PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
made an effort to participate with other nonprofit fundraising
projects and to show up where needed because of Bestor’s
community-minded leadership.
“Don is a really great piano player,” Berardi said. “At the
jazz society, we have a range of performers from about average
to really good musicians and he would be at the top end
of that spectrum. When he is on stage he is so vivacious and
makes it fun to be up there with him. He makes sure everyone
gets to play when we do our sit-in sessions no matter the
level they perform.”
Berardi said Bestor is there for every musician at every age
group giving his time and talent and even helping the less
computer-savvy artists with the digital aspects of recording,
uploading music and the sharing of musical information.
“He is so generous to everyone and especially to the kids in
our musical summer camps and scholarship program, Jazz in
the Schools, where we award dollars to students for education,”
Port St. Lucie Magazine 49
Berardi said.
Society members attend workshops to educate teachers on
the program and how to recommend students for the scholarships.
Members also help students learn how to audition,
improvise music and communicate the music to the scholarship
selection committee.
“Don is so dedicated to the jazz society and it has grown so
much because of him,” Berardi said. “We all look to him for
direction.”
Bestor credits his mother for his higher aspirations. He said
that no matter what path he chose she said he should strive
to be the best.
“If I went into the hotel business, she would expect me to
be a Conrad Hilton,” Bestor said. “My father said he thought
BESTOR FAMILY COLLECTION
Don Bestor Sr. worked on the radio for almost a decade as an orchestra
bandleader for Jack Benny and then as a radio personality and pianist.
the music business was very hard, so he never encouraged
me to get into it. I remember him after having gone to one of
my many performances telling me he always knew I would
be good. When he was interviewed about attending Jack
Benny’s 40th anniversary, he mentioned me by telling them
how proud he was of his son who played piano.”
That was a good day for Bestor.
With all his accolades and the glitz of having famous
parents, none of it is as important to him as his work with the
society.
“I really love what I have been doing with the jazz society
and my work with the kids, going into the schools,” he said.
“That is really where my heart is and what I love to do. Everything
I have done in my life has led to me to this.” E
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