Originally Posted by
OmahaDawg
I am sure many of you heard that Eddie Haymaker passed away this past Saturday, unexpectedly. To say he was an institution for our small town is an understatement...he made music happen in Ruston. Here is something I wrote over the weekend about his impact on me and how I see his impact on Ruston:
Life is too busy and we don’t stay connected as we should. RIP my friend Eddie Haymaker. I wish I would have taken more time to connect with you. I am saddened and shocked to hear of your passing.
Upon hearing the words early yesterday that Eddie had passed, many memories flooded my head in a rush. Where I am today was in part molded by this kind soul. I hope Eddie knew the impact that he had on a small, town in northern Louisiana, but I know I didn’t tell him of this quite enough. The last time I saw him was at our Stonybridge reunion show in October 2011. I was the lucky one, our band were the lucky ones, for Eddie to come over from Texas to support us…once again. Thank you Eddie.
Growing up I was fascinated by the various instruments that were in the window of his small, but stocked music store. Driving by Haymaker’s Guitars sometime in the spring of 1984 I asked my mother if I could take drum lessons…the Pearl kit in the window was just too enticing. I signed up for school band and then started lessons at Eddie’s that summer and it changed my life, forever. Thank you Eddie.
I would get to lessons early and stay late. I would walk to his store from my summer job. I would drop in when I was downtown with my mother. All to check out the drums and cymbals that I was going to buy on day...all of them. Spending this time there was where the relationship with Eddie started and grew, but at eleven years old I didn’t know that. I do now, at 47. Thank you Eddie.
Over the years I bought my first set at the corner Haymaker’s and 3 of the 4 that I have ever purchased). Man do I wish I still had that 1970’s blue sparkle 4-piece Royce kit with a beat up 20” Camber ride and 14” Paiste 404 Medium Hats that I bought with my own, earned money...from Eddie. Maybe one day I can track one down. I am lucky to have the final kit I bought from him, my Sonor, but I would not have done so if Eddie hadn’t pushed and encouraged me. This went on for months to consider it and then he even let me gig with it for a few weekends to “test drive” it. Anyone who has seen me play knows that Eddie was crazy to let me bang away. Thank you Eddie.
Eddie would ask me who I was playing with and encourage me and all of us that were playing to simply have fun and keep going…and to keep taking lessons at Haymaker’s Guitars. He was also the one selling us our “hard stock” concert tickets to AC/DC, James Taylor, Van Halen, REM, Tesla, Hall & Oates (yes my first concert attended by myself) and many others. He did it all keeping his small business going while promoting music. Thank you Eddie.
So many friendships, so many bands, so many gigs, so many memories. In talking in a message chain last night with some friends, old buddy Mat Dauzat correctly said that Eddie was setting many of us on a trajectory to move beyond Ruston in music or other fields. He opened hundreds of us up to the world and what was beyond Ruston. He was a catalyst, no, he still is a catalyst. Thank you Eddie.
Let’s take Eddie’s passing and do some good. Think of those that have influenced, guided, supported, mentored you and reach out. Call them or write them and tell them you appreciate them. Reconnect and share with them their influence. Don’t wait. Tomorrow may never come.
Thank you Eddie.