Over the years, he gave away more than 6,000 harmonicas. He taught harmonica to youth and adults alike to help improve breathing problems. He started “Better Breathers” support groups in several hospitals in the area and surrounding states. This program spread across the U.S. and to several countries around the world.”

(click for full article)

East Coast Buddy Wakefield started Better Breathers.

I am completely in love with that.

Tonight I walked to get strawberry buttermilk

ice cream in a warm churro sandwich

and saw the news of his passing come through on the phone.

While I’m sure thoughtful for his family at the moment

I cannot help but smile a little,

same way I smiled when S.N. Goenka passed.

Downright warm, delightful and ready men.