By Maryann Lopinto***I’m finding it hard to write about Ralph Lampkin in the past tense; I still can’t believe he passed away on June 24th. We were great friends and also worked together on many, many projects.
We met in the mid 1990s at a cabaret room in Chicago in which Karen Mason was appearing. Back then, I would make trips to Chicago to see her or some new shows that 
were not playing in NYC. As it turned out, Ralph and I shared the same taste in performers and similarly, our love for the Great American Song Book. Ralph also not only liked many of the performers I was friends with but knew them too or was a fan.
Our meeting turned out to be a perfect connection, and so I got involved helping him when he sent Chicago entertainers to New York and in his promoting efforts. As a result, Ralph introduced me to many new performers. He couldn’t always come to New York, so I was there to take over and take care of whomever came to town. I’d video tape their shows if they wanted it, and in my capacity as a photographer, took photos as well. In turn, these photos and videos were used by Ralph to promote them and their shows for flyers, press releases, articles and so on. Many times I would spend hours looking for older photos that were needed for a promotion or article—such as on Karen Mason and Amanda McBroom even before Ralph was working with her.
Ralph was a great promoter for the late Martha Lorin, a jazz singer who was a close friend of us both, and more recently for Barbara Bleier and Austin Pendleton. I’d already been long-involved in cabaret working with (and friends with) many, such as Donald Smith and Maurice Levine. So, in my many trips to Chicago, Ralph would frequently set up a place to stay with a friend/performer, or, since he lived in South Bend, Indiana we would get a hotel room that we would share and set up meetings there. When Ralph came to New York he would usually stay with me.
Ralph also put together all-star benefits in Chicago and I became one of the producers of most of them, including a 9-11 benefit, an all-female 1776, And the World Goes Round concert, a Harold Arlen salute, and so on. When I decided to bring my own Cabaret On the Record show to Chicago, Ralph became a co producer. I’d created Cabaret on the Record benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aides in NY and I did it for many years with 90 different cabaret and Broadway performers (winning many awards). We found a similar charity in Chicago, using many local performers and guests from out of town. I also helped in producing a few CDs Ralph made.
We always talked at least once a week. Ralph gave me such purpose in life. I believe we were connected at the hips. We were going to talk on the weekend he passed. His sudden, unexpected death has been devastating. But I know heaven is a more beautiful place now and I’m sure he’s already helping the many friends up there who have gone before.
Ralph, I miss you so much!
Photos courtesy of Maryann Lopinto:
From Cabaret on the Record, Davenports in Chicago, May 14, 2001
Top: Ralph Lampkin, Nan Mason, Karen Mason, Maryann Lopinto.
Bottom: Ralph Lampkin, Karen Mason, Michael McAssey, Maryann Lopinto and Kristopher McDowell in front
