Mickey Newbury 1940-2002

His is one of the quieter legends in American music.
He dedicated himself to writing songs, not being famous.
He wrote some of the best songs there are, and one of
life's more cruel punishments was to follow him in a
guitar pull. His earlier albums - Looks Like Rain and
Frisco Mabel Joy especially - were among the very first
theme albums, all the more enjoyable once I learned
that Mickey added rain sounds to absorb the hiss of
his track-stacking on the old two-track in his garage
studio called Cinderella.

Since his death on September 29, 2002, in Oregon,
Mickey's musical legacy has only grown. Every year
there is a Gathering in Austin, Texas, to celebrate his
life and music. This year it's June 17-19, and there
are details at his website; look for Gathering 2005.
Mickey's website continues to be a hive of love, music,
writing and storytelling. You can learn about the legend
there, and buy cds by one of the masters.

He was born on May 19th. On his birthday, I like to
reflect on how generous he was in his music, in his life.
There won't be another one quite like him.

Website : http://www.mickeynewbury.com
Pontiac poem: http://www3.telus.net/billybob/betterdays/pontiac.htm

DL