Singing With Jack
I am happy to have the opportunity to tell my “Peaceful Easy Feeling” story. I experienced the most peaceful easy feeling of my life singing this song with Jack at his tribute last weekend at Anthology. He invited his friends to sing with him on stage at the end of his show, and my friends were mad at me for not going on stage, because they know what a musical inspiration Jack has been for me. I found solace in simply moving chairs to be a little bit closer and sang with all my heart with Jack and the audience “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and flashed peace signs and smiled with all my heart after singing. I later saw Ringo flashing the same peace signs on his “Love and Peace Tour” on television. I guess we’re all connected through the music. Jack has been a musical inspiration to me throughout my life, as I was raising 3 sons in Solana Beach for the last 20 years. I first ran into Jack 20 years ago at a local Chinese restaurant where he was performing. I was the only person in the restaurant, and I was running to escape the intensity of single motherhood. I listened to Jack and had dinner, and I went home and wrote songs all night long. Through the years, I continuously would randomly run into Jack as he was performing at local venues. It was inevitable that I would run into him at moments when I needed the release of writing a new song, and he musically inspired me. I remember he said 2 things on stage that night at the Chinese restaurant that I never forgot and that gave me strength and courage through the years as I raised my sons alone. He said something to the effect of “you’ve got to show up” and “songwriters are people that things happen to and then they write about them.” Now 20 years later, my 3 sons have grown into very fine young men who are working hard to make their dreams come true, and I have the best job I’ve ever had. I guess you could say I’ve landed on my feet in a certain sense. 20 years ago Jack listened to one of my demo tapes and commented that he liked my song, “Diamond in my Mind”. I’m happy to report that like my sons who have grown into people I am proud of, my songs have also developed over time. I am now playing for fun with a band of 3 guitars, drums, and I am on piano and sing. The same songs that Jack listened to 20 years ago, have grown into complete songs with a full ensemble of instruments to enhance the music. Of course, after listening to Jack and other homegrown musicians at Anthology, I have been musically inspired one more time. I have songs dancing in my soul that are about to be born. I want to thank Jack one more time for helping me find that “peaceful easy feeling” that is so hard to find.
