Another year is behind us. Soon, we will be rolling into 2026 and at the blink of an eye, saying goodbye to that year as well. Time seems to move faster as we grow a wee bit older, or maybe we are just used to everything being “fast” and “instant". I for one and hoping to live more in the today, and not the instant. I hope to slow my roll a bit and savor every day, good and bad.
As I look back at 2025, it was another spectacular year! 53 shows behind me, which is more than I thought I would do, and so many new venues. Sadly, we are saying goodbye to some venues that have grown familiar to us. I counted at least six venues that have closed for good this year. That means six fewer places for musicians to share their music.
But as venues close, new ones open. I am already seeing several new venues opening their doors, offering local musicians an opportunity to share their music. While I am saddened by the closing of some old favorites, I look forward to playing in those new venues.
We also saw so many of our favorite musicians pass on to the biggest venue of all. We lost so many great ones this year, as it seems we do every year. Here are some of the musicians that inspired me over the years:
Peter Yarrow, Peter Paul and Mary - We lost Peter in January. He was 86. When I was growing up, they were a big part of the folk music scene, along with Bob Dylan. I still sing Puff, the Magic Dragon to this day.
Rod Clark, Moody Blues - Rod was only with the band for a short period of time around 1966. My sister introduced me to the Moody Blues and they became a staple in my record cabinet.
John Lodge, Moody Blues - John was also a bass player for the band, lasting longer than Clark who was temporary. Lodge played with the Moody Blues for many years, and was responsible for the symphonic sound of the band. He was a major part for so many years, and was touring up until his death.
Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys - who didn't listen to The Beach Boys? They were such a huge part of the rock scene when I was growing up. Brian was the troubled one, and his later songs reflected what haunted him.
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath - I know, Ozzy is not country. But he was still in my library when I was feeling like heavy metal. And what an icon he became for that genre. I actually met Ozzy and Sharon back when I was working production. Had to do some work in their dressing room. Both were very gracious and pleasant. Never got a Christmas card from them though.
Chuck Girard, The Castells, The Hondells, Love Song - Chuck was a contemporary gospel singer, and a friend of one of my wife's cousins. I did some work for Chuck back in the early ‘80s at his home in Los Angeles, and was introduced to his music for the first time. In exchange for the work I did (I didn’t charge him) he gave me an entire collection of his albums, which I still have today. I just learned of Chuck's passing while writing this so thought I would include him, even though he was not a big influence on my music.
Ace Freehly, KISS - wow, this one came as a big surprise. Ace apparently fell and died of his head injury. KISS was huge when I was a teenager, and a big part of the sound from that era. I worked a few shows with these guys here in NC as part of the production team. Never get any Christmas cards from them either.
Todd Snider - man this one was hard for everyone in the Americana scene. Todd was such a big part of this genre and his songs always brutally honest, witty, and blunt. Beer Run, I'm an Alright Guy, Its A Great Day to Kick Somebody's Ass, these are just some of my favorites from Todd.
Raul Malo, The Mavericks - I just started listening to The Mavericks a year or two ago, and love their stuff. Raul brought the energy to the lyrics and made their songs pop. I've been trying a few of their songs but can't do them justice like Raul did. I am going to miss this guys vocals.
Joe Ely, too many bands to list - Joe's songs can be heard on many country artists albums. He toured with greats like Lyle Lovett and Guy Clark, and formed the Flatlanders when he first started out.
There were so many more greats who passed on in 2025. Go to Wikipedia if you want the complete list, but these are the ones that stand out for me. Since I am rambling on and on here, I'll close this out with this thought. As we lose so many greats year after year, who will fill their shoes? Who will be the next generation of musicians that leave their mark on our lives?
I plan on spending 2026 seeking them out, listening to live music whenever I can, and supporting local musicians everywhere!
“What the world needs now is more Peace, Love, and Country Music!”