Just finished an 8 state 5,000 mile road trip to the Southwest. On the way home, I went 200 miles out of the way, traversing the backroads of Missouri to arrive in Tipton, MO.
I wanted to visit the gravesite of Gene Clark and pay my respects.
Gene Clark was a singer/songwriter and founding member of The Byrds. He never received the attention that some of the other members got which was unfortunate.
After The Byrds he went solo and wrote some great songs that never got the air play they deserved. A couple of those songs will be on my next solo cd "Dewey's Greatest Hits Volume II"
He battled his demons as so many of those musicians did and it's said that the cause of his death may have been attributed to his most famous song being covered by another band. I won't go into the details. You can look it up, ask me about it some time or just not bother wondering about it.
It was a quiet, damp, cold morning when I arrived at that cemetary. Tipton is in the middle of no where and I stood there thinking about being a member of such a famous band and yet his final resting place is far, far from the lights and the sounds and the glamour. I think that's right and fitting yet it some how troubles me. Maybe that's why I went to Tipton?
I heard a couple of young men were mowing the lawn at the cemetary last year. When asked, they didn't know who The Bryds were or who Gene Clark was. I guess all things must pass.
I wish I had brought something to put on his grave........ maybe next time?
3 comments:
Dewey,
That was pretty cool!
I did have to Google your reference to the Tom Petty cover and made the connection to Clark's death. This was interesting reading and a great picture to go with it.
I just visited today - someone has left a tabourine at the grave - was nice when the wind made them jingle a little....
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