Last night one of my best friends that I met in college passed away from Pulmonary Fibrosis
He was 59. We've been friends for over 40 years and if you've seen "Grit TV" at all you've heard his voice. For most of the 90's he was also the voice of Tribune Broadcasting (WGN Chicago and WOR in New York). In the 80's he was one of the guys that was famous for saying "TONIGHT....on The NBC Sunday Night Movie...! For years he was the TV ^ Radio voice for Joseph A. Banks Clothiers. While I stayed in radio in the 80's he moved to voice over work, starting CATSPAW Productions in Atlanta (named after he and his wife's favorite Star Trek episode). Was it any wonder we were friends? We partied at each other's weddings, saw the birth of our children and one day in the mid 90's after I came to work at THE END, he called to tell me he wanted to start a winery in the north Georgia mountains, which he did and Three Sister's Vineyard's was born. My band has played there many times and when Route 66 Band wanted to do an event here in another state to benefit Hospice of Cabarrus County, Doug & Sharon Paul were the first to volunteer to donate wine for our event, a practice they continued for 7 years before the distance and Doug's health issues made it impossible to continue. The event that Doug & Sharon helped kick start has raised over $100,000 over its 10 year run. When my daughter turned 16, she requested her present be to spend the weekend at Doug's and drive the Gator through the vineyards, one which Doug happily made possible. When my daughter was married 8 years later, it was Doug who asked for their engagement photo and made special labels for cases of wine donated for the reception and wouldn't take a penny. That same year my son was married and here's comes more custom bottles courtesy of The Paul's a Three Sisters Vineyards. Doug was kind and funny and always looking to make everyone laugh. He will be missed. He's the guy I would call when I was down for any reason and he would cheer me up. I wish I could call him right now. R.I.P. Doug Paul