Years ago, I wrote a chord progression inspired by the theme song for Hill Street Blues written by Mike Post and Larry Carlton (one of my favourite guitar players). Anytime I tried out a new guitar, I would play it. Often people would come over and tell me what a great groove it is. I had always thought it would be fun to solo over but never got around to it. A few years ago, I decided to record it with Bruce Davies playing bass. A simple recording with no edits. I practised over it a bit, hit the record button and then just improvised. I then handed the recording over to my friend and engineer Eric Brad who did a nice mix for me.

Here is the result. It’s called ..

Promenade © 1995, Gil Namur

Click play to listen!

Photo Credit

Microsoft Office Clip Art Collection

First published at gilnamur.com

It didn’t take long for the sad news – the passing of Gordon Lightfoot – to flood the airwaves. And, as the tide of awareness flowed in, I learned so much about him that I never knew.

Gordon Lightfoot performing at Interlochen, Michigan, in 2009

In the 70’s, during the heights of his success, he was a genuine force in the Canadian music scene… and beyond! But, my ‘60’s teenage friends were still basking in the afterglow of the ‘British Invasion.’

Gordon was best known for Folk / Rock (think ‘Pussywillows, Cat-Tails’); but politically, things were still hot with the release of his song ‘Black Day in July’ – which was critical of how the police and the army used strong-arm tactics to put down the Detroit race riots of July 1967: hundreds being killed or injured, and thousands of buildings burned.

The song, which was released less than a year afterwards, was banned from airplay by most major American radio stations, as it was deemed too controversial for public consumption.

“And they wonder how it happened and they really know the reason
And it wasn’t just the temperature and it wasn’t just the season”
~ Black Day in July by Gordon Lightfoot
Watch on YouTube

So, this was a side of Lightfoot I’d not seen before. It was a courageous move by this young artist: risking his career. Yet, that song showed me the persuasive power of Gordon Lightfoot.

We also saw that same spirit and influence for civil disobedience with John and Yoko’s public antiwar bed-ins – with its memorable refrain, “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”

“Why can’t we all be brothers, why can’t we live in peace?
But the hands of the have-nots keep falling out of reach”
~ Black Day in July by Gordon Lightfoot

So, essentially, where does the love of God go? The answer is different for everyone. But, does it not go back to its source? All we can do is encourage others to find their own solution – discovering what’s truly written in their own hearts – an unbroken circle of love.

Like him, I’m also from rural roots – probably explaining my familiarity with inter-personal values in everyday life.

“Rainy day people always seem to know when it’s time to call.
Rainy day people don’t talk, They just listen till they’ve heard it all”
~ Rainy Day People by Gordon Lightfoot
Watch on YouTube

He was still a working musician and composer to the end. He never considered a farewell tour… happy enough to still write booked gigs in his calendar. And, as every professional knows, the show must go on. Thanks for them all, Gordon!

That’s the way I figure it. – FP

Photo Credit

Photo is Wikimedia Creative Commons

First published at fredparry.ca

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry

Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His raison d’etre? “I’m one of those people who believe that if my work serves the common good, it will last; if not, it will die with me. I still believe that’s true.” Fred spent ten years as a columnist for Metroland Media Group – a division of the publishing conglomerate Torstar Corporation.

His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is also available via Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca

Explaining its rational for choosing Dylan for this honour, spokesperson Sara Danius stated it was, “… for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

Bob Dylan himself said, “It’s not easy to define poetry.”

He’s also been influential to other poets like Leonard Cohn – to whom Dylan said was the best, next to him – for using music to more effectively communicate their works. As John Lennon explained about song writing, “It’s like sending a postcard… not much space to say a lot.”

My first introduction to Dylan was in an English Literature class. It seems strange now, but up to then I mainly listened to the music. Perhaps the lyrics didn’t have much to say, but he opened different perspectives for me to consider. And, as the Beatles evolved, I was ready for new possibilities.

“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows”
~ Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan
Watch on Youtube

Journalist, Bill Wyman, in support of Dylan, said, “His lyricism is exquisite; his concerns and subjects are demonstrably timeless; and few poets of any era have seen their work bear more influence.

