Goodbye to Monte Adams

 

It was with great shock two weeks ago that we received the very sad news of Monte Adams’ death. A long-time neighbor, who had lived in Dreamhill Estates since childhood, he had died at his home. Monte was only 51 years old, a caring son to his father, Tommy Adams, and part of an extended family with a long history in our neighborhood. He was also great-nephew of Mary Jenkins, our longest resident.

He is still remembered by some as that youngster on his moped riding up and down the then still many vacant lots in Dreamhill, driving neighbors absolutely CRAZY – and he would have loved to have heard that comment! For many of us, the last time we had a chance to chat with Monte was at last year’s Halloween gathering on his neighbors Ron and Rosemary Lewis’s front lawn. He was in good spirits, chatting with friends, enjoying the party and cutting up with all the kids.

Music and photography were Monte’s two loves — and we were glad to find a photo of him in front of the camera for this story as they are few and far between. Above he is pictured with saxophonist Spot Barnett. In commemorating his life, the San Antonio Current noted that “Adams’ Facebook page is a walk down musical memory lane, replete with his snaps of musical icons ranging from bluesman Johnny Winter to Tex-Mex legend Freddy Fender to Spot Barnett, the saxophonist who helped craft S.A.’s West Side Sound.” The many tributes from well-known San Antonio musicians families posted on Monte’s Facebook page after his speak to his quiet contribution to their lives.

Monte was a talented black-and-white photographer renowned for his stark and smoky images (see photo below) of blues musicians and the city’s blues scene. He was in the process of a series of interviews with local blues musicians he had photographed, for a book project about the San Antonio Blues scene and its history. Mike Davis, a longtime leader in the blues scene, said that he did not “know of any photographer who went to the lengths [Monte] did to document what was going on
in our scene.”

Monte was also an enthusiastic animal lover and we remember Cassidy, his pretty little rescue pup who for years lay out in the road on chilly winter mornings soaking up the warmth of the blacktop. Barbara Peters, a former resident, remembered a Christmas card from Monte one year with a stunning photo of raccoons at night around a feeding tray, their eyes reflected in the camera’s flash.

Monte worked for many years at the original Broadway Half Price Books store where he was in his element. An expert and avid collector of rare books and all styles and eras of music, he often brought books home for friends when he felt it might be something that would interest them. A neighbor remembered how he “once unearthed the exact 1940s recording of some esoteric big-band music my 93-year-old father wanted, after digging through boxes and boxes of old music.”

Quiet, creative and talented, Monte was a one-of-a-kind person who loved our neighborhood, its rich history and his neighbors. We will miss his gentle presence as much as his vivid stories of climbing trees, riding horses and “livin’ the life” in an earlier Dreamhill Estates — “Back in the day”… as he’d often comment.