Thank you for sharing yet another touching story from your life and experience. The first time I heard Jessica was the morning I was getting ready to drive to Columbus for my second marathon so your piece brought back joyful memories of both (I had my best time at that marathon). While I was typing this comment "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters came on "I Want My 80's" on MTV. This inspired me to get up and dance because that song brought back a memory of the time my running partner and I were chugging up a steep hill at 5:30am when 2 young guys opened the door to their townhouse and serenaded us with "I'm So Excited". Only in an urban neighborhood in Cincinnati would that happen! So see what you started here? Thank you again!
Great story. I was a hard Claire Allman brothers fan, saw them once at NJ Trenton Speedway when I was (I must have been) a teenager. It wasn’t a long trip from Babylon Long Island and we went with my friends slightly older sister and her friends. I vividly remember “One Way Out”!
I was listening to them yesterday, and that was the first time I realized he was singing "Could be your man, I don't know." I don't know what I thought he was saying there!
Your Sunday Pages are always great on, well a Sunday morning! I listened to Jessica on Friday afternoon bringing home takeout for date night. Truly a joyful song as you suggest, and long to sustain that joy.
Your stories of your life cause me to reflect on my own and in this case my girlfriend when I was in high school. We had a long distance relationship for a short time while I was in college and I ended up dropping out to nurture that relationship, 49 years and counting.
Songs like Jessica and from that era bring back great memories of my early life. Thank you for sharing some of yours!
GREAT song from a GREAT songwriter and musician . I’ve heard this song so many times that it’s part of my DNA! I never knew the story behind the sound. Now when I hear it, I will imagine a joyous little girl spinning and dancing the way only a child can. I will remember the date of Dicky Betts death because it is the same day my Mom died. She had a stroke on Tuesday and passed two days later on April 18th. My family and I were at her side when she took her last breath. I’m grateful it happened that way. Time stops when a loved one dies - especially a parent. When I got home from the hospital on April 18th, I thought, “Wow! That was the longest 2 weeks of my life.” Then I realized it had only been two days! Now the whirlwind of wrapping up her life will consume my thoughts, time and energy. I’m thankful that my sister and our husbands have formed our own support group when it comes to making all the decisions and sorting through all of the memories. The best part of this process has been hearing from my many cousins, aunts, uncles and friends about their memories of my Mom - portraying her in a way I haven’t thought about in so long. Most of all, my Mom was a tireless giver of her time and energy. The last few months, her health was becoming very precarious but she sounded so happy and upbeat and normal that I let myself think she was ok. I start to think of all the things I could’ve done but then I have to stop myself. No regrets. She lived a very good and very long life and she will be missed.
My very best to you, Gail. It’s wonderful that you all have each other to lean on. You hear of nightmares after a parent dies. My sister and I were already close and we handled things together after our mom passed away in 2006. We still have each other.
This post made me cry, thank you. My kids have instructions to play Allman Brothers (of their choice) at my funeral. I was at many Allmans Arts Center shows throughout the 80s and 90s. Dickey Betts' guitar is one of the sounds of my soul - your words about him were healing.
RIP.
Rollin' down Highway 41!
Thank you for this. I have always considered ‘Jessica’ to be my favorite rock tune of all time. You describe the joy of it perfectly.
Thank you. It's sublime.
Always enjoy your work and the variety of subject matter is only a part of it. Thanks for sharing the life. Billserle.com
Thanks, Bill!
Your life
Thank you for sharing yet another touching story from your life and experience. The first time I heard Jessica was the morning I was getting ready to drive to Columbus for my second marathon so your piece brought back joyful memories of both (I had my best time at that marathon). While I was typing this comment "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters came on "I Want My 80's" on MTV. This inspired me to get up and dance because that song brought back a memory of the time my running partner and I were chugging up a steep hill at 5:30am when 2 young guys opened the door to their townhouse and serenaded us with "I'm So Excited". Only in an urban neighborhood in Cincinnati would that happen! So see what you started here? Thank you again!
Thanks for sharing that! I love how music has the power to transport us back in time.
Great story. I was a hard Claire Allman brothers fan, saw them once at NJ Trenton Speedway when I was (I must have been) a teenager. It wasn’t a long trip from Babylon Long Island and we went with my friends slightly older sister and her friends. I vividly remember “One Way Out”!
Ha! I'm thinking I need to tell my kids to play KoKo Taylor at my memorial.
I was listening to them yesterday, and that was the first time I realized he was singing "Could be your man, I don't know." I don't know what I thought he was saying there!
Eloquent, as usual.
Thanks, Teresa!
Your Sunday Pages are always great on, well a Sunday morning! I listened to Jessica on Friday afternoon bringing home takeout for date night. Truly a joyful song as you suggest, and long to sustain that joy.
Your stories of your life cause me to reflect on my own and in this case my girlfriend when I was in high school. We had a long distance relationship for a short time while I was in college and I ended up dropping out to nurture that relationship, 49 years and counting.
Songs like Jessica and from that era bring back great memories of my early life. Thank you for sharing some of yours!
Congrats, Carl, on the 49 years! Thanks for sharing.
GREAT song from a GREAT songwriter and musician . I’ve heard this song so many times that it’s part of my DNA! I never knew the story behind the sound. Now when I hear it, I will imagine a joyous little girl spinning and dancing the way only a child can. I will remember the date of Dicky Betts death because it is the same day my Mom died. She had a stroke on Tuesday and passed two days later on April 18th. My family and I were at her side when she took her last breath. I’m grateful it happened that way. Time stops when a loved one dies - especially a parent. When I got home from the hospital on April 18th, I thought, “Wow! That was the longest 2 weeks of my life.” Then I realized it had only been two days! Now the whirlwind of wrapping up her life will consume my thoughts, time and energy. I’m thankful that my sister and our husbands have formed our own support group when it comes to making all the decisions and sorting through all of the memories. The best part of this process has been hearing from my many cousins, aunts, uncles and friends about their memories of my Mom - portraying her in a way I haven’t thought about in so long. Most of all, my Mom was a tireless giver of her time and energy. The last few months, her health was becoming very precarious but she sounded so happy and upbeat and normal that I let myself think she was ok. I start to think of all the things I could’ve done but then I have to stop myself. No regrets. She lived a very good and very long life and she will be missed.
Gail, I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing this. My condolences to you and your family. Your mother sounds like a wonderful person.
Sincerest condolences to you Gail❤️!
My very best to you, Gail. It’s wonderful that you all have each other to lean on. You hear of nightmares after a parent dies. My sister and I were already close and we handled things together after our mom passed away in 2006. We still have each other.
Jessica is one of my favorite of all time. Thanks for this, Greg!
Thanks!
What a beautiful tribute, Greg.
Thanks, Cathy!
Beautiful
Thanks, Owen!
What a lovely thing to wake up to. Thank you.
Thanks, Susan.
This post made me cry, thank you. My kids have instructions to play Allman Brothers (of their choice) at my funeral. I was at many Allmans Arts Center shows throughout the 80s and 90s. Dickey Betts' guitar is one of the sounds of my soul - your words about him were healing.
Thanks, Betsy. Betts was really amazing. What joy he brought!
Love your writing so dang much! I see everything so vividly. Thanks
Thanks, Sally!