As previously reported, BYFIST and REVEREND guitarist Davey Lee passed away from a heart attack yesterday morning (October 1st). Austin, Texas-based super fan Ben McCulloh had close ties with Davey Lee and remembers him fondly in this note sent to BraveWords.com:

"I got to see Reverend's last (final?) show in San Antonio on August 28. They were absolutely 'on fire'. Byfist also played a show on September 24 in Houston but I did not attend that show.

Davey had a renewed energy with Reverend and also Byfist. He seemed like a kid again as he (and I) were so excited for Rob Steele (vocalist) to have returned from Colorado and back in the band as singer. They had a really great sound and production and put on a tight and very professional show. He was SO looking forward to getting on the road with plans to at least have Byfist in Europe (with Vick Reale of ONE OF SIXX) on vocals. They were working on new material for both Reverend and Byfist, I believe.

He had given up smoking over a year ago, and, while a little on the squatty/heavy side, I knew of no personal major health issues that he had.

Tragedy has seemed to have fallen in line with the bands and musicians represented in Byfist and Reverend ever since David Wayne (METAL CHURCH singer) passed away in 2005. It was David Wayne's insistence that, should anything happen to him, that Reverend would carry on, and they did just that albeit with no original Reverend members. Three years ago, Reverend came to Austin to play a show and on the way back, the drummer Jess Vara's daughter, Amber, was in a severe car accident that has left her in need of consistent supervision to this day although she has improved. Jess got into some 'excesses' due to depression over his daughter's fate and had to step down from his drumming duties for a while, although he was resurfacing in Byfist of late. Vick Reale, the aforementioned singer of One Of Sixx (and Byfist of late), lost his beautiful bride Jeska back in July in a tragic motorcycle accident. And now this with Davey.

Right up there with RONNIE JAMES DIO, I have to say that Davey Lee is one of the nicest people I have ever been around in the music business. He loved his Jackson guitars, and in my humble (and maybe biased) opinion, only Randy Rhoads himself might have been able to play 'em like Davey did. It amazed me that I never saw Davey break a string on those guitars.

Finally, and this had NOTHING to do with music but just with life itself. Davey Lee was one of the best LISTENERS I have been around. He NEVER interrupted a conversation that I was either a part of or around. That says a lot about Davey Lee to me. He wanted to learn more about the persons he was around than he wanted to broadcast about himself. He was to me a very SELFLESS individual, playing more for the inspiration of just getting out there than for a pay-check. He was always giving in and of himself, and I admired him for those qualities. I can't count the number of times that he had told me recently that they just "wanted to get out there and tear it up" on stage, and they did just that. I can't count five people I know that can listen more than they talk. But that's the way Davey was.

Every time, I mean EVERY TIME, that I came down to San Antonio from Austin to see either a Byfist or Reverend show, Davey would call me the next day to thank me for making the drive down to see his band. He didn't have to do it, but I certainly appreciated how much it meant to him. I don't know if I was his biggest fan; I'd like to think so, but I am so thankful that I was put into a position to have befriended him and his band-mates over the last decade or so. In my mind, Davey Lee is one of the best guitarists that maybe people didn't know about. He was an even better person."

For more background on Davey Lee visit his websites:

Davey-Lee.com

Myspace.com/sabarecordsusa

BraveWords.com extends condolences to Lee's family, friends and fans.