The Legend Was My Friend
Normally, I would be talkin’ about the Queen City in this space.
But, tonight, this Relic feels like his guts have been torn out.
My friend … my mentor … the living legend of the “finger people” … Lloyd Thaxton … is dead.
When I got the news off the wire, it hit like a ton of bricks. In fact, that’s why I’m late in doing this post. It’s just too hard to believe.
He was a fave among many then-teens here in the Crown Town area back in the mid-’60s. There were kids who crowded ’round the TV at 5 PM weekdays to watch his madcap antics as well as hear some of the best rock bands in the business: Beau Brummels, Sonny and Cher, The Turtles, The Byrds and so many more.
A few years ago, I had the distinct privilege of meeting my TV hero — and that meeting formed a close friendship that I’ll forever cherish. Would that you could’ve known the man behind the madness; he was, in one word, awesome!
So, to both my Rockaholic and Crown Town readers (or both), we lost a giant on Sunday (he succumbed to multiple myeloma at the age of 81). Our thoughts and prayers go to his wife Barbara, daughter Jennifer (who’s recovering from broken-neck surgery) and his sons.
This is short, because … well, it’s a bit sad in RelicTown tonight. I’ll get back up to speed tomorrow.
See ya then.
Leave a Reply