Eric Robert Wingard

Eric Robert Wingard died on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, in Birmingham, Alabama, after a brief but intense battle with lung cancer. Eric was born on May 31, 1971, in Pensacola, Florida. He was a graduate of John Carroll High School and attended Birmingham-Southern College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The youngest of three children, Eric was a natural born showman and a gifted musician from an early age. He enjoyed acting in school and church plays and musicals and singing in the John Carroll High School Choir and the Birmingham Boys Choir. As a child he was a member of the cast of Birmingham-Southern College’s production of the Puccini opera Gianni Schicchi.

Eric’s passion for music continued throughout his life. His talent on the guitar and his bluesy, gravelly voice that fit the tunes he chose for it made him a fixture in the Southside music scene for more than twenty years, prompting some friends to refer to him as “Southside royalty.” He performed solo and with a variety of bands over the years, and his distinctive guitar style influenced his fellow musicians. He was a founder of the unique musical event known as Soul Sandwich, a monthly improvisational jam session held at the Hippodrum that brought together musicians who would not normally share the stage to create a chaotic yet magical musical bonding experience. Many musicians who played with Eric over the years have referred to him as not just a bandmate, but a brother.

Eric was a true friend to those who knew him. He enjoyed reminiscing about his escapades with his best friend Jason Ray and his fellow sons of Birmingham-Southern faculty members who lived along Greensboro Road on campus. He remained close to many of those childhood friends for the rest of his life. He was known for his kind and caring soul, with an infectious sense of humor and a generous spirit. There never was a kinder heart, a more gentle, gregarious, affable person than Eric.

Eric was cherished by his family, and he treasured those relationships. He is survived by his sisters Amy Wingard Templeton and Alicia Wingard (Bob Yarling), his nephews Ryan Templeton and Bobby Wingard, his girlfriend Julie Robinson, and his beloved cat Jack. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert Warren Wingard and Nancy Whatley Wingard, his paternal grandparents Raymond and Lurline Wingard, and his maternal grandparents Lee and Ruth Whatley.

A graveside service will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday, January 3, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Goshen, Alabama. A musical celebration of his life will be held at a Southside venue on a date to be determined