"Thank you, Margie and CouncilMembers.  First I will read a short piece of gratitude from Roy, in his own quoted words.  Then a short piece from myself to all of you.  I quote:

'Thank you, Margie and thank you, City of L.A.  I want to thank everyone and all the spirits that helped me meet Harry Babasin so lonag ago and his son and grandchildren.  To the late Jimmy Rowles: "Thank you, Jimmy, for loving to play with Harry and I.  And thanks to all the other musical personnel I loved, thanks for the thrills."

I want to officially thank my whole family, wife Ruth, Daughters Randi and Robin and Son Rex, for the love and communication all through the years, up to my final physical words of completion.  Thank you all, forever, for a thrilling life.

To my Son Rex, and son of Harry, Von:
You both are Artists of character and truth.  Thank you both, for the continuing commitment that no one asked you to take on, that you so loving passionately carry with dignity, towards honoring the Artist's contributions, and recorded performances, preservation, so that they will never be lost to an age or time. I salute you both, and the music, and the wonder of it all.'  End quote.

From Rex:
'A powerful passion of Roy's dealt with the creating of opportunity and environment as fertile soil where creativity, and beauty, could possibly occur and be recorded.  So many of Roy's friends were creative musical magicians of beauty through their individual sounds and emotional expresssion and impact out of necessity.

They were usually playing, at jobs--tv, clubs, movies, etc. which became where they mostly playedc, and added to playing less, for the fun and the thrill.  Most playing happened at the job, or musical functions, as a piece of the celebrating environments.

Roy Harte's and Harry Babasin's contributions created an environment that these musical creators could rely on being there weekly.  Roy and Harry gave their time, and studio time, and blank tape to inspire and record.  Their feelings of responsibility to preserve a fleeting moment in time when a masterful musician came to play for the love and fun, and thrill of music, was very real and passionate.  This focus of Roy's and Harry's became a dream that manifested.

For years, every week, audio masters filled up the shelves of Roy's Drum City Building in Hollywood.  Footprints of these artists were frozen in time on tape.  Many of the artists are not here and haven't been alive for some time now.

Together, Roy's and Harry's giving of time and space in honor of the artists, uncovered vulnerable and unique creative moments in and outside of time to conclude...

Roy's and  Harry's friends melt your heart and senses with an invisible force of celebration and joy for the thrill of the musical movement that these players felt and shared.  Now, the energy comes alive again, and again when touched by a listener.

Roy was the first person I ever met that knew he was going to cross over to the next world, and yes, he was sad about saying goodbye, and he also expressed to me and excitement and enthusiasm about what was coming next in his growth, and next in the growth of impact of his and Harry's love of jazz, and the impact of their choices to take action, to honor their friends, in a way that left hundreds of hours of never released and never heard material.  Roy truly touched the deepest parts of my soul.  Thank you all.'"

Rex Harte