11 People I Love Just Died

11 people I love just died.

They took ill with a flu outbreak in a seniors home I have been playing at for over 5 years. I play for them every month.

When I arrived to play my show

for them today, they sat me down to tell me the news. Although devastated, the show must go on applies. I sang my heart out for them today and played longer than I intended to. It was the hardest smile I’ve had to put on for all the shows I’ve played.

I won’t name everyone who passed,

this is hard enough as it is, but Tina was a bright light. Always so full of joy to see me, and she abused her position on residents council relentlessly to add extra shows in the middle of the month, and once threatened that her and others would burn their beds in the hall if they didn’t comply. What a firecracker.

I’m completely heartbroken.

I’ll put a little memorial in the Chapel on my MASH discord. Feel free to leave a little love there.

Fate is a funny little thing.

I wore a brand new black shirt I had never worn today. The staff took note of it when I arrived thinking perhaps someone had told me about the deaths. But they had not.

Streamway Villa in Cobourg, Ontario Canada is a place of more than mere coincidence for me.

Not once in 5000 shows

have I ever started with a Merle Haggard song. On April 6, 2016 at the same home I played today I started my show with Merle Haggard’s Mama Tried. It is the only show I have ever started with a Merle Haggard tune, and it will be the last. Ten minutes before my show ended, Merle passed from this life.

Goodbye Tina, I will miss you and the others more than you know, I know you are finally home.

Love,
Michael

Finally Home