Happy Birthday to Dimebag Darrell

Dime is truly missed.

Today would have been Dimebag's 54th birthday. He came out kicking and screaming on August 20th, 1966 in Ennis, Texas, just south of Dallas...

Alright, forget this formal BS. Dime wouldn't have it, and neither will I. I'm sitting here fighting the possibility of breaking down because he's not here.

Dimebag may have been a rockstar to the rest of the world, but around here, he was family. It sucks that he's not here, and for such stupid reasons (or lack of reason). Dime was one of those guys who was really just too good for this world, and he didn't deserve to be taken out by a freakin' coward.

I had any number of chances to hang out with Dime. There are almost no pictures of me and him because he was one of the guys. You just don't think about asking someone like that for a picture. I got one picture in the control room, and dangit if my eyes weren't closed. (Check the gallery below for evidence of one of his last visits.)

Dime thought nothing of getting in a car, bus or plane and coming into Lubbock for a show. I remember when he dropped by one of our Birthday Bashes to visit with Lajon of Sevendust and ended up standing next to me to watch Canadian Classic Rockers April Wine next door.  Dime loved Lubbock and was a frequent visitor to the Hub City. He was always surprised, but always cool when someone asked him for an autograph.

None of this is revisionist history, and I'm not putting a smiling face on this just because it ended in tragedy. Dime was truly remarkable to his friends and fans. He is missed so damn bad that I can't even put the rest into words, but just in case there is something after, Happy Birthday Dime, we miss you.

If you'd like to hear Dime's voice to celebrate his birthday, here's one our favorite things he did for us: