Thursday, May 25, 2006
Clifford Antone Dies at Age 56
Legendary club owner and blues lover Clifford Antone was found dead.
On Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006, legendary Austin club owner Clifford Antone, was found dead in his condo. Reports are coming in that he suffered from a heart attack.
"A giant, an institution, a generous soul whose obsessive love of the blues helped make this college town nationally known for stomping-good live music and passionate listeners is gone."
"The news shot through the Austin air Tuesday afternoon like a stinging Albert King guitar lead: Clifford Antone is dead."
"By giving Chicago blues legends a club in Texas to play, as well as launching a raucous classroom where upstarts such as the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan could learn at the feet of the masters, Antone forever changed the Texas music landscape. He was 56..." ~Austin-American Statesman~
"His tale begins when a man from Port Arthur named Clifford Antone came to Austin in 1975. In 2005, Antone's club celebrated its 30th anniversary. The club opened its original location on East Sixth Street as a small music venue on a street and neighborhood long ignored. It attracted famous blues acts from the Chicago and New York blues scenes. Among the players there were the likes of Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy and a very young Stevie Ray Vaughan. During the club's first year, B.B. King made an appearance." ~News 8 - Austin~
Friends, family and fans of Antone gathered at his (former) club on Wednesday night to honor his life. Austin-Metroblogging was there and has pictures and re-hash.
God Bless Clifford Antone
Visitation - 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar Blvd.
Public memorial - 6 p.m. June 3, Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road
