Anne Rice

Fred: I saw that Anne Rice passed away earlier today. Such a sweet, talented, and generous lady. She was also a fan of Cowboy Mouth. We did a little work together, with her giving us some lyrics for a couple of songs that unfortunately never came out. Our manager’s better half was very close to Miss Anne (as nearly everyone called her) and actually worked as her effective right hand for many years. I say she was very generous because in all the times I met her, she was always very kind, never appearing to be “above it all,“ as someone with her level of fame would sometimes be. Always very genuine, always very patient. Many great times were had at the mansion she kept on St. Charles Avenue, right on the parade route! During carnival season, she would open the house to pretty much anyone who wandered by (you did have to know someone, though) and the place would be saturated with every sort of food and beverage you could think of, free for the taking. Needless to say, it was a regular stop on many of my Mardi Gras’s sojourns. To say she was a talented writer would be more than a little obvious. Her stories bristled with creative energy, turning the (at the time) rundown areas of the Garden District in New Orleans into grand landscapes filled with hidden mystery and intrigue. I believe that she was one of the main reasons that New Orleans experienced a rebirth and re-appreciation of its culture in the early 90s, something that still lingers today. Her husband Stan preceded her passing by almost 20 years. I’m sure she’ll be very happy to see him again. Godspeed, Miss Anne! Please put in a good word for all of us down here…