RIP Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

[whitetrane]

Legendary guitarist Gatemouth Brown passed away last Saturday September 10. His obit is in the New York Times (www.nytimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com)). Gate's music crossed jazz, blues, country, T-Bone Walker meets Duke Ellington, and man does it swing!

[CMelodyMan]

Yes, RIP Gatemouth Brown. One of the greatest guitarists I've ever known. I went to one of his concerts a few months ago, and he was still great at the age of eighty-three. :cry:

[cbcohick]

RIP Mr. Brown. We actually opened for him a couple years ago and he certainly still had his act together.

[patchmo]

http://blues.about.com/b/2008/07/29/no-rest-for-clarence-gatemouth-brown.htm

[AA3NK]

Kind of curious that Gatemouth would turn up as a current story and the subject is a bit sad, a belated marker for his grave site.

However, if is helpful to understand some of the circumstances that have befallen Orange or East Texas and SW Louisiana over the period of time since his passing, just after hurricane Rita, I think. I was in both hurricanes, in Lafayette, so did not suffer the severity of the tidal floods, Ponchartrain or the horrible destruction that Rita left as she went up the river.

There are so many folks in that area living in horrible conditions, no air conditioning, very low income, no way to repair or replace their homes or what is left of them and no reason to expect any improvement in the intermediate future.

While it would be a fine tribute for Texas to erect a marker or other identification for a noted and noteworthy native son, they have a lot of other immediately distressing matters to contend with.

What might make a fitting tribute and effort to the cause would be a benefit concert/fundraiser deal. There is no short supply of fabulous musicians between NOLA and Houston/Austin. Orange is right there on I-10 and proximal to many communities to provide accomodations for folks attending or the show could be moved closer to Houston, there is a huge stadium not far west of Orange.

Johnny Winter is a native son and quite likely knows Orange about as well as Clarence did. If Johnny and Jimmie Vaughn and some of the swamp rockers from the Acadiana scene got a mind to do it, it would happen in a huge way!

Sheesh, Ole Willie Nelson goes by there all the time though he might not have much fondness left for Louisiana after a recent incident coming across the basin bridge:TGNCHK:

If you put on a show with Wayne Toups, Steve Riley, Richard LeBouef, Geno Delafose... I bet they could make enough to put up a fine tribute for Clarence and even provide some much needed relief to folks who are down and out, permanently, from Rita.

David Newman is a native son as well. And how about Delbert McClinton?

So, if Texas has not seen fit to attend to this matter, maybe a stronger motivation will muster up from the ranks and do what ought to be done8-)

[patchmo]

So, if Texas has not seen fit to attend to this matter, maybe a stronger motivation will muster up from the ranks and do what ought to be done8-)Agreed.:thumbrig:
That's why I made the donation I did.:love2:
I'm sure the state gubm't is too busy dealing with the burnt down guvnor's mansion.:home: