My mentor and compadre ever since I joined the Pee Wee Bowen Band first as an A-list sub for the keyboard player, then as a full-time member on guitar. He told jokes, his sharp wit combined with his 60 years of professional musicianship and dues-paying as well as his flair for style and an elephantine memory, he could perfectly illustrate an instance that took place 50 years ago with total clarity and finesse. We were all loyal to him to the end. Pee Wee was with him last night, and every day since he came down sick in late August. Herby was truly a class act; he will be mourned by many and revered by those who had the privilege of hearing his amazing musical style. God Bless Herby and bring him home with his music playing for everybody forever.
We're going to play at his funeral Friday in Galveston. Then we have a gig that night at Bojangles on NASA Rd 1 and one Saturday night at the Lone Star Ballroom in Pasadena. We will dedicate these shows to Herby and try to keep our happy faces on. He'd want us to pull through for him.
WC1
Herb Richter, Labor Day 2007 in San Antone, playing his last full gig with the Pee Wee Bowen Band. He got sick that night and never got well, but he played the whole show and hit the last note.
