Newspaper Page Text
‘Spunkum’ Blocker remains a
contemporary soul — through the years
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
i 1 Elbert Blocker remembers Ella
-Fitzgerald. Elbert Blocker also
recalls Duke Ellington. Elbert
Blockeris still aman about town.
s Don’t believe it? Just take a
trip tothe Touch of Class Lounge
-on Damascus Road. Ifthere’slive
Pazz to be heard, it’s likely you’ll
find Mr. Blocker checking out
ithe scene.
-3 Born October 27, 1907, Mr.
Blocker celebrates birthday No.
89at the Touch of Class Monday,
October 28, 1996.
h Though he’sanative Augustan,
Mr. Blocker hit the road for New
York City years ago and started
4 combination career in music
-and accounting. He played coro
-net in the Duke Ellington Band
at night; by day, he was an ac
-eountant with Anheuser-Busch.
1« Long before settling in the Big
Apple, Mr. Blocker served in the
Army and attended Columbia
University in New York. Even
Jbefore that, he discovered that
music was his niche.
- The only child of Nonas and
Matilda Blocker, “Spunkum,”
(his neighborhood nickname)
grew up somewhat privileged —
especially in segregated times.
' His father was a railroad brake
' man; his mother, a schoolteach
er.
# He credits an older musician
%amed “Goldie” who lived in his
eighborhood off Calhoun Street
ow Walton Way) for his early,
éo’rmal training.
“Goldie organized a group of us
oung boys) and introduced us
‘various kinds of music. He
amed us the Golden Band,” he
aid with a smile.
. “Spunkum” also remembers
henight he and his boyhood pal,
r.TkeWashington, “stole” Dad
@y Blocker’s car and cruised to a
arty in Aiken.
~“When I got home, my father
was waiting for me. I got a major
vhoopin for taking his car. The
it day, he bougt me a brand
Attention
W B
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INSURANCE-
Our Most Important Policy Is Trust:"
Brown Insurance Agency
406 Wheeler Executive Center
(706) 481-9877 ,
~Augusta Focus
~ will gladly
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to
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& Cal
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At 88, Elbert “Spunkum” Blocker still lives life to the fullest.
Photo: Richard Huntington
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new car. It cost $365. Of course,
that was about 1925,” he said.
After serving on Normandy
Beach in France and earning
medals of distinction, Mr. Blocker
continues as a Disabled Ameri
can Veterans chapter member.
He’s also a respected Shriners-
Masonic member.
In reflecting on his days with
the Ellington Band in the 19305,
the Walker High School gradu
ate’s eyes light up.
“I played with Duke for over
eight years. He was a pretty good
pianist. Not great. His arrange
ments helped him,” he said.
He’ll never forget how he got
the job with AB breweries.
“There was a white guy who
was going to Columbia Universi
ty with me. He told his daddy,
‘Hey, that guy is really good with
numbers. I think you should hire
him. And, that’s how it hap
pened.” Twenty-six years later,
Mr. Blocker retired from the com
pany.
After living in Long Island,
N.Y.formany years, Mr. Blocker
and his wife, Brunice Pratt
Blocker, moved back to Georgia.
A year ago, Mrs. Blocker passed
on.
“I’ll never forget her. She was
always there for me. I'll always
love her,” Mr. Blocker said.
AUGUSTA FOCUS August 29, 1996
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19