Reckless Kelly Lead Guitarist David Abeyta Has Left The Band
For most of us it'll be hard to even imagine Reckless Kelly without lead guitarist David Abeyta. But after nearly 20 years Abeyta is hanging it up. According to a statement he posted last night on Facebook, he played his last show with Reckless Kelly earlier this month.
In his post Abeyta says he and the band knew this was coming, but he didn't want to make it public, to avoid the shows turning into a "farewell tour." He left the door open to the possibility of working with RK again, and most of all he thanked the fans. Read his full statement below. Thanks for the music memories, David!
RK Fans, Friends & Family:
On February 9th in Waco, TX, I played my last show with Reckless Kelly. The band and I have known this was coming for a while now, but I made a choice to not make it public until after it was done. It was important to me to not impose strain on the band by turning it into anything like a “farewell tour”. And besides, I’d like to think you might see us onstage or in the studio together again at some point. My interactions with you all over the years mean the world to me, and if I’d had to face you to say goodbye…let's just say I cry easy, and I couldn’t have taken it. So while I’m sad that my 19 years with the band are over, I’m also excited for whatever comes next - for myself, my family, and the band. I’ll be taking some time away from the road to spend more time with my wife and son, get my “batteries” recharged, and work on production projects.
I could never have imagined that I would get a chance to play for so long with such naturally talented and unique musicians as the past and present members of Reckless Kelly, and I’ll always be grateful for that. The times I’ve had with them as musicians and friends will stay with me forever. Along with that, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of you on the road, and from the beginning you welcomed me into the tight-knit RK family - you’ll never know how much that meant to me, especially the times you came up to me to express how much the music meant to you - that kept me going for a long time. I sure will miss stepping onstage and seeing your faces.
I ask you to continue to support the band, as you always have, as they move through a new chapter. Most of my favorite bands have gone through major changes - growth and forward motion are everything...and Reckless Kelly will always be my favorite band.
From my heart,
David
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