Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Passes

burk48237 · #1 09-12-2005, 09:52 AM

We lost another legend today. the original "Cajun Blues Man". Clarence Gatemouth Brown passed away.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.a...01180&GT1=6952

Bob Lee (QSC) · #2 09-12-2005, 10:24 AM

Killer musician--great guitar stuff with a great band backing him up. One of my co-workers, knowing I like rock 'n' roll, blues, Cajun, and a lot of other music styles, turned me on to him some years ago. God bless you, Gatemouth; you rocked!

Juneau · #3 09-12-2005, 10:27 AM

And he played up till the end as well! I saw he was having some health problems earlier this year, and still managed to play at ACL shortly after.

MJ5150 · #4 09-12-2005, 10:48 AM

Oh my....this is very sad. I hear about musicians passing, and they don't too often bother me all that much. I had the chance to see him play a few times, and shake his hand. I'm not one for idolizing people for their skills, or getting all caught up in the "oooooo I met a famous person" stuff, but meeting him is something I will always remember. He influenced me alot, and was one of the guys who opened the door to other styles of music than the heavy metal I used to only listen to.

I'll be 100% honest, and admit something although it will probably get me flamed. I used to have ignorance issues when it came to skin colors. I liked musicians who were the same pasty white color as me. I listened to Clarence several times, grew attached to his music, and later found out he had a "permanent tan". It wasn't until I bought a cassette tape of his instead of borrowing a recorded one my friend gave me. Shortly after that I saw a poster advertising a blues concert I ended up going to. Realize now that this was before the days of the internet, so I couldn't go do a quick search of info about him. A small situation such as this helped me break down some ignorant barriers I once had in my life.

-Mike

DaveDeVille · #5 09-12-2005, 11:21 AM

a good man , fantastic musician , he will be missed ...

Alan Vorse · #6 09-12-2005, 02:07 PM

He was probably one of the few musicians that my grandfather, my dad and I all liked. A unique spin on the blues. I will miss him.

Gard · #7 09-12-2005, 11:11 PM

Gate used to live in Slidell, LA when I was a kid. He was kind of a local "fixture", interesting character to say the least. He was an amazing musician, very crusty and abrasive until you got to know him.

There were many times I'd see Gate just walking down the road. Knowing who he was, I'd always offer him a lift. Some days he'd accept it graciously, some he'd tell me to P!$$ off and leave him be. The one thing you always had to ask him to do before he actually got in the car was to ask him to put his pipe out....uh....generally, that wasn't tobacco...

...he was also a deputy sherriff in St. Tammany Parish, and was always carrying his badge and a loaded revolver (which he had a permit for, since he was a deputy sherriff!

).

I knew this was coming, but that doesn't make me any less sad....

Good bye, Gate.