Clifford Antone

Clifford Antone died the other day. I'm still having trouble realizing such a legend in the Austin Music Scene has died. I was out of town when he died, so I didn't hear about it until I got home to Austin. I can't understand why the news didn't reach as far as Harlingen.

I can remember when Antone's opened on 6th street in 1975. There has always been an Antone's in Austin. It has always been home to some of the best music in the world. Mostly Blues. Antone's was in the same league with the Armadillo. Always a good show. Clifford Antone brought some of the best musicians in the world to Austin to perform at his club. And he helped some great musicians get started on their way to fame. Clifford Antone literally supported some of the best musicians in town. Lucinda Williams owes alot to Clifford Antone, as does Sue Foley. I actually met Sue Foley one evening at Ruby's bar b que "back in the day" when Antone's was next door to Ruby's on Guadelupe. She had come by to play with a friend at Ruby's while waiting for her set at Antone's. This is before she became sort of famous.

If you lived in Austin in the 70's and 80's chances were you were only one person away from knowing Clifford Antone, if you didn't know him personally. He was always around and he really appreciated good music. It seemed like he was always in the middle of everything worthwhile in the music scene. And then he went to prison. It wasn't really a surprise, but it was kind of sad. And now he's dead. Wow. Another Austin Legend gone. I just don't know what to think.