So I know when ever I post on here I always tend to put something that some would say is depressing or some where along those lines. But today I want to pay tribute to someone that I hold near and dear to my heart. A fallen friend. Its been over three years since I have heard the great Don Walser sing. I know some of you who know him or of him are thinking but Jason he didn’t perform for a good while before he died. But to the few that were there that day to hear that great man sing one more time with his friend Slaid know this day very well.
So to tell you a bit about my friend Don. He was a large man. In so many different ways. When you spoke to him he would look at you like you have been a friend for years. There were many times when I would just sit and talk with him for hours and hours. He would tell me story after story. I just loved to ask him questions. It was hard sometimes because in his last couple of months it was harder for him to answer them. But I still sat there and talked with him. We would talk about so many things. Most of the time it was me asking him about what he loved about being a singer. What it was like and so forth. I enjoyed every moment that I had with my friend.. I still to this day think back to the times that I had with my friend.
I have always remembered the first time that I heard Don sing live. I was at a youth conference in Kyle Texas. And for the dance that they were having Dan was going to sing for them. I was so excited. I have always heard that if you were in Austin Texas and you wanted to see a really good country show Dons was the one to see. And here I was about to watch him for free. I sat there and I listen to that man belt out his great music. Music that the rest of mainstream America has forgotten. Songs like “ Rolling Stone from Texas”, "Big Balls in Cowtown”. it was such an honor to be there listening to this man sing these songs. It was awesome to be there.. Now the only way that I can hear my friend is on my ipod. I wish that I can go back to the time when he was singing with his friend.
One of my last memories that I have of Don is one that I will never forget. I was with some of my friends and I was going to go and sing some hymns him. Now I'm no singer. I suck so for me to go and sing for a man like that scared the freak out of me. So I brought some of my friends with me. We sat there and sung for him.We sang "O my Father". While we were singing we could hear a faint voice singing along. We were singing with the great Don Walser. I sat with him and we would read scriptures for a couple of hours a night. I loved those nights. I have heard before that you come to learn who a man is when he is dying. Well my friends Don wanted to hear the words of the gospel. I learned so much about my friend from those nights. But I learned more about how much the gospel really means to me.
Oh how time goes by when your living your life. How you sometimes forget friends that have crossed your way. But one thing is for sure I haven't forgotten who Don was. Its been three years since his passing and i can still remember that day like it was yesterday. My mom told me that Don had passed away. I just sat there and said a little prayer. At his funeral i tried really hard not to show how much i missed my friend. But as i sat there with his family i couldn't help but to let some tears run down my face. It was hard saying bye to a dear friend.
About a year ago i went to one of slaid cleaves shows in Austin. I sat there and listened to him sing the songs that we all love. And then without any noticed he started talking about our dear friend. The words that was said were ones that i will never forget. He sang a song that he wrote about don. And like so many in the crowd we sat there with tears in our eyes as one man told his story the only way that it can be said. I know that Don was in cowboy heaven smiling down on us when that song was playing. When he was done singing i looked over at a man standing next to me. I asked if he knew Don. He said no. But he loved his music. I then knew that Don wasn't just an average singer. He was more then that. He was someone that we all knew as a friend. So for all my other friends who know of this great man. Know this. His music still goes on. We still love it. I know i do. Thanks Don for everything. You my friend are truly missed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHJQt-nqCAo ok so i couldn't figure out how to get video up. But this is the link to watch Slaid sing his tribute to Don. Enjoy
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