Love Letters

"Clifford saw so much genius in the young adults we serve; he did so much to bring the resources together to help them get a second chance."
-- Richard Halpin, American YouthWorks

"I met Clifford Antone I think in 1972, through Doug Sahm, when we were making DOUG SAHM AND BAND."

"We bonded right off and stayed close through the good times and the bad.  We were connected through our love for R&B and the deep blues - but for me it was more than that.  He never had an attitude -- what we saw is what you got.  He was bone-deep honest and unselfish.  And he was always ready to put his existence where his face was."

"And how I came to know how beloved he was:  I was told by Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, Kim Wilson, Raoul Hernandez, Jimmie Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton -- and most of all by Doug."

"His work with children and his teaching were acts of the purest volunteerism - direct from the heart."

And as Doctor John might have said:  'He was Qualified.'   The blues, Norteno, Texas swing, R & B,   that's  where Clifford Antone got his mail."

"My heart goes out to Susan.  He will never be replaced."
-- Jerry Wexler  Sarasota, FL

Clifford had a heart as big as a house. He gave everything he had, his money, his friendship, his soul, to others. His death diminishes us all.
-- Dick DeGuerin  Austin, TX

"The first time I ever went to Austin I went to Antone's.  All the greats played there. Clifford was the man responsible for bringing the blues to Austin, Texas.  His club IS the blues scene there. There should be a statue of him in the park next to Stevie Ray Vaughan's, because he contributed so much to the blues.  He was a friend of mine and he will be greatly missed."
--  Buddy Guy  Chicago, IL

"All of us in Los Lobos are going to miss Clifford, like the brother he undoubtedly was to us. Clifford once came to visit us at sound check at Stubb's. He sat on drum riser and as we played 'Walking with Frankie Lee' for him, he closed his eyes and had the most beautiful smile on his face. It made us so happy to make Clifford happy. I wish I could be there this weekend to celebrate Clifford's life with his friends and family."
-- Steve Berlin, Los Lobos

"Clifford Antone will be missed.  He was a friend of mine, and my whole family and everyone who knew him loved him. He did as much, if not more than anyone, for the music scene. He knew the blues. We love you, Clifford."
-- Willie Nelson     Austin, TX

"Clifford, I'm so very grateful to have known you. I am proud to call you my friend. We all owe you so much gratitude for all you have given us. Your love for music and humanity has enriched and blessed the lives of all of us in music. Clifford, we will miss you."
-- Bobbie Nelson  Austin, TX

"One of the primary reasons Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World is because of Clifford Antone. His devotion to the music spoke for itself. He was my friend and I will miss him dearly."

"I ask Austinites to join with me and remember the music giant this city has lost and the great things he brought to our community."
-- Mayor Will Wynn  Austin, TX

"When Stevie [Ray Vaughan] was a little kid, Cliff got him up there on stage with Albert King and the same with Jimmie.  So that kind of experience is invaluable … And he's done so much for so many people, I can't even put it into words," Shannon said. "Everywhere I go [in the club] I keep expecting him to pop out.  He's always been here."

"Cliff had such an influence on so many people, and everybody loved him."
-- Tommy Shannon, Double Trouble  Austin, TX

"I feel like the heart of Austin music has been ripped out."
-- Chris Layton, Double Trouble  Austin, TX

"He was a guy who hung out with blues musicians. And he hung out with presidents. That ain't bad."
-- Turk Pippin  Austin, TX

"I never thought I’d be standing here … doing this. I can guarantee the shockwave is still sort of happening and it’s hard to talk.  I just want to send out condolences to Susan [Antone’s sister] and everybody in our little blues community that loved Clifford so much.  And thank you, Clifford, for everything … I guarantee you, we had more fun in Antone’s in all the different ones, starting down here on Sixth Street, than any human was allowed to have in five lifetimes."

“We had some bands and we were playing around and we used to go over … Clifford had a store over by the university and we’d go over there and play late at night in his back room … And Clifford said, ‘I’m going to open a club up and I’m going to get all the guys from Chicago and all the guys from Louisiana … We’re going to have blues all the time and nothing else.’ And so we played like the second or third night. It was the Thunderbirds … and we were the house band for five years.”

 He taught me one thing; if you want to have a scene, you have to create it yourself.”
-- Jimmie Vaughan  Austin, TX

"He loved the music so much.  Like nobody I've ever known."
--  Delbert McClinton  Austin, TX
 

"In the history of the Austin Chronicle, there's three times I remember were somebody died and we had to change the cover.  The first one was Stevie Ray Vaughan.  The second, was Doug Sahm.  And now we're going to do it for Clifford."
-- Louis Black  Editor, Austin Chronicle; Director, South By Southwest  Austin, TX

"He worked so hard to get the music to the people. I was a white kid from the suburbs of KC when I moved here, I was just like, 'Hi, I really like the blues.' … And he was the guy who was always like, 'Come on in.  Have you ever met James Cotton?' … And it broke this wall for me … this vinyl wall that was the difference between the recordings and the reality.

"And talking to these people and hearing stories from them Luther Tucker and Eddie Taylor about being on the road … it made them … they were already heroes but they were like mythic creatures but it made them into men."

..."I don't think you get Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World without Clifford Antone."
-- Guy Forsyth  Austin, TX

"He embraced all types of music and we all owe everything to him."
-- Overlord, Austin, TX

"You can't underestimate Clifford's influence in term of the blues because it was global."

"Our first concern is for the passing of Clifford and for his family but when ... it comes down to brass tacks what the heck is going to happen?"

"Let's all pray that his work lives on because he'd be pretty ticked off if he were to find out the we let the ball drop once he was gone."
-- Jody Denberg, KGSR  Austin, TX

"I consider him the most iconic role model for how live music should be embraced in this community."
-- Paul Oveisi  Owner, Momo's Club  Austin, TX

"How many other teachers at the University of Texas got their name in the title of the course?  He adored the students and loved giving back to them.  He didn't want that class to end every day; there was so much material he wanted to share with them.  He brought a lot of musicians into the classroom, and the students just went nuts."
 -- Kevin Mooney  Music Professor, University of Texas at Austin
     (organized the class "Blues According to Clifford Antone")

"He was a giant. He lived for the music, and if you were a musician, that meant he existed for you."
  -- Jon Blondell  Blues Musician  Austin, TX

"Cliff was the quintessential gentleman, and there are a lot of women who will tell you the same thing.  No matter how scrubby you looked, he would always tell you how beautiful you were, ask if you needed anything, made you feel good about yourself.  He truly loved women in the most beautiful way, in a way few men in this world can really understand."
.-- Diana Ray  Austin, TX

"Clifford carried a lot of blues — other people's blues, and he held them close to his chest. 
But the main thing he perfected was in looking for the very best thing to say about folks. It's going to take a whole lot of people to pick up that slack."
-- Eddie Wilson Owner, Threadgill's
    Former Manager, Armadillo World Headquarters  Austin, TX