Jerry Van Blair, Chase band member, obit

[Tom Buckley]

From the 6-21-00 Indianapolis Star obit section:

* * * *
Retired musician Jerry L. VanBlair played horn with bands, celebrities

RICHMOND, Ind. - Services for Jerry L. VanBlair, 65, Richmond, formerly
of Connersville, a retired musician, will be at 6 p.m. June 21 in
Showalter-Blackwell-Long Funeral Home, Myers Chapel, Connersville, with
calling from 3 p.m. He died June 17.

Mr. VanBlair played trumpet and flugelhorn with the Cincinnati-based
bands Cal Collins, the Jimmy McGary Quintet, the Toler Brothers and
Shield-stone.

In the early 1970s he was a member of the rock-jazz music band Chase.
The band produced three albums and received a Grammy nomination. The
band’s success led members on tours to Japan, Africa and the United
States. They also appeared on The Tonight Show and The Smothers Brothers
Comedy Hour. In 1974, four members of the band, including leader Bill
Chase, were killed in a plane crash.

Previously, Mr. VanBlair performed in show bands in Las Vegas with Ella
Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Della Reese, Mitzie Gaynor and Tom Jones.

Mr. VanBlair was a Navy veteran and performed in the U.S. Navy Band.

Survivors: daughters Valerie L., Valisha L. VanBlair, Vickie Cox; five
grand­children.

* * * *

Tom Buckley
Indianapolis
trbu...@compuserve.com

[matsup]

Very sad that he passed so early in life. Just out of curiosity, looking at
the the back of the "Chase" (1st album) cover, which guy was he?

Rob D

[Bryan Fields]

He was the guy with the shortest hair and the biggest sideburns.

[Gary Comingore]

I got to hang with Jerry a little bit in Cincy several years ago. He
was very nice to me. I loved his solo work, and am sad to hear that his
gone.