Last night, Houston blues fixture "Mean" Gene Kelton was killed when his SUV collided head-on with a Crosby school bus.

While he was known mostly in blues and biker circles, Kelton had recently branched out into acting, co-starring in Roberto Minervini's The Passage (formerly titled Marfa Red). The independent production, which chronicles an emotional road trip to Marfa, Tx. taken by a terminally ill woman, an ex-con (played by Kelton), and a British artist, received a $7,000 grant from the Austin Film Society back in September (which we reported on).

Shortly after our post, Kelton posted to Art Attack:

"Would like to thank the academy"... just kiddin'. Thanks to the Houston Press for this story and also special thanks to all involved with the making of the movie: "The Passage." For those of you who would like to read the "behind the scenes" story of the making of the movie (getting harassed by cops, lost in the desert, etc...) - and - how I (with ZERO acting experience) was literally plucked off the streets and placed in a co-starring movie role - please visit my website http://www.meangenekelton.com/... . Thanks, Mean Gene Kelton

Our condolences to Kelton's family, friends and fans.

• Film and TV