We are fortunate to celebrate the music of our beloved Mickey Newbury, the most influential and prolific songwriter-singer in Americana. This statement is supported by the abundance of love and respect shared by the many friends, fans and peers for his wondrous songs, and by the ever-increasing array of superb artists who continue to record his timeless, melodically beautiful music.

"If it weren’t for Mickey and his music none of this would be the same—neither the Flora~Bama nor the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival."
Joe Gilchrist

He was one of the best writers we’ve ever had and one of the best friends I’ve ever had.
Willie Nelson

"Mickey Newbury aptly reflected the pathos of the dedicated songwriter".
John D. Loudermilk

"What Mickey was as a song crafter now belongs to the world of Chroniclers. I wish them a tiny fraction of his eloquence when they try to describe him. What Mickey was as my friend belongs to me – and him. God knows I’ll miss him, but I can’t find much time to grieve over him because I’m already too busy treasuring the memories we made together the past thirty years. I loved him dearly – I told him so every time I spoke to him. I can best memorialize him in two ways – by continuing to perform his songs – and by never settling for an adequate line".
Larry Jon Wilson Autumn 2002

We wrote songs, Mickey wrote poetry. I was a songwriter, Mickey was a poet who wrote better songs than I did.
Sonny Throckmorton

"When Mickey was 17 years old, he couldn’t sing or play. He decided one summer he wanted to do both. He took the summer and locked himself in a room and I have never seen such a transformation of talent from anyone in my life. He came out incredibly accomplished at both". "Mickey was a friend and a colleague, and I regret more than I can say having not been in touch with him these last few years. His wife and family are in my prayers".
Kenny Rogers

"Mickey Newbury is one of our greatest songwriters, right up there with Stephen Foster. I learned more about songwriting from him than any other writer, watching him put simple words and music together in a way that breaks your heart. He fought a lifelong battle to get our kind of music the respect it deserves, and I will always be grateful for our friendship".
Kris Kristofferson

"If Frank Sinatra would’ve hopped a few freight-trains, written his own songs and had more passion, maybe he could’ve been Mickey Newbury. Mickey could wrench more emotion from one line of a song than many can an entire repertoire. He was equally at home at either end of the musical emotional spectrum. He played the guitar like a piano, sang as if his parents were Tony Bennett and Billie Holiday and cornered the market on the ‘yodel-whistle’. Rock Killough seems to think that Mickey has gone to Omaha, but I believe he’s sitting in an inner tube with a big smile on his face, singing and floating ‘way down upon the Suwannee River’. There’s just one thing…he’s gonna have to change a few words to the song, because he’s no longer ‘far, far from home’".
Tim Veazey

"Thank you Mickey for your sweet and generous spirit. You have given me gifts that I will cherish for all time. So long for now old friend". Ken Lambert

"We were proud to be outlaws and proud to both be a cousin of Jesse James".
Jimmy Louis

"When you get to your destination I’m sure you’ll be amongst friends. I was pleased to have known you here and to call you friend. I will never forget you , your smile and your appreciation for life".
Paul Colby

As in the lyric of Mickey’s "American Trilogy", "All My Trials Lord, Will Soon Be Over", His trials are over, but his music will be alive forever as, "Sweet Memories". We have lost a legend, I have lost a friend… Larry Butler

I was so sad to hear about Mickey’s passing. I know what an emptiness he’s leaving at the Flora~Bama. I am grateful to have his songs to play, and to know that his indelible impression has been left on so many songwriters and lovers of songs — what an amazing spirit. And I feel personally blessed to have been able to cross his path even for a little while — thanks to you-all for that!
Nina Mankin

He put an entire emotional lifetime into every song he played and sang. He made us laugh and cry, but mostly we sat there transfixed in his presence, sharing the extremes and feelings of a life many of us will never have any other way to know. One of the few true musical artists of our time, there will never be another like my friend, Mickey Newbury.
Casey Kelley

My first songfest in 1992 at the Flora~Bama, I heard a man singing (not knowing it was Mickey Newbury) one of my favorite songs I played back in Texas (Just Dropped In). I whispered that thought to the person next to me and they said, " That’s the guy who wrote it ". I changed that night as a songwriter and as a person. Thanks Mickey.... I’ll always remember, I’ll never forget...
Daniel Mouledous

"Mickey was my songwriting hero since I was very young. He was way bigger than life, to me and anyone I knew that had heard his songs. When I met him years ago we became friends immediately and I soon came not only to love the music but the man as well. He was every bit as good a friend as he was a songwriter. I feel extremely blessed that my hero become my pal and my life is richer having known him. I sorely miss him."
Darrel Roberts

