I sang some songs yesterday to a crowd of people. Mostly nobody listened. A few did. I could see them looking at me. But the rest just talked and chattered as I played. It stands to reason. The main act was on a break, and none of those people came to see me. But my friend had asked if I wanted to play during the break, and I did. And it’s a good lesson. I wasn’t doing anything compelling, and I should endeavor to do better next time.

Of course, I’m not setting out at this point in my life to be an entertainer, but I do like playing my songs for people. Maybe I crave attention. I don’t know. Why do I write? I like words, and I like music, and they both seem as though they work best if there are listeners and readers. So, maybe that’s it I have words and songs inside me and maybe people can use those words and songs. And that’s why we have our favorite singers and songwriters, and it’s why people are mourning the loss of Tommy Alverson who just passed away.

His voice is silenced, and there are people who needed his voice singing his music because it moved them and made them happy. His voice fit their soul. And now that space is empty and that’s a terrible feeling when something you need departs and all you can do is mourn and remember. But remembering is a great tribute and a fine way to carry on and it will inform the lives of the living, because we’re all a big bundle of memories and it’s nice when we have lots of good ones. And Tommy was a good one.