Fort Worth music community remembers jazz club founder, Tad Gaither

by Sarah Crisman

FORT WORTH — Tad Gaither, former proprietor of the Black Dog Tavern was reportedly found dead in his home last week. Causes for his death are as yet unknown, though he reportedly suffered a seizure recently and refused medical attention.

A graduate of Bowdoin College who served his country in Korea and lived for about 20 years in New York, Tad Gaither spent many years in Fort Worth working for international publishing company, Harcourt-Brace. Gaither opened the original Black Dog (on Throckmorton Street in the basement space currently occupied by Paddy Reds) over a decade ago.

The Black Dog was a cornerstone of the Fort Worth jazz community, hosting a diverse jam session each Sunday night crowded with jazz musicians both local and national. However, neither Black Dog stage –– the original nor the latter location in the West 7th Street corridor –– was limited to jazz. Fusion, funk, and rock outfits such as Pablo and the Hemphill 7, Confusatron, and Bertha Coolidge made regular appearance at the Dog.

A memorial for Tad’s family and friends will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Lola’s Saloon on Sixth.