"I walked from my house down music row and back today. About four miles. I just needed to take a walk after reading of Mickey’s passing. I thought about him and his friends and all the good they brought to this place when they came here in the sixties. That just made it seem even more like the wasteland it’s become today. No heart. No soul. The complete opposite of Mickey Newbury. Making my way back up 17th, I stopped in front of the building where a sign had hung for a few years - "Mickey Newbury Society" - started I presume, by friends and supporters, some from Europe and some from here. Overgrown grass and tall weeds filled the yard. One of the two pillar-like supports of the former sign had the address scrawled on it in spray paint, "1301." The place looked like a post Civil War mansion in ruin. Clouds suddenly covered the sun and rain started to fall. I thought, "This is so Newbury." I thought of the way Mickey carried himself in recent years, the suit, the personally made guitar. He could have stepped right out of that era, being the minstrel and master story teller that he was. He could’ve also sung in the days of no electricity with no problem. His voice was a rarity in itself. One of my greatest thrills and compliments in this business was knowing him as a friend and having his approval of my efforts. I will miss him always."
Alan Rhody Sept. 30, 2002

MICKEY NEWBURY MOVES TO OMAHA. Considering the fact that Mickey’s gone, that title sounds as though I’m making light of his leaving. I’m not. And, since Larry Jon knows what I’m talking about, I’ll explain. More than a dozen years ago, Mick, Larry Jon, and I had a friend, Don Gant who died suddenly and unexpectedly—a beautiful life cut short too soon. Most of us, the ones who lived away from Nashville didn’t get to see him or say our good-byes, because he was cremated before we could get there. I saw Larry John after Don’s funeral and he asked me how I was doing with it. I said I couldn’t think about it much because when I did, I’d break down. He said it was about the same for him. So, I told him how I was handling it without being so sad. When I thought of Don, I told myself he had up and moved to Omaha—that it was something he would do—move to a place where nobody ever went. And now, Mickey’s moved out there with him.
It was the evening of June 26, 1976. Mickey was sitting in the grand salon on Hank Cochran’s yacht and he was singing when I stepped on board. He sang for four hours. I’d never even heard of the smallish man in black with the thoughtful sad songs and the glorious tenor voice. But, we became friends that night and I became an eternal fan. Over the years, he encouraged me when I was down and thought I was wasting my time. He took me with him and showed me off to his friends every time he came to town. He even took me to Berkley, California where he was playing at a two-day concert at the Greek Amphitheater with a bunch of his famous friends. Mickey Newbury got up in the middle of his set, introduced me to the crowd, walked off the stage and let me play to 12,000 people. These are just a few instances of how he treated me—I could never set them all down here. He loved me and he helped me, and I will never forget him.
Mickey left us a treasure trove of his music. I’m listening to "Stories from the Silver Moon Café" as I write this. Thanks to Mick, Joe Gilchrist, Jack Williams and all who had a hand in seeing that Mickey’s songs and voice were recorded before he had to leave. If you are a music lover and don’t have some Newbury in your collection, you’d best see to it. CDs are on sale at the Flora~Bama and at www.mickeynewbury.com. The website has it all. So, what does one say at times like this? My kind, good friend has died, but he is not gone. As long as I remember him, he is not gone. And then there is the music—I can play one of his CDs and he’s right there with me. It doesn’t matter that he’s really not in Omaha. His Spirit has gone where there’s Goodness and music. So, what I say is move over Gant, another great tenor has arrived and God wants him to sing in the choir.
See you later, Mick. Rock Killough

It’s been my privilege to know Mickey Newbury for the past 15 years, meeting at the Flora-Bama at my first FBISF in ’88. I moved to Nashville in part because of his inspiration and against his advice. Mickey has been not only the smartest, wisest person I’ve known, but also the classiest. When he’d come to Nashville, sometimes I’d drive him around, and hang out with him. I’ve seen him talk to the head of the Portland Hotel and the lady who cleaned his room within the space of ten minutes, and you couldn’t tell who was who. Mickey was kind and polite to everyone. I’ve never been anywhere in this country that someone didn’t know Mickey and love him. He inspired that sort of feeling.
We talked about this day once in the late 90’s. He was in town and had tried contacting someone at Acuff-Rose about some old masters or demos, I’m not sure. He said he told the lady "May I speak to so- and-so, this is Mickey Newbury. She went away for a minute, Mickey was on hold. When she came back she said, "Now, who are you with, Mr. Newbury?" Mick just hung up the phone.

