New Mexico Songwriters

This was in the year 1997 in Santa Fe, NM

 Hugh Prestwood

Sara K.

Elliott Rogers 

Red River Miner - Back in Time

Photo from

Red River Miner Newspaper's  back page titled OUT OF THE PAST

- December 7, 2017 -

The Red River Miner Local Newspaper goes back in time and shares pictures.  This Miner was shared by way of a friend (Rebecca Sagemiller) from Mark Wilson (loves to dance) on the day it came out. (December 7, 2017 issue of the Red River Miner).  It shows Eddy Lee performing at the Red River Christmas Benefit Dance in 2001. He has obviously called the audience to the stage to sing "Ride Sally Ride" which he nearly always included in a gig.  The audience loved it. 

Pictured in the photo and starting from the left:

• Unknown Person #1 (Need help identifying) 
• Unknown Person #2 (Need help identifying) 
• Unknown Person #3 (Need help identifying) 
• Krista (Willis)  Brandenburg (a)
• Eddy Lee, of course
• Georgiana Rael (now Red River, NM Town Administrator)
• Susan Hogrefe (wife of now Taos County Sheriff)

(a) Krista and her husband, long time residents & shop owners in Red River, NM

Eddy Lee's Memmorial

Red River Cemetery Entrance

Red River, NM

Red River Cemetery, Red River, New Mexico located on north side of New Mexico State Hwy. 38. West of the town of Red River across from the Red River RV Park.  There are highway road signs for the Red River Cemetery.  If the gate is unlocked you can drive right in or you can walk in using the area just left of the closed gate.

Map of Red River Cemetery

The Red River Cemetery is very historical with many unmarked graves.

There are 2 parts to this cemetery.  One below and one across, east side, with a road going up to beautiful overlook.  The upper cemetery is now full.  The city is now acquiring additional burial lots below.

  

Photos credited to Louis Svach

Eddy Lee is buried in the family plot with maternal Grandparents.  You can see the family plot on the west side of the little dirt road.

Eddy Lee Bullington, 40, of Red River passed away on February 22, 2006. He was a local musician for many years. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jo Fasnacht and Edward L. Fasnacht, paternal grandparents, Gene and Sophie Bullington, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He is survived by his children, Jordan Taylor and Makenna Monet Bullington, parents, Bob and JoLene Bullington all of Red River, brother, Robert Lynn Bullington Jr. (Laura) of Alamosa, CO and niece, Autumn Lanning Bullington.

Eddy Lee's parents maintained and improved the Red River Cemetery from the early 2000 until present day. However, to continue on the Bullington's are looking to retire from this endeavor and must pass the torch onto others. They had volunteers help and of course Red River Township supported during this endeavor and very thankful for their efforts.  

Find a Grave Memorial to Eddy Lee Bullington

I Can Almost Hear Her Wings

Framed article presented to Eddy Lee's parents

In 1996 newly married Eddy Lee and his bride set off to Nashville.  It was a move to try his hand at getting into music in the capital of the music business.  It is very difficult, since Nashville is flooded daily with those with the same music dreams. It was something he had to try.

Eddy Lee's goal was to get a cut also known as song recorded.  In August 1996 Randy Travis released his "Full Circle" album with the song "I Can Almost Hear Her Wings" which was co-written by Randy Travis, Eddy Lee and Buck Moore*.  Track number 11 is the song, which is further down on this post. Eddy Lee never met Randy Travis with Buck Moore managing the project. 

Eddy Lee called his parents very excited and sang the song over the phone. Eddy Lee made a cassette tape recording for his family. However, Eddy Lee's  name was misspelled on Randy Travis's Full Circle Album as Eddie Lee.

Survival in Nashville was difficult and he and his bride soon headed home.  His goal was met.  He never had the desire to return.

Click here to listen "I Can Almost Hear Her Wings"

Randy Travis - Full Circle Album - Track listing

1. "Highway Junkie" (Chris Knight, Annie Tate, Sam Tate) – 3:57
2. "Price to Pay" (Craig Wiseman, Trey Bruce) – 3:46
3. "Long on Lonely (Short on Pride)" (Bucky Jones, Bob McDill, Dickey Lee) – 3:26
4. "Would I" (Mark Winchester) – 2:23
5. "Future Mister Me" (Randy Travis, John Lindley) – 3:05
6. "Don't Take Your Love Away from Me" (Verlon Thompson, Mark D. Sanders) – 2:53
7. "Are We in Trouble Now" (Mark Knopfler) – 3:40
8. "If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another" (Joe Stampley, Tony Stampley, Bobby Carmichael) – 2:15
9. "I Wish It Would Rain" (Travis, Ron Avis) – 3:15
10. "King of the Road" (Roger Miller) – 3:49
11. "I Can Almost Hear Her Wings" (Travis, Eddie Lee, Buck Moore) – 4:21
12. "Ants on a Log" (Skip Ewing, Donny Kees)

Eddy Lee knew the right people.  But as Mentor Williams put it, who wrote the rock and roll classic "Drift Away", in telling Eddy Lee that he (Eddy Lee) "had it", it is luck and timing as what had happened for him (Mentor) with "Drift Away".

Another musician, Michael Smith (From Red River. NM) shared with Eddy Lee's parents, "The music is always out there."

It just wasn't his time, but he did reach his goal with a recorded song while in Nashville.. 

* Buck Moore passed away in 2013 (01-03-1934 to 09-23-2013). 

Luck of an Angel Graphics

Wiz Allred did the graphics for Eddy Lee's "Luck of an Angel" CD.  If you noticed the Eddy Lee Country headers located on FACEBOOK and in this blog (below) and compare to the photo of Eddy Lees Luck of an Angel CD (above), you will see it is the same.  However, note his boots are black and not brown and his hat is no longer brown, but his original black hat.

