#chrisbaron

 William Downing was my former bandmate, and my friend.  He lived in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas until he passed away in 2012.  When Will recorded Outside The Mission, his first album, in Portland Oregon in 2007, he and his mom were invited to stay at my friend Dors Ward's house, where I was also staying as it were.  The album took a week to make, and in that time, Barons and Wards and Downings intermingled.  Rob Lewis produced that album, his first…and then went on to produce much more music, including 2008's Claire Avenue, 2009's unreleased I Ain't So Dumb, and of course Huge Sally's Cold-hearted Bastard and my Searchlights In Mexico.  William's songs always struck me as brilliant and beautiful… and I was most certainly biased.  Of this widespread community of musicians and makers, Will was closest to Rob, and then Jake Riggs of Huge Sally and myself…but Dors was there from the very beginning of it all.

 And that is why it is so cool that The Baron Ward will go to Texas in April 2016 and perform a Remember Will Downing Tribute Tour, with Megan Cronin accompanying on viola.  Of course Dors and I have snuck a few of Will's songs into our setlist over the years…but this is going to be Different.  

 William lived his last days in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, in the town of Mercedes.  We will visit "The Valley" and perform at La Palapa, Johnny Downing's farm and restaurant.  We will perform in the town of Surfside and Brazoria county, where Will's surviving immediate family have made their home.  We will reunite with Huge Sally and Jake Riggs in the Austin area.  We will Remember Will Downing.

Here's the link to last year's tour page:

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisBaronPlaysWillDowning