So Long, Kirk

credit: Frank Swider

Kirk Rundstrom was the man.

News just reached us that Kirk Rundstrom died this morning. The Split Lip Rayfield member had been battling cancer of the esophagus for over a year. His bandmates wrote a fitting elegy on the group’s Web site, under ‘News.’

Mark Twain said, “Let us endeavor to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”

During Kirk’s struggle with cancer, the support heaped upon him by fans and admirers, in KC, Lawrence, and all over the country revealed a guy who had lived up to that calling as well as anyone possibly could.

We’re sure sorry, Kirk.

Our last and best feature on Kirk: The Last Thrash, from August ’06