Salman Rushdie tweeted “From Fran Orpheus to Faiz, songs and poetry have been closely linked. Dylan is the brilliant inheritor of the bardic tradition. Great choice.”

As The New York Times succinctly put it, “He finally got the prize because he re-arranged the way we all think.”

One thing for certain… Dylan will continue to acknowledge whatever recognition – musical, humanitarian, artist or writer awards – with equal skepticism.

And, who can blame him when the public is so fickle: supporting him today… condemning him tomorrow? For example: showing up at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, with an electric Fender Stratocaster guitar – causing a wave of negative reaction.

Unfortunately, the ‘Folk’ community felt betrayed because Dylan seemed to be going against the very values – like traditional authenticity – their protest music represented. Looking back, it’s a shame that guitars, not peace, became a focal point… like holding a “gun” to each other’s head.

Yet Dylan said, in a Martin Scorsese produced documentary, it was electric because he simply needed more volume to be heard. “Country music was going electric too… I felt it didn’t have anything to do with me.”

Yet, the inflexibility within people’s hearts and minds seems so sadly similar to today. Like so many artists before him, he’s paid a deep price for his art.

So, thank you Mr. Z! You’ve gotten us feeling critically creative, again: embracing change. Great music, like great poetry, lasts. His words are as true today as they were yesterday.

“Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown”

~ The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
Watch on Youtube

And as Maya Angelou observed, “…people will forget what you said… what you did… but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

That’s the way I figure it. FP

Photo Credits

Bob Dylan Street Art –  from Pixabay

Bob Dylan and Joan Baez – from Pixabay

First published at fredparry.ca

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry

Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His raison d’etre? “I’m one of those people who believe that if my work serves the common good, it will last; if not, it will die with me. I still believe that’s true.” Fred spent ten years as a columnist for Metroland Media Group – a division of the publishing conglomerate Torstar Corporation.

His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is also available via Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca

This is an article I wrote that was printed in The Gazette in 2011 (now the Montreal Gazette), and turned out to be a fitting follow-up to one I’d previously written, which they printed eight years earlier in 2003.

It’s about how a friend and I became teenagers again for one magical night, how we managed to have the best time ever, and how it all came together.

(This article was originally printed in The Gazette in 2011 and has been edited for online publication at Life As A Human.)

* * *

Back in the spring of 2003, I wrote an article for The Gazette in the ‘Life Stories’ section called “What if I Wear Black and Sing in a Rock Band?” It was a story about hitting my forties and being cool. Now that I’m in my fifties, I still want to be cool and, well, when an opportunity arises, you gotta reach for that brass ring, as Holden Caufield would say. So when I heard that Fucked Up was the backup band for a Foo Fighters show on August 10th, I called my friend Alison. Her nephew, Damian Abraham, is the frontman for Fucked Up, a hardcore punk rock band from the Toronto area that has risen to success after many years of playing countless venues, including the washroom of MTV. You could say they’ve paid their dues.

Several months after asking Al about the upcoming show, she emailed me to say she had talked to Damian and we were going! I was ecstatic; how cool is that? She wasn’t sure where the seats were and I told her I didn’t care, as long as we were going. Now, I have to tell you, my friend Al has been a music aficionado for as long as I’ve known her; we grew up in Pointe Claire, and became friends when we were kids.

A couple of days before the show, Al messaged me on Facebook to tell me we were going backstage. I just about fell out of my chair! That was huge – these things don’t happen to the likes of moi! Not to mention, both my kids are huge fans of Fucked Up and Foo Fighters.

Alison picked me up the day of the concert and I felt like we were teenagers again. It had been a while since just the two of us had been out partying together. Al is a shameless groupie. She travels everywhere in her SUV and has met so many people. I could make a list here but let’s just say, when Alison gets something in her head, she does it.

I’ll use the movie Almost Famous to illustrate our night at the Bell Center: Alison is Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson in the movie) and I’m William (played by Patrick Fugit), the inexperienced fifteen-year-old journalist trying to write the best rock and roll piece ever. Following Al around that arena was exhausting. I have to tell you, too, she’s in much better shape than I am. I fell down about three times during the entire walkabout backstage, mostly falling down stairs (okay, the wine might have had something to do with it but we won’t discuss that here.) It was like being in boot camp for old rockers, trying to keep up with her. And just like Penny Lane in the movie, Al seemed to know her way around the place.

