Last Day in Austin

Sunday, March 20, was my last official day in Austin, Texas.  Thanks to my friend Belinda Hare, I spent it with some of the great people that I've met there.

The occasion was a memorial service for Mr. Henry B.Gonzalez.  The location was the Zilker Club House, a beautiful setting with a spectacular view of the city.

 Henry's wife, Leea brought mementos to decorate the space.  Here she is holding a wooden figure that a student at the School for the Deaf carved for Henry. Henry gave so much to so many in Austin, including students at the school.  There were also pictures, candles, statues, and flowers of all kinds, all with special meaning to the family.



Eddie Wilson, owner of the old Armadillo World Headquarters, and now Threadgill's, welcomed the guests. Kerry Awn gave a eulogy that made everyone laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously.

Henry was with us.  I'm sure he loved the celebration of his life.

The Austin Chronicle ran a  nice piece about Henry.  From it I learned that he was part of the crew for most of the big music shows in the 70s. He was working for Stevie Ray Vaughn on that final tour and was tasked with driving the gear back to Austin. He's quoted as saying, "I was driving the van with Stevie's guitar across the country and on every radio station they were playing his music. I couldn't stop crying,"

Portrait of Henry by Kerry Awn.

Henry had a heart of gold, and played a huge part in making Austin the city we all love.  I'm honored that on my last day there I got to experience part of his legacy.