Last night in Ireland, our host Sammy Horner suggested watching the short film “The Singers”, as he believed it to be inspiring — a vignette that takes place in what some call a dive bar.

Watching as the love of singing overwhelms the down-and-outers of the bar was inspiring to me, and it made me reflect on why I keep singing and recording, and even on why I have written yet another book.

It’s hard to distill these thoughts into a single shot of meaning, but since I am once again trying to put new music and writing out into the world, I’ll try.

Especially at this moment in history, humanity is overwhelmed, not by song nor joy, but by the constant stream of bad news, fear, and uncertainty. If we can see the good that is right before our eyes, our uncertainty in the things we can’t control can be tamed by the beauty of the small gifts we can give each other.

The older I get (74 this month), the more incumbent it is on me to make a lasting impression in the name of love. Can I make a listener laugh? Cry? Love? Celebrate? Reflect? Change? Dream?

I hope so.

I don’t remember living in a more conflicted time than this present day.. Friendship is challenged by social media’s temptation to tell the world exactly how you feel about everything in every moment. We didn’t know how much we disagreed with a friend until we collectively started feeding the urge to bare our emotions online.

With that in mind, if I have to have a reason to put music out in 2026, let it be because I hope we can find reasons to build the bridges we’ve burned for the last 20 years. I want to remember the things I love about old friends who see the world in high contrast to my vision.

It’s been said that the best fiction comes from true life. The same can be said for the best songs, and I’m hoping the lyric stories in these new collections can bring a person face to face with things to be thankful for, even the hard lessons of life.

The Hard Lessons… “Summer Of Gone” is all about the hard lessons, but more so about the people who ferried me across those difficult waters. Where would I be had I not gone through the pain and loss that I’ve experienced in 74 years of what I think is a wonderful life?

Tell me a great story that has no conflict. Can’t be done.

This artist’s response to dark days is hopefully a way of thanking his task-masters. Learning to see one’s cruel enemy as one’s astute teacher can be a gift. Some of my work is a thank-you note to those teachers.

I keep putting on my traveling shoes. Every year, I crowdfund new music. I have a handful of folks who are eager to support, and it’s beyond doubtful that my audience will grow much beyond the handful. I write for myself and I write for them. I write for you. We’re all walking in the same shoes. Whether they’re fine Italian loafers, Acme boots, or Goodwill castoff sneakers, we’re making our way to the same end, and no matter what each of us thinks The End entails, I’d like to think I’m bringing you something of comfort and light for however many miles we have to go.

Thanks for reading and listening.

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Traveling Shoes