Please click for Wiz Allred information

Of course the horse shoe with the opening towards the top is traditionally the symbol for good luck.

The angels wings on the CD were the wings of a live dove.

The red shirt Eddy Lee has on the "Luck of an Angel" CD, is the Scully Brand, which Eddy Lee really liked and was adding to his wardrobe. This red shirt is identical to the one he was buried in. Another was purchased and his Dad wore it for the photo and Wiz Allred did his graphic magic. 

Aces &Eights

Eddy Lee, Mark Webernick, Rick Fowler, Steve Howard

“Aces &Eights”- Rick Fowler (Three Faces West) having picked the name; left to right in the photo above.  Eddy Lee on bass and guitar, Mark Webernick, key board, Rick Fowler on bass and guitar (he and Eddy Lee would trade off) and Steve Howard on rhythm.

Over the years the Bullington family vacationing in Red River stumbled onto this mountain town heading to a cousins wedding in Denver. During their yearly visits they would go to the Outpost where the Three Faces West performed. After 10 years, they moved to Red River.  Eddy Lee was to later tell his parents that he decided then that he would be a musician.  Eddy Lee was around 7 yrs. old at that time.  The Three Faces West members were Rick Fowler, Wayne Kidd, Ray Wiley Hubbard and later Steve Howard.  As an adult Eddy Lee was to later play with Rick Fowler, Wayne Kidd and Steve Howard.

You would always know how long someone had known Eddy Lee whether they called him Lee or Eddy Lee. Eddy Lee was his professional name. Rick Flower said that Eddy Lee liked that he called him Lee as a long time friend.

Steve Howard, Mark Webernick, Rick Fowler, Eddy Lee

Outlaw Love

Outlaw Love

Outlaw Love was written by Eddy Lee and Mentor Williams and the song's theme was probably influenced by Red River’s Memorial Weekend Biker Run, which been going on for many years now.  Outlaw Love is on Eddy Lee's first solo CD - "Horses on the Moon", which was released in May 1996.

Sample of Lyrics:

She’s a loaded gun; she’ll pull the trigger just for fun.

She was captured by a desperado’s touch

When she‘s satisfied she just can’t get enough Outlaw Love. 

The bars are the biker’s hang out during the time of Red River’s Memorial Weekend Biker Run. Mentor was heard describing it very enthusiastically one time and said it had to do with biker’s and wild living.

When Lynn Anderson went to the Sagebrush in Taos to listen to Eddy Lee she could not sit still when he sang this song and the next thing you know she was up on stage performing with him.

When the Bullington family lived in Houston and they took their young sons to the Astro-dome to see both Jerry Reed and Lynn Anderson. They were able to meet her and she gave Eddy Lee her autograph at that time. Later he was to meet her once again as a musician. Singing with her on stage and she sang "Amazing Grace" with a group of musicians at his funeral.

Eddy Lee's Portrait by Gary Roller

Eddy Lee's Portrait by Gary Roller

Eddy Lee by Gary Roller

Gary Roller multi talented, gifted artist and musician. Longest standing member of the Rio Grande Band touring with Michael Martin Murphy, which he does bass and vocals.

Click here for more information on the Rio Grande Band. 

Click here for information for Gary Roller ~ Western Artist on FACEBOOK.

Gary sketched this portrait of Eddy Lee and gifted it to him. Believed sketched from the old time photo made at Red Garter Old Time Photos in the Red River Inn.  Lucky Shot Photo Parlor of Red River, New Mexico acquired the inventory from Red Garter and continues with imaginative photographs beyond the characteristic of old time photos.

Bridge Across Forever

“Bridge Across Forever” song was written by Eddy Lee and Mentor Williams, who were friends.  The link below is Eddy Lee’s singing this song from the “Luck of Angel” album.  Lynn Anderson, who was known for the song "Never Promised Me a Rose Garden", was Mentor’s partner for years. ‪#‎eddyleecountry‬

Click Here to Listen

Many of the song writers never are really known, but the performers of their music are.  Mentor wrote the classic Rock 'n' Roll song "Drift Away".  Mentor wrote this probably in his 20's and what Eddy Lee understood in an apartment behind what is known today as Bull O' the Woods Saloon in Red River across from their fierce competitor the "Mother-lode" where most of the known musicians played and Eddy Lee as well.

Lynn Anderson 9-26-47 to 7-30-2015

Mentor Williams 6-11-46 to 11-16-2016

Plaque of Remembrance Dedicated to Eddy Lee

This bridge and plaque were dedicated to the memory of "Eddy Lee" with the name of a song he wrote "Bridge Across Forever" during a ceremony on October 1, 2006.  The cast bronze plaque was created by Artistic Bronze Plaques Inc., which is owned by Mark Troisi of Florida.

The bridge is intended to include musicians in the future that made Red River a music mecca.  It has been a place many have come to listen to the music and dance

Both are located on a Nature hiking trail out side of Red River, which runs along the river at the base of the mountain and is a great hike for kids.  There are signs posted along the trail explaining history, animals, plants and geology of the area.

From Red River looking toward mountain

Looking back towards Library

Bridge/Trail Location

The hiking trail is located South side of Main St. across from the Red River Public Library just before the Y leaving Red River. There are many other hiking trails in the area.

Click Here Red River Hiking Trails PDF

Hiking trail beside river

Leah

Eddy Lee lost his life in Phoenix Arizona on a horse ranch in 2006.  Shortly after Eddy Lee's passing, a mare had a foal and the mare didn't survive.  However, her offspring did and she was named "Leah' after Eddy Lee.

This picture of Leah was presented to Eddy Lee's parents.