The passing of Leo Chears – The Man In The Red Vest – is indeed a sad time. I worked with Mr. Chears on a number of occasions over the years dating back to the early 1980s, when I ran The Bernard Pub in McRee Town, and on up to the mid-‘90s, when I was down on Laclede’s Landing. He was a solid character, truly dedicated.
Had popular music culture developed differently than it has in the past 25 years, I would have enjoyed working with him more often. Your article tied him in with Spider Burks who, of course, harkens back to the days of Gaslight Square and the Darkside … and the days of real radio voices and personalities.
He was ebullient. There will be a void in the community where Leo Chears so strongly contributed.
John Green
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