February 20 is a pretty big day in the Jefferson Jay world.
It is my second birthday, mainly because my best friend, Tony Russo, passed
away via highly questionable circumstances on this day in 1992. A big hunk of
my former self died that day and this guy here posting videos, thrice a day,
emerged in his place. I like this guy. I feel he has a big heart, cares about
people, and would do whatever he could to he make the world a better place for
all the folks living here. It is the least I can do, because it’s what Tony
would have done.
I think I was always pretty loyal at my heart. Before Tony
died, we had a very tight friendship, He had problems at home (understatement
of the 20th century) so he lived with us on my couch in my room. We
hung a lot and never fought or tired of each other. It is bliss and it was
ignorant bliss because it seemed it would go on forever. Of course it did. We
were 17 years old.
Well, I am still loyal and Tony and I are still close and as
time passes more friends join the club and I do all I can do, which is stay
loving, open, communicative and as helpful as I can be. Love those who have
passed and stay here to help those who love them. It works. In a way, it’s my
life.
So this is always a heavy day, but now 24 years later, I’m
more or less used to it. It’s amazing, You’d never think it when these things
first happen, but eventually, you do get used to it. So, in honor of Tony and all my graduated family and
friends, I bring you a song by one of my dearest friends, Matt Resichling.
Matt and I met at Open Mic at Twiggs Coffee House, probably
in 2001. We were fast friends in a way that grows rarer as we age. We went back
to my house and invented Bock Rock. That is classic rock songs sung with the
lyrics of a chicken. Hence, bock. We were bonded for life. Many more things
happened and now it’s 2016. “Chicken Bone” is one of his old songs and oddly,
has not connection to Bock Rock.
It is an honor to play it for you and for him. Cherish every
instant. That’s’ the reason we’re here.
Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Words – 58 “Friendship and
Loyalty”
Friendship and loyalty is the answer to the question,
“What’s the best way to spend your time in this life? Love is the answer,
actually, the friendship and loyalty are two beautiful faces of love. If you
are unhappy, and I hope you’re not, it’s cause you need more of these three
things in your life, most likely.
They will take you real, real far. I am deeply grateful
Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Originals – 58 “My Angel
of Everything” by Jefferson Jay
In August, my beloved pup and best friend, Angel, passed. It
was hard, not only cause I love her so much and we’d been together for fifteen
and a half years, but because all of the other sorrow it brought to the
forefront of my mind. I struggled to manage all the deep dark feelings I had
sequestered so deeply in my soul. All of a sudden all these feelings from my
childhood and losing my best friend then re-emerged and I was helpless to put
them back where they belonged.
I am very glad that passed and very glad I have music to
help me process such complex and divisive feelings. I wrote “My Angel of
Everything” about Angel at the end of 2012 when I was writing tunes about every
member of our humble little clan. It’s a nice one and I cried a few times while
playing it during Angels’ final months and after.
Friendship and loyalty know no end. Like matter, once they
exist, they always exist and I cherish that. I feel as close to Angel and Tony
and my grandparents too of course, the legendary Don Truesdail, as ever. It is
the most important thing in my spirit’s existence and today for better and for
worse, we celebrate and honor it, every year. We can’t help it. History matters
and anniversaries can hurt, but this too we should celebrate, for when we don’t
feel anything anymore, it is only then that we have truly lost.
I love you.
Hail.
Onward and Upward.
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