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Lina Fat left Sacramento a better place by Jeff vonKaenel
je ffv @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m
in the Park, helping to start Second I do not know if there is a way to measure Saturday and organizing the JAMMIES, the force of nature, but it decreased last which was a music awards show for high week when Lina Fat left us, after 81 years school students. on the planet. SN&R’s event that was most like Lina’s Born in Hong Kong in 1938, she moved was our Call for Unity. The annual event to the United States to attend a liberal arts started on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 college in Nashville. Later she moved west terror attacks and featured interfaith music to attend the UC San Francisco School of performances by different Sacramento reliPharmacy. After moving to Sacramento, gious groups. Many of those groups would she met her future husband, Ken Fat, son be natural candidates for Lina’s festival. of the famous Frank Fat. Frank Fat’s was So naturally I told Lina that I wanted the Chinese restaurant and bar a few blocks to help. We met for lunch at her Old from the state Capitol where many political deals have been made over the last 80 years. Sacramento restaurant and I soon agreed to sit on the board of the Sacramento World All of us living in the Golden State have Music and Dance Festival. Here been impacted by words written I got to know Lina, whom I on the napkins of Frank Fat’s. came to love and admire. For a few years, Lina Music festivals, worked in her husband Her effort, her especially those involving Ken’s dental practice. passion and her amateur groups, Then for several years, ability to persuade have a lot of moving she focused on her parts: Different sound family and her three people to get involved requirements for each children. In 1974, when were a joy to see and performer, marketing the Fat family started to experience. challenges, weather develop their restaurant problems, artists’ egos—the empire, Lina went into the challenges go on and on. family business, working Lina was not a festival at their original restaurant in promoter. But she was a force of Old Sacramento, then called China nature. Her effort, her passion and Camp. The Fat family now has two other her ability to persuade people to restaurants in Roseville and Folsom. I got to know Lina Fat in 2007 when she get involved were a joy to see and experience. What she lacked in festival was putting together the Sacramento World knowledge, she made up in enthusiasm Music and Dance Festival. The festival and persuasion. Many hands make for had a few famous international artists plus easy lifting, and Lina always made sure numerous local music and dance groups that we had many hands. performing over several days. The World Music and Dance I was thrilled that she was putting Festivals were cool. They put the together this event because I believe we spotlight on dozens of artistic and have so much undiscovered musical and musical groups. They made Sacramento artistic talent in Sacramento. Since moving a better place, as did Lina. She will be to Sacramento in 1989 to launch SN&R, I missed. Ω have tried to find ways that the paper could help support the arts community, including starting the Sacramento Area Music Awards Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority and the Downtown Friday Night Concerts owner of the News & Review. 8 | Sn&r | 12.05.19