... I wanna tell y'all about my important music. You're some kind of family, bettern my own, though not as distant.-)

I am an odd bird, as some say.

One of my favorite albums, and in my youth, vinyl was where it was at, was Mud Slide Slim. It's timeless really. James Taylors third, in case I am being esoteric. A'lot of fun and meaningful songs.

From EEE's zone come Home Free, Dan Fogelberg's debut. A brilliant piece of work in imagery and intent. The boy had quite a voice at the outset.

Brother's Keeper by the Neville Brother's is on my 10 on its own account, despite one glorious song being 'my' choice of a wedding song. This work also contains the line: It's freedom of Speech as long as you don't say too much'. Seldom have truer words been spoken.

Another of my favorites is one of Kenny Rankins Little David recording, Silver Morning. For my money, it is a masterpiece en toto. The version of Blackbird contained therein, Paul McCartney called it the best cover version every. Kenny had some nice pipes to be sure.

Now, fer thinking folk, Gil Scott Heron of old still has many valuable lessons fer the thinking sort and many touching tunes like, Save the Children, the Bottle, arguably one of the earliest raps, Gil's H2O Watergate Blues, Among but not enclusive of his most poignant, Home is Where the Hatred Is, Winter in America, Lady Day and John Coltrane and so many more in his first half dozen releases beginning with 125st & Lenox which contained, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. I was greatly amused, in an ironic variety, to hear it used in a forgettable commercial some years ago.

Of course Joni has alway been brilliant in my sight. One of my favorites being from Miles of Aisles, Real Good fer Free, for it's lyrical extension.

Neil too. Not much I don't like in his early decades.-) I keep wondering if I ended up with a maid instead of love cause of Neil.-)

It's funny how with so many I am not a fan of their career, but as with Hall & Oates, I believe Abandoned Luncheon, there soph effort, is a masterpiece.

In comedy Lenny Bruce was the Man. Voices, ideas and madly detailed consideration with a social conscience.

If you've never heard of a cat by the name of Joseph Martyn, and if notl you should, if you care for social consciousness. I once got lucky and picked up a free EP cassette that included, Working Mother, Bein There, and among my all time favorite songes, Please Sir.

I am a Christian of no merit as many of you surely suspect. This is a hard life even in the land of plenty for oh so many. My first infatuation was a girl from Creve Coure by the name of Lu etta. all the while seranading her with She's a Lady at the top of my lungs. I could carry a tune then, We never did nothin but kiss and moon, but I'm betting she'll still a beauty.

Y'know David, you should check out a dude by the name of Flathead at flatworldz,com I think. His real name is Ned Landin. You ever get a job that needs accoustic music of individualism and hopeful pain. Check out 1 and 5. I promise you, my dear sir honestly, you will find a gem or three, that will suit your purposes and help a real indendpendant talent, whose intentionally made his way as a street musican.

I love a lot of other music, normally one album per artist. Although I am fond of some more broadly like: Dire Straits, Loggins and Messina and other talented singer song writers like Carol King, Neil Diamond, the Outlaws, Jerry Jeff, Julia Fordham, Harry Chapin, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band among so many others who had somethin to say of import .. and of course David Baerwald whose Triage is one of the truest heartfelt albums to ever be pressed. May God bless you David. And I think he has, in addition to your efforts. Especially so since you turned out to be a great Dad. Most men don't offer that unless they take the responsibility serious to begin with. Why would anyone, who had followed you, be surprised of that?

Highway Song

Father, let us build a boat and sail away, there's nothing for you here. And brother, let us throw our lot out upon the sea. It's been done before.

I'm thinking about a broken heart, I'm talking 'bout the break of dawn, you love me while I'm here and you can miss me when I'm gone. Sweet misunderstanding, won't you leave a poor boy alone, I'm the one eyed seed of a tumbleweed in the belly of a rolling stone. Back on the highway, yeah, yeah, yeah, back on the road again.

I had a little woman in Memphis, she wanted to be my bride. She said, settle on down, traveling man, you can stay right by my side. I tried so hard to please her but I couldn't hold out too long, cause one Saturday night I was laying in bed and I heard that highway song. Back on the highway, yeah, yeah, yeah, back on the road again.

Now one of these days that highway song will lose its appeal to me. I'm gonna settle on down like a natural born man, I'm gonna live my life naturally, free and easy, mmmmm. Until that day the thunder's gonna roll and I notice there's a sign of rain, so I grab my bags and I pack my clothes and I'm back on the road again. Back on the highway, yeah, yeah, yeah, back on the road again.

I'm thinking about a broken heart, I'm talking 'bout the break of dawn, you love me while I'm here and you can miss me when I'm gone.

Sweet misunderstanding, won't you leave a poor boy alone,

I'm the one eyed seed of a tumbleweed in the belly of a rolling stone. Back on the highway, yeah, yeah, yeah, back on the road again.

Here I am again, Holiday Inn, same old four walls again. Gee, but it's fine to be back home again, whoa, now. Said, Holiday Inn, I'm on the road again.

You Can Close Your Eyes

Well the sun is surely sinking down, but the moon is slowly rising. So this old world must still be spinning round and I still love you.

So close your eyes, you can close your eyes, it's all right. I don't know no love songs and I can't sing the blues anymore. But I can sing this song and you can sing this song when I'm gone.

It won't be long before another day, we gonna have a good time. And no one's gonna take that time away. You can stay as long as you like.

So close your eyes, you can close your eyes, it's all right. I don't know no love songs and I can't sing the blues anymore. But I can sing this song and you can sing this song when I'm gone.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy everything else.

Just be at peace, while you can ...

Continued good success Sir, among our hero's, how heady that must be, and note, he has given away, for free, much, of his commercial career, to us you who bought in once upon a when. No doubt much to Dan's benefit, but telling of the man.

No matter the issue, if you want to know the truth, locate the tell.

Thanks David, Nobody is one of many of yours that are among my favorites. Naturally Toughest Whore in Babylon may be nearer.

Continued good success.

Peace with the rest of ya,

Ciao ...