In Memoriam: Howie Salmon

Photo captions, left to right: Howie Salmon at Hotel Congress’ 25th anniversary Rainer tribute day 9/5/10. Posted on Salmon’s Facebook page in Sept. 2010 by Ricky Gelb. Howie Salmon at Club Congress’ 25th Anniversary. Posted to Salomon’s Facebook page in Sept. 2010 by David Noriega. Howie Salmon at Club Congress 25th Anniversary. Photo posted to his Facebook page in Sept. 2010 by Caitlin von Schmidt.

Howard Salmon was an integral part of Tucson’s burgeoning arts and music scene since he started championing local punk and new wave bands through his SLIT fanzine back in the early 80s. I was lucky enough to get to know Howie when I wrote about him for the August 2007 Downtown Tucsonan, documenting the extraordinary life he lived and the passion he had to support all that was good and right and true in the Old Pueblo. Not to mention, he was one of the kindest, selfless and most amazing human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Rest in peace Howie. We will miss you brother. – Brent Miles

Howie Salmon was also a drummer, a prolific artist who won the 2007 Tucson Pima Arts Council Lumies arts award for Individual Achievement/Emerging Artist, an adjunct professor at Pima Community College and a beloved Tucsonan. In September of 2012, he was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor and was given three months to live. He lived for almost two years past that diagnosis when he passed away on Aug. 7, 2014. Following his postings on Facebook, he stayed involved in art, appreciating the beauty of life and nature and created his “Brain Tumor Man” graphic epic poem.

In Oct. 2012, he wrote a beautiful reflection on the responses to his cancer diagnosis. (The following is an excerpt.)

“Ever since my predicament was mentioned on Facebook I’ve been the subject of a huge outpouring of love and good feeling, and all of this has been very helpful for me.  I can tell you, going public with my cancer diagnosis had a profound effect on my life: it’s stimulated some things in people that have in turn brought about some amazing encounters.

“All of this attention directed at me from the media (social media, to print media, to writers with a long view of history) to how I’m spending my time has re-energized me. I’m being referred to as a culture creator, a builder of community, an historian, a teacher, a visionary, a story teller, an ‘elder’ (all of it’s true, by the way, don’t you forget it!!), but I’m now feeling a little sheepish about it all. I’ve been told that I’m dying in three months.

“Three weeks ago, I weighed down with the heavy thoughts of being ‘cut down in my prime.’ Now, I really don’t have time for that. I’ve got art to make! Comics to draw! Memories to record! People to see! Music to hear! Things to do! Plans to make! Life has suddenly jolted into fast forward. If death comes slinking around my door, so be it. I don’t have the time to hang around playing chess with death, like in the Ingmar Bergman film, The Seventh Seal. I’m past that. I’m turned on by life! There’s too much to do!

“Thanks Facebook! Thanks Internet! Thanks social media! And to all of my friends and followers who use it! Staying connected saves and improves lives.”

Howie’s strength and wise words inspired his friends and family and even those who didn’t know him that well. Salmon’s contributions to the Tucson community will be remembered and cherished for a long time to come. Thanks for all you did for Tucson Howie, memories of your awesomeness is in the hearts of many. – Jamie Manser

Category: Community, DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE