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PAGE 4 - July 4, 2007

The Newscaster/Nature Coast News

Angry Tears   - Continued from page 1

Road to Music Success Long &

weeks ago! I do not believe they (military) should be doing this. Our country is killing our

Winding For Crystal River's Cutler Spur

men. I supported the war, but this is insane! If they do not know how to detect these devices,

they should bring the men home!"

Mrs. Mondini said the attack occurred in the southern Baghdad region. This is a

By Tom Russell

mixed Sunni-Shiite area in the Rasheed District, where a strong al-Qaida cell is responding to

          Newscaster Editor

increased pressure from United States-led forces. The attack occurred the day before the

Donald Cowan, of Crystal River,

Muslim day of rest and prayer. The soldiers were on patrol, early Thursday morning, when a

leader of Cutler Spur band, attended the

deeply-buried roadside bomb exploded near them, according to Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil, Jr., the

Country Music Awards in May, the guest of

commander over Baghdad, in a teleconference with Pentagon reporters. Insurgents quickly

Indie Islands Magazine, an independent art-

followed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenade. "This is a skilled and determined

ist support group. "They asked if I'd like to

enemy," said Fil. "He's ruthless. He's got a taste for blood like I've never seen before in my

come up and meet some of my fans in Nash-

life." He called the attack "violent," adding, "We thought it did show a level of sophistication

ville; meet and greet them like everybody

that we have not often seen, so far in this campaign."

else," said Cowan. "So I said, 'Sure!'" In Nash-

Sgt. Crow was scheduled to come home in August. He had stayed in the military, in

ville, Cowan also enjoyed a meet and greet

order to keep his health insurance, because his daughter, Alexis, has seizures. His sister,

with many country music legends, including

Candace, has not seen her brother in five years, and her brother was unable to attend her

Donald Cowan with recording artist

PamTillis (see photo).

wedding, two years ago. Candace is grateful for a short chat she had with William, a little more

Pam Tillis at the recent CMA awards

Cowan says that being raised by a

than a week ago. "It was very unusual," she said, "A coincidence. He very seldom got a

"Cutler Spur is a five or six piece

guitar-playin', singin' cowboy rubbed off on

chance to check his e-mail. I sent him an e-mail, while he was online checking his e-mail, and

band," said Cowan, "With guitars, bass,

him. Donald fondly remembers riding around

we sent e-mails back and forth in a conversation. It's the last time I'll ever talk to him." she said,

Dobro slide guitar and drums. Cowan was re-

with his Daddy in his Daddy's 1968 Grand

her eyes watering. Sgt. Crow has never met Candace's husband, Shawn. He also missed the

cently contracted by Icon Entertainment

Torino, listening to Hank Williams, Sr., George

birth of both his young daughters. Kathy and Candace each had a bad feeling that William

(Texas), which will produce his album, anew,

Jones and Jimi Hendrix on the 8-track tape-

wouldn't return home, this time. And Kathy suspects that William may have known he wouldn't

with six additional songs by Cowan. "When

player. Donald always sang along with songs

return, as well, "He wanted photos of his life and all his family members in his casket - that was

they contacted me in May," he said, "I was

he loved. He started writing his own songs

his request. He said, 'I want all my loved ones with me when I go.'"

on my little, three-state tour. I played Tupelo,

during junior high school and playing guitar

"Our support system has always been Jesus Is! Ministries," said Kathy. "Jesus Is!

Mississippi; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Broken

as a tenth grade student at Conley High School

Ministries is my rock. Grace Adams (co-founder of the ministry) was at my doorstep, last

Door, Oklahoma; Corsicana, Texas; Roth,

in nearby Waco, Texas.

night, as soon as I heard." Kathy said one of the many fond memories she has of her son,

Texas - a little town outside Waco, where I

Growing up in rural Leroy, Texas,

William, is of he and 'Dad' Adams, co-founder of Jesus Is! Ministries, who was a military

grew up, and Houston."

Cowan often took weekend horseback rides,

veteran, now deceased, dressing-up in their military uniforms, sitting around together at the

One of the songs on the upcoming

with family and friends, to the Dairy Queen in

ministry, talking about the military.

CD will be released as a single. "Icon is cur-

Elm Mott, where they would grab a bite to

Crow was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Belleview, Florida at the age

rently determining which of the four songs

eat, then water the horses before taking the

of three months. He attended College Park Elementary School, Lake Weir Middle School and

they'll use for the single," said Cowan.

