Circa 1978, I was 17, and Rick Elias, just another young, struggling start-up musician in San Diego, played an all-ages club on El Cajon Blvd. in La Mesa.

In my young punk arrogance, I embarrassed myself by heckling him when he messed up a Buddy Holly song.

He shot back, “You think it’s so easy, you get up here and do it”

In 2011, I sent him a message on Facebook and disclosed my embarrassment. He said he didn’t recall the show but it sounded like something he would have said.

At the time, I was totally unaware of what a successful and significant music career he had. I only learned of the scope of his career after writing my story about Brothers McClurg in December. The band recorded, with friends, a Grammy-nominated album honoring Rich Mullins. Rick played with Rich for a time, which is among Rick’s many successful projects.

Rick died in 2019.