By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Lou Wilson of Mandrill made his transition to the ancestors at the beginning of this year, January 7, 2013.

Lou, an accomplished musician and instrumentalists, wrote most of the lyrics and of course the music that made the Mandrill funk band famous: “Fence Walk,” “Mango Meat,” “Hang Loose,” “Land of the Golden Baboon,” “House of Wood,” “Git It All (Shake Some Boody),” “Polk Street Carnival.”  They were standards in almost all of their performances.

And for me, he was above standard throughout his life.

I will not pretend to have taken Lou’s sudden departure from my life lightly or graciously or gracefully, because I didn’t.  And at this writing on the eve of the anniversary of his 72nd birthday, the first really since his passing, a flood of memories come racing to the front of my mind, each one vying to be attended to first.

Truth be told, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him and the life we had together, and the life we planned together – and the fact that none of that’s ever going to happen.  At least, not here.

His sudden passing has left a hole in my heart, and in our family: we each are coping in our own ways.

We approach his 72nd Birthday, tomorrow, Friday, October 25 —  knowing that this will be the first year we won’t have him here to give him love,  load him up with his favorite Doozy Cartoon birthday cards.

But there’s also the knowledge that his spirit is still with us in his music, and his energy generated through our children and grandchildren.

Check out his music and his genius by logging on to www.mandrillis.com.