When I was a Junior, I met Ernie at a J.W. Nixon Battle of Bands event when he was in the band Saffron Mist and I was a novice drummer in a band with "Charlie Jackaman & Friends". Ernie sang a song by Crosby, Stills, & Nash titled "49 Bye-byes" and it was exactly as I remembered from the cassette that I had borrowed from an under classmate and I was really impressed at his musical talent. It was not until I was studying at U.T. Austin for a double major in Cell Biology & Chemistry that I ran into Ernie again at the School of Architecture and now he was no longer playing music but was now focusing his interests on architecture and I was pleased he remembered me and I was also impressed with meeting him again after not seeing him for quite a while. While still at U.T. Austin, I was deeply saddened to learn that just before I was to graduate in the Fall of 1981 from U.T. at Austin that Ernie passed away. Although I did not know him well he made me feel as if I did and he was someone that I would not easily forget, especially when I relisten to the song "49 Bye-byes". I am 64 yrs. old now and I still easily recall the times of talking with him and seeing that calm and easy manner he conveyed. I only wished I had the chance to know him better and pass along to him how "cool" I always thought he was. Ernie, Frank Barrera, Larry Veagas and I think Mike Jackson make "Saffron Mist" such a super cool band and I feel so lucky I got the chance to hear them play. Sincerely - James G. Herrera
James G. Herrera
When I was a Junior, I met Ernie at a J.W. Nixon Battle of Bands event when he was in the band Saffron Mist and I was a novice drummer in a band with "Charlie Jackaman & Friends". Ernie sang a song by Crosby, Stills, & Nash titled "49 Bye-byes" and it was exactly as I remembered from the cassette that I had borrowed from an under classmate and I was really impressed at his musical talent. It was not until I was studying at U.T. Austin for a double major in Cell Biology & Chemistry that I ran into Ernie again at the School of Architecture and now he was no longer playing music but was now focusing his interests on architecture and I was pleased he remembered me and I was also impressed with meeting him again after not seeing him for quite a while. While still at U.T. Austin, I was deeply saddened to learn that just before I was to graduate in the Fall of 1981 from U.T. at Austin that Ernie passed away. Although I did not know him well he made me feel as if I did and he was someone that I would not easily forget, especially when I relisten to the song "49 Bye-byes". I am 64 yrs. old now and I still easily recall the times of talking with him and seeing that calm and easy manner he conveyed. I only wished I had the chance to know him better and pass along to him how "cool" I always thought he was. Ernie, Frank Barrera, Larry Veagas and I think Mike Jackson make "Saffron Mist" such a super cool band and I feel so lucky I got the chance to hear them play. Sincerely - James G. Herrera