trpt.hick Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 2630
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Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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Well, Ole, you did get the right place at least.
Mendez played in Las Vegas several times. He was part of different shows with Milton Burle, Red Skelton, and numerous other musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Rudy Vallee, Mel Torme, and others.
Each time he performed, he received a fee of about $1,000 per night (back in the 1950s). These might have been some of his largest single night fees, but one particular night easily made it the most lucrative. Again, this story was related to me a couple of times by Robert and Ralph, who happened to play a few trios with him during this particular stint at the Flamingo Hotel.
After the final show one evening, Mendez and his sons went to their dressing room. A well dressed man they did not know came to their room and wanted to meet Rafael.
The man told Mendez that he had attended the show a couple of nights previously and was in total awe of his musicianship and total mastery of the trumpet. (Mendez was billed by the hotel as "The World's Greatest Trumpeter.") The man told Mendez that he could hardly sleep that night, just thinking of how hard Mendez must have had to have worked to attain his level of playing.
The man went on to tell Mendez that he was owner of a very large contracting company, and that the Flamingo and several other hotels were built by him. He said that he had become extremely wealthy but that his business had not been so well lately. He told Mendez that he had inspired him, and he woke up the next morning with a fresh attitude and vision of how to promote his business.....like he did when he first started out.
In short, Mendez' work ethic had inspired this man. He wanted to hear Mendez again and be able to thank him because his business and employees were fired up and already doing better.
As he shaked Mendez' hand, he stuffed an envelope into Mendez' jacket. After he left, the boys eagerly prompted Mendez to open the envelope.
Inside was $10,000 in cash!!! Back then, you could purchase two new Cadillacs!
So, as far as the Mendez sons know, this was Rafael's biggest pay day.
Dave Hickman |
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