Sometimes the Good Die Young

It was a heavy heart day. The world lost Kelly Pates last night. We lost him way too soon.

Kelly, his wife Jean, and son Andrew performed together in the Jackson area for many years and the last time I saw Kelly I told him I had just seen Crosby Stills and Nash, and I thought the Pates were doing CSN music better than CSN is these days. I told Kelly if there was any justice in the world, The Pates would be famous. It didn’t happen in Kelly’s lifetime. But Kelly’s talent is just part of the story. It was his genuine love for his music, fans, and performing that made him special. When you watched Kelly work the crowd between sets and saw the love flow both ways, you knew you were in the presence of something very special.

I recently told someone that there ought to be a roving music TV show going from city to city highlighting great local bands. It was The Pates first and foremost that made me think of that.

I have many memories of my 5 years in the restaurant business in Jackson, but my very best memories were the nights that The Pates played. It was by far, my favorite time in that business. They played at my 50th birthday party. When we needed a big crowd, we knew The Pates would pack them in. To think I’ll never hear them sing “Can’t Find My Way Home” the way The Pates performed it is very sad, but to think of this family having to deal with this is devastating.

Our thoughts are with the Pates family tonight as they try to cope. It can’t be easy. Kelly was a very special man. Gone way too young.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090813/NEWS/90813015/-1/Nletter03/Jackson-singer/songwriter-Pates--55--dead?source=nletter-news