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Construction expected to begin next week at W-B Township Commons

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43 new COVID-19 cases in Luzerne County; 3 more have died

PLAINS TWP. &mdash; Local legendary trumpet player Bobby Baird was 18 when he took the stage with the U.S. Navy Band&rsquo;s Sextet at President Harry S. Truman&rsquo;s Inaugural Ball in 1949, and it&rsquo;s an experience he still recalls vividly.
				Baird turned 90 on Sunday, April 26, an occasion that was celebrated with a parade of cars filled with adoring family and friends passing his home in Shavertown.
				And the spirited Baird delighted the crowd with his trumpet.
				Baird&rsquo;s daughter Wendy said her father was really looking forward to celebrating this milestone birthday, but COVID-19 got in the way and self-isolation and social distancing went into effect.
				Wendy said she talked with her dad and he told her many stories of his illustrious career.
				&ldquo;My dad was still playing this year on active gigs until March when social distancing came into effect.&rdquo;
				Bobby wrote me a letter. He said his dad told him at an early age to &ldquo;set a goal and hit it, and then another and hit it, and another and another.&rdquo;
				Like every note on the trumpet, Bobby has always hit those goals &mdash; always the high notes.
				Bobby wrote that he has been performing for 85 years &mdash; think about that for a minute. He said he played his first solo at age 5 for his grandfather, Arch Baird.
				Bobby was a three-time Pennsylvania State Champion Trumpeter and earned a full music scholarship to Syracuse University. But he only attended for one year, and decided to travel to Washington D.C. where he auditioned for the United States Navy Band, and was accepted &mdash; becoming the youngest member of the band and named the trumpet soloist.
				His path crossed with the likes of Ed Sullivan, Esther Williams, Al Hirt, Harry James, Rosemary Clooney, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, Julius Larosa, and many more, including several U.S. presidents.
				Bobby also played with immortals like drummer Gene Krupa bandleader Skitch Henderson and trumpet great Doc Severinsen of the Tonight Show.
				Bobby said he still plays at church and for veterans gatherings and services.
				&ldquo;I still pick up the horn almost daily to keep the lip in shape,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Church, family, friends, fishing, and the trumpet have been my life and I can&rsquo;t ask for any more than that.&rdquo;
				Bobby said his final goal is to be in the Guinness World Records as the oldest trumpet player still playing religious, patriotic and jazz music. He has my vote for sure.
				&ldquo;When a president is inaugurated, I think about playing at President Truman&rsquo;s Inaugural Ball,&rdquo; he said.
				&ldquo;And I think about my dad, Bob Sr., who was a true patriot. He would be very proud.&rdquo;
				As Bobby said, he loves to go fishing. He has sent me pictures of him catching walleye in Canada. Like many fishermen, Bobby knows that walleye make for the best-tasting fish dinners.
				We are fortunate to have had Bobby Baird in our lives. He has delighted us here at home and millions others across the country and abroad.
				I&rsquo;m glad he got to celebrate his 90th birthday with a pandemic-induced drive-by parade. It showed Bobby that he is loved by all.
				And Bobby showed that he can still play the trumpet.
				Yes, Bobby, your dad would be very proud of the life you have lived.
				As we all are.

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Coping with Corona: Legendary trumpeter Baird marks 90th