This is a tribute to the inimitable Matt Sacks, owner of The Grackle Art Gallery in Fort Worth, who passed onwards this past weekend. I first met Matt when I moved back to Funkytown in 2019, but we soon realized that our paths had probably crossed dozens of times over our lives, as I grew up in the same neighborhood as the gallery and we saw many of the same things transpire around Arlington Heights over those years. We became fast friends after my first visit to his unique home gallery. Matt was quiet yet profound, shy but boisterous, slow moving and fast thinking, whip-smart yet naïve; a visionary who loved bringing people together for art, music, prose, film, and underground communion in his house. I saw quite a few mixed shows before the pandemic hit. Then after we all came back out in public, my band Yucca Men was fortunate enough to play the gallery many times from 2021 through 2023. I witnessed a lot of interesting events there during this time, my friend Kavin‘s bookings always a sonic pleasure to behold. Before I moved to Austin, I gifted Matt my Alesis Electronic Drum kit and an amplifier, as well as quite a few area rugs to use in the space. His conversations at that point were becoming slightly off the rails, something that I would ride along with happily, listening compassionately to the gears as they fired up to go all directions at once. He always liked a good long porch talk and I was happy to oblige. Matt was a deep conversationalist. I returned to town twice just to play The Grackle with Yucca Men again, both of these shows were some of my favorite times playing with a live band in a venue. There was just something about that room that makes it feel really special. Part of it could very well be the spirit of Matt’s Wife, who started the gallery with him all those years ago before she passed. One night I was packing up my drums after a show, the house deserted with everyone out in the front-year chatting and leaving the show. Matt was helping me bag my cymbals when out of the blue, came a quiet woman’s voice from the kitchen.

“That was fun.” Matt and I both looked up, and he immediately answered back loudly.

“Thank you Dear. They’re good kids.” He turned to me and smiled, then stared seriously at me through his thick black National Health glasses. “She likes you guys. You always have a fun crowd.” It was unspoken as to who he speaking to. But I swear to you that there was NO ONE THERE. The kitchen and house was empty except for Matt and I.

When I visit The Grackle next time I am in town, I hope I hear his voice somewhere in the background saying ‘Yeah‘ to me from the beyond. Until then, I will always remember the great times that I had with Matt Sacks. See you on the other side, my friend…