Dr. John Paul “JP” Schwartz died unexpectedly at his home in Cornwall, England, on April 14, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Emma Hughes, his daughter Sarah Schwartz, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and his brother David Schwartz and his wife Julie Hemstreet of Lynchburg, Virginia.
JP was born August 7, 1952, in Freeport, Texas, the oldest son of Lee and Martha Schwartz. He grew up in Lufkin, Texas, and lived much of his adult life near Marfa, Texas, where he met his wife Emma. They moved to Cornwall in 2021. JP attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where he studied biology and music. He later received his medical degree from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. His medical specialty was family practice, which he enjoyed throughout a 40-year career, including 18 months spent in New Zealand practicing in an Indigenous community.
Besides helping people through medicine, JP enjoyed camping and hiking with family and friends, sharing good food, drawing and painting, being politically active, tinkering with his vintage Airstream trailer, and talking on his ham radio. But most of all, JP loved music. He loved listening to music, playing music, discussing music, and writing music. His musical career started in high school when he and some classmates founded a rock and roll band named “JP and the Hallucinations.” Later, he was part of another high school band called Reflections of Soul. From this humble beginning, JP went on to become a mainstay in the Texas folk music scene for many years, and he made many close friends with whom he shared a love of music. His musical friends were like a second family to JP, and he drew much love and support from these friends throughout his life, including childhood friends Michael Hawthorne and Dave Lee. JP also had a weekly music program on Marfa Public Radio, where he was affectionately known as “Doc Cactus.” Every Monday night for over a decade, JP’s show entertained and educated people about the wonders of blues music.
Throughout his too-brief life, JP loved meeting and helping people wherever he went. Many of these people became his friends for life, and he will be greatly missed by all those he leaves behind.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to either: The Radford Charitable Trust Cornwall (helping children and young people by providing small financial grants, loaning instruments, and running workshops) or The Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation (link below — scroll to locate the JP Schwartz button) www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org/donate/