(Picture taken by Mike Kirkley just before fatal heart attack)
The following is a transcription
of related articles which appeared in the Times-Picayune:
NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE May 1, 1995
On Saturday, a former Metairie resident back in town to see the Jazzfest suffered
a heart attack in front of an iced-tea vendor. Glenn Matkin later died at Mercy-Baptist
Medical Center/Mid-city.
Guitarist Willis Houck said Matkin was a musician and moved to Miami a few years ago to be near his mother and to attend college. But he was thinking of moving back, Houck said. "We were planning on playing some music together this week." He was "a very good drummer" who played with several New Orleans bands, including Force of Habit, White Dog, Three-Legged Dog and The Raffeys.
Another friend, Jack Groetsch, of the Howling Wolf club, said Matkin also managed bands in the New Orleans area, promoted shows, and went on the road frequently.
Groetsch said Matkin, known
as "Glenski", had a heart problem three or four years ago.
SERVICE FOR MUSICIAN TODAY AT HOWLIN' WOLF. May 2, 1995
A memorial service will be held today for musician Glenn Charles Matkin at the Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St. The service is at 6 p.m.
Matkin died Saturday at Mercy-Baptist Medical after suffering a heart attack at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Matkin was a former band member of Force of Habit, Big White Dog, Three-Legged Dog and The Raffeys and had performed at Jazzfest.
The 37 year-old former band manager was born in New Orleans (WRONG: Birmingham, Alabama)and lived in Metairie before moving four years ago to Miami, where he was enrolled at Miami's Dade Community College and managed the student newspaper.
He is survived by his
mother, Lisa Baez Kidd of Miami. (Also his father, Charles Douglas Matkin of
New Orleans, 2 aunts and uncles, plus numerous cousins.)
Less than an hour before he died at the Fair Grounds on April 29, Glenn Matkin reflected on life.
"He was saying how you should seize every moment to the fullest, as if it were your last," recalled Matkin's friend of 20 years, Mark Kirkley.
The sun was shining, and they were at Jazzfest. Matkin- well-known to friends as Glenski - enjoyed life.
"All the stuff that we did, we grabbed for all the gusto that we could possibly grab and then some," he said.
Before his heart attack, Matkin was en route to visit with his friends in the local band Cowboy Mouth, who were getting ready to perform. Guitarist John Thomas Griffith had spoken to Matkin earlier in the day and planned to have him as a house guest during the festival.
Lance Slom, a friend of Matkin's and head of security at the WWL/Ray-Ban stage, was one of the first to learn of Matkin's death. He also knew of Matkin's relationship with Cowboy Mouth. As the band got ready to take the stage, Slom had to decide what to do with the news.
"This is probably one of their biggest dates of the year," Slom said, "And I just said, 'You know, if I go and tell them, it could really affect their show badly."
Griffith didn't learn of Matkin's death until Slom told him about it the next day. He was devastated, and said that if he had found out before the show he probably wouldn't have been able to perform.
After regaining his composure, Griffith tried to look on the bright side.
"He's got a backstage pass in heaven," Griffith said.