I didn't forget. Not really. For the last week or so I knew today was coming. But then today I got caught up in "things" as we so often do. Then I finally put away my tasks, and poured out a finger of scotch and sat back to listen to a few songs and remember a friend who had passed. I set my Itunes library to random shuffle, and sat back. What song pops up? I think you know. Out of thousands of songs it was one of yours - "Where Can I Find Your Heart". I know you had a different title for it but to me it has always been about heart. So here are some lyrics (an excerpt) from one of mine - right back at ya. I'm sure you heard me singing it the night I first sang it for Christy.

We miss you Jon. Happy Birthday.

Sometimes you’d smile with that gleam in your eyes
Flashing those deep baby blues
Dancing in step to your own private beat
No one more charming than you

And I still hear your songs
I will sing them forever
You could sure turn a phrase
Could have been so much better
Your dark love touched us all
Left us worn out from trying
At the end of the day-With no words left to say
We’ll be thinking of you

(from "Thinking of You" - ©2008 dgraf)

Yesterday I received the news that a friend had died. They found him in his back yard. He had been there for a few days. It broke my heart to hear the details, such as they were. Apparently he had been living alone in his house, without heat, water, or electricity for a while. A condition not all that uncommon in these trying times.

My fondest memories of Woody are all from when I first met him - back when we both were young men. I remember best his zest for life - and his fervent belief that anything was possible. And for him - at least during that time - it seemed that anything was possible. I know that he always had the best "toys". He had stuff the rest of us only dreamed of - tape recorders, sound gear,cameras, and great cars. Woody was a real "Jack of all trades" - and a master of quite a few. Not that he didn't have his demons, and it may have been those demons that contributed to his end. We will never know. What we do know is that we have lost a friend. Tonight I will sip a few fingers of Scotch and remember the good times.

R.I.P. Woody

Looks like Indian Summer has finally given up the ghost and yielded to cold winds and bare trees. The picture above is of David and I at a summer festival. I wanted to take one last look back to warm winds and outdoor music. The older I get, the less appeal huge indoor venues hold. Festivals, with multiple stages give everyone a chance to meet their favorite performers, and also gives the performers a chance to meet their fans - both new and old. They also give musicians a chance to share licks, ideas and songs with their peers. They are a great way to find a creative boost, and sometimes move beyond the writers block that plagues us all from time to time.

Having said all that - a warm fire and a snifter of cognac can also work wonders. So here's to Winter - bring it on!

Later today I will be moving to a new ULR: http://web.me.com/dennisgraf1/mylife. I have been getting broken links whenever my wife does a new blog entry. Hopefully this will solve that problem. We shall see. Hope that you find me at the new address and visit!