Del was very nice to me one day when I was feeling down.  He took me to the ranch and I rode a horse and he played his recordings. It was a very positive day.  God bless you  r.i.p.

I never knew him personally but I loved hearing him play in the Van Dykes back in 1965 at the Milford Mill Swim Club in Pikesville. I was a 15 year old kid who idolized that band and would stand in front of them and wonder how they could be so damn  good. Del had the most class with those sax solos. Later, when my friends and I formed a band, our sax player, Brian Friedman, would always reference Del when it came to playing a part. How would Del do it, he always said. Sadly, Brian also just passed away a couple of months ago. Those days are sadly gone but the memories remain. Seeing the Van Dykes, The Admirals, Tommy Vann and The Echoes and all the other great bands of the mid 60's will always be in my memory. Jeffrey G. Bank

I’m glad I stopped by to see Del about a year and a half ago. We talked about my father Donnie Purdy. Del was always upbeat and a wealth of knowledge. And fantastic stories for days. He will be missed dearly.

Del will be missed. I treasure his memory.

My heart goes out to Harriet, her daughters, and their children.

I can’t believe I didn’t know this. My parents loved  you I’m sorry family I had no idea. RIP Big Daddy! 

Kelly Jacobs 

Second Part of Daryl's essay on Del;  Jim EARL

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Growing up and playing on an equal level in those eras with those greats was Delbert "Del" Puschert who went on to play with Elvis Presley, The Coasters, Jackie Wilson, Charlie Daniels, George Strait, The Van Dykes, and many others.  But I am honored to say he played with The Daryl Davis Band on countless gigs for close to 35 years until he retired a few years ago.  He was a great friend, extraordinary musician who introduced me to many other great musicians with whom he had worked and who revered him.

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  Del Puschert was one of a kind and he was the last of great original honkers.  Unlike young horn players today who try to imitate those honkers of a bygone era to get that retro sound, and some do a very good job, Del didn't imitate anyone.  He was there when that sound first came on the scene and he helped create it.  
 
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   I am saddened by the departure of my friend, but I am happy that he had a full life at 89 years of age and made thousands of people happy with his playing and his sense of humor.  I am happy that he is now with his contemporaries and his idols who left before him.  He is making music once again with his friends on the other side and the horn section of honkers that was missing one player, is now complete.  Thank you for your decades of friendship Del Puschert and for all the years of making my band sound great with that original, authentic sound that I love so much. Sent from my iPhone

This is the first part of an essay on Dell written by Daryl Davis and sent to me by my son David Earl.  Because the  essay is larger than the maximum allowed, I have split it into two parts, and will upload the second part as a separate comment.  Please excuse the dotted lines that indicate paragraph breaks
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Hey Folks                                                                                                                                Back in 1983 a lady I had just started dating who I had met at a gig, told me about a guy who was her school bus driver when she was a little kid.  She also said he was a musician.  So?  She then said he opened his own barbershop and beauty salon.  So?  Then she said he used to play saxophone for Elvis Presley.  WHAT????
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The last of the great honkers has gone to blow his horn alongside Gabriel and his horn.  In the late 1940s and early 1950s genres of Jump Blues and Rock'n'Roll there was a particular style of playing the tenor sax that make it burp, squeak, squawk, and honk.  No it wasn't someone just learning how to play the horn and trying to get their embouchure correctly placed.  We are NOT talking Kenny G and elevator music here.  We are talking real deal, raw emotional playing to the extreme.  This intentional raw, unadulterated sound was actually an art form perfected by such greats Louis Jordan, Lee Allen, Sam The Man Taylor, Big Jay McNeely, Sam Butera, Clifford Scott, King Curtis, Boots Randolph, and a host of others who skyrocketed their own careers as well as those of Louis Prima, Little Richard, Big Joe Turner and many others to fame.


