Music pulls on heartstrings

By ANNABEL GIRARD
Staff Writer

The Great American Brass Band Festival is a place where memories are made.

For 11 of the 12 years the festival has been held, Don Nall has been here. However, his first visit was strictly by chance. He and his first wife, Ora, were headed to Berea in June of 1991. He decided to go through Danville to show her where he had gone to college for his freshmen and sophomore years.

The festival captivated them and their future attendance was assured by the time Dallas Brass ended its performance in the rain.

Major events in Nall's life have become woven into the fabric of the festival. In 1996, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and died later that year. While she wasn't strong enough to go to the festival, she gave him a present by urging him to go.

"I mentioned the situation to some of the people I met," he said. "I was fed from many picnic baskets. ... The friendliness (of the people) is most pleasant."

That concern was shown again in 1997, when many people remembered to ask about his wife.

The visit to the 2000 festival was on a much happier note. He and Sandra Darnell married about two weeks before and a trip to the festival was part of their honeymoon.

The two just about bubble over with excitement when they talk about why they enjoy the festival and why they plan to be on hand when the 12th band festival strikes up. To find them, face the stage, then look for the big maple tree to the left of the bandstand. It's been Nall's location each year. He'll be easy to spot -- just look for a white beard and mustache. In November and December, he grows his beard a little longer and dons a Santa suit.

Nall, 69, and Darnell, 51, who sing in their church choir together, started dating in 1998, after she was divorced. Their honeymoon wasn't her first trip to the festival. In 1999, they brought some of their children to the festival.

The size of the event really surprised Mrs. Nall. "I never expected to see so many people on Centre's campus."

Mrs. Nall is able to catch up with friends on the trips. She taught at McKinney School in Lincoln County for several years, leaving in 1989 and moving to Owensboro, where she continued to teach. This year, she's looking forward to seeing some of her former students. The Nalls will be staying with friends, Joe and Beverly Cooper of Junction City.

"Not only is it a time to renew old friendships in Lincoln County, but she also loves the bands and all of the activities surrounding the festival," he said.

She felt like she knew all about the festival, even before she arrived, primarily because Nall talked about it constantly. She became as captivated as he.

The festival has brought surprises both years they have attended together. Nall sets up their chairs at Centre Friday night. The first time she viewed the action with trepidation.

"They were brand new chairs. I didn't expect to see them the next morning," she said.

They were there.

She also found out you never know who's going to be there. In 1998, she ran into a high school classmate, Nicky Hughes, who now lives in Frankfort.

Nall, who had just been diagnosed with diabetes before last year's festival, had given in to many of the food temptations at the food booths. They looked up and who did they see approaching? His doctor from Owensboro.

"As they came over to sit with us, I wiped the crumbs from my mouth as we quickly dug the carrots out of the cooler along with our diet drinks," Nall said. "He was so impressed!"

Nall is a retired high school history teacher and Mrs. Nall teaches eighth-grade science.

Music is no stranger to the two families. Mrs. Nall plays the piano and her son plays the saxophone. Nall's son plays double-string bass and the trombone. Nall says he sings bass and plays the radio.

"The music and total experience are what keep us coming back. It has become a continuing family tradition."