'He was loved because he gave love': Music, radio icon Jason Hamric honored with celebration of life

INVESTIGATION COMING UP LATER ON IN OUR NEWSCAST TONIGHT, CREATIVES FROM ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA CAME TOGETHER TO HONOR THE LIFE OF JASON HAMRICK. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AT TEN. I’M SHERI FALK. YOU MAY KNOW HAMRICK AS THE FOUNDER OF THE POPULAR SUBSTRATE RADIO. HE DIED UNEXPECTEDLY ON WEDNESDAY, ��13’S ERIN LLEWELLYN WENT TO THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE AND FOUND OUT WHY THOSE WHO KNEW HIM BEST SAY THIS ISN’T A FINAL SENDOFF, BUT AN ACT OF LOVE. IT’S BEEN FOUR DAYS SINCE JASON HAMRICK DIED. LIKE THIS WHOLE THING IS A DREAM, A NIGHTMARE DREAM. BUT NO ONE KNOWS THAT FEELING MORE THAN HIS WIFE, JACKIE. SHE SAYS HER HUSBAND DIED FROM COMPLICATIONS OF A BACTERIAL EAR INFECTION ON WEDNESDAY. WE WEREN’T READY. WE WEREN’T EXPECTING IT. NO WARNING SIGNS, REALLY. SO IT’S BEEN. IT’S BEEN WEIRD. IT’S BEEN REALLY WEIRD AND HARD. SAMSON BIRMINGHAM HONORED THE MAGIC CITY RADIO ICON WITH A CELEBRATION OF LIFE ON SUNDAY. THE SAME PLACE THAT HOUSES SUBSTRATE RADIO, FOUNDED BY JASON IN 2013. THE ROOM PACKED WITH PEOPLE WHO KNEW AND LOVED THE MAN BEHIND IT. EVERYBODY WANTS TO TELL A STORY BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE THAT IT’S HE TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE’S LIVES, AND HE MEANT A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND I’M EVEN LEARNING STORIES, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW A LOT OF THEM. SCOTT REGISTER SAYS JASON WASN’T JUST A COLLEAGUE. HE WAS A LIFELONG FRIEND. BEING IN A ROOM FULL OF OTHERS WHO LOVED HAMRICK IS HELPING HIM GRIEVE. SEEING ALL THESE MUTUAL FRIENDS, SEEING PEOPLE HAVEN’T SEEN IN A WHILE, AND REMEMBERING HOW WE. KNEW JASON AND HOW WE MET EACH OTHER. AND IT’S THIS IS THIS IS THERAPEUTIC FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM SAY, JASON WON’T BE REMEMBERED FOR THE WORK HE DID PROFESSIONALLY, BUT FOR THE WAY HE HELPED THOSE AROUND HIM. JASON WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR EVERYBODY, WHETHER IT WAS IN THE MUSIC SCENE OR NOT. IF YOU PUT OUT AN APB, I NEED THIS. I NEED THAT YOU GENERALLY WOULD HEAR FROM HIM FIRST. JACKIE SAYS THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE IS NOT A FINAL SENDOFF. I’VE ALREADY GOTTEN PEOPLE SENDING ME SONGS. HE HAD A LOT OF UNFINISHED MUSIC THAT I PLANNED TO FINISH, SO I’M REALLY EXCITED TO BE THE AMBASSADOR OF HIS LEGACY, CEMENTING IT IN BIRMINGHAM’S CREATIVE FABRIC FOR YEARS TO COME. HIS LEGACY IS THAT HE WAS LOVED BECAUSE HE GAVE LOVE IN BIRMINGHAM.

Creatives from across Central Alabama came together to honor the life of Jason Hamric on Sunday. You may know Hamric from the popular Substrate Radio. Saturn Birmingham honored the Magic City radio icon with a celebration of life �� the same place that houses Substrate Radio, which was founded in 2013.Jackie Hamric said her husband died unexpectedly on Wednesday from complications of a bacterial ear infection. She told �� 13 he didn’t want a formal funeral when the time came because he was nontraditional. That’s why Saturn opted for music, food and sharing stories and memories.“He said, ‘I don’t want anything sad and quiet. I want friends just to get together,’�� Jackie said. “Because we were married for 24 years, so you have these kinds of conversations. If something happens, what do you do? I knew all of his wishes just from all our conversations, and what he wanted was some friends to get together and have a good time.”Scott Register said Jason wasn’t just a colleague, but he was a lifelong friend.“So many people lost a friend and a brother,�� Register said. “That alone is just massive. He was always creating. I get texts from him all the times of the day saying, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?�� And I’m sure everybody else would say the same thing. He wanted to see Birmingham grow to its fullest potential, and he wanted to be involved in that as much as he could to make that happen.”Register said before Jason’s death, they shared their love of Birmingham Legion soccer at a few games and were coming up with a plan to pack the stands and get more fans involved. He knows Jason would want to see that continue and said he’s working with the Legion staff to keep his memory alive.Jackie said she also has plans of her own as the ambassador of his legacy. She said she already had people sending her unfinished songs from her husband that she plans to finish. She’s also working to put together a photo book of his art.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

Jackie Hamric said her husband died unexpectedly on Wednesday from complications of a bacterial ear infection. She told �� 13 he didn’t want a formal funeral when the time came because he was nontraditional. That’s why Saturn opted for music, food and sharing stories and memories.

“He said, ‘I don’t want anything sad and quiet. I want friends just to get together,’�� Jackie said. “Because we were married for 24 years, so you have these kinds of conversations. If something happens, what do you do? I knew all of his wishes just from all our conversations, and what he wanted was some friends to get together and have a good time.��

Scott Register said Jason wasn’t just a colleague, but he was a lifelong friend.

“So many people lost a friend and a brother,�� Register said. “That alone is just massive. He was always creating. I get texts from him all the times of the day saying, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?�� And I’m sure everybody else would say the same thing. He wanted to see Birmingham grow to its fullest potential, and he wanted to be involved in that as much as he could to make that happen.��

Register said before Jason’s death, they shared their love of Birmingham Legion soccer at a few games and were coming up with a plan to pack the stands and get more fans involved. He knows Jason would want to see that continue and said he’s working with the Legion staff to keep his memory alive.

Jackie said she also has plans of her own as the ambassador of his legacy. She said she already had people sending her unfinished songs from her husband that she plans to finish. She’s also working to put together a photo book of his art.

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'He was loved because he gave love': Music, radio icon Jason Hamric honored with celebration of life

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