Matthew Skoller Duo

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Matthew Skollar is one of Chicago’s most respected harp blowers and blues bandleaders. For the past 20 years, he has played in all of Chicago’s heaviest showcase venues and toured much of the world with his super tight ensembles. Deeply rooted in the tradition of the Chicago blues elders with whom he worked and studied, Skoller has developed a unique style that conjures the past while being firmly planted in the present. His blues wardrobe clothes a range of original songs whose subject matter comments on many of the issues and realities of life during this age of technology, information, and upheaval. Skoller is known for his fiery and engaging performances, combines passionate harp playing and singing with original songwriting and prodigious production skills.

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Her battle with cancer began in 2012. From the start she handled it courageously and attacked it head on, just as she did any other problem. She was always positive and always made light of the situation with jokes and humor. We had the kind of relationship where we joked about death, because deep down we knew that we loved each other and cared for one another, but if we took ourselves too seriously we would drive each other crazy. We would often riff with each other where she would quip “You’re just concerned because you will have to buy a new suit if something happens to me.” That was Christy, always taking a heavy situation and making you feel more comfortable by staying positive.

While I may have technically been her boss, she was really my partner. She is one of the first people in my life that I truly gave the keys to the castle to. I trusted her with everything from signing privileges on the checking accounts to credit cards to watching my kids when needed. She understood me and was always there for me. She was old school in the sense that she just put her head down and accomplished the mission, no matter what it was.

In fighting through breast cancer the first time, Christy made it seem like a breeze. In my head, I had no doubt she would overcome this. But the cancer had other ideas. When it became evident how serious it was, we had an amazing discussion. Knowing that her time was limited about a month ago, I asked her, “How would you like us to be with each other?” Her response was telling. She said, “Just buy the suit Dave, it is no big deal, you can afford it.” She then proceeded to say that we should be the same as we always were. We should laugh, joke, work each other’s nerves and continue our friendship the way that it always has been. The one change I am happy we made is that we told each other that we loved each other at the end of almost every conversation we had the last month.

Christy never married and never had children of her own, but I feel at times that she was a wife, a mom, a sister an aunt to each and every one of us. When it was St. Patty’s day time, she would always bake the band soda bread. When it was Easter, she would bring Peeps for everyone, on Christmas she would bake apple pies and bring our kids bags of Reindeer Food to sprinkle on our lawns. She made us all feel like slackers because we had barely started our Christmas shopping for our kids and she was already done with hers.

Christy always gave the most thoughtful gifts. It was never about money, size or stature. It was always about truly knowing what would pull at the heart strings of that individual. Christy knew I grew up in Northbrook and I introduced her to Matzo Ball Soup one night when we had reason to be in Skokie before a big video shoot. I told her that there were really two things I missed about not living on the North Shore, Fuji Yama Sushi and Matzo Ball Soup. You just can’t get it in Naperville. I chalked this conversation up to more mindless banter that we always had. Christy filed it for later use. On my birthday, she asked if she could come into the office a little later. I told her that was fine. She winds up driving 2 hours round trip to Skokie to get me Matzo Ball Soup for my birthday lunch that day. It was not the most expensive gift, nor was it the biggest, but it was the most thoughtful thing that anyone has ever done for me as she knew how much it would make me smile.

In her last weeks, when I got the news from Mom Lynch that the cancer had run its course and time was limited we rallied a ton of people to create some amazing moments. We put together an amazing video with all of her friends and our musicians giving a shout out. Then we tapped into local and national celebrities that took time out of their day to give Christy a positive message. The outpouring was amazing. When she arrived at hospice on Tuesday night, Mom, Robby Celestin, my wife Denise and I were there to meet her. The Chicago Blackhawks sent a hockey stick signed by Toews and Kane for her that I needed to deliver. Tyson Ellert was working around the clock to finish compiling the videos we had so that we could show her this that night. It clocked in at about 20 minutes in length and featured people like Jamie Foxx, Gary Sinise, Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks players and more. As I sat with Christy, she watched with a smile and never a tear. I was interested to see her reaction as to which videos would excite her most. Her reactions were telling. Christy took in the entire video and definitely appreciated it all, but it wasn’t the biggest stars and most A-List people that impressed her most. In our friends and musicians section, she grabbed my hand on two occasions when she saw well wishes from 2 people that I had personally had falling outs with. It was then that she realized that her life helped some people that were once close transcend personal grudges to come together to express their love for her. For that I am eternally grateful. The other was Harold Baines from the White Sox. Knowing I was going to put together this video, I casually asked her who her favorite White Sox players were. She said Harold Baines. My friend Chris Rongey from the White Sox Pre-Game Show was instrumental in making this happen. When Harold came on the screen to wish her well, she grabbed my arm. When the video concluded, I asked her why. She said, “When I was little, my Dad used to take me to White Sox games. Harold used to hit home runs and I got to see fireworks with my Dad.” Again, it wasn’t about celebrity or status with Christy. Harold Baines equaled time with Dad (who she lost about 4 years ago) and missed dearly.

Her last day on Earth was Wednesday, and boy was it a great one. I arrived at the Hospice Center about 11:30 AM. Her Mom, brother Dennis and sister in law Amanda was there along with a musician friend Taylor Garrison. I brought you your favorite Ellie’s Deli Chicken Salad Sandwich that we always ate together when we worked from my house. About noon, she got a surprise visitor. Chicago Bear Legend, Pro Football Hall of Famer and ’85 Super Champion Dan Hampton popped in to say hello. We had the privilege of booking Dan’s band the Chicago 6 on three occasions last fall where Christy got to “bodyguard” for Dan, Otis Wilson and Steve McMichael. She handled all aspects of these shows and took good care of them on behalf of our company. I reached out to Dan personally to tell him of Christy’s situation and ask that he record a short 10 second video. His response was so telling of Christy’s impact. He told me he wanted to see her and could I arrange it. So on her last day of life, in walks Dan Hampton (all 6′ 5″ of him) and sits next to her and visits for 30 minutes to let her know what an impact she made on him and all of the guys in the band. About 15 minutes in, he pulled out his Super Bowl Ring and said that he wanted her to wear it for a few minutes. Her eyes lit up. She was on cloud 9.