Sarah Campbell

Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, 60, of Austin, Texas left this earth surrounded by dear friends in the early morning hours of December 26, 2013, after a lifetime of living with a rare form of Hepatitis C and then liver cancer.

A 6th generation Texan, she was born in Austin on May 13, 1953 to Sudie Evelyn Johnson Campbell and William Wallace Campbell, and spent her early childhood living in Smithville, Texas. After a summer in Waco with her grandmother, at age 5 Sarah moved back to Austin with her mother and two older siblings - sister Marjorie and brother Bill. She attended Matthews Elementary, O. Henry Middle School and Austin High School.

Music was the hub around which the wheels of Sarah's life turned. A lifelong professional singer and songwriter, her first time on stage was playing the Cowardly Lion in a summer production of "The Wizard of Oz" and she stole the show. She started out on flute in school band, and knew by her early teens that she was a performer who would follow the music wherever it took her.

With her guitar and deep, rich, straight-from-the-heart voice, she covered both coasts, heading first to Boston and eventually landing in Northern California. She made her home there for close to twenty years, developing deep and lasting friendships. She played with the popular bluegrass band "Fiddlestix", appearing regularly at the Strawberry Music Festival, performed as a duo with Nina Gerber and released her first CD "Running with You".

Eventually, she was drawn back to Austin to be closer to her family and the music community that had inspired and nurtured her from such a young age. In the early 90's she began a tradition that would carry her through to the end of her life - a weekly happy hour gig originally (and ironically) dubbed "Bummer Night", even though Sarah's voice and irreverent sense of humor always created joy and laughter around her. Still, she understood heartbreak and could deliver a sad song like nobody else.

Back in Texas, she also released a second album, "A Little Tenderness", spent time as a staff writer for John Prine's Nashville based "Oh Boy Publishing Company", appeared on several compilation CDs and formed a new tribe of friends. She released two other records during her career, "Sarah Elizabeth Campbell and the Banned Live" and "Sarah Elizabeth Campbell the Early Years" and always had hopes of "doing one more record".

Sarah had a magnetic heart that drew people to her. At a party, you could find her by the fire holding court with a circle of friends surrounding her, telling stories, laughing and swapping songs... most likely with her tiny dog Tweetie nestled into her lap.

She was a wide open, big hearted, honest, deep, heartfelt, sentimental, sarcastic, tender, tough, childlike, wise, hysterical, gifted woman who loved animals, jewelry that connected her to a moment in time or a memory, her mama Sudie (who was her constant companion for many years), her friends and family, a great song and a glass of good red wine.

While Sarah was known for her sad songs and heartfelt lyrics she was never one to wallow in self-pity, instead pouring the emotion into her music. When she found out her diagnosis was terminal, her simple statement to her doctor and friend was that she'd "had a bigger life than most people she knew; had no regrets and was grateful for all of the great times and friends she'd made along the way". 54 hours before her death she was on stage at her weekly gig singing "just a few more weary days and then, I'll fly away" with her usual soulful sincerity. It was the perfect finale for a woman who lived for the song.

Sarah Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Marge and Charlie Morton of Austin, Texas; brother, Bill Campbell of Smithville, Texas; niece, McKinnon Morton of Austin, Texas; nephew, Charles "Camp" Morton of Tempe, Arizona; beloved pets Tweetie, Isabella and Sophie; and a huge community of friends.

A memorial service and celebration of Sarah's life will be held Sunday, March 2, 2014 at Texas Old Town's Tejas Hall from 2-7 PM - 1205 Roland Lane, Kyle, Texas 78640. In memory of Sarah, donations can be made to...

In lieu of flowers, people could donate to Swan Songs or Animal Trustees of Austin.