Legendary drummer and Pantera co-founder Vinnie Paul, who went on to work with Hellyeah, passed away on June 22nd, 2018 due to an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. Hellyeah guitarist Tom Maxwell posted an open letter to Vinnie on the one year anniversary of his death. It is available below.

"Vince, 

In the blink of an eye everything changed. I’m writing you this letter to tell you how much I miss and love you. Never could I have imagined you not being here with us anymore. There’s so much all of us lost when you left us. Your smile, your infectious laugh, your always steadfast care of all those around you. Everything has changed now. Our family is just shards of what it used to be. It seemed like everyday was harder then the one before it. It’s hard just knowing that you’re not here to lift everyone up and make everything better with just the simplest things you always used to do. It’s hard waking up and trying to navigate thru such murky waters. We’re doing our best, some better then others, some not so much. Grief is just love with no place to go and that’s how I feel sometimes. 

Our record is coming out soon and I know you would be hella proud of it. We’ve committed to represent the record and honor your memory and what you would have wanted us to do. But it’s not easy. Passions have been diluted and almost lost to certain degrees but in the end I just think about how disappointed you would be if we didn’t move on. To what eventual extent I do not know. I go for days/weeks sometimes without even looking at a guitar. My desire and hunger for all of it suffers greatly but I know that it’s temporary. Or at least I hope so. Maybe going back on the road and surrounding myself with the HY family will help resurrect my love affair with music and playing. I know you would want that from me and everyone else. 

You were always so positive and not one to dwell in negativity. I’m trying, we’re all trying. We love you Vince and we miss you terribly. I’m going to put my hat back on, lace up my Chuck’s, put on my guitar and deliver/destroy and represent HY the best best way I can. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for encouraging me, letting me into your life and most of all, being my dear friend. I miss you and hope that we get to see each other again someday on the other side. Until then." 

Your friend, 
Maxwell

Thousands of fans gathered in Deep Ellum on Sunday, July 1st, 2018 to pay their respects to the legendary drummer. The Vinnie Paul Celebration of Life at the Bomb Factory honored the lifelong resident of Arlington. The atmosphere at the celebration is what Paul knew best — thousands of metal heads, dressed in black, fists in the air and screaming at full volume. It was only fitting that this is how fans celebrated his life and legacy.

“We’re not mourning Vinnie. Of course, the world is sad that he’s gone… but Vinnie’s memory will live on through his music,” said Guy Sykes, former Pantera tour manager.

Read the complete report here.

Single camera video of the entire Vinnie Paul - A Celebration Of Life event is available below.

 

 

One year ago, the world lost a powerhouse of a man and drummer. You are so missed, Vinnie Paul. March 11, 1964 - June 22, 2018 pic.twitter.com/wbEXPBhLNU

— Pantera (@Pantera) 22. Juni 2019