[Alan Bates]

As soon as a professional musician heard Helen Prater play three bars he knew her. He recognized that she was "solid" in musical argot, meaning she could read, fake or transpose as needed and was utterly unshakable.

When a local radio station abandoned live music a band I was in inherited its library. There were hundreds of old tunes there in sheet-music, stock and many other forms. The library dated from the mid-1920's to the late 1930's. There were some jewels in there with titles like, "Grammy, You're My Mammy's Mammy," and "Will You still Love Me When My Flivver Has a Flat?" among others.

I used to take one per year to the S&D Meetings, where Helen and and I would laugh about the ludicrous lyrics and the archaic chord progressions. I would spring them on her as requests. Our favorite was a forgettable one titled, "When Rose Blows Her Nose On Her Clothes Her Hose Shows." The song was as innocent in content as a kindergartner's Wag and Puff stories.
It was used in a vaudeville skit.

If what I wrote as a tribute to Helen offended anyone I am deeply sorry.