“It was the entire original lineup. In instrumentation. Not only the drummer and piano player, but the reedsmen too. All behind a scrim. Up front were Kenny & Jimmy. With their guitars.”

What I meant was the same INSTRUMENTS were being played. Not that they were the exact same players… Actually, it was easy to tell, the new guys were so YOUNG!

I just was sent a copy of an article written by…I assume…you regarding
the Loggins and Messina concert at The Greek Theater. First of all, thank you
for the great words concerning the original band. It was a great band…maybe
one of the very greatest in it’s original guise! However, having said that,
after reading your words, I was left a bit confused. You say that it was the
original band that performed that evening. The acoustic first half (?) of the show
behind a scrim. Then you go on to basically say that the second half rocked
and all was great. This makes me very happy except for the fact that I am the
original drummer for L&M, that I performed on all the records and all the
shows…except for the final four months of the band, and that the evening of the
concert I was in my studio, in Austin, Texas, producing a local artist. Larry
Sims, the original bassist was in Colorado performing with his own band. Al
Garth…one of the two original horn players…who now performs with The Eagles wa
s at home in Northern California, and my dear friend Jon Clarke…the other
horn player and finest musician I have ever had the honor to play with, had
recently died at his home in Hawaii.

I am very proud of the years I spent with Loggins and Messina. To say that
the 70′s were filled with great music performed by truly talented
players…before the age of digital stupidity that I find myself having to work within
today…and that it ultimately proved to be so very pivotal in all of our lives is
simply correct. It does my heart good to know that people still remember what
we brought to life so many years ago and are still willing to honor the music
of Loggins and Messina.

So, I send this letter not to express anger or any similar emotion…I
actually find it rather amusing. Rather, I write this simply to clear that
particular patch of smoggy air that seemingly hovered over Cahuenga Blvd, that evening
and to thank you for some very well written thoughts about a very cool time
and a band that was a vital part of the whole scene.

As an aside, the original band got together two years ago to do a couple
performances in Santa Ynez, California.It was truly magical. Aside from all else,
it was the last time Jon performed in public. Needless to say, this was a very
important moment for us all…and was by far the very best the band had ever
sounded. Amazing what thirty years of maturity can do to something that was
already pretty damn great. anyway…

Be well and keep rockin’,

Sincerely,

Merel Bregante