Goodbye, Clifford

Austin stages star-studded send-off to departed blues godfather

By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, June 04, 2006

They came from all over town Saturday night — fans and mourners, close friends and distant admirers, bikers and businesspeople — to give Clifford Jamal Antone a public send-off befitting the man who founded Austin's home of the blues.

Organizers estimate that about 3,000 people flooded the Palmer Event Center Saturday night to hear an all-star cast of current and former Austin musicians pay tribute to Antone, who died May 23 at age 56.

Performers included Jimmie Vaughan, his brother Stevie Ray's rhythm section Double Trouble, young bluesman Gary Clark Jr., country singer Alvin Crow and blues veteran Lou Ann Barton. The free show was co-sponsored by the City of Austin.

"It usually takes months to plan an event like this," said Jason Maurer, an aide to City Manager Toby Futrell. "But so many people wanted to be involved, we were able to do this in a matter of days."

Antone's family was overwhelmed by the response from Austinites and the city.

"It has been so fabulous," Antone's sister, Susan, said. "He knew he was a popular guy around town, because he helped people have fun. But he'd be amazed at this."

Janelle Antone Raad, another sister, agreed.

"Clifford would be so, excuse me, is so proud," said Raad, casting her eyes upward. "He's giving us his strength right now."

The doors opened at 5 p.m., but by 5:30 nearly all of the 1,000 public seats were taken, a full half-hour before the event began. Closer to the stage, tables for sponsors also quickly filled. It was standing room only from the time Ruthie Foster opened the show with a striking a capella version of Dottie Rambo's "He Looked Beyond My Fault (and Saw My Need)."

"How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul," Foster sang. "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need."

Antone went to prison on federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering in 2000. He was released in 2003 after serving three years of a four-year sentence.

Emceed by KGSR Program Director Jody Denberg and former Antone's emcee Allan "Sugarbear" Black, the program moved smoothly from act to act, as slides of Antone throughout his life were projected onto a large screen, along with quotes from music business luminaries who were not able to make the performance.

"Clifford Antone will be missed," read a comment from Willie Nelson. "He was a friend of mine and my whole family and everyone who knew him, loved him."

"We were connected through our love of R&B and the deep blues," read another from legendary talent scout and producer Jerry Wexler. "He never had an attitude.. . . What we saw was what you got."

Denberg introduced Crow's band and shared a Crow quote about Antone: "Clifford was married to the blues, but country was his mistress."

Crow and his band Hardcore Country held down the second slot, playing country classics, including Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin' " with Broken Spoke owner James White on lead vocals.

Clark and his band got the crowd dancing, while later in the evening the original Antone's house band took the stage: singer Angela Strehli, bassist Sarah Brown, guitarists Denny Freeman and Derek O' Brien, drummer George Rains, keyboard player Riley Osbourn and saxophonist Mark Kazanov.

Strehli received a wild cheer when she sang the tribute "Austin's Home of the Blues."

"My favorite memory of Clifford is how much he loved to laugh," Strehli said between songs.

For all the music, you couldn't forget that this show celebrated a man who will be missed.

"The family is very, very happy that Austin has such sentiment for Cliff," Susan Antone said. "I myself have a broken heart."

jgross@statesman.com; 912-5926.