Beloved Outlaw Roadie and Music Elder “Mr. Bandana” Cloninger Has Died
There was nobody else like Mr. Bandana. And now that he’s gone, there will never be anyone like him again. He was a true last of the breed, and one of the few remaining authentic Outlaws who lived his own way, spoke his mind no matter the outcome or insult taken, and you will never find a more dedicated and loyal supporter of the music he championed over his many years of service to artists and the underground country and roots scene.
Born January 31st, 1953, “Mr. Bandana” Cloninger had been a roadie for David Allan Coe during the performer’s most notorious era. Later he became a roadie and right hand man for many years for Hank Williams Jr. Most recently, Mr. Bandana was a confidant, counselor, and elder for a litany of underground country, roots, and heavy metal artists, including Hank Williams III (Hank3), Jeff Clayton and ANTISeen, Shooter Jennings, and many more.
Mr. Bandana was not hard to pick out of a concert crowd. His favorite salute was a middle finger, and he regularly wore bandanas that proudly displayed the offensive digit prominently while touting himself as a “professional asshole.” But those who knew him, those who spent time with him, and especially his friends and family understood that under his rough exterior was and extreme amount of heart and loyalty to others, and a special passion and dedication to music.
Over the last half decade, diabetes began to claim portions of Mr. Bandana’s feet, and he would regularly have to endure medical procedures, and wear special boots, or need assistance walking to make it to shows. Doctors told Mr. Bandana that the best thing was for him to stay off of his feet, but he would not trade his fierce loyalty to the music for anything, and would regularly defy doctor’s orders to take in shows. “I would rather die doing what I love doing. I won’t let anyone take this away from me,” he once told Saving Country Music at the Muddy Roots Festival.
Mr. Banadana could be regularly seen sitting at the sides of stages at the concerts of his favorite bands, and most everybody in the underground country and roots movement looked to him as an elder statesman, and founding father. That’s not to say Mr. Bandana didn’t have his differences with people, especially if he felt you crossed one of his artists. And his outspoken Southern pride sometimes lent to getting sideways with individuals. But like his previous boss David Allan Coe, Cloninger was such a singular human being, it was hard to not admire him for his ability to hold onto himself, and his by-gone rebellious spirit in a world that had moved on without him.
Bandana Cloninger was also an avid dog lover, and raised and trained dogs at his home in Iron Station, North Carolina. He was a motorcycle enthusiast as well. His diabetes and health issues had scaled back his public appearances recently, but he always maintained a public profile online, and had many friends and followers.
According to the sister-in-law of Bandana Cloninger, he recently came down with an infection, and was dealing with low blood pressure, as well as kidney failure. Mr. Bandana passed away Sunday evening (6-6-2016) at the hospital.
“I’m sorry to say that my brother in law Mr Bandana just passed away,” said the sister-in-law. “They did everything they could. We will greatly miss him. Our hearts are broken because he left us too soon. I know that you all will miss him too.”
R.I.P. Mr. Bandana
June 6, 2016 @ 8:13 am
🙁 my brother from another mother…
June 6, 2016 @ 3:51 pm
Wayne brother I have had you on my mind since I found out he went ICU. Yall are one in my mind and I am thankful for you both.
June 6, 2016 @ 8:17 am
Rip Bandana
June 6, 2016 @ 10:07 am
Rest in peace fly high my southern brother im sure going to miss you I have alot of good memories …
June 6, 2016 @ 12:42 pm
R I P Bandana aka Mr Asshole even though we drifted apart I will never forget you
June 6, 2016 @ 1:25 pm
Mr. Bandana posts here are the best. first time i was introduced to him he was taking Triggerman to task about something. wish he would of commented more often. i bet that dude had all sorts stories
June 6, 2016 @ 3:08 pm
Some will remember there was a period where someone was impersonating Mr. Bandana on here, taking me even more to task than what Mr. Bandana did. The reason this person did this was because Mr. Bandana was so well-respected, whenever he spoke, everyone listened. That’s because he was one of the few people with the guts to truly speak his mind. There are a lot of people who claim to not care what anyone thinks about them. With Mr. Bandana, he meant it. He wasn’t scared of anyone or anything, and that allowed him to be more honest than anyone.
June 6, 2016 @ 1:47 pm
Great job as usual Trig. Thanks also to Cathy Pippin for the photo.
June 6, 2016 @ 1:49 pm
We dated in the 90’s, after that, we remained friends and I loved him dearly. He was bigger than life, onery as hell and deep down, kind and passionate. I will never forget him. RIP MY SWEET BANDANA!!!
June 6, 2016 @ 2:48 pm
R.I.P Mr Bandana. You will be missed more than words can say.
You touched more lives than you could ever imagine.
Tell Waylon, Hank, Merle, Johnny and the rest of the outlaws hello.
See you again on the other side Brother !!
June 6, 2016 @ 2:48 pm
Gonna miss you! You where an amazing person
June 6, 2016 @ 3:02 pm
Lovely tribute, Trig. I had the pleasure of meeting him briefly at a Hank 3 gig in Spartanburg, SC some years back, and we kept in touch via fb and the occasional email. He was certainly a character and his heart was always in the right place. Rest in Peace, Mr B xox
June 6, 2016 @ 4:10 pm
Nicely done Trig
June 6, 2016 @ 6:03 pm
He saved my butt once at a very crazy show . One of a kind!!! Ride on brother!
June 6, 2016 @ 6:06 pm
Who is Jeff Clayton mentioned in this article?
June 6, 2016 @ 7:41 pm
Jeff Clayton is the frontman for the underground punk/metal band ANTIseen. ANTIseen is not a country band, but they run in similar circles, and Mr. Bandana was a big fan and close friend to Jeff Clayton, and many other artists to numerous to list.
June 7, 2016 @ 8:51 am
RIP. I have lost a truly great friend.
June 7, 2016 @ 12:11 pm
Would’ve loved to hear his road stories of the DAC days in the 80’s.
June 7, 2016 @ 12:38 pm
I was fortunate to hear a few of them. They’re too gratuitous to put in print. 🙂
June 7, 2016 @ 1:18 pm
Rest In Peace Mr. Bandana who wrote to many of his friends, including me, via emails, to update them, about his condition and the diabetes surgery’s he underwent. He often gave me advices since I also was diagnosed with diabetes, but he had a much more severe form. I remember meeting him for the only time in my life, honored to have met him, coming from Amsterdam, to have had that chance to write emails to him and receive mails back from him. Then it was September 18, 2010 when I made a journey to the USA and he was sitting on the stage while I attended a Hank III show for Happy Tales at the Loveless Barn and caught him a very short moment in the video I made “Crazed Country Rebel” , Mr. Bandana much respect to you.
June 8, 2016 @ 4:44 am
Bandana was the kind of Man that once you met him, you never forgot him. Rest in Peace
June 27, 2016 @ 5:39 am
Mr Bandana died on 6-5-16 not 6-6-16 as the article stated … just for information.
January 3, 2023 @ 6:49 pm
I had the privilege of being his sister in law, the stories he told me and the relationship we had, was on in a million. It’s been several years since ce his passing and I still miss him. We could talk about anything, and sat for hours doing just that….talking, but we always got along. Wh3n he met you, he either liked you, or he didn’t, he didn’t like for anyone to kiss his ass to try to make him like you…. that’s one thing I loved about him. He was one in a million, and he will be missed forever in my eyes. I, like many others, would love to talk to him just one more time!!! He was like a brother to me, and always will be!!!! I love you, my brother Bsndana Cloninger, and I always will!!!!!!