Prayers for Justin Haubrich and family

 LOCAL MUSICIAN JUSTIN Haubrich passed away Friday night after an ATV accident on family property in Missouri. He was 37. He leaves a wife and four young sons. 

Devastating.

I do not claim to be great friends with Justin or know him that well. But I do know this - he was one of the best musicians around. 

Justin played in the amazing band El Gentlemen. Nobody can touch them for what they do- classic rock and party music. They play songs other bands can only dream of doing. 

Justin was the guitar player. He was a shredder but he also could ... play. I'd watch him at Octoberfest and Mayfest and I'd want to throw my guitars into the river. He was also a great sax player. 

Sadly, his family has been through this before. Justin's brother Zak passed away years ago after a vehicle crash. The annual celebration of Zak's life at The Dock was always one of Quincy's biggest and best shows. 

 Justin was also a good Second String Music customer and we were always glad to see him when he came in to buy strings. He'd always talk about how crazy his life was with little kids. But you could tell he loved it.

A few years ago I was playing with Prospect Road at a garage party. Justin was there. He was good friends with our singer, Alicia. We took a break and Justin asked if he could play a few songs with Alicia and maybe somebody else.

I just remember thinking when he got done that my guitar never sounded that good when I played it.

At the end of the night he gave me a big hug and thanked me for letting him jam. 

That was Justin. 

I have the song Heartbeat City by The Cars swirling around in my head and I can't stop thinking about Justin's parents, wife, sons, friends, bandmates.

His death is a massive hole that will never be covered up. Never. And we will never understand it. 

Peace and prayers to you, Justin. You were one of the best. 

 

 

Hanging with great kids at JWCC

 LAST WEEK MY friend Mike Terry invited me to speak to one of his classes. I've done it many times before but this was the first time in a few years.

And, like the other times, it was a great experience.

Mike teaches at John Wood Community College. In his writing class, he requires students to pick a person to interview and then write a story about them. So we talk about the interview process, how to ask the right questions, how to prepare, how to put together the story. 

We started talking about my 24 years in journalism, and suddenly the questions came fast and furious. Who was the most famous person you've interviewed? Has anybody tried to intimidate you during an interview? What was the worst thing you saw as a reporter? What was the best?

Well. You Can't Make It Up, the stuff I saw in my day as a crime and courts reporter. 

My journalism career ended in 2012 and the more time goes by, the faster it fades when looking in the rear view mirror.

But talking to the kids made me realize it really was an interesting job. The hour flew by and I had to get to work but we could have spent more time talking about journalism and life.

I am around young people a lot in my job as a Blessing courier. I wonder about some of them in this day and age of ChatGPT and AI and the inability to look up from a cellphone or screen. 

But then I go to Mike Terry's class, and I see young people being respectful and actually taking an interest in an old burned-out newspaper guy. You know what?

They are likely to do great things.

Thank you, Mike. The kids in your class are awesome. I'm sure they will find great people to interview and write stories about. Maybe I helped them a bit, but in truth, I probably got more out of it than they did.