Ernie Kara at a 2018 Music in the Park concert with his sidekick (Music in the Park Facebook photo)
These are just a few of the many tributes paid to Music in the Park favorite Ernie Kara, who died on Sunday, Dec. 20:
● Music in the Park: Ernest Kara passed away this week. Ernie was an integral member of Music in the Park and Milford’s music community for many years. He performed and volunteered his technical expertise and musical talent in so many ways it’s difficult to think of any music event in Milford that Ernie wasn’t part of at some point in time. The photo is Ernie at a 2018 Music in the Park concert with his sidekick. Ernie brought him to Ann Street Park to meet everyone. He’d often stop by the park the day of a concert to remind folks to come see him perform afterwards at Milford’s Dairy Bar. Ernie performed solo and was always refining his gear to make it ultra-efficient to transport, unpack, set-up, perform, and re-pack. If you ever had a chance to have Ernie show you the portable rig created to do this, you were thoroughly impressed. Ernie loved to entertain and he loved to listen to other musicians perform. He was an icon of the Milford music scene and his physical absence will be painfully obvious when folks begin to gather again to hear live music.
● Lynne Coran-Bookey: Very sad to share that my dear friend Ernie Kara passed away yesterday. Surrounded by love and friendship, peacefully at home. Unfair and too soon. My brother-from-another, Ernie was one of the first friends I made when we moved up here in 2003. Our friends become family, for sure. I’ve been fortunate to have three big-brothers in Martyn, Ernie and Jerry. Ernie’s Memory will be Eternal to all of us around the globe that will forever miss his truly uniquely bright spirit. I’m not alone in this sadness. Thank you all for your kind words
● Ken Fox music: For years I played various gigs around town in Milford, Pa. Ernie did sound for quite a few of them. Always humble and seemingly just as unfazed. He just seemed very level. I always liked to stand by for Ernie’s sets when he played. One day last summer, coming out of my apartment in kind of a hurry. But as I rounded the corner by the Jive Bar and I heard this person playing and tearing up these solos and really good ones to boot! I stopped, turned around and listened until he took a break a song or two later. I made eye contact and gave the thumbs up (you are doing your job brother) musician type of communication.
I later told this story to Matthew Gerard King, he simply replied that’s what Ernie does.
R.I.P Ernie