Mean Gene Kelton & Joni — Image by kenne
The Houston music community is in shock over the sudden lost of Mean Gene Kelton. Not only will talent be missed, but even more so will be his rare ability to give of himself and share his passion for life. This is way those of us who loved his music also loved the man — a combination rare among many artists.
Now it’s our turn to show our respect and love by demonstrating our ability to return the favor. Like so many musicians Gene didn’t have insurance to cover the expenses his family will incur.
This blog, as well as Gene’s friends on Facebook will pass on information on how you can help. For starters, the Die Hards will be playing the previously schedule New Years Eve afternoon party tomorrow at Rowdy Bucks.
Stay tuned!
kenne
P.S. FUNERAL SERVICE FOR MEAN GENE:VIEWING: Tues. Jan 4th @Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home: 6123 Garth Rd., Baytown 12-7 family will be there from 4-7…..SERVICE: Wed. Jan. 5th 6:00 pm @ Houston Raceway Park, 2525 FM 565, Baytown Uncle Dave Lancon Presiding…In lieu of flowers; Donations can be made to one of the 4 Die Hard Charities:Harley’s Angels, St. Jude, BACA (Bikers against Child Abuse) or Texas Equusearch.
Such a kind-hearted man…who just happened to be super talented…he will truly be missed. I would like to tell a funny Mean Gene story…
My daughter worked at Cactus and Mean Gene had an instore there…at the time my daughter didn’t really care for Southern Rock/Blues….she has since come to her senses (hehe)..I went to the instore and snagged some bumper stickers and buttons etc….while my daughter was asleep I plastered her room with all of my Mean Gene promotional items….needlesstosay….my grrrrllll didn’t appreciate it the next morning….but it sure made me laugh! As mentioned…she has since come around and has a pretty keen ear…..when I told her about the accident… she did not remember the Cactus Instore….instead she remembered the time he sang Happy Birthday to her….that’s what stuck with her….
. . . We all have so many stories. Thanks for sharing.
. . . just saw this comment — thanks much!
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR MEAN GENE:VIEWING: Tues. Jan 4th @Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home: 6123 Garth Rd., Baytown 12-7 family will be there from 4-7…..SERVICE: Wed. Jan. 5th 6:00 pm @ Houston Raceway Park, 2525 FM 565, Baytown Uncle Dave Lancon Presiding…In lieu of flowers; Donations can be made to one of the 4 Die Hard Charities:Harley’s Angels, St. Jude, BACA (Bikers against Child Abuse) or Texas Equusearch.
Kenne, it was good to see you there sharing your stories. Wasn’t till yesterday that I realized Gene was a star, not for his entertaining but for who he was. It is a real shame that more people were not exposed to him.
I didn’t get to know Gene until about 2000. I knew of him in Blues circles, but it wasn’t till he and Joni began to work with us in the Blues Series at Montgomery College that I began to see the quality person he was.
As the last hired DIE-HARD I can tell you GENE KELTON dreamed bigger, believed in people harder, did more benefits, had a loyal following that would go anywhere & do anything for him,and wanted to perform & please & do things that people said he could not do. He also believed the show should worthy of that support & he was always trying to make it better. Just a few coins for a million dollar show. Gene put his belief in the band —his show — his music on the line, in clubs and concerts. if the show was not as productive as it might have been, the band always got paid. Everybody has stories of how MGK personally touched them in big & little ways. The man could just take over & rock the house. I share everyone’s pain, and am grateful for the short time i had to share the stage with him and his DIE-HARD extended family. I miss him.
Well said. I was never at a gig that wasn’t better than the last, whether by himself or with the Die Hards. The man was an outlier!
Thanks for posting your comment.
The first time I met Gene he was at the urinal next to mine. I was wondering if he every let someone sit in with the band, and decieded to ask him. However I didn’t phrase it right, I ask him if he every let anyone play with him. ” WHAT” was the answer I got, I then realized my mistake and explained myself. We became close over the next three years with me going to over 200 shows and logging 15,000 miles, had a blast. I will miss him greatly.
Gene’s sudden death was a great loss. He is missed!
Wow, where do you start. First, the Man gave us a guy from humble beginnings and good family. He was never one to say no. He and I shared our love of communicating. We both were disc jockeys at KBUK (Baytown), loved Gary Moore and Houston Blues. My memory of Gene and Joni making the trek from Baytown to support the Montgomery County’s Blues Society (FOB-Friends of the Blues) and his sessions. He and Frank Salvato cuttin, Gene and maybe his first “gigs from hell” session of Texas Blues/ A Retrospective. What wonderful memories. Texas Arts Venue, pre Corner Pub… where he let me join him onstage for some front porch blues.
His life was full and paying off for all the good Gene and Joni had done for the industry but for abuse, loss, disease… I ca’t put into words the loss I feel. I lost a friend . God Bless you Gene Kelton. God keep you Joni, in his love. We love you and honor the memory of your man.
Dale and Denise Armet / Zebo
It’s ironic that a man that was never done had to die so young. The man was not done!
Some of you have already visited my blog where several entries on the sudden death of Mean Gene Kelton have been posted. I have much more to share, photos and video, from Friday at Rowdy Bucks and Sunday at KPFT, alone with many images archived on hard drives at home, which I will get to once we return to Tucson.
Because of the previous mentioned events, Joy and I will be keeping our return schedule of leaving in the a.m. tomorrow. Therefore, we will not make tomorrow’s memorial service at the Baytown Racetrack. Those of you who will be able to make it, I’m sure, will share your experience.
I don’t know if Gene ever read Lewis Hyde’s The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World, regardless, he practiced it. The Gift proposes “an economy of the creative spirit”: a theory speculating on how art is produced and consumed, why some art lasts and how artists can cope in a society that provides little material compensation for their labors. The “gift” given by a song, say, or a play, or a poem or a painting is the artist’s talent, and its influence on future artists is part of its living circulation within the so-called gift economy. Art, in other words, is a meme that’s spread virally among those who come into contact with it. I for one, feel blessed to have come in contact with Gene’s gift. It is now our job to share the gift.
Wish I had wrote down my username and password
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