21 December 22–28, 2022 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents bar for forever now.” Balis’ talks with Barr turned into action and soon they were meeting with commer- cial real estate agents, touring properties and getting turned down by landlords be- fore they finally landed a place off Elm Street in Deep Ellum. They called it the Twilite Lounge. Shortly after they opened the bar, Barr called it quits with Slobberbone and received the band’s blessing. Best, Lane and Harper lauded him for his contributions to the band, “especially the solo he did on ‘Josephine,’” they said, in a Dec. 7 CultureMap report. In 2017, Barr and Balis brought in an- other operating partner, Jimmy Morton, and opened another Twilite Lounge in Fort Worth. Morton ran the Fort Worth location while Barr focused on the Dallas bar. Both locations have received best bar awards and helped to keep the local music scene beating. “He just wanted to run his business, be with his wife and be with his kid, and that’s probably what he’s been doing the last six or seven years,” Balis recalled Fri- day on the Downbeat show. “He was the nuts and bolts of that place. He knew how to do all of the stuff. Compared to what he knew and me being in the bar business it’s not even close. Jess knew 99 percent of it and I knew 1 percent; and he probably knew the 1 percent that I knew. But some- how we were pretty good partners through that whole thing.” It was early Tuesday morning when Balis received a call from Barr’s wife that Barr had suffered a heart attack overnight and died. Balis had received several calls over the years about musician friends breaking on through to the other side: Carter Albrecht, a 34-year-old keyboardist for Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians and Dallas rock band Sorta, who had been shot and killed in 2007; Bastards of Soul vocalist Chadwick Murray, who died at 45 from a rare and un- expected illness in 2021; and Trey Johnson, a 53-year-old founding member of Sorta and Ryan’s boss at State Fair Records, who was experiencing heart problems shortly before he died. “When you get past the age of 40, the events like the ones we are about to discuss happen more frequently than we like,” Balis said to Rhyner. “You and I have been through a lot of these together, and it is never easy. I never really know how to ap- proach these things because I think all of them have happened since I’ve been on the air in one form or another.” By Friday afternoon, Balis was still pro- cessing Barr’s death. Earlier that morning, he’d gone to meet with Barr’s wife and Barr’s 15-year-old son, Liam, and shared tears and memories. He found a few more tears falling when he made it to work at 97.1 The Freak before he went on the air. He called Barr “a great friend,” “a great bar owner” and someone people would no doubt remember as “that fiery-ass guitar player from Slobberbone.” “This is vintage textbook tasteful Jess Barr rock ‘n’ roll,” Balis told listeners. “Shoutout to sweet Jessie Barr on the gold guitar from Abilene.” Tears in Heaven from p20 214-350-1904 10261 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, TX CheCk out our website for the most up-to-date info! 11am to Close wednesday-sunday @amplivetx @amplivetx @amplifiedlivetx 2714 Elm St • 972-803-5151 armouryde.com MONDAY – FRIDAY 5PM–2AM SATURDAY & SUNDAY 11AM–2:00AM making spirits bright this holiday season Cocktails • Beer Traditional Hungarian Fare Hand built not bougHt. Franklins TaTToo and supply TWo loCaTions: 469-904-2665 • 4910 Columbia ave, dallas, TX 75214 682-499-5755 • 8323 Camp Bowie w Blvd • Fort worth, tX 76116 proFessional TaTToo supply For pros only Call for your appointment or design commissions today! D DIGITAL MARKETING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE INTERESTED CANDIDATES PLEASE SEND YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO CHARLIE. CHARLIE. DONDLINGER @DALLASOBSERVER.COM
