I first met Chris Daniels when we both worked at Mexican Original in the early 1990s, when I’d be driving a forklift around in the mornings, and he’d come in the warehouse for supplies for the department he worked in. To amuse ourselves, we would try out our bad John Wayne impressions on each other.

In all fairness, I think his may have been somewhat better than mine.

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We became fast friends.

Around this time Chris introduced me to his sister-in-law, hoping that something might develop between us. It didn’t take either of us very long to distrust Chris’s match-making abilities.

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When I became involved with Fayetteville Open Channel in 1991, Chris came in to perform the first of over 30 music videos for public access television, most of which can still be seen on Fayetteville Public Access Television.

Later, he wrote many articles for us at the Ozark Gazette, covering topics as diverse as home schooling, music, and the attempt to have Fayetteville become a “Hate Free Community.”

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Many may remember Chris from the days when he would sit on the steps of the the Old Post Office on the Fayetteville Square, and perform for folks at the farmers’ Market. Chris had many plans, and was always working to bring them to fruition, until fate dealt him a cruel blow in the form of the physical illness which ultimately took his life.

But that’s all surface stuff, isn’t it?

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The Chris Daniels that I’ll remember is the guy doing John Wayne impressions, and driving through the snow delivering the OG, the guy I had late night/early morning burgers with at the diner in the bowling alley.

A guy I loved.

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And I’m not the only one who felt that way.

There will be a celebration of the life of Christopher Joseph Daniels on October 8, at 2pm, at Combs Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville.

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Chris Daniels: A Life in Music

Ten years ago I edited together a compilation of Chris’s music videos together into one program. Ironically, last week I had decided that this week I would re-edit it and have it played once again, which it will do.

It’s odd how the universe works, isn’t it?

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*****

Quote of the Day

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. – Harriet Beecher Stowe

rsdrake@cox.net

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