Friends have established a GoFundMe page for noted country and bluegrass songwriter Don Humphries, who is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
His songs have been recorded by numerous bluegrass artists, including Del McCoury and The Nashville Bluegrass Band. Patty Loveless cut his song, The Boys Are Back In Town, on her Mountain Soul album, one Don wrote with Stuart Duncan and Pat Enright.
Humphries had performed as a young man with banjo player Tom McKinney, and later with Ralph Lewis in The Piney Mountain Boys. After moving to California from his native Asheville, he fronted his own group, Done Gone, in the San Francisco area who recorded a number of his songs. He was a strong guitarist and vocalist, though most people these days think of him primarily as a writer.
The fund is especially timely as Don not only needs cash for medical expenses, he is facing eviction at present from the house where he has lived for 15 years. Like so many folks in the music business, Humphries had not set aside much for his later years, and at 74, isn’t able to bring in much as a performer. The need is intense and quite time sensitive. To date, $8300 of the GoFundMe campaign’s target of $12,000 has been pledged, but I have been assured that much more than that will be needed.
Because of the imminent need, Don’s friends are asking that anyone who can make even a small donation of $5 or $10, please consider doing so right away. If you have enjoyed his songs over the years, like Blackbirds and Crows or Eli Renfro, a small donation will make a real difference.
Donations can be made securely online at GoFundMe using major credit cards or PayPal.
