On this messy journey called life, if we are fortunate, there comes a person who changes our lives forever for the better. I remember, as if it were yesterday, in the Spring of 1977 (48 years ago), walking into the office of the Chairman of the Music Department of Lee College in Cleveland, Tennessee. My voice professor, Roosevelt Miller, had told me he had taken me as far as he could vocally and recommended I continue with Dr. Jim Burns—he was a bass-baritone like me.
I was shaking with nerves. This Appalachian redneck with a shrill, nasal accent straight from the southern backwoods had never met someone with an earned Doctorate. But the moment Dr. Burns strolled in to invite me into his studio, he put me at ease. He epitomized the phrase tall, dark, and handsome; gray peppered his full head of beautiful hair. His voice was soft, measured, and resonant. To this gangly and awkward nineteen-year-old, he was like a Greek god.
He changed my voice and my life forever. Without his gentle and expert coaching, I would never have experienced the success as a musician that was to come. He taught me how to use my sinus cavity to “ring with resonance” and lift my soft palate to ensure a rich, smooth tone and breathe with my diaphragm rather than my chest. With words that I did not think a man could say to another man, he assured me that I would go far with my good looks, potential poise, and voice. He was so confident that I believed him.
Because of his tutelage and mentorship, I achieved a rare spot in the coveted college Honors Recital and won many solo competitions. I later reached the finals of the National Association of Vocal Teachers, competing against vocal music powerhouse universities like LSU and Florida State. Our college only had 1200 students.
He and his gorgeous and equally classy and talented wife Doris remained cherished friends to this present moment. They are the two most sensual, beautiful, and kind people I have ever known. In Doris’ words in her message to Gina and me a few minutes ago informing us of Dr. Burns’s (I never managed the wherewithal to call him Jim) unexpected and sudden death, “For 61 years it was never me (or him) but US.”
Over the years, they performed for my choir parties and my churches. They created delightful performances combining vocal music, drama, and education. For years, he directed the Lee Singers, an iconic and award-winning elite choral group from the college. Unfortunately, I was married and working at a church, so I could never be in the touring group under his direction.
When I had the rare chance to make a professional recording with a full orchestra, I asked him for permission to record a beautiful song he had written, “Our Father,” and he graciously assented.
When they retired to Lake Wimauma, Florida, a few years ago, he and Doris drove up to St. Petersburg. They met Gina and me at Mazzaro’s Italian Market for a delightful lunch with Italian wine. This meal was incredibly precious for a couple of reasons. Over the years, we have shared a love for wine, even though our careers in Evangelical institutions did not approve. And second, because it was the first time they had met Gina. Unlike so many of my “Christian” friends, they treated her like royalty and made her feel like a member of their family.
Inexplicably, Doris subscribed to my website community a year or two ago, even though I warned her it could sometimes be uncensored, irreverent, and explicit. In her characteristic way, she said, “Oh Randy, I know you, I’ve followed you all these years. I’m a big girl, and I will skip anything that makes me uncomfortable.”
Last year, Doris messaged us and asked if we could meet in Barcelona during their month-long European trip. They visited several countries and enjoyed a Mediterranean cruise. They love Spain and have enthusiastically followed and communicated with us during our move here.
They asked for my recommendation for lunch, and I managed to secure the much sought-after window seat at Oleum Restaurant in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. They could not get over the view, the special treatment we received from the staff, and the Spanish food and wines. We strolled through the beautiful art museum, and it was so special to hear Dr. Burns comment on historic artworks that spoke deeply to him. And to listen to him wax eloquent about the correlation between art, architecture, and music. At times, Doris and I would stroll arm-in-arm, and I felt like their adopted son. They have a unique gift of making people feel so loved.
They are consummate questioners who, during the meal, wanted to know about our lives here in Barcelona. They relished our answers, and it was tough to get in a question about their lives in retirement and their travels. They had two friends traveling with them, and it was priceless to hear Dr. Burns brag to them about my voice and career and tell them how meaningful it was to him that I had recorded his song and about sharing so many wonderful moments over the years.
As we walked out and reluctantly readied to part ways, Dr. Burns put his arm around me, looked me deep in the eyes, and said in his inimitable voice that I will treasure until my last day, “Randy, who would have thought life would bring us to this magnificent place after all these years. We are so fortunate. It has been such a treat to share this time together, and I suspect today may go down as the most meaningful day of our trip.”
I lost a hero a few hours ago, yet I know it was not just me but thousands of others he influenced over the years. My heart breaks for Doris and their family today as they navigate this difficult journey. Our lives would never have been the same if Jim Burns had not been faithful to his journey and his dreams and shared his love with so many.
Photo at top: I took this photo of Jim and Doris in front of Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, in April 2024 on their visit with us.
Photo below: Our table with a fantastic view of Barcelona at The Oleum Restaurant, April 2024.
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