Fresh faced and really not knowing a damn thing, and I didn’t know that either, I was roaming the streets of Austin. Well, mostly just one street. 6th street. I’d come to Texas with my 3 piece blues trio to make our way in what was then still a deep blues scene. On 6th street alone there were half a dozen joints that dug the blues and there was no shortage of talent to fill those stages. One night before we started gigging all the time, me and my Jersey boy compadres wandered into the back bar of a club called Wylie’s. That’s the first time I saw the Solid Senders and the first time I saw Nick Travis play. The show was crazy good. At one point there was a guitar player on the pool table, another on the rail by the window and Spencer Thomas standing and singing on a table in the middle of the crowd. Rockin. The place was packed and rightfully so, those boys could play. I was blown away. The bar had just been set for what I had to do over the next 3 years in Austin.
I ran into Nick a lot in those days. We didn’t play together regularly, but he was a bit of a blues scene advisor for me. He’d moved from the east coast as well and we shared some kinship in our love of music, Austin and yankee roots. He introduced me to a lot of folks and occasionally let me know when my Jersey boy attitude got to be a little much for my new Texas neighbors. Over the years we lost touch as people do. Especially musicians who are moving around a lot. I left Austin for awhile, came back and don’t spend a lot of time with the blues anymore. That once vibrant scene is gone too. Sixth Street is for shot bars and dance clubs, not blues joints and dives.
I think I ran into Nick once last year at the Saxon Pub but neither one of us remembered that very well the last time we spoke, which was at the opening day festival at the Backyard. There were quite a few faces from the old days at that show and I should have known that Nick would be among them. I interrupted him eating some backstage grub and we caught up for a bit. We reminisced about the old days a little, but mostly talked about what projects we were working on now and the trials of aging musicians. I was very hesitant to tell him that I play bass now, but he was as generous and encouraging with me as ever and we joked about it some too. After seeing him lay down the groove with John Garr that day I was reminded of what a fantastic player he was. Exactly what you need a bass player to be. I left that day, as I imagine he did, figuring that we’d run into each other again soon.
Idly passing time on the computer yesterday, looking at other people’s Facebook posts, I found out that Nick passed away on Monday, May 24th. I don’t have all the details yet and it doesn’t matter really. He’s gone. As long as I have a memory there will still be a Nick Travis for me. He left a lasting impression on my life. I’m grateful to have seen Nick and heard him play again so recently and I’m reminded of the importance of friends. Of staying in touch, keeping them close. Old friends and new. It’s something I’ve not always been good at. Maybe I’ll be better about that, maybe not, but no regrets. Not when it comes to Nick. I know he’s laying down the groove somewhere.
Miss ya brother…….
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