May God bless you Lenny it was great knowing and hanging out with you and the Dramatics when ever you were in or near Richmond, VA.

Ron, L. J., Winzell & Willie be strong and to Lenny's family, just keep trusting in the Lord for Lenny is now singing with the Angles.

For as much as we love the artist/musicians who have brought us so much joy we must face the fact that we all have one final curtain call
Some have left before we could tell them how much we love and appreciate
them, Lenny has taken his final bow! We will miss him!

Ron Banks and the rest of the Dramatics, Be Strong.

Much love and peace,

Home Going Services For Lenny Mayes of The Dramatics were held on Thursday, November 11, 2004 at Hope United Methodist Church. The wake at 10:00 a.m. was followed by the funeral services at 11:00 a.m. The funeral procession consisted of at least 100 vehicles and of course was police escorted.

Citations and Resolutions

The Sheriff’s Department, the Mayor, City Council member and the Governor.

Tributes

The Dells, The Chi-Lites, The Temptations, The 70-Soul Jam Tour Artists and Universal Attractions Booking Agency.

Musical Selections:

Enchantment and Ollie Woodson.

In attendance:

Members of the Chi-Lites, Enchantment, Cuba Gooding, Sr., Ollie Woodson, Michael Henderson.

In Loving Memory Of Our Brother – Lenny Mayes

By Daisy V. Brown

Lenny, you slipped away that quiet Monday morning

Because you knew you were safe and needed no warning.

Your eternal resting place was there waiting for you -

But not before we had a chance to say how much we loved you.

Down through the years, traveling near and far, you were off to entertain

But today, with teary eyes, ‘We Want To Go Outside In The Rain’.

With your radiant smile, and the coolest glide, you were oh so charismatic

It was not hard for anyone to understand why you were a Dramatic.

We will remember your smile, your voice and the jokes you would tell.

In our minds, in our hearts and in our lives you will forever dwell.

Lenny, you will be missed by so many loved ones you left behind.

But because you were who you were we will have peace of mind.

God had a Plan, He made His Choice, and His Wish you could not deny.

So for now, until our journeys end, dear Lenny, we say “Goodbye”.

In time tears will be replaced by memories and frown replaced by smiles

Because in our hearts we know with God you walked your final miles.

From Daisy and Ed

And Marshall Thompson and The Chi-Lites Family

Lenny Mayes 1951 - 2004

"Be My Girl" - Written by our own Michael Henderson. What a beautiful love song. It's right up there for me with "I Love You Secretly" - Miracles, "I Only Have Eyes For You" and others. Songs of "unrequited love" have a way of touching me.

"What Cha See, Is Whatcha Get" - Today the kids like to use the phrase "Keepin It Real". The lyrics of this song made the point much clearer. I remember using the lyrics of the song in chat rooms, whenever I could see that people were in there lying....lol. It's always been one of those types of songs that for me JUMPED RIGHT OFF THE NEEDLE when you first put it on. I remember seeing the Dramatics perform the song on Soul Train and remembering how sharp they were with their "finger snappin". I remember when the song comes on during the movie WATTSTAX during the montage showing everyday life in the Black community in Los Angeles. Whenever I see that scene, the song almost carries a political overtone to it.

Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get:
"Some people ...are made of plastic"
"Some people....are made of wood"
"Some people....have hearts of stone"
"Some people....are just up to NO GOOD"
"But baby.....I'm for REAL" "I'm as REAL...as REAL can get"
"And if what your lookin for.....is REAL lovin"
"Then What You See......Is What You Get" !!

"In The Rain" - What a song.... I remember pushing girls up against the wall in basements off of this song as a teenager and walking away all sweaty. I remember how true and how sad the words run.... Can you imagine hurting sooooo bad that all ya wanna do is...

"GO OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN, SO NOBODY CAN SEE YOU CRY..."

I know that kinda pain, so do you most likely if you are a human being...

"Toast To The Fool" - I remember how when that song first came out on the radio, me and my boys were walking around using the lyrics to "woof" each other, in a way that teenagers do that both endears themselves to each other and yet at the same time is also the cause of many fights....lol

"Devil Is Dope" - A Great Anti Drug Song

"Hey You, Get Off My Mountain" - Another great song to grind off of

"Dells vs. Dramatics" - a "battle of the bands" concept that would subsequently be "borrowed" by many others. Wasn't that LP cover fantastic?

"Doggy Dog World" - When it first came out, I really dug the music video because of the many 70's references. Later when I saw the Dramatics live in concert doing the song, there seemed to be something wrong with the sight of grown men in tuxedos singing that song....lol

However, it was at that very concert, held at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island that I met Lenny Mays, for the first and only time backstage at the show. The conversation was brief and uneventful at the time.

Now I look back at it and know just how fortunate I was to meet one of my heroes before he left this earth.

RIP - Lenny Mays

--Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net

Hopefully you enjoyed this edition of the Soul-Patrol Newsletter.
We will be back in about two weeks with the next edition, with any email alerts for
local events, Soul-Patrol website updates/chat sessions or breaking news in between, as required.

If you have any comments, questions, etc feel free to drop me an email and let me know what's on your mind.

Bob Davis
earthjuice@prodigy.net