So after doing a little research on how to get a replacement birth certificate for Dawn from the AFB hospital, and making an order, I felt good. She was happy that we had put a piece in place. But we didn't stop there. I began to take all those details from the many questions I asked Terri earlier and let my imagination go. I searched all over the map at various places she had mentioned. Her home on "Soi Song Prang Alley", and the school. She mentioned several locations and I began to draw a picture for Dawn as to what it must have been like for her parents as young teens.
I wanted her to know more about his music and where he may have played. I google things like "thai rock cover bands of the 60s and 70s". It occurred to me that some of the bars might still be open that were around in late 1960's where her father might have played. My research led me to discover a boom in the bar scene for all the American GI's stationed in Bangkok, and the desire for music, especially rock n' roll sung in english. I looked for record stores that might sell old records and inquired if they recognized my photos. I discovered that there were only a handful of bands that played western music in english(called Thai Rock cover bands), and since Terri had said he sang his music in english, I knew I was getting somewhere. If nothing else just to give Dawn another piece of the puzzle to help her identify with this lost father figure.
I spent several hours searching and thumbing through hundreds of photos, articles, and more looking for clues. Chasing down one lead after another. Dead end after dead end, so I thought. Each time I found a nugget it would direct me to the next clue.
I tried using the names I had off the picture (to left) and multiple spellings of Aud's name based on how Terri said it. Nothing still, just like all the years before. But then I came across a list of some Thai rock cover bands of the 60's and one in particular just stood out for some reason, called The Better Band, a Beatles tribute band. As you can tell from the picture I assumed Aud was playing some Beatles or Monkey's or something! lol
And when I went to their web page I was startled at first thinking I may have found the boys all grown up! lol But the names didn't match my photo. But NOW I knew I was on to something.
Maybe these guys played with Aud, or knew these other musicians in my photos. Musicians in the same town always know each other. So I sent an email to the band's point person, David Eng. The email went something like:
Hi. My name is Elijah Chester and I live in the US. I'm writing to you because I am looking for a band that used to play in Bangkok in the 1960's and 1970s. They were young teen boys, and one of them is a distant family member and my wife and I would like to connect with her family history in Thailand. I only have two pictures and some first names from the band that these guys played in, and was hoping you might remember these guys, or maybe know one of them and could help my family.
The band members names were: (unfortunately we don't have last names)
Aud - guitar
Hood(Ha) - guitar
Nllie - guitar
Jed - vocals
Der - percussion?
I've attached 2 photos to possibly help you in remembering or recognizing one or more of the band members. Here is my social media links and website to confirm that I am who I say i am. I want to help my wife connect with her heritage and family she never got to meet.
Thank you so much for any help you can provide.
Sincerely,
Elijah & Dawn Chester
That was sent at 8:05pm on Feb 13th and by this time I'm exhausted and just wanted to go out into my painting studio and paint and reflect upon this day, together with the anniversary of my mother's death one year before and the exhaustive search for answers for my wife, I was ready to paint. But hold on....cause "Part 5: Am I Reading this Right??", is where it gets REALLY good!
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