It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gregory Dale Downey.

To know Greg was to know a man who lived life on his own terms. Blessed with the curse of an interesting life and a long list of temporary titles: he was, above all else, a musician. 

If you know Greg, chances are you knew him with a guitar in his hands. He spent countless hours roaming pawn shops in search of the next piece of equipment he just had to have and could most often be found on the stage of a smoky bar. His talent took him from small hometown gigs all the way to grand stages in France. To his fellow musicians and friends he was simply one "helluva picker."

During high school, Greg met the love of his life, Jacque. Together they had three daughters: Jennifer, Jaimee, and Annarose. Losing Jacque in 1998 changed him forever. Losing her left a hole in his heart that never quite seemed to heal.

Anyone who knew Greg, knew Isaac. His faithful road dog followed him through countless pawn shops, gigs, and motels across the country. If Greg was headed somewhere, one thing was certain; Isaac was riding shotgun.

The truth is, there is no way to sum up Greg Downey's life in a few paragraphs. He was one of a kind. His wit and charm could fill a room, and his stories were the kind you never forgot...even if you wanted to. He lived a lot of lives in his years on this earth; chasing dreams, and chasing music. No matter where he was or what he was doing, one thing was always certain: he was probably jonesing for a smoke. 

While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in believing that Greg has finally laid down the burdens he carried for so long and has found the peace that often escaped him here on earth. We like to think of him reunited with Jacque after all this time, guitar in hand, making beautiful music on Streets of Gold.

A final jam send off honoring Greg's life will be held Saturday, July 18, at 7:00 p.m. at Gary's Gathering Place in Fritch, Texas.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 20, at Chaparral Hills Baptist Church, 4000 W. Cherry Avenue, Amarillo, Texas.