[BJWilliams]

The Liberty University Marching Band lost one of its own today:

Liberty University Band Members:



With great sadness, I am writing to inform you that Thomas “TC” Charlton died Sunday afternoon, September 3, 2006. Many of us knew him quite well as a member of our band since the Fall 2004 semester, and for our new members, you may remember that he was the young man who visited us just a few days ago in a wheel chair.



I spoke with TC’s mother this evening. She expressed the love that TC had for the members of the Liberty University Band. She and her family have not yet made plans for the funeral. As soon as I know, I will share the date and time of the funeral. Dr. Super has also been in contact with TC’s mother. We know that she would appreciate a musical percussion tribute at the funeral or grave site. We will also be in contact with you as we are able to obtain more details.



Yours,



Dr. Stephen Kerr

Director of Bands

Liberty University

[PAmedic]

sorry to hear that. I was unaware of this young man or his situation, but will keep his family and friends in thoughts and prayers.

[BJWilliams]

He was one of the bass drummers in the band last year. He came over from Virginia State University (home of the Trojan Explosion marching band). He had been battling a rare form of bone cancer since July

[4everfsu]

Do you have a photo of him as a band member from last year?

[BJWilliams]

Do you have a photo of him as a band member from last year?

He's on the left side of the picture

[Sly Fox]

Its been an especially tragic past few months for the LU student body. Again, I know I am stepping out into dicey territory for some of you. But I personally feel it is no coincidence. This is spiritual war and whenever you are being effective the attacks only increase.

[BJWilliams]

Here is another shot of TC when he was with VSU before joining our band:



He's 4th from the left on the second bass drum

[4everfsu]

Thanks for the photos, prayer and peace of God to his family, and band members and LU students.

[BJWilliams]

Your prayers are coveted...we are working on some special tributes to TC. His homegoing service is tomorrow at 2 PM. I will be attending as well as some of the veterans of the band. The snare drummers will perform at the beginning of the service...in Liberty band uniform.

[BJWilliams]

Well today's service was beautiful. Drumlines from Amherst County and William Campbell High Schools as well as Liberty University and Virginia State University (Trojan Explosion) sent representatives to the service to do tributes for TC. Everything really went well. the church was filled to bursting with well wishers. Now the band has to get its collective game face on so we can prepare for the next performance on Saturday but I know he will be on a lot of minds. Continue to pray for the family

[Sly Fox]

Thanks for the update. It sounds like he had quite an impact on several campuses.

[bigsmooth]

wow. he sounded like a great guy. i know he is smiling down on everyone in heaven.

[Sly Fox]

Here's a followup from the fishwrap:

Lives to remember: Rarely seen without drumsticks, drummer was passionate about music

Darrell Laurant
dlaurant@newsadvance.com
September 15, 2006

On Sept. 6, Thomas “T.C.” Charlton was given a funeral with a beat - just the way he would have wanted it.

And not a gentle beat, either, but the rolling thunder of two college percussion sections and a couple of high school drum lines.

“His mother told me it made her feel good, because he had everything there that he loved,” said Mark Phillips, band director at Virginia State University.

For a year after graduating from Amherst County High School in 2003, Charlton pounded the second bass drum for the Virginia State marching band. Then he grew homesick for Amherst County and transferred to Liberty University, where he also joined the drum line.

Even in just that short time at the Petersburg school, however, Charlton made enough of an impression that a busload of VSU band members traveled to Madison Heights to play at his funeral.

“Everybody liked him,” said Phillips. “We hated to see him go (back to Lynchburg), but we understood.”

“He brought some of what he learned at Virginia State to the Liberty band,” said his mother, Veronica West. “That was kind of interesting.”

According to West, her son began drumming around the age of 4, on any available surface.

“His first instrument was an empty five-gallon drum,” she said, “and sticks he found out in the yard.”

As a precocious eighth-grader, he was already deemed ready for the varsity band at Amherst County High School. And from the time he was a teenager, Charlton provided accompaniment for the choir at Scott Zion Baptist Church in Madison Heights. Later, he instructed the drum lines at Amherst County and William Campbell high schools (also represented at his funeral service).

“You hardly ever saw him without drumsticks in his hand,” said Amherst County senior Kate Shores. “He was a great musician, he was easy to get along with, and he had the ability to write music that was just right for percussion.

“He was a person who knew what he was doing, and that came across.”

Last June, after experiencing persistent pain in his right shoulder, Charlton went to be examined for what he thought might be a rotator cuff injury. It turned out to be a rare form of bone cancer.

“He had no idea,” said Veronica West. “The tumor had grown so large and so fast that it actually broke a bone in his arm, and he was playing the drums like that.”

“The first thing he said when he got his diagnosis was, ‘I don’t have time for this.’ But then his deep faith and his love of family took over, and he was able to deal with it. I never heard him complain.”

According to T.C.’s cousin Monique Charlton his funeral was “massive. Maybe the biggest funeral I’ve ever been to.”

And probably the loudest.

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... ws!archive

[BJWilliams]

That's a great article Sly. I'll send it to Dr Kerr.

[BJWilliams]

Hey guys, could you pray for a couple of our members who did not travel with us to Wake Forest this weekend.

Alison Cole is a Freshman from Endwell, NY. SHe is home at her grandmother's bedside as she is very much at death's door. Pray for comfort for her family.

Also, Adrian Purcell is a freshman from Raeford, NC. He suffered a seizure overnight and had to go to the hospital. He is home resting but do pray for him as well.

[jimflamesfan]

Will be praying for Allyson and Adrian...

[BJWilliams]

Will be praying for Allyson and Adrian...

Thanks jim. Found out Alison's grandmother died on Saturday so pray for the family. She was assured of her salvation so we can rejoice that she is in glory now

[BJWilliams]

Well now it seems that Dr Kerr our director is in need of prayers. He found out Monday that his dad fell, broke 5 ribs and has since contracted pneumonia. Do pray for his speedy recovery

[PAmedic]

yikes.

geriatric issues are tough- sorry to hear about that. Will remember him as well.

[BJWilliams]

This has been a year of adversity for the marching band. Many of our kids are sick, not to mention one of them was hit in the eye while trying to put a fence together and will not be traveling with us this weekend. Also, one of the kids was in an accident over by Campus east right after practice. Not injured but probably a little shaken from it. Do pray for all those as well as traveling mercies as we go down with the football team this weekend