Long before there was a Marshall Tucker Band, I met the real Marshall Tucker. He passed away yesterday at the age of 99. I’ll probably always remember the MTB, but I’m pretty sure I’ll always remember Marshall Tucker.
Marshall was a piano tuner who was blind since birth. When I was a young boy, he sang in the church choir with my mom at Southside Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC. One day after the service, mom introduced me to her friend, Marshall. He was the first blind person I ever met.
I remember Marshall bending down and maybe even getting down on one knee to get on my level. He reached out his hand and as I shook hands with this wonderful gentleman, I vividly remember him saying “Good to see you, Bill!” We chatted for a while, but I don’t remember anything else either one of us said. I was too amazed that a blind man had just said “Good to see you.” How was that possible?
As we walked away from each other, I couldn’t wait to ask my mom that question. “Mom, Mr. Tucker said ‘Good to see you.’ But how could he see me if he’s blind?” I don’t remember my mom’s answer, but I stayed amazed. Over the years as I continued to see and learn more about Marshall Tucker, he amazed me even more. His piano tuning prowess, musical talent, ability to run a business, and live a very independent life in spite of his lack of sight were all quite inspiring. As much as anything I remember him being kind and very much a gentleman.
When I was nearing the end of my teenage years, a local group of musicians from my neighborhood were needing to quickly come up with a new name for their band. Various versions of the story have circulated, but basically the band was rehearsing in a warehouse where Marshall had previously tuned pianos and found a keychain with Marshall Tucker’s name on it. The rest, as they say, is history. The Marshall Tucker Band went on to become one of the world’s top southern rock bands and 50 years later are still going strong albeit with one remaining original member.
The band took Marshall Tucker’s name all over the world, but Marshall also made a name for himself. He was well known for his perfect pitch and tuned pianos for some well known musicians including Lawrence Welk and Liberace. (For those of you asking “Who"?” - they were a big deal back when they were getting their pianos tuned.) Marshall and his wife, Lois, who is also blind, were faithful members of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbia where Marshall played piano for the choir and Lois taught Sunday school. But more importantly than being faithful church members, Marshall was a faithful follower of Christ.
I last saw Marshall one summer in the mid 90’s when we were doing summer youth conferences at White Oak Conference Center. Marshall was living in Columbia and regularly made the trip to White Oak to tune all of the conference center’s pianos. We got a chance to catch up and reminisce, and he laughed heartily when I confessed my young boy puzzled amazement at his greeting when we first met.
I’m certainly not the only one that was amazed by Marshall Tucker during his 99 years. His was a remarkable life well lived. And now he not only has perfect pitch, but perfect sight as well.