Missing & Overlooked - Musicians & Family Members

I thought I'd put up this post in hopes that it might bring in some information on another individual with ties to Artie Shaw, along with Harry James, Charlie Barnet & Pete Rugolo off the top of my head.  Russell Brown, a trombonist (& sometimes vocalist).  Mr Brown's name was stuck in my head as he is listed as a copyist on many of the Shaw Scores from the 37-38 time period, while also playing in the band.  Many of the scores that have his hand on them have had a 3rd trombone added.  It also just happens he is listed with John on Back Bay Shuffle.

In the past few days, his grand-daughter Marci has started posting for information on this long lost family member that not even her father got to know.  Back in 2007 another grandchild,  E. Brady was also seeking information on him through a daughter he may also have had. 

As in my own search I have come cross many people in the music business that were lost to families they once had for many reasons & life didn't allow them to find their way back.  And, many talented musicians that never received their ovation for work we still enjoy today.  I will keep an open post available here for people to acknowledge & tell the stories of those that never got their 15 minutes in the spotlight.  Somewhere someone cares where they are.

As a family member that has searched to pull together the pieces of a relative's life,  I know many times there are good & bad stories about the persons we seek to find.  But it is more important to just find anything so as to have a remembrance of them.  Small clues can led to great rewards.

My search of John Bartee's life has had a happy reward,  two months ago I was finally able to find the son he spoke of to the Nun who cared for him the last years of his life.  A son that had not known anything of John since he was a boy of 8,  he is now 70 with a different name which made him all the harder to locate.  This man now has the knowledge of who John's parents & siblings were, and a little about the music John heard.

Please feel free to post & exchange information here.

Update August 10, 2010:  I recently found on the Social Security Website that the S.S.Administration will forward a letter at no charge to a missing relative.  This is only in the case of a family emergency and if that member has no other way of receiving word of a death, illness, etc.  You will need to know legal name , date of birth, & the full names of both parents.  The letter will be opened & read by the  S.S.Administration to verify that it is an emergency situation, so keep this in mind.  If the individual is working & paying into S.S. or receiving benefits, the letter will be forwarded to their last know address.  It will be up to the individual contacted if they want to respond.  I could have found John prior to his death if I had known about this.