Remembering Dave Lamb (Brown Bird)

It's not that I really knew Dave Lamb of Brown Bird. I'd only meet him and MorganEve Swain twice at shows in Seattle and Spokane. But they were the first band I met from all the bands I got into after discovering the Outlaw Roadshow, and they were the first band I wrote about for the blog. Dave was always super nice each time I met them, even giving me a shout out from the stage the time I saw them in Seattle (I had driven out from Spokane for the show.) Though they technically weren't friends, I still referred to them as such, and it's hard when bad things happen to good friends.

Just under a year ago, Dave Lamb was diagnosed with Leukemia. He fought the hard fight, but on April 5, 2014 he lost the battle. For as sad as this made me, I can't even imagine what his family is going through right now. Sure, they knew going in that this may happen, but no one is ever really prepared for someone so young passing away. Dave Lamb is the only person I've ever known in my age bracket to die. It's kinda weird for me to think about.

Dave was an amazing person, musician and songwriter. His brand of Americana Folk was a refreshing thing to discover. I instantly fell for Brown Bird's music after I heard their song "Fingers to the Bone," from 2011's Salt for Salt. For being a two-piece band, they have the sound, heart and soul of a "full" band. Salt for Salt is now one of my favorite records, and their follow-up record, Fits of Reason is amazing as well, showing the duo's musical evolution. I can't say enough about how much I love the music, and even though I really didn't know Dave, how much I will miss him and the music.

There's a track on Salt for Salt called "Bilgewater," which is one of my favorite songs. There's one bit of the song, a couple lines, that have meant so much to me, and helped get me through some stuff, and I'm grateful to have it in my life:

"when everyday’s like a war between the will to go on

and a wish that the world would spiral into the sun

turn your head toward the storm that’s surely coming along"

But there is one line from that song that I've sort of adopted as a personal mantra of sorts, one line that now that I have it, I don't think I can give it up:

"have the strength to know you’re wrong

and when you’re right the strength to stand your ground"

Thank you Dave Lamb for all the music. You will be missed.