News
08/18/09
Because of Gates’ passion for music, we have set up the Gates Nichols Music Scholarship Fund and you may contribute to this Fund in lieu of flowers at:
please make checks payable to:
SPHS
1364 Winn Road
Douglasville, GA 31034
c/o Dari HarmonPlease note on the check: for Gates Nichols Music Scholarship
Please, please contribute to this Fund in lieu of flowers, you can make a difference in the life of a child that has a heart for music.
Watch a video on our buddy Gates: http://www.multimedia-interactive.com/gates/
08/14/09
We are sorry to inform everyone that our dear friend and brother Gates Nichols passed away this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family.
Viewing is Tuesday night, August 18 from 4-8 p.m. at the
Clark Funeral Home
4373 Atlanta Highway
Hiram, GA 30141
770-445-7133
www.samclarkfuneralhome.com
then Wednesday, August 19, morning from 9-10 a.m. viewing at Clark and then Procession will be from Clark Funeral Home at 10:15 to West Ridge Church located at:
3522 Hiram Acworth Hwy
Dallas, GA 30157
770-222-2125
westridge.com
Service will be at 11:00 a.m. at West Ridge, luncheon immediately following service.Great article about Gates (Click Here)
07/23/09
All of us here at Confederate Railroad are deeply sadden to inform you that our band member and brother Gates Nichols has been diagnost with pancreatic cancer. Gates and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.
To send your condolences and to keep up with Gates condition please visit the following link:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bass_man_g
You can also send cards to:
Gates Nichols
358 Abbington Lane
Douglasville, GA 30134
10/09/08
We would like to welcome Rusty Hendrix our new guitar player.
Rusty Hendrix, born March 9th 1960 in Gadsden, Alabama. Rusty drew up in Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama. The son of Rev. & Mrs. Oel Hendrix. Mothers name (Jimmie Hendrix) They were in the Missionary Field as well as pastoring churches.
I started playing guitar at age 8 in church picking up "chops" from my dad (who also played) as well as my first cousin Jimmy Rutherford. Jimmy also used to play with the band Starbuck "Moonlight Feels Right" before their hit records. Rusty also played baseball in little league through high school. He was a left hander starting from the 9th grade thru the 12th. grade.
After high school Rusty moved back to Louisiana to go to college. He played weekends to make extra money as well. After 2 years he moved back to Alabama and started playing in local bands all around the southeast where he first met Danny Shirley.
In 1989 he met up again with Danny at Mrs. Kitty's nightclub in Marietta, GA. Niteowl, the band I was in would rotate weeks with the "Danny Shirley Band". After recording and writing songs with "Niteowl" I left the band in "94" to tour with Nashville country artist Greg holland ("Let Me Dance"). After Greg Holland, he came back to Alabama in 95-98 to play in Gadsden at the Warehouse with Bill Cole & The Click. It was while playing there where he started hanging out and writing songs with country artist Mark Wills. In "98" he joined his touring band and in "99" did the George Strait tour with him. In Sept of "99" he went to work with Sammy Kershaw until May of "08". he would also like to thank them for the friendship and great opportunity they gave him it was a blast! Rusty says "They are great guys!" He is looking forward to playing with Confederate Railroad and meeting everyone. I believe it is a truly God Given Honor!
Hobbies include: Indian relics, Indian relics, and did he mention Indian relics? Oh ya and hunting too. Hanging out with family and friends, session work, volunteer work, picking guitar with friends for schools and the elderly, sick and shut ins etc. A "God Send" for him!
On September 28th 1985 he married Vicki his wife and they have a daughter Rebecca.
