http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4-rdeghl4

Roby Duke passed away on Wednesday...
he had a sudden heart attack...
he was found by his good friend and assistant, Anne.
he has a son, Brantley, who will need your prayers...

My heart is aching.
It's heavy... it hurts.

the sobs in the back of my throat are giving me a headache...

i've gone back and re-read the many emails that i've shared with Roby over the past several weeks. his words make me laugh - and cry...

i really can't believe it... it's shocking news.
i'm still hoping it's not true... i want to hear him sing and play once more...

he was not unhealthy...
he religiously woke up early to go on jogs/walks and do push ups in the middle of the crosswalk...

i don't get it...


when he sent emails, you had to read them out loud... then you had to imagine his voice speaking the words... then it all came together - and you could make sense of the words he'd typed.
he'd end his emails to me with words like these...

"smile you big rascal!"

"you ....you.......you.....!
dumbledorf lover
SMILE DAMNIT OR I
QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"we gonna gather at the river there young feller
lets meet up this week
peace out"

"Woo!
once more
Woo!
has a tone......woo
8-)"

...and when we were stressing out about the Christian Musician Summit and the Songwriter Boot Camp... he sent a special song to listen to with these words...

"when you get stressed i made ya a little somethin
singin real low and fragile
like when ya go out and want to use profanity
just give this a listen and take a sonic pill"

he shared a beautiful song written by his mentor Kenny Nowell... Coming Home... he didn't want me to share it... but I might - some of you have maybe heard it... keep an ear out on the cms productions myspace or YouTube...


i never did finish my project with him...
i'm going to kick myself over and over again for not getting it done...


honest - blatantly honest...
funnier than heck
fragile
gentile
creative genius
musical master
child of God

Proud moment - playing at the CMS in 2006 and having his son in the audience to hear him perform...


miss you, Roby...

Matt