Hampton University Choir Director Royzell Dillard, doing what he does best. Photo courtesy of the Daily Press.
I may not strike you all as the most religious figure in the world. I mean, I curse a lot, I’ll l talk openly about almost any tasteless topic known to mankind, and I even went so far as to blaspheme over fried chicken yesterday. My twitter status was as follows:
Despite all of these things, I do believe in God and I try to live by the golden rule. Not this completely inappropriate yet hilarious golden rule, but the traditional “do unto others” one. I am bringing up all of this because my old choir director at Hampton University, Royzell Dillard, passed away on Friday. He was definitely a very positive spiritual influence on my life, and his words of guidance helped me get through a few rough spots I encountered as a student at HU.
Truthfully, I was never supposed to be in the choir at Hampton. I can do impressions of people’s voices and carry a basic tune, but by no means am I a singer, let alone one of the caliber of the soloists in a talented choir like that. What happened was my roommate, who was a choir member, was sick one day and had me deliver some paperwork to Mr. Dillard. Upon meeting him, we ended up cracking jokes and he asked me to join without hearing me sing a note. Folks usually had to audition for a spot, so I knew that I shouldn’t let the word out to my fellow students that I skated by because I’m more awesome than they are, especially because a lot of them could sing circles around me. I was in the University Choir my freshman year, and the next year, I actually did audition and somehow got bumped up to the Gospel Choir. I think I got promoted for P.R. purposes. I smile a lot, and I look friendly and innocent which, I guess, is a good thing for someone singing about Jesus onstage.
A young ListenToLeon singing in the front row on the far-right, with hand-in-pocket. Told y'all I was in the choir!
The funny thing about being a guy who can at best carry a basic tune among a group of people with enough talent to bring the house down like Yolanda Adams or Anthony Hamilton is that you live in constant fear of the day that you get called out. Royzell Dillard was famous for randomly pointing at people or giving you a look and a nod during a performance, indicating that you are doing a solo. RIGHT NOW! Folks in the choir would resort to the same strategy they’d use in a strip club when they don’t want to tip, or when around a crazy person, which was to try to avoid making eye contact with Mr. Dillard during a show. It never worked; he was too smart for that. Big Roy would make you acknowledge him, and it was way better to just bite the bullet & sing than to act like you didn’t see him & get called out later on.
Here's one more photo of me in the choir. Same performance, hand still in pocket, and totally not paying attention to what's going on around me. Photo courtesy of Chris Hubbard
I have a ton of memories and stories like those, and I’d hoped to catch up to Mr. Dillard and reflect on them last month at Hampton’s Homecoming. Unfortunately, my plans to attend it fell through, and I kept saying to myself “I was hoping to catch up and say hello to him since it’s been so long.” I’ll never get that chance now, unfortunately. I know that these type of things are impossible to predict, but his death was a sobering reminder to tell the people you care about that you appreciate them. None of us are promised tomorrow.
On that note, let me take this moment to tell you readers that I love and appreciate all of you for allowing me to come into your lives and make you laugh. I’ll end things by quoting the words Royzell Dillard would speak at the end of every rehearsal: “A bell is not a bell until you ring it. A song is not a song until you sing it. And love is not placed in your heart to stay, love is not love until you give it away. Peace.”
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Dang it Leon that was sweet..
Thanks
“A bell is not a bell until you ring it. A song is not a song until you sing it. And love is not placed in your heart to stay, love is not love until you give it away. Peace.”
Thanks for sharing that.
Nice post.
Thank you for reading it.
Very well written, as usual… keep it up my dude
Thank you
DAMN YOU MAN for making me cry at work.
LOL Sorry about that!
….and we appreciate and love your work as well, Leon! Mr. Dillard would have been proud of your evolution. :o)
Thanks. I guess I am a little more refined than the cretinous oaf I used to be!
Thank you Leon because you are so right, Mr. Dillard required that we recite that after each rehearsal (the Gospel Choir). He will be missed tremendously.
Absolutely. He had a positive influence on so many people. His life makes me want to be a better person.
AWWWWWWWWWW We love you too!!!!
*HUGS*
May he rest in peace, awesome and true words spoken by the late Mr.Dillard.
Thank you OSHH :-)