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Posts Tagged ‘The Cactus Brothers’

Died On This Date (September 25, 2012) Paul Kirby / Walk The West; Cactus Brothers

Posted by themusicsover on September 25, 2011

Paul Kirby
DOB Unknown – September 25, 2011

Paul Kirby was a Nashville singer-songwriter who fronted the popular roots rock band, Walk The West and later, Cactus Brothers.  Decades before anyone thought up the name, “Americana” as a music genre, Kirby was marrying rock ‘n roll with rough-and-tumble country music.  Formed with his brother, Will Kirby and schoolmate John Goleman in 1984, Walk The West quickly built a sizable local following thanks to their blistering live shows and growing arsenal of original songs.  They were quickly snapped up by Capitol Records just as major labels were trying to find their own contributions to the “cow punk” scene that was suddenly in vogue.  The band had a couple of minor hits thanks in part to video play on MTV and opening slots for the likes of the Smithereens and the Ramones.  Walk The West never released a follow-up for Capitol and disbanded within the next few years.  During the early ’90s, Kirby resurfaced with the more adventurous Cactus Brothers  who were definitely more “alt” than “country,” but nonetheless found a home on Liberty Records who was currently riding the high of Garth Brooks.  The band released two albums and appeared in the film Pure Country before again being dropped by their label.  Kirby and Walk The West reunited for a special event in Nashville in 2008, and then again just weeks before his untimely death.  According to the Nashville Scene, Paul Kirby died of cardiac arrest on September 25, 2011.  He was 48.  Fellow Cactus Brother David Schnaufer died in 2006.

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Died On This Date (August 23, 2006) David Schnaufer / Respected Dulcimer Player

Posted by themusicsover on August 23, 2010

David Schnaufer
DOB Unknown – August 23, 2006

David Schnaufer was a folk musician whose instrument of choice, the dulcimer, can be heard on countless country, Americana and bluegrass recordings.  During the ’80s, he moved from Texas to Nashville where he became one of the most in-demand studio players.  Over the years he’s played on records by the likes of the Judds, Kathy Mattea, Hank Williams Jr., Alison Krauss, and Cyndi Lauper.  He was also a member of alt-country band, the Cactus Brothers which included members of Walk The West.   During the mid ’90s, he became a music professor at Vanderbilt University.  David Schnaufer died of lung cancer on August 23, 2010.  Fellow Cactus Brother, Paul Kirby passed away in 2011.



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