Thanksgiving with Johnny Carson and Doc Severinsen - 25 Years Ago

Share laughs about Thanksgiving with two friends, Johnny Carson and Doc Severinsen. This was from a 1979 episode of The Tonight Show. Doc Severinsen is a trumpeter who used to lead The NBC orchestra on The Tonight Show. You gotta love how natural these two are together - real pros!

My brother almost had the chance to play drums with Doc Severinsen.

Almost.

"Doc" was friends with the band director at our high school. Year after year it was an honor when Doc Severinsen would come to town to play his trumpet with the band. It was a big deal, as classy as a show could be for a high school band concert. We both looked forward to the day that we would get our chance to play in the same band with Doc Severinsen. Finally, my brother was old enough to be in the senior high band. What a thrill and what an honor to play the drums for Doc Severinsen!

Or, to play the drums for someone else. Yes, that year Doc wasn't able to come to town, so somebody else came to town to take his place. Oh, the tears that my brother shed on to his drum when he found out Doc wouldn't be playing with the band after all. There were enough tears to create quite a nice little drum roll. The band then played a funeral march. Finally, the first chair trumpeter played "Taps". 

Okay, so none of that happened, not even the tears. But, it's true that he almost got to play with Doc, and we were indeed bummed that my brother wouldn't have that chance.  I didn't have the chance either because I dropped out of band before I was old enough to play with Doc Severinsen. I don't regret dropping out of band, but it would have been cool to play sax in the band with Doc. 

At least we can see what my brother would have looked like playing in a band with Doc: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3lyx3adehQ 

Just pretend Buddy Rich is my brother. They played the drums just the same anyway, so the only difference is a little bit of age.

Thank you to frstbse for posting The Tonight Show Thanksgiving moment on YouTube.