In Memory Of Michael Houser (Widespread Panic)

[U2Bama]

Last Saturday, one of my favorite guitarists from one of my favorite bands passed away after a rather brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Michael Houser was 40 years old, a husband, father, and the lead guitarist and a founding member of Widespread Panic. For me, the music and the concerts will never be the same.

They came to town for a 3-night stand in April. Due to schedule conflicts. my wife and I were not planning to attend until a friend said "Sunday night may be Houser's last show." He sings lead on a few songs, and those songs happen to have some of the best lyrics to his credit. All of their songs have his signature guitar riffs. For perhaps selfish reasons, I wanted to go hear them that Sunday night, and we went. His last show was actually July 2 in Iowa, which is a miracle in and of itself since he had to be helped into his limo after we saw him perform, and he apparently refused chemotherapy the whole time.

I'm greatful that as a musician, he left behind tons of music for us to enjoy, but I am sad that I will never get to hear him perform it live again, and that his bandmates will never get to jam with him again, and that his wife Barbette and their son Waker will never get to welcome him home again afater a long tour segment. I am sad that he had to go through one of the cruelest and most aggressive forms of cancer, but I am eternally greatful that he valued his fans as much as he did to play as long as he did.

Thanks, Mikey.

~U2Alabama

 

[Lilly]

i also quite enjoyed this band

i'm sorry to hear that bama. that really is too bad.

 

[no disk]

wow, i had no idea. this is a major bummer, man. Houser was quite a talent.

 

[The Wanderer]

that's very sad and tragic

I had no idea, just goes to show that the radio stations and websites are clueless, he was a great talent and will be dearly missed

 

[Like O2]

I hadn't heard that news yet. How very sad, we was great.

 

[Giant Lemon]

 

[U2Bama]

Thanks, y'all. No, there was not much coverage of this in the national media. I didn't know about it until I got an e-mail from a friend the following Monday morning. Anyway, they have posted an image of the bulletin from his funeral service; the Thoreau quote about music is really fitting, and his wife's quote at the end reminds us that he was a real person in close-up, real life, not just a guy on a stage...

Where there is love, there is hope. ~Michael Houser

 

[popkidu2]

I didn't think this news would make it to interference. Thanks Bama! I had forgotten that you were a WSP fan. I was lucky enough to see them once when I was in college. It was an amazing show.

BTW..Bama, I'm guessing you got your copy of Anthologies in Motion v. 1? There's some cool stuff on there....