Lesley Fowkes my friend..

I am so heartbroken to hear this news today. She popped in my head early this morning and I had concerns in my heart that she was going fast. We all need a song to take the blues away. A song to get us through the day!
Lesley was one of the most beautiful people with the biggest heart and was never short on encouragement. She was a true friend to all of us and she will be missed greatly.
Here to you Lesley!
My condolences to her lovely husband Martin who she always spoke so highly of and to her children and the rest of the family.
 
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And here is an absolutely beautiful song that Lesley wrote while she was going through old photo's. Its message is so appropriate.

So many loved ones called away, treasured friends called away........everyday count blessings on the way.

She had a gift for sure!

 
Very to sad to read about the loss of one of our own. Condolences to her family and friends.
 
I was so sad to hear about Lesley this morning. She was always so friendly and encouraging when I was just beginning my uke journey. I'll miss her.
 
So sorry to hear of Lesley's passing. She was a bright spot in the seasons and always so supportive of everyone, especially the newer folks.

I know Lesley really enjoyed George Formby. Here are a couple songs I did for a recent Season of the Ukulele. So glad she introduced me to his songs.

Chinese Laundry Blues: https://youtu.be/amGaiUjUhgI

And When I'm Washing Windows: https://youtu.be/00ONe24WoZQ
 
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I wrote an original song back in the summer of 2017, reflecting upon an incident I endured that was, shall we say, an unpleasant one. When Lesley saw the video of this song on my YouTube channel, she wrote to me of how it had resonated with her. At the time when she told me this, I believe she was going through testing to learn if she had ALS, tho she hadn’t told me that, specifically. She only mentioned that she was going through something that was very difficult and it was something she “didn’t see coming.”

Here is my song, ‘Didn’t See It Coming’ — this is a recording from 2018 when I did a ‘remix’ the song. (Earlier today, with heavy emotions hard to hold back, I tried to play it as best I could for the Seasonista Saturday Zoom gathering.)

Love to you, always, dearest Lesley...

 
Ohhh... What a sad New! She Will be always with her music and her beautiful smile with us.

A Hug!

Sara
 
I was having dinner with friends, but as I am hosting Season 454 at the moment, I thought I better check in on the Seasonistas Forum. Then I saw the Lesley Fowkes thread and feared the worst. When I read of her passing I just broke down in tears at the dinner table. She was the first person to "friend" me on UU and was a constant source of encouragement in my songwriting.

When she shared her diagnosis with us all, I wrote this song for her in which the first letter of every line spells out her name and her avatar name. I just played it back now that I am home and wept all over again. How is it such a wonderful soul could get such an awful disease while monsters roam amongst us into their 90s? :(

 
Lesley was such a sweet and wonderful person and a great ukulele enthusiast too! She will be missed!
 
I was terribly sad to hear the news. Lesley was indeed a lovely lady & will be dearly missed.
It's been a pleasure to know you, enjoy your many great videos and hang out with you at GNUF Lesley xx
 
I somehow missed this thread but I learned on FB that she had passed a day or two after it happened. It's nice of many of you to post tribute videos. I was corresponding with Lesley on FB for a few years before I met her at the George Formby Society Convention in Blackpool in 2017. I arrived in London on the same morning of a bombing in the Tube that caused me delays to get to Blackpool. It was a hellish start. She really helped me out at the Convention in Blackpool by introducing me to al the key players so I could ask questions, etc...

She was so nice to me during that weekend. I didn't understand how the whole convention thing worked and she explained it all... the thrashes, what keys to play in, etc...

While Lesley and I were chatting in the back room, a talented Formby teenage player suddenly interrupted us and he tried to flip his uke with great difficulty. We then realized he had seen my video about showboating and flipping the uke. He couldn't get it right, so I gave him a lesson on how to do it. Lesley thought that was hilarious. It was a very funny moment we shared together. They guy later messaged me on FB when I returned to Canada that he had finally learned how to do it.

When I returned to Canada, we continued to communicate via FB and when she got diagnosed, I was frigging mad. She was ever the optimist, but she didn't like it either. I told her many times over the last two years that it made me mad. Such a lovely person who helped so many and wrote great songs and now she's gone, but not forgotten.

RIP Lesley.

Peter
 
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