Don Banks died on October 13. If that name isn't familiar to you, ask someone in Tampa who plays an instrument, and odds are, his name is familiar to them.
"His goodness just flowed throughout the community and that's an honest statement," said one of Banks' friends, Shirley Looper. "You can always touch like 30 people and not know how many other people those 30 people touch from what you've said or done with them."
Banks' son, Mitchel, is running his father's store on Henderson Blvd. in South Tampa. In 1968, Don opened his first music store. Over the next nearly five decades, he touched a lot of young musicians with the gift of notes and instruments.
"It's kind of like having your musical parent die and it's just different," said Ralph Metcalf, who bought guitars from Banks. "You just didn't think it was going to happen. Certain things you take for granted."
Mitchel has been answering phone calls since last Tuesday. Most have been warm voices on the other side with well-wishes for the family.
"It's still sad. I mean, I lost my father," he said. "I'm getting phone calls from people. People are coming in that I haven't seen in a while and keeping it fresh. It's a fresh wound."
The Don Banks Music Facebook page has been flooded with condolences. Many of the messages left on the page recall stories of how Don helped them get their first instrument or a lesson he taught over the years.
The family will hold a memorial services for Don on Saturday, October 24 at 2 p.m. at the New Beginnings Christian Church located at 4100 S Manhattan Avenue in Tampa. The family has asked that anyone who would like to send flowers to, instead, donate to a local music school program of their choice.
