Dying traditions

Old-timers -- those old enough to remember, say, the drive-in theater on Stock Island -- also remember that most funerals out of Bahama Village used to feature a brass band leading the guest of honor to the cemetery.

We still have a few funeral parades, but the bands are a rarity now. Which is why, when I heard the ruckus more than two blocks away the other day, I knew it had to be for Candyman Butler.

He had played bass all around the city, and when he died at 90 it made Page One of the Citizen.

The players brought the Candyman along Truman, across Duval, up Simonton to Angela and then to the big iron gates, taking "Just a Closer Walk."

There was one big difference from the old days: Back in the day, the players for Village funerals were almost all black. Now they needed the oomph of Bubba Low Notes (yes, that's his real name now) on his wildly painted sousaphone, and the snap of Skipper Kripitz on the snare drum. Nobody is mourning the color bar.