True to his prediction, they have put his passing on the front page. Mickey said they’ll probably do a memorial for him and he hopes somebody stands up and says, "Where have you bastards been for the last 20 years?" He was laughing as he said it, because he was and is a class act, but the underlying truth was there. As always, he made his point. We all expected this day would come, but that doesn’t lessen the pain of losing him, or how much we’re going to miss him. If all the pickers meet and jam in heaven, you know Mickey is there. I bet the first one he seeks out is Steven Foster.
Drew Reid

I met Mickey in 1969 at our music publisher "Acuff-Rose" offices in Nashville.. I was the new guy there and he was well established as a premier songwriter and artist of extraordinary passion... When I recorded his song "Mobile Blue", he was there and just smiled as if I were Roy Orbison or something and our friendship never waivered from that moment.. Lately he asked me for Autoharp lessons and I so looked forward to some time alone with this dear and gentle person. Sadly, "C’est la vie".. No One, then or now, will ever possess his way with words and melody and our heartstrings are stronger now from his gentle tug.. Shine On Mickey, Shine On..
Gove Scrivenor Oct.1, 2002

Come on Susan make me a Bloody Mary, But don’t tell Joe. Unknown Mickey was a dear friend of mine. Also, a friend to aspiring songwriters’. His family will miss him, but the World will continue to enjoy his music.
Bob Beckham, Mickey’s former publisher

I remember Mickey when he lived in the black Eldorado Cadilac. I had the pleasure of singing on several of his records. One of the Greatest if not the Greatest singers of our times. I will miss this warm and wonderful human being.
Buzz Cason

In 1971, Dottie West told me I looked enough like Mickey Newbury that I had to be able to write songs. I might have looked like him, but I sure couldn’t write like him. He was one of a kind and I miss him.
Larry Gatlin

As employees of the Flora~Bama, we have the "UNIQUE experience of meeting people from all walks of life and personality types. Even though we usually had the pleasure of his company only once a year, Mickey was one of those rare individuals who possessed the ability to make everyone feel special by actually giving you his undivided attention and remembering the details of our lives.
Anyone who has heard a Mickey Newbury song surely recognized his talent as a songwriter and those of us fortunate enough to have met him could not help but be impressed with his warmth and genuine interest in people. While we all have our individual "MICKEY" stories, we share a collective memory of a truly wonderful human being.
God Blessed You, Mickey
The Flora~Bama Family

Thanks for the page.. I was a friend and fan of Mickey and man .... well I knew he was going but that does nothing for this feeling...

Mickey Newbury maybe gone but not forgotten. As some of you know my favorite "Living Balladeer" Mickey Newbury died a couple weeks ago.. I just found out! Mickey used to tell me "What do you mean by Favorite LIVING Balladeer!!!!

So I would correct myself and say - I mean to say Balladeer - ever...my favorite EVER!!!

I opened for Mickey Newbury in 1989 at The Sweetwater in Mill Valley. Don Burnham, my room mate at the time, said it was going to change my life...and it did. I have never seen a solo performer since or before who moved me more. Mickey Newbury gave me his tuner that night (my 1st electric tuner) I, in turn gave it to another great songwriter Chuck Prophet.... who knows where that thing is today....
As for changing my life as a songwriter, I would have never written Alone In Love or Heaven On Earth or The Fool In Me - had it not been for Mickey Newbury. Those songs are attempts at capturing what Mickey did and somehow incorporating it into what I do.....
Mickey knew about my attempts to transfer some of his craft into my own and encouraged it. He would sing new songs to me over the phone (some of which I recorded...) He was a hero of mine and the web page below has a tribute to him by " some good company" - with some of his music playing on the page. Take a minute to check it out.
David Grossman

What a wonderful tribute to Mickey Newbury on your web site. I had a tear in my eye when the page loaded - and he sang "Sweet Memories." Mickey was an "American Trilogy." God bless him.
Stan Laundon, Webmaster for Jimmy Payne.