After we watched Fucked Up do their set, we went backstage to meet them. They were very gracious and signed a shirt for my son and Damian signed the new CD they just released called David Comes Alive (which is brilliant, by the way). While we were talking to the band, Damian said, “Okay, I have to go see Foo Fighters, Sandra (from Fucked Up) hasn’t met them yet.” So Al said to me, “Come on, Marth” and she just followed Damian. I lagged behind with Al, who was prompting me to hurry up. I was just hoping I wouldn’t fall again, break a leg and miss the rest of the night. On the way to Foo Fighters’ dressing room, we bumped into one of the band members from Doughboys who Al later told me was the uncle of a friend of her son’s. The music world, I surmised, is smaller than we realize.

At this point, Foo Fighters were just preparing to go onstage. I was like William – completely baffled at the fact I was in Foo Fighters’ dressing room with Fucked Up! I thought for a minute there would be a phone call from my mother telling me not to do drugs. Yes, I felt like a kid. But how cool is that? It was pretty cool! I got to meet Dave Grohl, Nate and Taylor. Because the band was just heading onstage, they didn’t have a lot of time, but they were kind enough to take pictures with us and of course I told Dave that I loved him. He said, “I love you too”.

I think meeting a rock band was just as cool as singing in one, even when you’re fifty-something years old. Maybe even better – there’s no pressure. Just pinch me! Even two days later, I’m still on a high from it all!

Thanks Penny (aka Al) for the chance to be William and live out my Almost Famous fantasy. And thanks to those amazing and clearly-generous bands for entertaining us with some of the best rock and roll I’ve heard in a long while.

You made this old rocker feel fifteen again!

Photo Credits

Photos courtesy of Martha Farley – all rights reserved

That was the response from a fellow musician upon learning that Vaughn, my friend and former bandmate from the ‘60s, had passed away.

The ‘60s? Say what!?

Musically, for those of us who were teenagers, it was the time of our lives… everything was possible! Led by the Beatles’ music, the British Invasion was a-happening; clothing and hair fashions changed; radio DJ’s were treated like gods; hundreds of thousands attended “Woodstock” – the infamous outdoor rock concert.

Plus, Bob Dylan (Nobel Prize winner in Literature), Janice Joplin, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, CCR, The Band, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Doors, Aretha Franklin, Joan Baez, Simon & Garfunkel were reflective of the phenomenal variety and musical talent of the non-British 60’s superstars.

But, eventually, reality stepped in. The 60s were over and we had life decisions to make… post-secondary education, finding a job, marriage and starting a family. Before we knew it, stardom became a fading dream in life’s rear-view mirror.

Regardless, we were forever changed. We approached our future with the same optimism for life that we had with our music.

At the Celebration of Life service for Vaughn, many moving tributes were given by his family. The minister then asked if any guest wanted to add something. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I decided to share some of my feelings about him.

It wasn’t easy. Just saying his name brought an instant tear to my eye. So pausing a bit, I said, “I loved him, you know… all of his band-mates did.” To his wife Karen, I added that she wasn’t the only one who shared a special bond with him: she had lots of competition from all his “brothers and sisters” in attendance. We were all fans of our soul man! It was all I could offer… still, it seemed enough.

Finally, Rob, our other great guitarist from back then, played and sang Vaughn’s favourite song – fulfilling a request from his wife.

“I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do?
They’re really saying, I love you”
~ What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Yet, Vaughn was a man of the present. One grandchild recounting how he encouraged her despite her lack of confidence – saying how proud he was of her achievements and values. Despite his sickness, he cared less about his own legacy and more about her self-image.

“I hear babies crying, I watch them grow, They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know”

Leaving, I felt the awesome power of joy and love that defined his life – with none of the transitory, smoky mirrors of “stardom.” Suddenly, the gift he was giving us hit home: all things must pass; but, we’re still here. If there’s any good we can do, let it be now. Keep the music going!