10-mile ride back home to the farm. Then they

Belleview High School. Soon after high school, he entered the U.S. Army. He was stationed

"They're considering, I don't Remember Doin

would bring out the guitars and pick and sing.

out of Ft. Riley, Kansas, near Kansas City, with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry

That, Your Wife's been Cheatn on Us, Rock

After graduating from high school,

Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

Solid and Memory." Cowan, an internet mar-

Cowan joined the United States Marine Corps.

In addition to his mother, Kathryn Mondini of Inglis, Sgt. Crow leaves behind his wife,

keting entrepreneur (Team Navigator Internet

During his stint in the Marine Corps, his pas-

Michelle; daughters Alexis, 4, and Kala, 2; and stepsons, Chris Bush, 10, and David Bush, 8, all

Marketing), wants his fans involved in the

sion for music grew, and he often sat-in with

of Ft. Riley, Kansas. Other grieving relatives include his sister, Candace, and her husband,

decision. "I'm gonna end up doing an online

local bands or picked guitars with friends.

Shawn Hudson, Crystal River; great-grandmother, Nita Adkins, Georgia; grandmother, Barbara

poll to see what my listeners would like to

After 5 years in the Marine Corps and an

Williams, Taccoa, Georgia; several aunts, Annette, and her husband, Steve Goodman, of Char-

release as a single," he said. "And that will

Honorable Discharge, he formed his first

lotte, North Carolina; Donna and her husband, Bill Berger, of Tennessee; andSusan Witmire of

have a big bearing on what song will be re-

band, a heavy metal group called High Point

Hawthorne, Florida; an uncle, John, and his wife, JoAnn Mondini, of Panama City, Florida; and

leased." To participate in the upcoming poll,

Drive, where he performed all his original ma-

numerous cousins, Clay Goodman, also serving in the military, Christine Goodman, Nicki Berger,

check his website in the near future at

terial. "It was a great experience," said Donald,

John Berger, Zachery Berger, Zoe Berger, Malcolm Lunch, Jessica Witmire, Chelsea Witmire,

www.CutlerSpur.com

"But it did not do the trick."

Corey Mondini, Jasmine Mondini, Julia Mondini and John Mondini, Jr.

"The CD will have a new, brighter,

After his mom passed away, Donald

A Memorial Service for Sgt. Crow will be held at Fort Riley, Kansas, and a military

crispier sound," said Donald. "You'll be able

moved to Florida in 1999. He had often vis-

funeral service will be held in Abilene, Texas. Times are not known at press time. If members of

to hear the guitar and vocals more distinctly,

ited the Inglis/Yankeetown area during his

the community would like to send their condolence or make a monetary contribution to the

because on the CD I did, most of those vocal

childhood, because his family owned land

family, please contact Lorraine Barber at the Inglis Police Department, at (352) 447-0303.

tracks were the first take. So, now I'll be able

there. "I call myself a Florida Cracker," he

FAMILY

to go in and do it professionally and be able

boasted! Through his mother's inspiration for

This is one of many photos that will

to take the time to make sure that all the vo-

him to pursue his musical dream, "I finally got

be placed in Sgt. William Wayne Crow's cof-

cals and the endings are right. Those things

back to my roots and began playing my own

fin, at his request. On the left is Sgt. Crow's

will be worked out, and they'll actually be-

homegrown style of music, Southern Coun-

sister, Candace Hudson, and her husband,

come fully-commercial, radio-ready songs.

try Rock."

Shawn, of Crystal River, and in the foreground

And when I say commercial, I don't want it to

Soon, "Cutler Spur" was born, the

on the right, is his mother, Kathryn Mondini,

be, like, commercial," said Donald with his

name inspired by Crystal River's Cutler Spur

of Inglis. Sgt. Crow was killed on Thursday,

characteristically good humor and ready

Road. Cowan produced his first CD, "Cutler

June 28, when a roadside bomb exploded as

smile! "My sound is something all its own,

Spur," the witty lyrics and music of the six

he and his men were making early morning

and I want to keep it that way. I don't want to

songs all written by Cowan: Fortunate Man,

rounds in the Rasheed District of southern

sound like everybody else on the radio." He

Your Wife's Been Cheatn On Us, I Don't Re-

Baghdad, Iraq, where a civil war is raging be-

explained that many of the same "studio play-

member Doin That, Rock Solid, Memory and

tween Sunnis and Shiites

Shaky.

Continued on page 8 - Road to Success

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