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D C Minner
Jan 28, 1935 - May 8, 2008
Posted by Jo Aguirre

http://obituaries.muskogeephoenix.com/ 
Sat, May 17 2008

D. C. Minner, founder and operator of the Dusk Til Dawn Blues Festival, quietly left us on May 6th, 2008. The only child of Clarence and Helen Pearson Minner, he was raised by his grandmother, Lura Drennan, in Rentiesville, OK where he grew up hearing acoustic blues played at her juke joint called the “Cozy Corner”. D. C. received his education in Rentiesville.

He joined the U. S. Army and during this time he married Miss Doris Haynes. D. C. later moved to Oklahoma City where he played behind such future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, as well as the great Oklahoma Bluesman, Freddie King and soul singers O.V. Wright and Eddie Floyd. After moving to California, he spent a winter wood shedding in Humboldt County, where he taught himself guitar and wrote twenty-eight songs. Needing a workshop to try out his new material he returned to the Bay area and met Selby in a club where she played acoustic blues. They married and toured together as “Blues On The Move” for twelve years, with Selby now playing bass guitar, across the U.S. and overseas. The couple returned home to Rentiesville, in 1988 and reopened his grandmothers old place as the “Down Home Blues Club”. D. C. had a gift for working with young students in Oklahoma Schools and across the nation doing Blues in the schools. Oklahoma Arts Council Director Suzanne Tate said D.C. was a highly esteemed artist included in both the Council’s Touring and Teaching Rosters. His tremendous efforts to promote the magic called the Blues have made him an Oklahoma favorite. He will be greatly missed, said Tate. D.C. received many awards and citations including the Governor’s Art Award in 2006, W.C. Handy Award, induction into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and numerous other awards. On September 1st, 2006 , Gov. Brad Henry declared “D.C. and Selby Minner Day”. But his favorite honor was when the town of Rentiesville renamed part of the Texas Trail that runs along the Blues Club D.C.Minner Street.

The surviving family members D.C. leaves behind to cherish him include his wife, Selby, of the home, children, Sheila Minner Huntington and Tony Minner, grandkids; Erica, Micaela, Danielle and Tony Jr. and Christopher Minner. He also counts Jason, Brandon and Jonathan Minner and Ben Kastel and great-grandson Deyton Alonzo Jackson, Jr.

The celebration of his life service will be held Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, Rentiesville with Rev. Sam Cunningham, pastor of Mt. Olive Star Baptist Church, Checotah, officiating.

He will be laid to rest with military honors in Honey Springs Cemetery.

Visitation will be today from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. To quote a friend of D.C.’s “He impacted everyone he met and always for the better”. Services are under the direction of Ragsdale Funeral Center.

Thank You For Your Service!

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