http://www.hugoduarte.com Hugo Duarte. A friend, not a close friend but enough that he used to wish me happy birthday at times and always smiled when I saw him in Key West. I think he snarled at me once for stepping on six inches of the Hog’s Breath stage in Key West. The stage there for the uninitiated is very tiny and at times had a small rope to keep the crowd back. There is a tree that swings into a spot you could sit if they would let you right behind the stage. That was the seat my friend Bill and I always talked about scalping to the crowd…Hugo was always known for holding court during Meeting of the Minds week in Key West with a huge band that featured all kinds of guests that would barely fit on that stage. I have seen times where the crowd would back out into the parking lot…It was a hangout for many parrot heads across the years after midnight during Meeting of the Minds. I always loved this gig because the band would play my favorites by the Allman Brothers, the Neville Brothers, and many others. Woody the guitar guy had a gold top Les Paul and anybody that plays that guitar is a friend of mine. Fingers Taylor and Amy Lee of the Coral Reefer Band would join at times as would many of the other parts of Jimmy Buffett’s band. This gig went on for years during PHiP’s Meeting of the Minds week in Key West. I used to sit outside the stage and talk to my friends like Bill Buckner who left us last June., like DJ Jeff Allen who left us last year right before MOTM started. I remember talking to Jeff as he sat on a scooter in the parking lot about DJ gigs he wanted me to do. I was so busy with all my other things I just could not do it but I would have for him if I could have as he and I were brothers of the dj world, we both love music. I remember how my feet hurt on Sunday night after a long week in Key West at MOTM. I would still stand there and listen to Hugo and the band play as I smiled with my friends. Great times indeed. Special flashbacks to special times. Great friends and great music. That’s what living’ is to me. I am listening to Hugo’s music as I write this.
Hugo left us this morning very early in the day. I was very sad to hear this news. Somehow I am betting he hung on to see MOTM 2014 through for us. I remember standing on the stage at Meeting of the Minds last week seeing all the Hugo shirts and thinking of the times I have had in that town in South Florida. The good news is there were many of our friends waiting to take care of Hugo as he left us. Some where there is a hell of a party going on tonight. Key West will not be the same after today but we are still here.
I have so much to share but I need a little rest. Until next time, I’ll see you, down the road.
Me and my buddies work hard all year
Savin’ money up so we can come down here
To this little place, where we love ta stay
Cause the rent goes easy on a workin’ mans pay
We got our own beach made a gravel and tar
Ya can’t see the water, but it aint that far
Talkin’ ‘bout a party that’ll last two weeks
‘Bout a mile from the ocean on Hillbilly Beach…
Hillbilly Beach, Red-neck Riviera…
Wishin’ vacation would last forever!
When oceanfront property is outa your reach
Ya gotta settle for the action on Hillbilly Beach… Hillbilly Beach
Encore
One of my favorite memories of Hugo playing PHiP’s Meeting of the Minds was when he came over to the Casa Marina stage and played a slow version of “Creola” It was one of the best live versions I have ever heard. After 90 something Jimmy Buffett shows and 1000’s of live music shows I have heard a few versions of this song. Here is a video of a faster tempo version but it gets the point across. Sail on my friend you are already missed by many.