Saying Goodbye Not Forgotten

Lost another friend recently. Michael Bradbury, a great guy who enjoyed life and had many friends.

Although we didn't see eye to eye when we talked politics we still respected each others opinions. You might have seen him up at walmart where he was often seen walking around with a pistol strapped on his side. I sure miss having conversations with him. Never Forgotten. I will Miss Him........

He joined the US Marine Corps on Feb. 14, 1966 and served in Vietnam from October 1967 to November 1968, including Khe Sanh during Tet Offensive and the Battle of Khe Sanh. He earned a Purple Heart and a Presidential Citation.

He returned to the states and in July 1969 and re-enlisted into the US Air Force in September 1971. Mike retired from the Air Force, as an F-111 Crew Chief, in August of 1988.

He worked for BLM after retirement until 1997, then Marsh Aviation in Mesa, Arizona until a 2002 cancer diagnosis. He returned afterward to the place he loved, Mountain Home.

In 2006 Mike began treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He remained in remission until February of 2017.

Mike enjoyed shooting and hunting, classic cars, old movies, playing the guitar, boxing and model cars and trains.

Below is From August 2015

I woke up Thursday morning put the coffee on and sat down to look at Face book, which I'm sure many of you do the same thing each morning as you start your day. It was a morning I wished I hadn't looked on face book. We lost a long time resident of Mountain Home on Wednesday. Carl Holmes also known as Lamont on the blogs had been fighting for his life the last few years, when cancer reared its ugly head. He lost the battle Wednesday Evening.

I first met Carl Holmes back in 1985, we became neighbors when my husband and I and kids moved into the neighborhood. We lived side by side for a few years in one of the towns Neighborhoods. We didn't become close friends, however we were friends. I even at one point in my life worked for Carl and his wife in the Deli they owned across the street from Albertsons

Carl not only was a veteran and did a tour in Viet Nam, he was also a musician all of his adult life. He never gave up his passion for music and was still performing up to the end. He had a gig scheduled for this weekend.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNEW CARL AND READ HIS POSTS EITHER ON THE BLOGS HERE, OR ON FACEBOOK, YOU DO KNOW THAT HE ALWAYS USED CAPS. Lol!! I KNOW FOR A FACT MANY TIMES THIS CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR HIM. SOME WOULD SAY "CARL STOP USING THE CAPS, IT APPEARS YOU ARE YELLING" HE WOULD SHOUT RIGHT BACK "IT'S THE WAY I TYPE & I'M NOT YELLING"

I IMAGINE CARL IS STILL USING THE CAPS.............

I ALSO IMAGINE HE IS SITTING BEHIND HIS KEYBOARD

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN THAILAND 1967-1968

BELOW ARE A FEW OF THE COMMENTS LEFT BY SOME OF HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Carl Holmes was one of few band leaders in this area to take a chance on me as a side-man.
He was also steeped in a tradition of music performance in which I had virtually no experience.
No matter the stage, the venue, the client, the circumstance... Every time I played with Carl, somehow I felt like I was a superstar, like we were the Real Deal, like he was taking us musically and spiritually to where we needed to be in that moment. I know for a cold hard fact that I will say to myself, often, over the course of my life, and without pretense or absence of due respect: "It would've been better if Carl were here."

Carl my friend...our friendship started 28 yrs ago...at the Cat's Eye Lounge & Abracadabra....over the years I have enjoyed our in depth conversations, lots of laughs, your knowledgeable advice, your tell it like it is no nonsense approach, store visits, how your face lit up when you talked about your family, your/our love of music and listening to you play at various venues we always enjoyed it.......you are now upstairs playing with GREATS...
Sir....I would like to THANK-YOU for your Friendship and your SERVICE to this COUNTRY........YOU will be MISSED MY FRIEND.....
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Holmes Family...

I just found out my friend Carl Holmes passed away today. He was a great musician and a very kind human being. Thanks Carl, for the music and the friendship.

As I was getting ready to post about three gigs this weekend, two with The B3 Side and one with Interstate, I got the call that The B3 Side organ player and band leader, Carl Holmes passed away last night. I think I can speak for everyone in the band (and the many many other musicians who have played with Carl over the years) when I say we will miss him in a tremendous way.
Thanks for the jams and the laughs Carl. I miss you already. Thoughts and prayers are with you Lisa Holmes and family!

CARLS LAST MESSAGE TO HIS BAND THE B3 SIDE

The BE-3 Side

August 16 at 4:05pm · Edited ·

WE WILL BE AT HA PENNY'S FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 21-22 AUGUST ...................................... .COME ON DOWN WE HAD A GREAT NIGHT AT THE NEW SOCKEYE ON FAIRVIEW SO PLAN ON IT ......SMILE

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS MEMORIALS MAY BE MADE IN CARL'S NAME AT THE BANK OF THE CASCADES"