18 Wheels Of Love - Chester Adams RIP (April 26, 1945 - May 27, 2010)

I'd been listening to DBT for a couple of years before I found a copy of the Alabama Ass Whuppin record with '18 Wheels of Love'. An important find, as this album title became my online namesake. It is the base of much of what I've become today. It is a very important album to me.

My first play of 18 Wheels of Love was just another instance of DBT dropping my jaw to the floor as I listened, in San Francisco, in amazement, to the love story of Chester and Jan based in my small, Alabama hometown.

The amazement didn't cease when I watched the band play the song in Golden Gate park to thousands of people a few years later.

Then, more recently we received 'the rest of the story' in one of the best story-telling performances ever broadcast on TV on DBT's Austin City Limits show.

Chester has moved on, but thankfully we still have his story so beautiful told to us by Patterson and DBT.

There were many a computer keyboard yesterday that had tear drops wiped away... this one included.... and most of us didn't even personally know the great Chester... nor can we speak Spanish....

Condolences... and thanks to Chester, Jan, Patterson and the mighty, might Drive-By Truckers. You all have made our lives much richer by making us all one big family:

Y'ALL:

I'm sad today to report that my Stepfather, Chester Adams passed away this morning in Florence AL.

He's been really sick for several years and had twice made amazing recoveries from deathbed conditions.

He's been suffering from a host of problems, especially congestive heart failure for about three years and was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He's been having a really tough time with the treatment for that and took a major turn for the worse this past weekend.

My mom is doing alright considering but it's gonna be a long sad road for her for a while.

Their courtship was the subject of our song and monologue "18 Wheels of Love" and his near death experience a few years ago was detailed in the Austin City Limits version last year.

I don't know yet what kind of arrangements will be made but will post something at a later time when we know more.
Please keep Mom in your thoughts today.

Chester was a cool guy and truly a force of nature that will be forever missed in our family.

Thanks,
Patterson

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Drive-By Truckers - 18 Wheels Of Love.

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A fan recently submitted this picture to DBT's Facebook:

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Memorial Day, Indeed.

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