METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD: We Owe DEBBIE ABONO 'A Lot Of Respect And Gratitude'

Video footage of the short speech METALLICA guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield gave at a special event to celebrate the life of Debbie Abono — a well-respected and much-loved manager and promotional machine behind some of San Francisco Bay Area's strongest metal bands (POSSESSED, FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, SKINLAB) — can be viewed below. The event, which took place on August 29 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel & Resort in Concord, California, was also attended by musicians from MACHINE HEAD, DEATH ANGEL, FORBIDDEN, SKINLAB and D.R.I., as well as former members of EXODUS, OVERKILL, S.O.D., POSSESSED, SACRILEGE B.C. and STEREOMUD.

James said, "Debbie was, to me, the mom that wasn't around for me. [Hetfield's mother died in 1979 when he was 16 years old. — Ed.] She was the place we could kind of go to if we needed to talk about problems, if we needed a safe place to party, if we needed inspiration, hope...

"She did so much that I didn't even know about to help the music scene, especially the metal scene in the Bay Area, the Bay Area thrash scene — to put it on the map, to invest her time, her patience, and her money. And Debbie put her heart in it and she was able to give a lot of inspiration to people that didn't think they could make it — knew they wanted to, but didn't know how to do it. She'd be on the road with bands and living the road life, and she was an older lady... and man, she was tough.

"So a lot of inspiration came from her, and I know me and my band owe her a lot of respect and gratitude.

"We're grateful to have her in our lives and what she's done to help the music scene in the Bay Area.

"Thank you, Debbie. You'll live on in me and everyone here."

Abono passed away on May 16 after a battle with cancer. She was 80 years old.

After learning that Debbie was gravely ill, Hetfield dedicated the hit song "Nothing Else Matters" to Abono during a METALLICA performance in Belfast, Ireland.

According to an obituary that was published in the May 30 edition of the Contra Costa Times, "Debbie was in her mid-fifties when she plunged into the Bay Area's heavy metal/thrash metal music scene. She quickly [started working with] some of the Bay Area's strongest metal bands as well as Chicago's BROKEN HOPE, Florida's OBITUARY and CYNIC, Ohio's SPUDMONSTERS, and from Texas SKREW. Many of these members who have gone onto further success with their careers with Debbie's constant guidance. She is known around the world not only for the work she has done for countless musicians, band crew members and their families, but more so for her heart and generosity and her ability to uplift, motivate and empower all those around her to always be honest and to be their best."

Debbie's love for music from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin through METALLICA and MACHINE HEAD inspired her to set up a music scholarship through Mechanics Bank.

Donations can be made through the web site www.ebcf.kintera.org and via check payable to "East Bay Community Foundation" and should be accompanied by a note designating that the gift is for the Debbie Abono Memorial Fund for Music. Contributions should be mailed to The East Bay Community Foundation, Attn: Giles Miller, 200 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612.

Check out photos from the Debbie Abono life-celebration event at this location.