I must be getting old, because two people that were part of my scene here in Denver and out in San Diego recently passed away.
First, there's Buddy Blue, a founding member of the Beat Farmers. He was like a big brother to one of my best friends from high school, Todd, who played bass on one of his albums. He was also the roommate of my friend and hair stylist, Debra. I didn't know Buddy personally, he was friends of friends after all, but he was incredibly influential on the San Diego music scene, whether you played in a punk, new wave, swing or rockabilly band. He was a character too, and an alumni of my old high school, Grossmont. Buddy is survived by his wife and his three-year-old daughter.
(Click here for some great concert footage at YouTube.com.)
Then Russell Enloe, an old friend from here in Denver, passed away a couple of weeks ago from a heart attack caused by the medications he was taking for depression and a skate boarding injury. His injury was so bad he had multiple surgeries and nearly lost his leg and it took him years to recover. Russell was very influential on the local and international rockabilly community as well as in the vintage clothing business. You could walk into a vintage clothing store in New Orleans, mention that you were from Denver, and the owner would ask you if you knew Russell.
Both men were the coolist of the cool and will be missed.
