It’s unthinkable that Jon is gone. My thoughts are for his wife Vicky and all his children and family at this sad moment in their lives. I wish them all strength.
A great sadness and sense of loss hangs over me. Not only has the music world lost a fantastic musician but a gentleman of the finest order. He was a giant in my life, a great friend, a fellow traveler, a teacher, not only of music, but of life.
It’s an irregular life, although it has habits and rituals like any other.
For example, every day when I’m home, after the children are asleep, it’s rare evening that I don’t go to my studio, crank up the computer, listen to music, browse YouTube, catch up on emails, news, etc. Sometimes I write music. I am excellent at imagining a song in my head and then battling to get some semblance of it down on tape before I forget it.
Of the several million entrants to the competition (surely that’s wrong – Ed), the exhausted judges have spent many a long winter’s black night pouring over the images drifting past their bloodshot eyes like endless rain into a paper cup (no more stealing lyrics, and less of the hyperbole! – Ed) and have narrowed them down to the final seven.
I was recently reading the blogger Bob Lefsetz’s eloquent words extolling his love of music, particularly songs he heard when he was younger. The songs that hit you the first time you heard them have become ingrained, standard, classic – as familiar as old gloves. However, put them in context. At the time, didn’t they seem exciting and dangerous? Subversive, even.
I am very happy to report that my daughter Gillian gave birth to a baby girl today, the 8th of December. Aranea is her name, a sister for Xavier. Gillian and Travis have blessed me with grandfatherhood again.
Good luck,
RG