RIP Del. You are loved and missed by everyone you ever knew. Your smile lit up each room you walked in, and you always had a kind word to say.
We have been blessed to have had you in our lives.
Mary Burgess

Rest in power Del. You were one-of-a-kind and your energy and love of life (and making people laugh) will be missed in this world. 

From the family of the late Bob Dolle:

Del was a great musician and fabulous friend to Bob.  They enjoyed each other’s company both on and off the bandstand.

Del’s smile and enthusiasm would light up the room.  He was truly a  Musician’s Musician that used the tenor sax as an extension of his own body, being and personality.  He was one with that horn!!

Our faith would tell us that he is truly at peace from his earthly time, but now sharing all of his gifts with those departed from here.  We’re also at peace knowing in our hearts that he and Bob have already played a Jam or two together as they did for the last 20-25 years as Winter Texans!

Sincerely,
Virginia, Gary and Sherri


Dear family, I have prayed that God send you comfort at this very sad time. I pray God wraps his arms around your entire family and helps to ease some of your pain and suffering. Praying for God's continued blessings upon you. Marsha and Bill (Friends from Annapolis Moose)

May you  rest in peace  my friend. I will sure miss our phone  calls. I will always remember  the good times we had at the jams and in our garage in TX. We will also keep Harriet  in our prayers  as well.

I spoke with Del several months ago.  He was looking good.  I have been going to Del’s Barber Shop for about 40 years.  Del was a real local legend and always a gentleman.  He cut my hair once and asked me who had been cutting my hair.  I told him.  He then whispered in my ear “I’ll fix it”.   Del’s smiling face  will be greatly missed.

Always had coffee with Del , in his park in Texas, he always bought cause he like my intertainment, we talk alot and became good friends, Del was a friend and intertainer , like no other, i will miss him dearly   Joe Hick

I was fortunate to meet Dell when he played a gig with the Van Dykes at the Maiden Choice teen center in Baltimore around 1958.  I was a 15 year old beginner sax player and Dell convinced Roland Brown, the Van Dykes' drummer and leader, to let me sit in . I nervously played to tune "Walkin With Mr. Lee" and from then on whenever I crossed paths with Dell he called me "Mr. Lee".  Dell was a 'one of a kind' dear and special person.

Gary Loomis

We cherish the years that Del and his band played at AYC every Wednesday night after the races. The also played at my sister's and my wedding receptions and kept everyone dancing and smiling the entire time.  We loved Del, his music, and especially his genuine, lively, intelligent, and fun loving personality. Rest in peace Del.

It was always a pleasure seeing Del enjoying and supporting the bands at the Annapolis Moose Lodge. Always had a big smile for all. Rock on Brother Del. 
Sully 
President 
Annapolis Moose Lodge 

My sincere condolences go out to every member of Del's large family.   When Del walked into the room, everyone in that room immediately felt that the world was okay---actually, a lot more than okay!  He never tried to dominate the room as all of you know.   He was always so kind, full of fun, congenial, enthusiastic---he just made things better.  We need a lot more people like Del!

Walter (Bucky) Murphy

Keep smiling Del… we’ll miss you. The Earl’s

It was an honor to perform with him several times when I was kid and still wet behind the ears. It was a pleasure and a learning experience watching him work. He was an exceptional talent and always so humble, full of humility and so approachable. Which meant a lot to me being so young and just getting started. I ran into him at an event several years ago when I was up there for a visit and to my delight he actually remembered me. I was so thankful for the opportunity to visit with him for a while and to thank him for influence he had on my own career. 
You were the best Big Daddy!


I have such fond memories of Del and his wonderful saxophone playing. He was a genius...and not only that, he possessed  a beautiful soul, always supportive  and appreciative of all musicians he encountered. He will be greatly missed...rest in peace, Del. May the angels lead you into Paradise.

Nancy & Nelson

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Delbert Eugene Puschert

6 septembre 1932 – 28 juillet 2022

John M. Taylor Funeral Home

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