Cal Nelson Memorial And Val Kilmer Overlap

 September 20, 2025

   We went to two memorials for Cal Nelson today. She passed on August 10. She is the smiling face, second from left, taken at JJ's Cantina in Cholla Bay, Sonora, eleven years ago.

Jon and Cal Nelson, Kathy and BBB at

JJ's Cantina in Cholla Bay, Sonora, Mexico

April 29, 2014

   We were celebrating the completion of my book, "The 66 Kid" and they had a place in Cholla Bay for two decades and we were their guests in their home away from home.

   Her memorial today was touching and, of course, she took hold of my studio many years ago and whipped it into museum shape. I still thank her every day I walk in from the house. She was an artist-designer-extraordinaire and it is an honor to have her creative efforts on full display on every wall and hallway.

   We are also paying a final tribute to Val Kilmer in this issue of True West with two pieces that might seem a tad redundant, but we felt he deserved the extra verbiage, in spite of the similarities in the coverage. Look at them as bookends on a stellar career. A bonus of the heart. Hope you agree.

Early Mock-up of the Nov-Dec Issue

   In addition, our Doc Holliday & Wyatt Earp coverage along with all things Tombstone is stellar because of the scholarship of our friends Mark Lee Gardner and Peter Brand, who both have new books out that help clarify that violent time in our history.

   And, speaking of rule breakers:

"I was always about breaking the rules."

—Robert Redford