December 8

Happy Birthday, Gregg Allman.

You would have been 72 today.

Still bothers me greatly that I will never see you perform live again. Some of my greatest memories are of Allman Brothers concerts. The music, the atmosphere, the people, the insanity. The music. You brought me a great deal of happiness; you helped me get away from my life and my troubles, you made me sing out loud with thousands of my closest friends.
You were the blues, my friend. Requiescat in pace along with Duane, Butch, and Berry.

Happy Birthday, Jim Morrison.

You would have been 76 today.

To me you are a guy who rock 'n roll and the music business literally killed. Countless musicians died from excess - too much money, too much booze, too many drugs, too much fun. Understandable.
But you never really wanted to be a rock star. You were a poet. You wanted to write. I love your poetry even though some of it is over my head. But you got sucked into the music world, got raped by the business and could not get out. You were destroyed, stripped of your dignity and individuality. I love your poetry. I love the music of The Doors.
Requiescat in pace, my friend.

John Lennon.

You were killed 39 years ago today. Thirty nine fucking years ago. You were forty years old. Forty. I was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast in Billerica before going off to my ridiculous job the next morning, listening to the radio. They played a Beatles song. Then another. And I got chills. Soon I knew that you were dead. You would think I would have known about it - they announced it on Monday night football the night before. Howard Cosell, who was visibly shaken. Rightfully so. I must have gone to bed early that night.

You would have been 79 on October 9 of this year. Wish you were still around. You were on Richard Nixon's hit list because of the way you protested against him. You were harassed by immigration, the IRS and the FBI. I would love to hear what you would have to say about trump. You stood up for what you believed in and campaigned tirelessly for peace. I loved your sarcastic wit. I loved you. Requiescat in pace, my friend.

Related: Mark David Chapman. Drop dead, motherfucker so you can rot in hell for eternity. You have been in prison since killing John Lennon but that punishment is not enough. I want you in hell, writhing in pain for eternity. You shot Lennon in the back, you fucking coward. Four times. As he was entering his home where his son was sleeping.

I cannot end on that negative note.

Gregg Allman, Jim Morrison and John Lennon were three men who brought me so much joy, soothed my soul and breathed life into it. You made my life better.

There is no greater gift.