“I see trees of green, red roses too,
I see them bloom for me and you”

What a wonderful world? Oh yeah… the best of times!

Photo Credits

Photo is pixabay creative commons

First posted at fredparry.ca

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry

Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His newspaper column, Music in Me, can be found in ‘The New Hamburg Independent’ Metroland Media. His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is Available from Amazon and Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca

For example, Elvis had about 50 top-ten hit songs and never wrote a single one. Why? In my humble opinion, Elvis internalized a song so well that whatever was meaningful to him, was relatable to anyone.

The King

‘MY WAY’ by Paul Anka’: Canadians fans know a great tune when they hear one… especially when it’s from a “hometown” boy. He didn’t create the melody; but, as a superb lyricist, he changed the original meaning of the song – popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra.

I’ve listened to it sung by Sinatra, Elvis (even Anka himself) and my preferred version is from Elvis. Once he decided to vocally lean into a ballad or gospel tune… well, mom was right: they didn’t call him “the king” for nothing.

It’s hard to say where he sent you; but, better have packed your emotional bags, it was a trip. I just know that his version brought a tear to my eye within the first few words.

‘HALLELUJAH’ by Leonard Cohen: It would be a rare Canadian who doesn’t know of our nation’s poet laureate. And, although, he won Canadian Male Vocalist of the year – which he joked could only happen in Canada – the great man was reduced to tears when singer extraordinaire, K.D. Lang, performed her definitive rendition… part of a televised tribute.

KD Lang – 2010 Olympics Opening Ceremonies

And, who can forget K.D.’s “gold medal” performance of the song at the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics? Talk about there not having a ‘dry eye in the house’… what about the world?!

‘WOMAN’ by John Lennon: In his last interview, at age 40, the man of peace said he had precious little of it as a young man: he fought men and hit women – something he sorely regretted.

That’s what I find both amazing and remarkable – that he could admit this and write this beautiful song as a consequence. We all have pasts; but, that doesn’t mean we necessarily learn from our mistakes… mature and grow as adults. But, after reading his words of repentance, I believed him. It’s what makes ‘Woman’ much more than a typical “rock and roll” love song. History shows he beat the booze, the drugs, the crazy life style and, together, found peace with his wife Yoko.

“Woman, I know you understand
the little child inside the man
Please remember my life is in your hands”
~Woman by John Lennon

Interestingly, it was another Lennon original – ‘In My Life’– that my daughter Jessica chose for the traditional Father/ Bride dance at her wedding. Looking back, we were ‘talking about my g-g-g-generation’… while celebrating hers.

Throughout his life, Lennon sang with deep understanding and vulnerability, and reminded us that big boys don’t cry, but men do.

Photo Credits

Elvis – Wikimedia Public Domain

KD Lang – Wikimedia Creative Commons

First published at fredparry.ca

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry
Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His newspaper column, Music in Me, can be found in ‘The New Hamburg Independent’ Metroland Media. His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is Available from Amazon and Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca

Warner Music Canada, 2018

Band member Sanjay Seran shares:

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘We as part of the brotherhood of humans have the right to leave any country, including our own, and to return to our country.’ As a result, I, the son of an immigrant, can call the beautiful and diverse city of Vancouver my home, thus ringing true that everywhere I go, I CAN be HOME. Not only is it a privilege, but it is also my right.”

The single is out now in advance of the 2019 release of their forthcoming album, We Got This via Inside Pocket Music/ Warner Music Canada.

Guest Author Bio
Inside Pocket Music

Artist Management at independent label Inside Pocket Music, based out of Toronto, Canada.

“Yeah, I’ll be king / when dogs get wings”
~ It’s Good to be King by Tom Petty

Recently, I had a chance to talk to drummer Graham Lear, on his induction into the Jack Richardson London Music Hall of Fame. As Canadians, we tend to hold back our approval of homegrown talent until they’re honoured by the outside world. Not so with Graham Lear.

Before his meteoric rise to international fame – including stints with Gino Vannelli, Santana, REO Speedwagon, and Paul Anka – I became familiar with Lear’s reputation when he started his professional career with the London Symphony Orchestra at 13 – plus, local rock and R&B bands like ‘King Lear and the Playwrights.’

