Another friend of mine passed away. I guess the older you get the more friends you lose. But Elton was one of my champions, he always made me feel like I was a great singer and Guitar player, maybe our friendship influenced that a little but sense he had a strict rule to never lie I would mildly protest then hold my head a little higher. He was lots of other people’s champion not just me, he would help anyone feel better about themselves and he helped many, many musicians and singers around him. If I was in the area I would be on stage with him. He was great promoter and put on many music festivals sometimes at his own expense. I will never forget one show he put on in a theater in Grand Island NE he insisted I be the star and put my name out front on the marquee. I think he lost money on that one too but there I was the star of the show I still have the picture someplace. He lived his whole life in a little town in Nebraska called Hordville where he grew up on his grandfather’s farm and learned the trade well. Later going to college and sang in the men’s choir that toured the U.S. When the Vietnam war broke out he served and came home to the farm and raised black Angus cattle. He had 6 children in two marriages that didn’t work out then married his soulmate Connie who loved him and helped him until his final reward. He was once invited to sing at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville where Jimmie Fortune was in the audience, he had a chance to make it as a singer but said he didn’t do it to make money he just loved to sing…..I think I understand.
