Musical Legends of the Past: PART- 3 of 3

I love music, as it is an amazing form or art. Today, I want to talk briefly about two legends in this montage that I admire and did research on; Miles Davis and Charlie Parker.

Miles Davis had a normal upper middle class family life. He was raised in a big farm in St. Louis, with lots of horses, a cook, and a maid. His father was a dentist. Growing up he lived such a secluded life before all this fame. At age 13th he became interested in the trumpet and made it his musical instrument of choice. He was extremely focus and practiced consistently for hours and hours at a time. He became so good at it that by age 19th he got a job with Charlie Parker, his idol. 
By age 23, he had developed his own new style, a trumpet tender sound. He went to Paris and was received as a big star. He met Picasso and also had a brief romance. Then he returned to USA and unfortunately, wasn’t even acknowledge at the star level he was. He became angry and some even said he had “demons” in his back. He could not find employment and finally, like many musicians of that era, turned to drugs.
 
His career became extremely difficult based on his increased drug addiction and made him paranoid. He lost all focus and hit bottom. Then he decided to go back home to ask his father for help. His father just told him that the only one that can help him was himself. And thank God he did. He walked to one cottage in the farm, locked himself in a second floor room and did not eat, drink or do any drugs for 7 days. The pains of detox alone, not medically supervised were overwhelming. However, on the 7th day, the pain was over, he felt great, came out of the room, walk towards his dad, and no words were spoken, they hug and cried. From that point forward his life did a 100 degree turn for the best and immediately, decided to go back 100% to his music.
 
Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City in 1920. His father was a jazz musician. Charlie’s musical instrument of choice was the saxophone. He began to play it at age 13, his genre of choice was the Blues. He practiced nonstop for long hours and became such a gifted player that at age 15th he was already playing in a professional band. His income made him a member of the middle class and went on to reside in Manhattan. 
Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, he also became an alcoholic and in spite of his musical gift he lived a tragic sad life. Married at age 16th. He said he drank in order to stay awake all night to work. He also said that after work, he had to stay awake to practice long hours, therefore, he slept just few hours a day. The lack of sleep resulted in being involved in a tragic car accident, where few of his friends got killed. He ended in a hospital for two months, where he was given morphine daily. At age 17 he was not only an amazing saxophonist but also a junkie. In spite of his fame and talent, his addictions, (food, women, drugs and alcohol) cause him to lose his job, become homeless and suffer mental challenges; reason why he was committed to a mental health hospital, where even there, he played the sax until he was discharged.
 
Charlie Parker was a genius, versed in science, math and many said, a true intellectual. His music continues to amaze generations of musicians today and will continue for generations to come. Charlie Parker passed away at the short age of 34 on March 12, 1955.

Unfortunately, these legends are  gone, however, they will never be forgotten!