Warren Hellman: Well Lived, Well Loved, and a Hell of a Jacket

We had heard over the weekend that Warren Hellman, the financier and philanthopist that started Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, was very ill and I woke up this morning to see that he had indeed passed on, dying of leukemia at age 77.  My first thought was how sad that was, but then after more thought, I decided how happy it seemed.  Last week I heard of two deaths, one a suicide by a young man, the other was someone in the neighborhood that lived alone and was found by his landlord days later.  Here instead is a man who at least lived to be 77 (although that's sure not looking as old as it used to) and lived much of the last year of his life playing music, living out a passion.  When we saw him last June he was frail but he seemed joyous and had his grandson, if I recall correctly, playing with him ( as well, of course, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the Wronglers!).  So it seems as though he was well loved and well lived.  Tonight Ernie and I will raise a drink to Warren Hellman and living long and living well and loving music.  And I hope the man with the gorgeous sparkly jacket, complete with Hebrew and the Star of David, rests well.

Here he is, showing us off his jacket to us, last June at the Castle Theater: