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In Memoriam

Dewey Terry
1937 - 2003

From the Los Angeles Times
May 24, 2003
Myrna Oliver 

Dewey Terry, half of the rhythm and blues doo-wop duo Don and Dewey who wrote the classic 1950s ballad "I'm Leaving It (All) Up to You," has died. He was 65. 

Terry died of cancer May 11 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said Donna Jack, his life partner of 27 years. 

Besides "I'm Leaving It Up to You," which became a hit for Dale and Grace and later Donny and Marie Osmond, the
duo also wrote "Farmer John," which gained renewed attention in 1991 when Neil Young included it in his "Ragged
Glory" album. 

Don Harris and Terry recorded the songs they wrote, including "Justine," but they never sold as many copies as
better-known singers who used their material, including the Osmonds and Young. 

Terry, who continued to perform in Southern California clubs until about three years ago, once told The Times that
the duo's most famous song, "I'm Leaving It Up to You," came to him in about five minutes. 

"I wrote that for my ex-wife," he said in 1991. "I married one time and we just couldn't make it. We stayed together
30 days to the day. I left her at 12 midnight and I wrote that song." 

Raised in Pasadena, Terry learned to play piano from nuns at the Catholic grade school he attended. He became
friends with Harris in their early teens when he heard music wafting from a house in his neighborhood and followed
the sound to find Harris, a child prodigy and classically trained violinist. 

The two youths first played in a high school doo-wop group called the Squires, whose recording of "Sindy"
reached No. 2 on the R&B charts in 1955. A year later, they became Don and Dewey and began recording for the
Specialty label, where Terry met the man he came to emulate: Louisiana bluesman Eddie Jones, known as Guitar
Slim. 

"The only one on Specialty who was doing stuff like we were was Little Richard," Terry told The Times in 1991.
"That style comes from the old gospel minister. We took that and brought our rock 'n' roll up into more of the
mainstream of America." 

Both Terry and Harris handled vocals and played guitar, piano and bass, although Terry was known best for his
electric guitar and Harris for the electric violin they fashioned to match the guitar's volume. 

They recorded and toured in Little Richard's backup band with a young guitarist named Jimi Hendrix. Separately
and together, Terry and Harris worked in Las Vegas and did solo and backup recording in the 1980s punk-jazz band
Tupelo Chain Sex. 

Harris died in 1999 of pulmonary disease at 61. Terry already had been performing with a reconstituted Don and
Dewey, featuring himself, drummer Don Hendricks and singer and keyboardist Ron Ellington Shy. 

Like many artists of his era, Terry never earned a fortune from his songwriting or recording. At times he
supplemented his income with a small trucking business, priding himself on his motto: "You call and we haul ... all
your troubles away." 

A memorial is planned for 9 p.m. Wednesday at Cozy's Bar & Grill - - where Terry often performed -- at 14058
Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. 

Jack asked that any memorial donations be sent to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, 555 Madison Ave., Suite 793,
New York, NY 10022. 

Adrienne Ellis Lyons

It is sad that we have lost another classmate. 
Dewey Terry succumbed to lung cancer on May 11, 2003. 

When I first read his biography on the class Web site, I thought I should send him an email but I procrastinated and now itís too late. 

I attended his funeral and so did many of his former classmates from Washington Jr. High and John Muir such as Suzanne Carr, Helen Morning, Jessie Caskey, Bernadine Jones, Barbara Brown, Robert Armstrong, and Jesse Hardiman. 

It was a sad occasion but we reminisced about the wonderful talent shows at Washington and how Dewey had lived out his dreams. 

Don & Dewey opened for Little Richard on his Paris tour -- and Little Richard honored Dewey by speaking at his funeral. When Little Richard described how Paris was not the same following Don & Dewey and his performances, you could hear the chuckles and observe the smiles on many faces. When other speakers recalled Dewey's energy and the music he performed, making him who he was, much of our sadness changed to joy because we realized we were in fact not mourning Deweyís death, but celebrating his life.

Adrienne Ellis Lyons

Eddie Moses

I first met Dewey at Muir.  We were both drummers in Mr. Macís Mustang Band. 

I vividly recall one talent assembly at Muir where Dewey sang with the Squires and another act where Don Bowman, the other half of the original Don and Dewey, played electric violin. 

After graduation, our paths crossed some forty years later where I watched Don and Dewey perform at the Spur, a dinner house in Glendora.  At that time, ìDonî was the late Ron Ellington Shy, as the original duo split and Don Bowman had gone on to become the very famous ìDonî Sugarcane Harris. 

A few months later I happened to catch the Dewey Terry Show at the Derby East, another dinner house in Glendora  At that time, he was performing as a single with a great back-up band. That evening was something Iíll never forget. Talk about energy.  Dewey was a jumpiní jammer and his performance was electrifying. 

During the show Dewey called up J.J. Jackson from the audience. Jackson, one of many rock and roll Hall of Famerís  attending Dewey's show sang his memorable ìAnd Itís Alright.î   Four more R & B icons followed Jackson, each singing a song they made famous, songs I recognized immediately. The evening was a page out of history, an invisible time machine had taken me back to the 60ís, to the music era I had grown to love and miss over the years and I was there to see and hear them sing in person. It was Deweyís Time Machine.  Dewey was truly a talented musician, playing the saxophone, guitar and other instruments while singing songs he wrote, such as ìIím Leaving It All Up To You,î and ìJustine,î recorded by artists such as the Righteous Brothers and Sonny and Cher.  Deweyís show was fabulous. 

We spoke over the telephone and emailed each other on occasion.  One evening he gave me his latest CD album and a CD album of songs recorded by the ìSquires.î  Those albums are prized possessions and I would love to share them with the class at our next reunion.  I know Dewey would feel honored. 

Sadly, I recall promising to have lunch with Dewey a few months ago, but for some reason or another, didnít find time to make the connection.  Like Adrienne, I too procrastinated, and itís too late for me too.

The music world lost a legend and so has the Class of 1956. 

Eddie Moses 

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