[Harp-L] RE: Robert Lucas, RIP

[Donnie MorTone <harp_boy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sad News Indeed...
 
I got an email from Barry Levenson before I read it here...
so I've been thinking allot about him all day.
 
I first met Bob when he was still a teenager & was playing harmonica
with The Bernie Pearl Blues Band around Long Beach CA in the early 80's.
Through his association with Bernie he got to meet and play with many of
the Great blues legends who were living in L.A. at that time. Joe Turner,
Big Moma Thornton, Percy Mayfield, Pee Wee Crayton, Guitar Shorty, 
Lowell Fulson, George Smith, & many others. Those were good times,
for any of us in that area who got the chance to mingle with our mentors.
 
He went on to front his first band, The Confessors, in the mid 80's.
Many of those musicians from that band would become life long friends
of both Bob's and mine, Including the late great guitarist El Clounch.
 
Robert started a healthy recording career as a solo artist with AudioQuest,
and got some good worldwide exposure & gigs. He also played bottleneck
slide on a national real well, as well as his great vocals & harp playing.
Then he landed a gig as frontman for Canned Heat, which took him all
over the world, and got him even more exposure. 
 
The sad thing for me is...I always felt that Bob embraced the negativity
in life. He could laugh at lifes irony on the outside surface, but inside, he
always felt slighted, the short end of the stick, & life just wasn't fair.
I say this because of the hundreds of conversations I had with him over
the years. There's nothing wrong with seeing life's irony, unless it truely
eats you up inside. The abilty to see it, laugh at it, accept it, shake it off,
will hopefully lead to survival and peace of mind & spirit. Many of you
know what I'm saying...especially the ones who've been to the edge.
 
The last time I saw Robert was at a blues jam in 2003 at Boomer's in
the Long Beach Area. (Lakewood or Bellflower) We had a couple of beers
at the bar and shot the shit, as we hadn't seen each other in about 8 years.
We were happy to see one another, and he seemed pretty jovial & in good
spirits. But underneath was the same old Robert...and soon he was talking
about all the "bad" stuff. I tried to stay positive & just let him vent...but
it was the same old stuff that had been eating at him since I first met him.
So what do we do? I stayed supportive, didn't confront him with himself,
and tried to just change the subject and talk about music or wimmens ;))
 
Anyway...we went up on the stage that night and got to play together for
the last time. Trading harps & trading vocals...and it was a blast. 
That's the Robert I always remember as being the happiest and the purest...
when he was performing. I'll always remember him in that way. But the
sadness in knowing how tormented he was inside will also remain.
That was Bob, God Bless him. 
 
I wasn't around him the past 5 years, but had heard thru the vine from 
those that knew him well, that he was having the same old problems.
I prayed that he'd survive it...and pass through the darkness.
 
He was good cat, a fantastic & gifted musician, & my heart is heavy.
I truely wish he could have, would have, survived his inner demons.
 
I hope no one finds offense at anything I say. 
I knew him for a long long time...and I'm just sharing my feelings.
 
He's not the 1st of a long line of friends to go this way...
nor as a musician. He won't be the last either. Sad as that sounds.
 
My condolences to his fans, friends, family...
 
I'll always remember my blues buddie Bob...
 
Rest in Peace My Brother...See U There...1st beer's on me...
 
With a Heavy Heart & A Tear In My Eye...
 
~D~
> Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:51:45 -0800> From: dmelton1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: Robert Lucas, RIP> To: BLUES-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > I don't know the details, but apparently it was drug related. I am in shock.> I've known Robert as a friend and had worked with him throughout the years> on many projects. This is a great loss for the new generation of blues. I'm> sure more info will trickle in as it develops....> > Sadly, Dave Melton