Dallas music scene fixture John Ferguson has passed away at 80

DALLAS — Every city music scene has its mascots, its defining characters. 

They’re the spirits that embody the entire bizarre, the entire good, all of what’s left — and in terms of Dallas, John Ferguson was simply counted amongst that esteemed bunch.

Maybe it’s cliché. Maybe you don’t know. 

But John, who passed away at his Garland house on Monday at the age of 80, actually was bigger than life. 

He was, is and endlessly will likely be an integral a part of the Dallas music scene.

I first met John nearly instantly upon launching my live performance promotions firm Banjos to Beats in 2010. Prior to that, although, I had seen him out at concert events — and, identical as everybody else, I couldn’t assist however to surprise about his story. 

Who was this previous man with the Colonel Sanders aesthetic? Why did he maintain displaying up at reveals that includes a number of the most cutting-edge artists at the daybreak of the Internet period? 

I used to be intrigued, however genuinely devoid of any actual theories.

Then, it occurred: John confirmed up at certainly one of my younger firm’s reveals. Looking again now, it is clear that it was an indication we had been doing one thing proper.

From that day ahead, in all places I appeared within the music scene, John was there. 

He was there when the scene transitioned from Lower Greenville to Elm Street. 

He was there after we promoted concert events in Dallas.

Hell, he was there after we promoted festivals in Arkansas.

When the Dallas music scene was barren and misplaced, the person they known as J-Ferg was there. 

Before there have been any discussions of Factories or Halls or Studios or Lounges in Dallas, ol’ Colonel Nocturnal was there. 

When all Deep Ellum needed to supply had been some empty parking tons and a few newly resurrected venues alongside Elm Street, the Dubstep Grandpa was there.

It went on like this for years. (*80*) over a decade, John was the primary to purchase the ticket, the primary to point out as much as the door and the primary to inform you when it was time for him to go house.

John had an uncanny knack for understanding precisely when and the place he first noticed a band. He stored meticulous data of his musical adventures and made positive to specific his gratitude, each time, to everybody — the artists, the promoters, the venues and the younger individuals who discovered themselves drawn to him at reveals and grew to like him like I did.

As the years marched onward, I realized extra about John. I realized in regards to the wealthy musical background that he had passed alongside to his household. I met his spouse, Roseann, and his grandson, Max. I heard about his adventures within the Grand Canyon and snippets of his life earlier than he devoted his retirement to household, pals, journey and reside music. 

Every individual that met John felt a right away attachment to him, and left their encounters with smiles on their faces and new tales to inform.

John was one of many issues that actually set the Dallas music scene other than the remainder of the scenes throughout the nation. To know of him was a privilege, to know him was a as soon as in a lifetime expertise.

He confirmed us the best way to reside life to absolutely the fullest. He exemplified the belief of desires that almost all of us might solely hope to reflect in our brief time on this planet. 

He was, really, a second in time.

If you’ve been across the Dallas music scene for any time at all, you then’ve doubtless, for a very long time, dreaded the news of his passing finally coming. 

Now that it has, though it appears like a bit of the scene has been misplaced — as a result of it has been — it is also clear that the legacy and legend of John Ferguson will reside endlessly. It’s a legacy that lives immortally contained in the partitions of the venues that he frequented, contained in the household that he leaves behind and throughout the tales that may reside endlessly.

Even in dying, John’s household has made positive his message will not be forgotten. In the obituary the family shared to announce his passing, the household is evident in what they ask of those that cherished John.

They sum all of it up in 4 phrases: “Please support live music.”