AUGUSTA, Ga. - Albrister Clark, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Neal Clark of Augusta, Georgia died of congestive heart failure and diabetes mellitus at The Washington Hospital Center, in Washington, DC on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 following an extended illness - he was 73. Mr. Clark, a graduate of Lucy Laney High School, won numerous musical honors and performed in the band with great distinction. Following graduation he served honorably in the United States Navy for more than 3 Ú years as a hospital corpsman and x-ray technician. Mr. Clark was a musical genius, expertly skilled with both the clarinet and saxophone. He once served as lead saxophonist with the late and famous Otis Redding Band and later joined the James Brown Band of renown of Augusta GA - in that assignment he performed skillfully to his music - hungry audiences as well as to Mr. Brown's satisfaction and toured the world for several years with the hardest working man in show business. At a very early age, Mr. Clark was baptized at the Macedonia Baptist Church of Augusta, and in October 1977, he relocated to the Washington, DC area. There he transferred his membership to Canaan Baptist Church and for more than 30 years he accompanied the church choir and other groups with his musical talents and also served as the church photographer until his illness on June 14, 2006 and subsequent placement in The Specialty Hospital of Washington Nursing Center until his death. Mr. Clark's survivals are: an aunt, Mrs. Nancy B. Burroughs of Augusta, Georgia and a host of cousins and friends in the Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania areas. Having veteran status, Mr. Clark is interred in The Columbarium Court of The Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial service of triumph will be held in his honor at Canaan Baptist Church, 1607 Monroe Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20010 (Ph: (202) 234-5330) (Fax: (202) 332-7349) (e-mail: [email protected]) at 1:00pm on Sunday afternoon, May 16, 2010. Flowers, cards, telegrams, and other expressions of condolences should be sent direct to Canaan Baptist Church on Sunday, May 16, 2010. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com

Published in The Augusta Chronicle on May 9, 2010