Lear’s drumming style has been described in various ways: legitimate, educated… with a natural sense of rhythm. Or, as Carlos Santana described it: “soulful precision.”

I asked him what it feels like to be “world-class.” But, I could tell he was uncomfortable with comparisons. Personally, “success” meant that he’s never needed a job outside of music, unusual for most artists, to support his family.

I tried to get some agreement that he was one of the best to come out of the London area. He allowed me a little latitude; but, qualified it with the fact that outlying regions have always produced great drummers, all along its highways and byways.

He seemed too modest, so I tried another tack. He beat out dozens of exceptional drummers getting the gig with legendary Latin-rock super group, Santana. So, doesn’t that mean he had something special? But no, he wasn’t buying into that either. As he’s stated in other interviews, it’s just too competitive to be complacent… you can catch acts, in any town, that just blow you away.

Photo of Graham Lear by Stephen Dominick

Yet, Graham Lear – in addition to becoming the ultimate professional – has obvious inter-personal skills. That’s important because only 15% of a person’s success is based on technical abilities alone; the rest is based on how you get along with others. And, playing with other highly skilled musicians, egos can easily get bruised… becoming a minefield: one thoughtless step could lead to a blowup.

During his acceptance speech, Graham mentioned the contribution of all his teachers. It’s also been said that his father reinforced a self-disciplined approach to young Graham’s practices. So, he advised younger musicians, no matter where they’re from, to keep learning and aspiring to believe that – like “the call” he got from Santana – all things are possible.

So, is he one of the world’s best? It depends on your criteria, but accolades about Lear’s tenure in the music industry have one commonality: Respect.

Still, you’d be hard pressed to find his name on any genre specific ‘Top 100’ list. But Carlos Santana may have said it best, “Graham Lear the Great.”

Yes, long live the king!

Photo Credit

Photo of Graham Lear by Stephen Dominick – used with permission.

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry
Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His newspaper column, Music in Me, can be found in ‘The New Hamburg Independent’ Metroland Media. His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is Available from Amazon and Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca

Set goals regularly

Whenever I feel like I’m getting bored of what sounds come out of my bass, I know that I need to change something. Boredom is just one step away from the undesirable zone where no progress occurs. That’s when I know that I need to set some goals immediately. It can be long-term goals, such as reaching higher levels of technical proficiency or short-term goals, like learning new songs or some complicated bass line from YouTube.

Goal-setting is important for you to have a sense of purpose on your musical journey. Make sure that the goals are SMART.

Learn another instrument

Experimenting with other instruments will help you better understand what exactly it takes to compose a great song and the role of each instrument in the mix. Currently, I know how to play bass, a bit of guitar, a bit of keyboards, and I can hold a drum beat. This understanding has allowed me to compose and produce music all by myself. That alone has been a huge motivator that hasn’t allowed me to quit music, although I did have periods of bass-hiatus. Audio effects such as reverberation, delay, overdrive or compression are great to have for experimentation and essential for recording. Know them well and new doors will open.

Experience different genres

You are the sum of your own flaws and strengths. Your guitar style is the sum of everything that you’ve played so far, but that doesn’t mean that it should be limited to one genre. The genius in many guitar players came precisely from their willingness to incorporate other genres of music in their solos or riffs. Jimi Hendrix used to listen to lots of classical music and you can really feel the complexity and beautiful connection between guitar parts, the same as you would hear in a classical piece.

There’s nothing better for an artist than having his own distinct style, so keep an open mind and experiment without setting limits.

Imitate another instrument

Alright, if you’re too into your own instrument or don’t have time, that’s perfectly understandable. A fun thing you can experiment with is copying what other instruments do. Flea and Larry Graham have created their own popping and slapping technique by using the bass guitar as a kick and snare drum. You can use a guitar to play vocal melodies. Some songs have really amazing vocal phrases and learning the notes can open new doors and boost your creativity. Also, a good synthesizer can imitate lots of instruments.

