PORT TOWNSEND — Friends of ailing musician Andy Mackie have produced a tribute video to thank him for his years of support for children’s music programs.
Mackie, 72, is seriously ill and under care in a facility in Jackson, Mich.
The song “Angels Walk Among Us” originally was written and posted on YouTube last month by Port Townsend musician Jack Reid, a close friend and associate of Mackie’s.
On Oct. 23, it was updated.
Reid rerecorded the song along with a new video presentation, where several Port Townsend friends of Mackie’s joined in for a verse.
The six-minute video can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/3b9vugr.
Who participated
Participants included professional musicians Robert Force, Matt Sircely and George Rezendes but also featured several of Mackie’s former students who are now teenagers.
The video was made at Rezendes’ studio, Toolshed Sound.
Prior to leaving Jefferson County in September 2010, Mackie — the creator of the Andy Mackie Foundation — taught more than 12,000 children, mostly in public schools, to play harmonica and made and donated instruments to schools while working from his Quilcene home.
Plagued with health problems, Mackie moved to Michigan to be closer to family and has already taught 1,000 children there to play the harmonica.
He has been hospitalized since September.
His family has been told several times that he would not make it through a particular night, but he has always rallied.
“He still thinks that he is going to get up out of bed and make more instruments for kids,” Reid said.
“But that probably isn’t going to happen.”
Reid said Mackie has only 30 percent of his heart function on his best days and slips in and out of consciousness.
It is uncertain if Mackie has seen the video, but a DVD has been dispatched to his room for him to see.
Health reports
A Facebook page for the Andy Mackie Music Foundation, http://tinyurl.com/pdnmackie, has become a source for information, with regular health reports posted by Mackie’s daughter, Laurie Wolford.
The latest, on Sunday, reported that Mackie’s twin brother had come to Michigan from Illinois and “got to visit with him for a little bit, but then they had to give him some more meds and then he was pretty much out of it.
“He had another rough day with pain,” the entry says. “Please keep the prayers coming!”
Reid acknowledged that the prognosis isn’t good.
“There is a lot of sadness about not being able to see my friend again,” Reid said.
“But there is extreme joy about having known him and shared in his love for music and kids,” he added.
“I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
“He’s been a huge part of my life.”
Anyone wishing to send a message can write Andy Mackie, c/o CareLink of Jackson, 110 N. Elm St., Jackson, MI 49202.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
