Remembering Lou Camp

by Peter Burwasser

in memoriam

It is with great sadness that we at City Paper report the loss of one of our own, music critic Lou Camp. Lou died Sat., April 3, of complications following the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Lou was born 70 years ago in Cincinnati, a city he always spoke fondly of, but he lived most of his professional life in Philadelphia, teaching English and world literature, first at Temple and soon after at Bucks County Community College, where he remained for 28 years. He was himself a poet, though a painfully modest one, the editor The Painted Bride Quarterly for many years and an ardent devotee of the poet Robert Bly, whom he brought to Philadelphia as a guest of his English program at Bucks, as well as Allen Ginsberg, Adrienne Rich and Joseph Brodsky. Lou was also proud of his heritage as a true, original beatnik.

Lou's love for poetry and literature were rivaled only by his deep devotion to music of all kinds. I first met Lou at WXPN in the late 1970s, when the station featured a far more eclectic and invigorating format than it does these days. We both announced the classical music programming, often vying to outdo each other with great vintage recordings, although I was no match for his marvelously velvety baritone, a voice made for radio. I was not at all surprised when Lou, who was always at the ready with a fine histrionic gesture, turned to acting later in life.

He was also a natural music critic, with his unusually incisive analysis coupled with a keen radar for intelligent and genuinely expressive music-making. I was delighted when, after much urging, he agreed several years ago to begin contributing music reviews to City Paper. He also wrote for Penn Sounds, Philadelphia Music Makers and The American Record Guide.

More than anything, Lou was a kind, sweet-natured fellow, commodities far too rare in these times, and a raconteur of the first order. A concert date with Lou also usually included a most convivial nightcap at Frank's or some other favorite haunt. He retained a youthful zeal for life's adventures up to the end and was, despite his very high artistic standards, one of the most unjaded people I've known. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and acquaintances in the arts and letters.

A memorial will be held at the Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine St., at noon on Sun., April 25. Donations in his memory can be made to the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, or to the Louis Camp Memorial Chair in Honor of New American Poetry, c/o the Bucks County Community College Foundation.

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