I saw on Facebook this morning that the very prolific English composer Christopher Gunning has passed away.
Here’s a good tune!
I am not well versed in his work and need to leave it to others to write a proper obituary, apologies!
I was also very sad to see (again, on Facebook) that a very longtime film music collector and fan has passed, Kerry J. Byrnes, from a stroke suffered earlier this week. He was an occasional contributor to the magazine and website.
When I started FSM in the early ’90s, I was just a kid (teenager), and I was always amazed at the kindness and loyalty shown by the fans who wrote and subscribed.
Kerry was one of them—and I always remember he was one of those subscribers who always had the same address, always had a nice word in a handwritten note, and always paid his subscription renewal right on time.
He loved film music and loved people who loved it.
Just now I pulled up his old emails to refresh my memory—and every one of is either a thank you letter for something, or taking the time to suggest a contact, or an idea to promote or improve the magazine.
Just the sweetest, dearest man. I’m so sorry to hear of his loss.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kerry in person when he came to Michigan to donate his extensive film music CD collection to his alma mater, Michigan Sate University. He was a kind and considerate man with a keen interest in many types of music. He was a passionate supporter of the alumni associations of both MSU and Okemos High School, from which he graduated ten years before I started a 37-year teaching career there. I was hoping we'd meet again, but alas it was not to be. We are all the poorer for his loss.