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Bodo  
Jan-30-2024, 19:51 GMT
South Africa


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Long time Paul Simon Graceland band touring member for 25 years Tony Cedras passed away in South Africa.

Such sad news.

All I know is he had a form of lung emphysem, he was in the USA for 6 months in hospital, and came back to South Africa where he died a few days later.

Its many years since I talked to him, but he was so nice. He once invited us to have backstage passes. I have given an accordeon made of glass to him, which he said he will give to his daughter as she collects all kind of accordeons.

Ans
Jan-30-2024, 20:26 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Very sad news. He was a very nice man and a very good musician. Always kind to speak to people on tours with Paul. I spoke briefly with him too a few times.

Scaaty
Jan-31-2024, 00:29 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Sad to hear, another one of PaulSimon's great musical friends passed away!

Matthias  
Feb-01-2024, 16:44 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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The Graceland-Band is almost gone :-(

Lara
Feb-03-2024, 23:28 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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what sad news and he was only 72 years old, not that old

Bodo
Feb-04-2024, 10:46 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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I think it has to do with smoking many many years.
Think its sad that no one from Pauls Social media team (or he himself) does condolence. He might do it privately, but it would be a nice gesture to say something after a band member of 25 years passes away.
It gives me more the impression there was a cold cut after 2012 and he never ever saw him or talked to Paul. Just my impression. A social media team could at least decide to say "Goodbye Tony, long time band member", but nothing is there, they just posting silly guess the song games.

mog
Feb-06-2024, 17:41 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Oh mon Dieu...

I did not know. Me too I have the impression that something happened between PS and him in the 2010.

I loved his album he had made...like 'A Love Letter to Cape Town'.

Yes, a tweet from PS team would not cost a lot. What a shame.

Brenda
Feb-07-2024, 02:43 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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I am surprised that no public mention was made of Tony's passing by Paul, though maybe he reached out privately to the family. He personally wrote some beautiful tributes on his FB page to Ray Phiri and Vincent when they passed. Jamey Haddad wrote a lovely tribute about Tony a week ago. Last tour Tony played with Paul was the 2013 SBOSW tour in Australia and NZ.and Far East. I was happy to see two shows.Tony's last appearance with Paul was in Auckland NZ on 9 April 2013.

mog
Feb-07-2024, 19:58 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Wasn't Cedras involved in an allegation of sexual misconduct at the Montreal Jazz Festival around 1990's? I think he was cleared from it, and that PS had testified for him.

Go figure what happened. It is one of the last biographies that the author explained what had happened between Simon and Ian Hoblyn, a long time assistant of PS. Hoblyn had taken some liberty with the management of Paul's collection of art - if I recall correctly, and with financial management. Simon got knowledge of it, and it was the end of decade-long relationship. Hoblyn had cancer and was hoping to mend with a visit from his old friend. But Simon never came. The bottom line is: Simon is very generous, but do not mess with him.

I think someone from this forum had seen Cedras post 2013, and the latter had passed a comment like: 'yeah, you should convince him to take me back on tour'.

Who knows...

Bodo
Feb-11-2024, 01:34 GMT
Netherlands


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yeah someone contacted Tony and he replied we should start a petition.

I think even if you fire someone from your band because of a mistake, a RIP message would be necessary...after 25 years of touring together.

I do not know why, but Tony Cedras had a great aura and connected with the fans.

When he left the band I thought it was because he said his marriage was at that time of the next tour and you really not going to cancel a marriage because of a gig somewhere. So Paul replaced him for the whole tour and thats it. Not a big thing. But my gut tells me there was more, or wants to make me believe it at least..

Brenda
Feb-12-2024, 00:57 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Harper Simon wrote a touching tribute to Tony on his instagram. I do not follow him but the post was publicso hope it is ok to post here. the link does not seem to work so I have copied it.
harperjsimon -" I hate to have to write another one of these but my friend and musical compadre Tony Cedras has died. Tony, born in Capetown, South Africa, was a great musical talent who played keyboards, accordion and trumpet in my father’s band for over twenty years starting on the first Graceland tour. Although I loved hanging out with all the musicians and crew on those tours, Tony and I quickly became fast friends and he ended up being my best pal in the band. It was my privilege to be a teenage tag along with these mad Africans and follow them all over the globe and we shared many wild times and also concert stages thanks to sheer nepotism that I accepted unapologetically. I remember when my father told me he was taking me out of my freshman, or maybe sophomore year in high school to go on the road with the Graceland tour. He must have realized it was a special moment that I shouldn’t miss."
The first time I performed with the band , or on stage in front of people ever, was in communist Russia in 1988. I was 15. We all took a train in from Helsinki and I remember the Africans being kind of grumpy because they were told they had to ditch their weed. I remember how grim it felt when we arrived and how unsmiling everyone was on the streets and that our hotel rooms had only a bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling and that the food was almost inedible until we figured out we could buy black market caviar and vodka for peanuts around the corner. But the cities were also beautiful and fascinating. I can barely recall the concerts but I remember the crowds were big and I imagine I played Boy in the Bubble and the Boxer because those were numbers easy enough for me to play competently then.

I would end up spending countless hours with this gang of hard drinking, dope-smoking, chain smoking Africans, picking up guitar licks where I could and laughing in tour buses and hotel bars all over Europe, the US, Zimbabwe and South Africa with most of them seeing the world for the first time. I loved them all and was honored to know them and play with them and most of them are gone now. I miss them all but I will miss Tony the most. Farewell, my brother."

Scaaty
Feb-12-2024, 15:01 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Very personal and heartfelt tribute Brenda thanks for sharing!!

mog
Feb-13-2024, 16:51 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Liked the tribute, but I was kind of scratching my head about Harper and Simon's parental role toward him.

Harper spent lots of time with Carrie Fisher, and ended up with struggling with addictions.

And now this tour with Graceland, with pot-smoking, smoke-chaining and drinking buddies among musicians...

Call me old school, but unsure it was the best example...

Bodo
Feb-15-2024, 11:48 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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I know what you mean mog.
I remember Rosie (from Germany) wrote a german biography and although she was not invited to talk to Paul she somehow made it to a rehearsal in around 2002 or 2001, where Adrian was also there, and he also was around the band members including Tony, and the only sentence she grabbed from Paul was to Andrian: Stay away from these guys, they are not safe (or a similar word... book is in german)
So it seems Paul came aware with his older kids that the band was not the best surrounding. Anyway I think Adrian was 8 or 10 years, Harper already 16-17?

Bodo
Feb-15-2024, 11:51 GMT
USA - United Staates America


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Thanks for finding this Brenda.
It is good to read something from Pauls family. And I have the same impression than Harper, Tony was easy go become friend with.

BTW I did not know Harper played with Paul in 1987.

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