Former LV man died in attack

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

To honor musician and recording engineer John Puckett, who was killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on New York City, Las Vegan Joyce Puckett last week flew the American flag that had been draped on their mother's casket.

The banner was stolen Friday from in front of her home near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road, adding to the grief of a family trying to come to grips with the death of the 47-year-old guitarist and bassist.

"Getting this flag back is very important to our family," Joyce Puckett said, noting that the third anniversary of the death of their mother, Lillian Puckett, is Wednesday. "Whoever took it, please return it and leave it at the front door, no questions asked."

Puckett's recording talents took him to New York, where he owned a remote recording truck and a home garage studio. On Sept. 11 he was setting up audio conferencing equipment for a banquet on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center No. 1 Tower when a hijacked plane crashed into the building.

Witnesses who got out alive recalled seeing Puckett help others out of the building, Joyce Puckett said.

Services for the Las Vegas resident of 20 years -- from 1960 to 1980 -- are set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Bunkers Mortuary Chapel on Las Vegas Boulevard North.

As a teenage guitarist with the local band Diamond Fortress, John Puckett helped build Las Vegas Recording Studio in the 1970s and sought training from its owners, manager Hank Castro and technician Chip Davis.

"He had a gift for hearing the music and helped the studio win two Gold Reels for albums for Bill Cosby and Paul Anka," Castro said. "I'm devastated by his death."

Puckett also earned gold records for his work on albums with B.B. King, Cosby and Anka, did live sound work for Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, Johnny Mathis and other big stars and did pre-recordings for "Lido" at the Stardust, "Casino de Paris" at the old Dunes and "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana.

Born Feb. 21, 1954, in Chicago, Puckett attended Valley High School. He moved to New York in 1980. As a member of the band 100% Pure, he built his home studio to record their music.

In addition to his sister, Puckett is survived by his fiancee, Regina Bogan, of Glen Cove, N.Y.; a son, Michael Puckett; a daughter, Michele Puckett; and Bogan's daughters, Marissa and Alecia Bogan, all of Glen Cove; and another sister, Joan McGary of Parker, Colo.