Hello there, my old friend Not so long ago it was 'til the end We played outside in the pouring rain On our way up the road, we started over again You're living a dream as though you're on top My mind is aching, Lord, it won't stop That's how it happens living life by the drop Up and down that road in our worn out shoes Talking 'bout good thangs and signing the blues You went your way and I stayed behind We both knew it was just a matter of time Living a dream as though you're on top My mind is aching, Lord, it won't stop That's how it happens living life by the drop No waste of time, we're alive today Turning up the past, there's no easier way Time's been between us, a means to an end God, it's good to be here walking together, my friend Living a dream as though you're on top That's how it happens living life by the drop
A friend of mine went to the Armadillo on a night when you paid a couple of bucks to drink beer and listen to whatever band showed up that night. It turned out the unnamed acts were Leon Russell followed by the Grateful Dead. Not bad for your two bucks.
He was a "Texas Flood" of talent that was probably about to reach it's peak when the accident happened. He said he had cleaned up all the addictions and was ready for a great future. Two Austin institutions that I really miss that just screamed "Austin Texas" SRV and the old Armadillo World HQ. The Link RIP SRV you were one of the all time greats that was only going to get better!
Back in the Eighties, I had a girlfriend who went to rehab to quit drinking. When she got back, I asked her about the other people in the program. "Well, there was this one guy...actually you may have heard of him. He's a guitar player, and apparently he's kind of a big deal. Stevie somebody, a real shy, sweet guy with long hair." She had no idea who he was, but I had seen him live many times in Austin. The word was that when Stevie got clean, his playing got much better, and he was still adding chops when he died. There's no telling how great he might have become. One of my favorite songs to play on guitar is Stevie's "Riviera Paradise", and I can't help but think that with age, he might have gone more in that jazzy direction. Rest in Peace.