Ah, now THAT'S sad. He was a class act. I hate to sound like a lesser Seattle type (because I'm not) but I'm always sorry to see these funky icons go.

I'll second that RIP.

Ditto. That guy was great. When I went in there, he'd say something like "Where have you been?" and usually suggest a song that I'd sung previously, even if it had been a year since my last visit. He was truly an icon of a departed era, and watching him tickling the ivories in the always-struggling Sorry Charlie's, I found myself envisioning him and his lone piano facing down the soulless might of an army of karaoke machines in a modern reenactment of the legendary contest of John Henry against the Steam-powered rail driving machine.

Bulson was irreplaceable. I will now drink some quantity of bourbon in his honor.

Absolutely. Howard was one of those people for whom the term "icon" was neither superfluous, ironic, nor undeserved. He would have been a beloved fixture of any city he chose to inhabit, but we're fortunate he picked this one in which to spend the better (in every sense of the word) part of his life.

They just don't make them like this anymore, and Seattle is a little emptier today, a little sadder, a little quieter, knowing those exquisitely gnarled fingers will no longer dance over a keyboard, cigarette bobbing in rythm, his preferred bourban-and-soda delicately balanced on the edge.

So long, Howard. In the key of "A", if you please.

RIP, dear Howard. And thanks for so many fun Saturday nights at Sorry Charlie's. Those memories are irreplaceable. You could play anything and did it well. Your piano made every song a joy.

I had the honor of working with Howard at the Mirabeau Room. I have fond memories of the old guy, and am sorry to hear of his passing. He was definitely a "Lesser Seattle" icon.

The guy's repertoire was encyclopedic. I don't think we'll see anything like it here ever again. You could utter the title of just about any forgotten song in the microphone, nod, and he'd start to play it without missing a beat.

Just want to throw in my condolences as well. Sorry Charlie's was one of the first places that really drew me to Seattle and I had some truly memorable nights around Howard's piano. It's worth noting that Howard was an amazingly tolerant musician, and never seemed to let any singers bother him, from the bombastic operatic egoists, to the sincere drunks who sang Patsy Cline all night, to the punks kids who treated the whole scene like a joke. He treated everyone with respect. A real class act. R.I.P.

I was introduced to Howard's scene about '86-87. So tender. So civil. I think it was the first time I had some sense of adult life, the peculiar magic of grown-up romance. Watching all those songs lift off like spruce gooses, taking their turn and settling back down in a drink and a nod, flushed skin, alive.

Howard, man, your spirit lives with me. Salud!

"Let Earth receive its honored guest" - we are sad to lose him, but so lucky to have had him. And some among us will grow old to become him, we can only hope.

Truly a fine gentleman and a great loss for our Seattle community. How I loved the days of the open mic at the Mirabeau Room. He was always so polite to those not quite so vocally gifted. We will miss you dear friend.

Howard was gracious enough to accept a gig playing for our "reception" at smith tower a couple of years ago. he was fantastic and our whole family loved his playing. we gave him a list of our "songs" and he knew every single one of them.

we had to arrange for a piano to be brought to the tower for the event as they didn't have one.

he sat down when he arrived at a piano he'd never seen, without any sheet music, and played for 3 hours. never too loud, never too soft, always perfect.

thanks for the memories Howard!

Oh man, what a major heartbreaker...Howard was a good friend, one of the last true gents. He even actually let me sing with him on occasion...and I will never forget him whoopin' me at pool down at the Streamliner on his last birthday. This town has lost a real treasure.

To Howard!

The "tribute" will be on May 23 at the Triple Door. The annual Howard's birthday party will be on his birthday, May 11th at Martin's Off Madison.
I have had the rare privilege to be part of Howard's life away from the piano bar as well as in it. Although he was more opinionated in his private life- he was none the less a gentleman with a fierce loyalty to his friends, fans and family. And even though I spent counless hours with him this last week, and knew the end was near-My heart is broken beyond repair.

Regrets, I've had a few....
and one of them is that I never made it to any of Howard's gigs after Sorry Charlie's closed. The guy was a genius and he made it all look so easy.

I moved to Seattle (QA Hill) in 1995 and wandered down to lower Queen Anne on a snowy winter night in Dec 1996 - one of those nights when cars are immobilized, and everyone out walking in the snow is everyone elses friend. I poked my head in Sorry Charlies and was hooked for life. I never sang a note on his stage but I hummed a lot in my favorite mini booth just to Howard's right. Howard knew me by name just like he knew every singer's name and which tune would summon them from their chair to the microphone next to him. The dwarfs, the incognito professionals, the drunks, the taxi drivers, Babs - I loved you all, thank you for a decade of enjoyment.

Howard - you da man!

-oenophile-

I first met Howard at the old *Charlee's* on Fairview, south of the NOAA base. The man's repertoire was amazing. One time I asked him to play *don't cry for me, Argentina*, and he didn't know it, but by the time I went in again, a few nights later, he had learned it! One night Gina Funes was in there and I asked her if she would sing *Un bel di*, which she did and Howard played it with no music. The man even recorded some audio tapes of Gershwin for me. Howard, you were a genius and you will be missed.

I sang with Howard for over 35 years. I'll miss the fun evenings and during day-off time, our fun pool games and meals together. Sue & I will always keep you in our memories. We saved all the tapes made at Sorry Charlie's and old Charlee's by the water. Howard, you'll always be with us.

MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Howard, I was never crazy for loving you... rest in peace, sweet man.

Howard, did I sufficiently thank you for welcoming me every single time I tried to surreptitiously enter Sorry Charlie's; for grinning from the ivories through the smoky haze; you'd say, "Hello, Linda!" and sometimes before my eyes had adjusted, you played the familiar first measures of whatever recent song I'd learned: adjusted to my key, personalized to my rhythm. Did I thank you for the hours of free practice before an audience, the encouragement, the coverups when I was a little off. Lawyers came in to listen; students came in; celebrities came in; the old, the young, the learned, the jobless; you treated us all the same, if we had a song in our hearts. So thank you, Howard, a million thank you's.

God bless I recall seeing you at sorry charlies around 1996,97 era. Your kindness will not be forgotten.

Howard was a close friend of my mom's when I was growing up. I knew that sometimes my mom went to Howard for advice when I was being difficult. He was always very kind and seemed genuinely interested in me when our paths crossed.

During the thirty-some years since my childhood, I studied music, and became a "classically trained" singer. One day, visiting Seattle for the first time after several years away, I found my way to Sorry Charlie's to "surprise" Howard, who hadn't seen me since I was about eleven..

I sat and sipped a well drink, and stared at him until he finally asked me if he knew me. I affirmed that that he did know me from the past but I didn't identify myself. Eventually Howard asked me if I wanted to sing. I came to the piano, and started to sing a song that had been a signature tune of my mom's. Three notes into the song, Howard knew that I was Joyce's daughter, but he didn't look surprised at all.

As a singer, I love an accompanist whom I can not surprise. There was no one like Howard for being right with you, no matter how you rewrote Mozart when memories were blurred... Beyond his gift for making every singer look good, Howard was an amazing performer as a soloist... a talented artist.... a beloved friend to many.

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