Cy Rawls: It's a wonderful life

You may not know Cy Rawls by name; but if you've gone to very many local-band shows around here over the past 15 years, you probably know him by sight -- even though he's something of a mystery even to his friends. A person of enigmatic tastes, he loves Journey as well as Polvo. And while he's the most mild-mannered sweetheart you could ever hope to meet, locals still talk with awe about Rawls' star turn as a blood-spattered Glen Danzig at "The Great Cover-Up" back in 2000.

"How well can anybody really know Cy?" asks James Hepler (drummer for various cool bands) in a tone of mock solemnity. "I knew him by reputation before I ever actually met him, and I can't even remember when I did. Same as anybody else, I'd see him all over the place. He'd seem to appear and disappear magically and suddenly, then show up again hours or days later. Erie Choir was playing in Atlanta once, and there he was. He was on his way to New Orleans, so he stopped in on his way."

For the past month, however, Rawls has not been getting out to rock. Instead, he's been battling a malignant brain tumor. The prognosis is uncertain, but Rawls' friends have rallied to his cause with a heart-warming fervor that recalls the closing scene of a Frank Capra movie.

For more, check the story in Thursday's paper; and keep up with the ongoing fund-raising efforts for Rawls here.