My bandleader, Scotland Barr, died this morning

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 1 Sep 2009 8:15 pm

Hi friends,

I don't really know the proper way to say these things. Scotland Barr, real name Scott Moritz, died early this morning after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 43.

It feels bizarre to talk about Scot in the past tense...I saw him less than 2 days ago. Scot was one of the most true-to-himself people I have ever met. He loved two things in life - food and music - and that's what he did. Most of you know that I played pedal steel in his band, Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags, for the past 4 years. Scot also ran Secret Aardvark, a company that makes the absolute best hot sauce you will ever taste.

Scot's sense of humor was also a major part of his personality. About 2 weeks ago, after Scot had lost his voice for a stretch, I was on the phone with his wife Stacy when I heard him in the background. I said, "hey, he's got his voice back, can I talk to him?" When he got on the phone, he said, "What the f**k do you want?"

The main way Scot and I connected, obviously, was through music. We had a lot of similar tastes and influences. I count Scot as one of the best songwriters of his time, period. He had the ability to make a simple idea into profound poetry. And he gave me my start playing pedal steel...I been playing under 2 years when I joined the Slow Drags. Even though I could barely "chord along," the band asked me to join, and Scot and the others accepted me as a musical peer even when I didn't have that confidence myself.

We were on tour last year when Scot started to feel really ill. He ended up flying home, and they did tests and determined he had pancreatic cancer. The news hit me and everyone else really hard. But Scot kept moving, and we played several more shows this year, as well as doing some work in the studio. We ended up having to cancel a string of five shows slated for earlier this month when Scot lost his voice, and then things really started to go downhill. That's the most shocking part, after the initial diagnosis - the speed of the descent.

I feel as though a chapter of my own life is over. Scot and the band were such a huge part of my life since moving to Portland. Although the album we were working on at the time of Scot's death was called We Will Be Forgotten, I know there's no chance of that.

I would encourage everyone to listen to some of Scot's music and remember who he was.

http://scotlandbarr.com/music.html

http://www.kgw.com/video/pdxposedmusic- ... vid=383632

Bryan

James Fleming · Post by **James Fleming** » 2 Sep 2009 6:43 am

Very sad to here. This was a very nice tribute to your friend. Scotts'family and friends will be in my prayers today.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Sep 2009 6:52 am

Bryan, I'm sorry for your loss. That was indeed a nice tribute to him.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 2 Sep 2009 7:45 am

I'm very sorry to hear this. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and his friends and family during this time.

That's way too young to go.

Joe Allwood · Post by **Joe Allwood** » 2 Sep 2009 9:21 am

Pancreatic cancer sucks...lost my dad at age 46...seems like that's the range where it strikes. You have my deepest sympathy.

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 2 Sep 2009 10:06 am

Bryan,

very sorry about your lost. will pray for the family

p.w

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 Sep 2009 11:52 am

Bryan,Sorry to hear this,It hurts to lose a friend,Guess I'm lucky have made it to 70 and still picking,Over the last fifty plus years have lost a LOT of band mates,some in their 30's and 40's,They WERE my family.again sorry you lost your band mate. DYK?BC.

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 2 Sep 2009 12:07 pm

Hi Bryan, This indeed a sad time. May GOD bless, comfort, and keep his family always. Jody.

Joseph Carlson · Post by **Joseph Carlson** » 2 Sep 2009 2:13 pm

I just heard about this from my friend Mike Yates, the original guitar player in the band way back when. I actually played some guitar parts on the first CD as well. He seemd like a really cool guy, with great taste in music. He truly went way too young.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 3 Sep 2009 12:20 am

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone. This is indeed a tough time, but having friends around makes it easier.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 3 Sep 2009 7:04 pm

Bryan.

Sorry to hear of this loss. I have been as busy as I can be this year after my own C diagnosis, surgery and recovery waiting for the next stage, hopefully far away, but as we see, you never know.

We've lost several musicians in the last couple years. Three of my closest guitar playing partners, and a couple real shockers.

You were a good friend to him and I'm so glad for the many that have helped me.

On the "change" of his answering strangely on the phone..

I've noticed that I have slightly changed reactions, and inabilities to deal with things from what I had at the "top of my game". ( not that I ever had one..) Nothing major, but I am aware that pain, surgery, "end things", and in general having to face things that many of us never face, has changed me somewhat. Not always for the more pleasant. I hope if and when it happens (to any of us) that it is understood that our whole core being changes, and we can only hope that our friends understand. It sounds like you did.

Hope to see you out and about. I/ve got a Gresham Eagles gig the first weekend in Oct, and the Gateway Elks the second. Hopefully to be playing with Kevin Neal, who always plays the vintage Telecaster I used to play against in the 80s in the hands of Kurt Radtke, who was taken by a massive seizure about three years ago.

More on that, and an odd occurance if I get to see you sometime.

Prayers for understanding, and letting even bad things remove less than good parts of us seem to help.

Mine go out to you for healing and understanding things that don't seem to heal, or be understood.

Eric L.