I received this email this morning from Fred Atkins daughter, Julie Atkins:

Dear Bill,

Just to let you know that my Dad, Fred Atkin died suddenly on Friday evening. He had serious medical conditions but was smiling to the very end.
He always enjoyed your emails and I have seen a lot of them.
Many thanks,
Julie Atkin
I believe you can send condolences to Fred's family at his email address for a limited amount of time. mail to: fredatkin@tiscali.co.uk
Fred was one of the greatest arrangers of big band music and player of big band music on his Technics KN6500. He has been playing for over 60 years. I know you will all miss Fred. I have been forwarding his music out to my musicians email list now for over 10 years. He also played great classical music.
I bet Fred has a lot of those Angels singing the choruses of his tunes now RIP Fred. We shall miss you for a long time to come. You were a good man and a joy to all of us.
Bebop Bill Forrest

I join BEBOP in remembering the many years of pleasure that Fred shared with us all in the music community. In the past, I had several opportunities to correspond with Fred directly and he was always a delighful friend, colleague and a most skilled and joyous musician who never failed to share his talent with us.

He will be missed and I extend my deepest sympathy to his family and friends everywhere.

Ted Rose
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

HI ALL,
I will try to find the time today or tomorrow to pick out one of my favorite arrangements recorded by Fred on his Technics Keyboard and put it up on boxnet where you can go and either just listen to it or download and save it. I have saved all the songs that Fred ever sent me to share with our musicians email list.
I will let everyone know when it is up and the url address,
Best to all,
Bebop

Our prayers are with his family...
t.

HI ALL,
This is the last song that Fred Atkin arranged and recorded. It was a Harry James song name of Crazy Rhythm. He did a lot of Harry James for me as he and I had both been trumpet players in big bands in another life.
I put it up on boxnet. You can stream it or download it. Here is the URL: http://www.box.net/shared/gfn0ay21v5

I have all the arrangements that Fred did over the years so if you didn't get them through my musician mailing list, I can email you any you might want, if he did it. They are all big band styles although he did several classical pieces too that are amazing to me to have been done on his Technics KN6500 keyboard.
Enjoy the music. Fred's arrangements will live on forever.
Bebop Bill

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 03-02-2010).]

Thanks Bill (BEBOP) for sharing this great Fred Atkins arrangement of that Harry James song. Fred was always such a consummate master of the keyboard and he was always willing to share his talent with all of us. He will most certainly be sorely missed by us all here on planet Earth. But what great talent must now be entertaining all the angels in Heaven!!!

Once again, my deepest sympathy and affection goes out to all Fred's family and friends everywhere.

Ted Rose

[This message has been edited by Ted Rose (edited 03-02-2010).]

Thanks, Bebop for sharing Fred's song. I must say that I am not familiar with his work. He must have been on the forum before I joined. He certainly was a talented fellow and had a great understanding for big band arrangements.

Mark

Not only am I enjoying Fred’s recording, but I have also downloaded the recording so that I may learn. Fred will be missed I admired his work.

Bebop, if you have more of his recordings please I would appreciate getting them.

John C.

Dear Bill,

I have received some wonderful emails since you have informed your group of friends that Dad died. The only problem is that I am unable to reply to all of them and wondered if you would be kind enough to send my thanks to everyone.

It was Dad's funeral today and my older son Alexander played a Bach piece on his cello in the church which was lovely.

Again many thanks,

Julie c/o fredatkin@tiscali.co.uk