I don't usually read obituaries; in fact I barely glance at the newspaper. But this evening as I was gathering up today's Dallas paper for the trash, it fell open in such a way that I glanced down and saw a familiar name. That's how I learned that Tim Rose died last week.
Tim and I had been e-mail correspondents since May 1999. He first contacted me through my web site, as we shared a common interest in studying old military airfields. We discoursed on this subject for several e-mails before the subject of vocations came up, and to tell you the truth I was not then familiar with Tim's music. But I soon came to enjoy his brand of music, and purchased a couple of his albums.
So, for the next few years we corresponded about music as well as old Air Force bases. Recently, Tim mentioned his plans for a brief U.S. tour, and I was looking forward to seeing him perform in Austin, Texas. If he could take time out of his tour schedule, I offered to take him on a tour of some old military airfields in the area. The last e-mail I had from Tim was August 15th, and he mentioned the U.S. tour was on hold, as he had to "deal with a matter of health."
Also just last month, I sent Tim some lyrical ideas I was toying with; I guess I hoped he would like them and want to co-write a song. Damn, I sure hope it wasn't my horrible lyrics that did him in.... (Tim would laugh at that. He had a great sense of humor.)
I'll always regret I never had that chance to meet Tim in person. But I'm sure glad I got to know him, even as little as I did. Hell, he had more personality in e-mail than some people do in person. And he gave us some great songs to remember him by.
Rest in peace, American Son