Watch videos
Some musicians make their instruments seem so easy to play, with them being so relaxed and not even looking at the frets. Of course, it’s perfectly obvious for the rest of us that it takes lots of work and serious attention to detail to play an instrument like a pro. There are tons of videos spread across the web that will help you refine your style or incorporate new elements.

Surely you have some favorite artists with their own signature techniques. There are few things that you cannot find on the Internet these days, so why not at least explore those flashy licks or breath-taking guitar solos and incorporate a thing or two?

Have a break

Playing your favorite instrument daily for long periods of time can be a lot of fun and you will see your skills soar through the roof… until you’ve reached that point when things don’t really seem to sink in anymore. Maybe you don’t know what else to learn. That’s perfectly fine. Taking a break from time to time will make it more fun the next time you do play. You will also have a new perspective on things, especially if you’ve been honing other music-related skills.

If you are a musician reading this, and you have some additional ideas that can help others get out of a rut, please share them in the comments!

Photo Credits

Guitar Player – Pixabay Creative Commons

Hendrix on stage in 1967 – Wikimedia Public Domain

Guest Author Bio
Adrian Carol Szasz

Adrian Carol Szasz is the editor-in-chief at Groovehunt, an electronic music production blog. He bought his first bass guitar when he was 15 years old and started making electronic music at 19. Now he’s combining music with writing and follows an entrepreneurial path as a producer and writer. He also plays bass in a reggae band.

Follow Adrian on twitter.

This happened to me with the recent passing of singer / guitarist Glen Campbell. I read many of the tributes and interviews and got up to date with the history of the man – like you would in an interview.

Initially, I found his Rhinestone Cowboy music video – he’s riding a star-spangled rodeo horse and decked out in a glittering cowboy getup – to be incongruous, as set against the reality of what I knew as serious world-wide issues. It seemed that everything they said about showbiz was true: you have to get through the superficial tinsel in order to find the real tinsel.

And, because of that perceived lack of credibility, I wrongly misjudged the man and his great talent and achievements. As imperfect human beings, we’re the first to ask for forgiveness and understanding; but, are we the first to extend it?

Of course, music insiders knew him as a virtuoso guitarist – who Alice Cooper said was one of the five best in the music business. Despite not being able to read music, Campbell was in great demand as a session musician – from Sinatra to the Beach Boys – and could hold his own with anyone.

Then, there was his pitch-perfect, warm tonal voice that made him a household name with such hits as Galveston, Wichita Lineman, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Gentle on My Mind, and of course Rhinestone Cowboy – over 45 million in sales, six Grammy awards, his own national TV show, plus acted in a movie opposite John Wayne.

Yet, his demons were many: his cross addiction to cocaine and alcohol – with three failed marriages – hard times like he sang about in Rhinestone Cowboy.

“There’s been a load of compromisin’ / On the road to my horizon /
But I’m gonna be where the lights are shining on me”

His salvation? With the faithful help and love of his fourth wife, Kim, he beat the booze, beat the drugs, became Christian and was there – and along with his five grown children – announcing he had Alzheimer’s and was doing a final ‘Goodbye’ tour. It was a sellout as fans welcomed the chance to honour this crossover legend.

The family’s ultimate aim was to bring awareness and support for Alzheimer’s victims and their caregivers: careliving.org

But, before Alzheimer’s reached its final stage, he co-wrote ‘I’m Not Gonna Miss You.’

“I’m still here, but yet I’m gone / I don’t play guitar or sing my song…
I’m never gonna know what you go through / All the things I say or do”

As psychiatrist Victor Frankl observed in his book ‘A Man’s Search for Meaning’, men like Campbell were “worthy of their suffering.” Can anyone ask more?

Perhaps, just a breath away, Glen Campbell’s riding tall in the saddle… again.

Photo Credits

Riding high again – Fair Use
Feature image – crop from video

Guest Author Bio
Fred Parry
Fred Parry lives in Southern Ontario. He is a lover of people and a collector of stories, music, wisdom, and grandchildren. His newspaper column, Music in Me, can be found in ‘The New Hamburg Independent’ Metroland Media. His book, ‘The Music In Me’ (2013) Friesen Press is Available from Amazon and Indigo / Chapters.

Blog / Website: www.fredparry.ca