For the 99.8% of you that do not know, I used to manage bands before I came to work at insidestl.com. I worked with one band exclusively for many years and saw the world with/through them for a long time. That band was 360Smile from here in St. Louis. We toured through 15+ states together over the 4 years I was with them and logged 10's of thousands of miles on the road in busses, vans and trucks and shared more experiences than I could count.

Josh Herr, the singer for the band and a great friend of mine passed away yesterday very suddenly. Instead of a retrospective piece about his musical career, I decided to publish my letter to Josh I wrote last evening on the night of his death. Josh was an immensely talented guy and I along with countless others miss him greatly. RIP

Dear Josh,

Well, I guess it is over now. The pain that built up inside for so long no longer has its grip. I am sorry to see you go out like this because you truly deserved more. For what you left behind and the thousands of people you touched I will just say that we will all miss you. I also know for a fact that we are all better for having had you in our lives for all these years.

Your talent as a musician was both immense and awe inspiring at times. The music you gave to all of us truly moved and shaped my life in a different direction. Your words on paper and the sounds you could make from a guitar changed the path of my life for the better and I cannot thank you or repay you in any way that makes up for what you allowed all of us to do. I experienced so many things with you guys, my brothers, my band, that I cannot believe it is over. Looking back I think those will be some of the best times of our lives and having spent them with you I cannot thank you enough for just being here with me. With us.

We laughed together, we fought...I mean physically fought but in the end it was OK because that is what brothers do. We were all in this thing together. Dedicated to one common cause and no matter what we had to do, we would overcome any obstacles to get there. We achieved a lot and the fruits of our labor and your songwriting came to fruition in the fact that THOUSANDS of people got to hear your words as they represented all of us. You were the centerpiece of this operation and without you, it would have never existed.

We shared so much in the back of a van. So many stories, laughs, insults, punches, drinks. We gave each other advice on life and tried to back each other up. We were lucky to have you with us because you actually did give a fuck and we knew that. You were a great friend to me and over the past year I am sorry that I let life let us drift apart somewhat because now I will pay every day in the fact that we cannot talk again. Ever. All that is left is your words in song and my memories of our times together.

I guess it is over now. I feel horrible that your children must go through their life now without your guidance. They will never hear you sing another song you are working on or hear your laugh. I am just sorry that they don't have their DAD because even through all the rockstar shit, I think that is what you took the most pride in.

I am sorry you left under these circumstances and I know that you had more to do here but I know you are out there somewhere. Please know that we all loved and appreciated you for the person you were first, then everything else. You worked your ass off and accomplished a lot. I am proud of you man. I am happy the pain is gone and you are in a better place. Your music is your legacy now.

You learn a lot about a person if you are crammed in a tight space for hours at a time and I most certainly learned that about you Josh. We shared many things but more importantly, we shared LIFE. We lived opportunities that people dream about and I cannot say that I would have wanted to spend that time with anyone else besides the 4 guys in this band and the people that helped us get there along the way. I know you enjoyed your 29 years here and I know you made the most of it.

All I can say is thank you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for your music. Thank you for changing our lives for the better. Thank you for being you. I love you brother. I will not forget.

Goodbye. For now.

- Justin (2:17 AM / 10-23-09)

Funeral Arrangements for Josh Herr/360Smile:
Tues October 27th
Bucholz Mortuary
1645 Redman Rd.
Spanish Lake, MO

10AM Visitation
1pm Funeral