I just now got around to reading the tribute that you all posted on the web, & I just wanted to say what a beautiful job you did. Their words brought me to tears, which isn't hard these days, but I just wanted to tell you how great it looks (& reads)!
Marjorie G. Kussin

Having been able to become acquainted with one of my vocal heroes is a highlight of my life. I've often told friends how well I remember the first time I heard Mickey--Houston radio was playing "American Trilogy" that summer it was a hit back in 1972, I believe. Still in high school, I had just begun trying to find my own voice, work on my vibrato, breathing, etc., and so I had been lately very cognizant of singers' styles, control, phrasing, etc. As Mickey began singing "Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton," I was so "blown away" I pulled off the road and turned off the car, cranked up the volume and just drank in that incredible combination of singing, phrasing, orchestration and the feeling/passion in his voice. After they gave attribution to the artist and the song, I drove to my local record store and bought the LP that afternoon. I would listen to his music and emulate his voice, practice and practice to hit the high notes and still make them sound good, attempt to match his phrasing and breathing, and I credit Mickey and his music with my progress in those regards ever since. I've also been a huge fan ever since, and forever. What a wonderful gift God gave us in such a talented man that had so much affect on so many people in so many ways. Isn't it just......cool....that the "magic" of recorded music and technology allows him to stay alive forever in his recordings. Thanks again for posting the tributes, and allowing me to express my feelings.
Tex Toler

Found this the other day and thought I'd pass it along. Quote: "Writing is a real discipline. I would trade every song I ever wrote to not have to experience it anymore." - Mickey Newbury

(The Register-Guard) Ray Farnell
I always felt a surge of pride each time my phone would ring and this voice would say, "How ya doin', pal? It's Mick." As though I wouldn't know... For over thirty years, we were friends and had a mutual admiration society between us. The world has lost a great poet... a master painter of the depths of the human experience. I have lost a wonderful friend.
About six years ago, Mickey called me to say that he wanted to come to town to "get a couple of songs down with just voice and piano... in case something happens to me". We did four songs one late night, and we simply called that little memories evening's results "Duets". It was never for release... just for Mickey... just for me. I don't know if any other copy exists but my own mastered copy... maybe two or three I have burned for special friends. I am going to send a copy to Joe Gilchrist. He knows why I feel that he should have a copy, because he knows the Mickey Newbury/Ron Oates legacy and how it concerns the history of the Flora~Bama.

I have my memories... and I have his music. My heart will forever be warmed because of his appearance in my life.
Ron Oates

I fell in love Mickey's music in1971 and I had the privilege of meeting the great man in England on his last tour some 6 years back I think. He was on the Don Williams tour and my musical buddy's and I spent the night talking to Mickey about music and influences. The highlight of my life, never forgotten, always there. Nobody came close to Mickey's voice and never will and his songs are the greatest backdrop of American Country Music. God bless you Mickey for all those years of stunning music.
Peter Morrison

Mickey Newbury certainly made a difference in many lives, mine included.

I first met Mickey at an RCA in Nashville. He really liked a piece I'd just recorded under Felton Jarvis and Chet Atkins. His encouragement developed into a friendship. Mickey was commuting between Houston and Nashville in those days. He spent many nights in our guest bedroom, which he regarded as blessed relief from living in the legendary El Dorado Cadillac. (The lampshade theme of his website reminded me of his enthusiasm over the first Tiffany lampshade he'd ever seen, the one that hung in the sunroom just off our library.)

My whole family loved Mickey. We loved when he came, hated when he left. I wrote about this in "Little Sparrow," which Don Gant sang with the Neon Philharmonic.

I told Mickey about the golden years of American expatriates sharing ideas and product in Paris during the 20s and 30s, and about how someday the times we were having in Nashville would be recalled with the same importance and fondness. He told me about his dad, who had been imprisoned for stealing tires so he could put food on the table. I'd never known anyone so close to a prisoner before. In a strange way, Mickey's frank and shameless attitude toward his dad's plight removed the element of fear from my later decision to challenge certain governmental practices.

In my life, as with so many others, Mickey Newbury was providential.
Tupper Saussy

I just heard about Mickey today and still can't believe we will not be seeing him again in this life. The world has lost a great spirit and will be diminished by his passing but richer for the stories he told.
David Johnson

There's a rattle in the dashboard it's not the radio sounds like someone whistlin' there a friend you used to know a friend you lost and grieved for the deep night sings his songs til the mornin' comes and takes the moonlight in its arms. Porchlights (Doug Lang)

I've listened, sung and felt Mickey's songs since "71".Ten years ago I lost my parents, five uncles, a cousin and two Grandparents in an eleven month stretch. Don't know what I'd of done without Mickey's music for comfort. Thank you for putting up this web page in his honor! Wonderful !!!! Regards,
Cowboy Kent Johnson