Waiting For A Friend...

This post doesn't exactly deal with music specifically, but I felt the need to acknowledge the passing of a good friend of mine...that sadly, I sort of lost touch with.

When I came to West Virginia in 1971 to go to college, among my first friends was a gentleman from Pittsburgh PA named Bill "Hammer" Ross. He was a big guy but as nice as they come.
Over our years in college we remained good friends, but drifted into our own lives and subsequently went in different directions as people often do.
In 1980 I moved back to New York and lived there for 10 years, and when I decided to come back to this area, Bill was one of the first people I re- met .
Years later, and he still was the great guy I knew from our college life.
I only learned at the advent of his death that he battled ALS (or Lou Gehrigs) disease.
I picked up the paper and was quite stunned to see his smiling face looking up from the page...my heart sank.
I've said before that death is a part of life, and I don't fear it but I feel a great loss when someone is this young and they leave behind a family.
We loved him, but Allah loved him best, and granted him eternal rest.
Yes, I'm sorry to say that we'd lost touch, but when you're waiting for a friend, time doesn't seem to end.
Good night my brother...

William Dewey Ross, Jr.
4-19-1953- 8-20-2005.

In honor of Bill, please click on the following link to learn more about ALS disease. ALS Association

Support Live music today tomorrow, and always.