Chris Gaffney, R.I.P.

Chris Gaffney passed away yesterday after a battle with liver cancer. Gaffney had been a major part of the roots-rock scene in California for years, playing in Dave Alvin’s post-Blasters group as well as recording several albums under his own name. Gaffney was one of those guys working a regular job and playing gigs in crappy bars at night that never really got the sort of break his talent might have merited, but in whatever theater, nightclub or dive you caught his act in, no matter what spot he was playing that night, you were going to get a great show. I knew Gaffney most for his time in the Hacienda Brothers with former Paladin Dave Gonzalez, who had set up a base of sorts in my hometown of Tucson. The Hacienda Brothers played a ton of gigs there, and seemed to be making a move towards some sort of notoriety outside of the southwestern circuit they were loyal to, but his illness made that sort of fame impossible again. Gaffney, a hard-working, talented, unassuming guy and great musician, was 58, and there’s a site to help cover his truly ridiculous medical bills. [HelpGaff]