One thrill I remember was the night that P. G. Lowery came to the Astoria [ie., New Orleans' Astoria Gardens]. Lowery, who was from Cleveland, Ohio, was with the Barnum and Bailey Shows and was known as the greatest cornet soloist. He could make C over high C like it was nothing at all; he was the greatest of all time. The way he blew made goose pimples come over me; I had never heard a cornet player like him in my life before.