I am writing this about my son Joe. He was a graduate of the class of '97 he would be writing this himself but he passed away last August. Joe or Joey as most of his classmates will remember him was the gentle giant of his class. He stood almost 6'2" when he graduated and weighed in at over 300 lbs. You didn't miss him in a crowd he stood out. He was first chair tenor sax for Columbia High Band almost every six weeks. He sang tenor in Columbia High Choir for three years. He played Merlin the wizard in the Magrial Feast all four years of High School. All he wanted to do is be a muscian and play guitar. He succeded in that respect in life but also now after his death. A few weeks before he passed away he had compiled and recored his first offical album. I with the help of family and friends have gotten the album published and it is for sale at the Hastings in Lake Jackson. If any of his classmates from the Class of 1997 would like a copy please go by there and ask for it. Half of the CD's are also being sold at Cheetham Street Warehouse in San Marcos where Joe sang many times over the years. All sales of the album bought at Cheetham Street will go to their non-profit organization to help young musicians get a start. The money raised from the sale of the album at Hastings will go to his younger brothers to further their education. The photo that goes with this story is the cover of the album called Austin and the Afterglow by Joe Rodriguez.


To the person approving this the only documentation I have is photos of Joey at graduation I hope that will work.