Johnny and the Hurricanes

The Hurricanes began as an Ohio combo formed in 1957 by a group of students from Toledo's Rossford Catholic High. The leader of the group was saxophonist Johnny Paris, born John Pocisk, 1940 in Walbridge, Ohio. Paris grew up listening to jazz greats until Bill Haley became popular using a combination guitar/sax backing. Paris formed the Orbits, a band that played on a few locally released recordings behind Mack Vickery, an obscure rockabilly singer

An email I received from Sonja Reuter

I wrote a tribute for my husband for Planet Jive in
the UK:

R'N'R LEGEND

The widow of Johnny & The Hurricanes sax star Johnny
Paris has paid a moving tribute to the r'n'r legend.

Paris, who sold a million with Red River Rock, died in
hospital at Ann Arbor in Michigan, aged 65.   The
official cause of death was "sepsis, pneumonia and a
pancytopenia treated splenectomy".

His second wife Sonja Reuter has braved personal grief
to write her own tribute to Johnny exclusively for
readers of Planet Jive...

"We were together for almost 18 years, nine and a half
of those married, six years of those in a 'wild
marriage' before we finally said our 'I dos' and of
course a dating time of one year prior to that.   John
had the most charming smile that I ever saw, a man who
would not open up to you until he knew you well, and
he was more complex than anybody else I ever met.
John was never boring, regardless how well or how long
you knew him, a warm-hearted person who would hide it
under a hard shell.

"Unless he was close to you, you would never see the
real John.   He loved music and animals, especially
dogs.   He loved to fly and loved good food.   Yes,
it's hard to believe as he never had any weight
issues!   And he was a person who strictly separated
his private life from his life as a musician.   He was
enthusiastic about all kinds of music, whether it was
jazz, funk or rock'n'roll, you could even drag him
into the opera without resistance.

Caring
"He was a caring man, but even his children referred
to him as an 'alpha male'.   That’s what he was in his
marriage as well as in his life as a musician (but his
musicians can most probably tell you more about this
than I).   He was in any case my rock in the storm, a
strong man with own opinion, a man of the 'old
school'.

"I was allowed to watch him in concert, but I never
saw him practise with his band.   He told me: 'I do
not want you to see the way I am when we practise.
There I am not the most pleasant guy and I just do not
want you to know this side of mine!'
"I heard however that he was rather strict during his
rehearsals, a perfectionist.   He demanded the best of
himself and of his musicians.   I remember a concert
in Germany where John said to me in the interval: 'The
guys played terribly today.   If this was a practice
session, I would flip out, but I can not say anything
now.   It would just make them nervous.   I have to
write this gig off!'

Boss
"But I am certain that the drill was more severe next
time the guys got together for practice.   As
impatient as John was with people (he always used to
say that he would never have the patience to teach
someone to play the sax), he would never get impatient
with his dogs.   They were allowed to do almost
anything even to sleep in his bed, but they also knew
he was the boss.   Once a puppy of ours fell into a
pond and John jumped after him (in all his clothes!)
to save him from drowning.   We bred Bullmastiffs, but
since he passed away I will have to close our kennel
down. It is just too much work without John around.
I loved his caring heart for animals.
"That was John Pocisk, my husband - Johnny Paris, the
musician can be described certainly better by other
musicians, for I was his wife, not his business
partner or band member.   When we met, I only knew
that he was an American saxophone player, but his name
and the name of his band meant nothing to me.   Born
in 1964 I had other idols.   But THAT was exactly what
John loved about me.   At the beginning stages of our
relationship we went into a music bar in Hamburg,
where people approached him from all sides for
autographs.   I must have looked rather puzzled,
because John said to me: 'You do not know who I really
am, do you?'   I shook my head, and his answer was:
'And that’s why I love you'.

Talent
"In later years, after we were already married, John
used to say with a big smile on his face: "My wife is
not a fan of my music, but that is quite all right.
She'd rather listen to Mother’s Finest".   He knew I
fell in love with John Pocisk, the man, not with
Johnny Paris, the musician.   Even so I was always
proud of him and his talent in the music field and I
am grateful that it was ME who had the pleasure to be
the woman of this truly remarkable man for so many
years.

"I will be the keeper of his legacy and intend to
administer his wishes according to his will as good as
I can and hopefully to his liking in the future, so
that my husband and his songs will not be forgotten.
No day goes by that I don't cry for the loss of this
wonderful man of mine.   I miss him so very much and
will love him for ever.   He was my John, my love, and
just the thought that I will never see him or speak to
him again is unbearable."