Gates Nichols photograph courtesy of confederaterailroad.net.
Aug. 18, 2009 — A manager who was central in the club behind the movie Urban Cowboy, the steel guitarist for Confederate Railroad and a longtime musical partner of Juice Newton are among the country figures who have died during the month of August.
Sherwood Cryer was a controversial partner in Gilley’s nightclub who had a vicious split with the venue’s namesake, Gates Nichols played with Railroad during its early-‘90s heyday and only retired from the band at the close of 2008, and Otha Young was a guitarist and co-producer for Juice who contributed in some way to each of her albums. Their legacies follow:
• Sherwood went into business with Mickey Gilley in 1971 with the establishment of Gilley’s in Pasadena, Texas. Located in the heart of oil country, the club catered to roughnecks and rednecks, and it provided the inspiration for the 1980 John Travolta movie Urban Cowboy. Known for the mechanical bull, the club’s connection to the film drew tourists who were disappointed in the spot. Mickey complained that Sherwood was letting it go to seed and ultimately sued to have his name removed from the venue. Sherwood filed for bankruptcy and blamed Mickey for his fall from grace. He died Thursday in Texas, the Associated Press reported.
• Gates found a steady gig with Confederate Railroad when the band united with lead singer Danny Shirley and melded a biker image to such hits as "Trashy Women," "Queen Of Memphis" and "Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind." It wasn’t his first encounter with national success: Gates played bass on the 1976 Henry Gross pop hit "Shannon." Gates died Friday from pancreatic cancer. Details of his final days and recollections of his warmth as a family man were recorded by his wife, Beverly, at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bass_man_g.
• Otha died of cancer Aug. 6 at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. As a guitarist, he took part with Juice in several bands during the 1970s and remained a collaborator as she rose to fame via the million-selling singles "Queen Of Hearts" and "Angel Of The Morning." He was an associate producer on "You Make Me Want To Make You Mine" and "Love’s Been A Little Bit Hard On Me," and he wrote the 1982 hit "The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known)."
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