The Phish community has lost a Phan. Chris Deardorff, better known as Buzz recently passed away, leaving behind a wife and daughter. He’s best known as the guitarist of Quagmire Swim Team, and most recently Pine Mountain Band. He was an amazing person, with one of the most positive attitudes I’ve ever seen. It was always a pleasure to see him perform, and an honor to eventually become a close friend. He is one of the best guitarists I’ve ever heard, and I used to regularly make the 6 hour drive from college to see them play in my hometown.
I got to know Buzz throughout the year, mainly through my friend Jeff Whetstone, who would get together with him and play often, eventually forming Pine Mountain Band. Our mutual love of Phish brought us even closer. It was exciting to hear his stories of going on tour, and the ridiculous situations he got himself in. We went to several Phish shows together, and seeing his excitement and joy made the shows so much better. My wife and I were lucky enough to be with him at his last show, 8/16/15 MPP, which was his 132nd show. It was a large group of us, and it seemed like we gravitated towards him. All these people getting together because of him. It’s fitting that he’s in the center of this picture:
Buzz will be dearly missed by his friends and fans alike. We are saddened, but can’t help but smile thinking about the great times we had together, as a friend, with his family, or in the audience.
In honor of him, the full proceeds of any 8/16/15 Merriweather setlists sold will be donated in his memory to benefit his daughter Josephine.
Not just reading the book, 