Bruce was born in Dallas Texas, on September 11, 1949. (He never forgave Al Qeyda for screwing up his birthday.) He graduated high school, then moved to Denton, Texas to study at North Texas State University. Times were tough, jobs were scarce and he ended up living on IOOF Street, across from a cemetery, in a house at which a refugee from Nigeria would have turned up his nose. There were several houses of the same ilk on this and the street that ran parallel to it, Bernard Street. When I think back to those days, I'm often minded of the lyrics to the Jefferson airplane song, "We Should Be Together" :
We are all outlaws in the eyes of America
In order to survive we steal
Cheat lie forge fuck hide and deal
That was the pretty much the way we lived in those days and the police used to visit regularly (they weren't coming over for dinner). After a few weeks of harassment, the IOOF Street Gang and the Bernard Street Mob were formed. Flyers were printed, the most famous of which said, "Pigs! Lay off the IOOF Street Gang!" and one even mysteriously appeared on the door of the Denton Police Station! Bruce lived in the area for about 6 months, then moved to Fry Street, a definite improvement to his lifestyle.
In the summer of 1970, he and a few of the Gang moved to Boulder, Colorado. In 1971, he returned to Texas, eventually settling down in Austin. There, he completed his college education, getting a Bachelors Degree in Sociology. He also got married and had two children, Nathan and Melissa. The family packed up and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a few years, but eventually returned to Texas, settling down in, of all places, Denton. Bruce had a job there and figured the quiet little town would be a good place to raise the kids.
In 1969, the Lewisville Pop Festival roused North Texas, and in particular, Bruce. He had played harmonica as a hobby, but the festival stirred up the artist/entertainer in him. In the late '80s and early '90s, he sat in with several bands as a guest harmonicist and eventually settled in the The Full Frontal Blues Band. During the early '90s, he helped form Swine Cadillac, a nitty-gritty blues band that played all over Texas. They also played in several out of state venues.
Bruce had been in poor health for many years and the strain of playing in a band and working full time in a print shop was taking his its toll. When his mother died in 2002 and left him a nice inheritance, he was able to relax a bit, quit his job and concentrate on the music. He left us to join that big Blues band in the sky on August 19, 2003. We will miss him.
She Knows What She Wants by Swine Cadillac
© 2001 Otis Records
Swine Cadillac: was (among others):
Bruce "Maddog" Weaver -- Harmonica and vocals
Guitar George Woolard -- Lead Guitar and vocals
Paul "Fuzz" Pipkin -- Electric bass
Brian "H Bomb" Ferguson -- drums
Muddy Gates -- Lead, slide and rhythm guitar
The Texas International Pop Festival
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