Weeks after his death, the body of the world-renowned organist at the Fox Theatre still lies in a morgue.
Larry-Douglas Embury died Feb. 19 at his home, but no one has claimed his body or made any memorial plans, according to Channel 2 Action News. Embury’s body lies at the DeKalb County morgue.
“The thought of him being cold in a drawer is just gut-wrenching,” longtime friend Laura Shore told Channel 2.
Embury, whose age was unknown at the time of his death, played “Mighty Mo,” the Fox’s massive, iconic organ, for the better part of 14 years before his death.
Upset at this turn of events, Shore and her fiance have started a GoFundMe drive online to cover cremation and other costs, according to Channel 2.
“We just absolutely, his friends, kind of said we’ve got to do something, something,” Shore told the station.
The fundraising account met its goal shortly before 9 p.m.
Embury first played at the Fox in 2002, and he also had stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City.
Embury recalled that he most enjoyed playing as part of the orchestra during “The Sound Of Music.”
“I played the theme when Maria gets married, and it was really thrilling,” he previouls told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The next night, the conductor asked me if I could play it louder, and I told him, ‘I could peel the graffiti off the wall in the men’s room, if you want.’ I did, and it was amazing.”
But now, Shore said the iconic figure deserves a better legacy.
“We need to get him out of there,” she said. “We need to get him interred and taken care of immediately.”
About the Author
