A joyful song amidst tragedy? My new single, "Mountains"

Last year, my friend lost her 24 year-old son in a tragic motorcycle accident. Tait was a magnanimous youngster with a zest for life. I only met him a couple times at some of my gigs, but I know how much he loved music and the mountains. I could only imagine his mom's grief. She told me Tait followed and lived the Ansel Adams saying, "The Mountains are calling, and I must go..." Sharing a love for the mountains myself, and in particular, Colorado, that stuck with me. I was asked to perform some songs at his Celebration of Life, which as an artist, is always an honor. I feel sp blessed to be sharing such an intense and transformational moment among such a tight group of friends and family. I listened to and was so affected by the stories people were sharing about Tait's life.

I was particularly moved by a story his mom told me, a story that is now this song. At the memorial she was so humbled and touched by Tait's many friends from Colorado retelling their adventures in the mountains with Tait, a place he felt alive and free. One of his friends said that Tait would invite him up to meet him for hiking or camping, and when he arrived in the area he knew Tait might be, he'd hear Tait playing his guitar somewhere amidst the trees and just follow the music til he found him.

What beautiful imagery. What a poignant moment of presence. I knew that the only thing I could do to help express my sympathy for his mom and her family, was to write a song. So the next day after the memorial, inspired by so many joyful and happy stories even amidst such tragic loss, I sat down to write. As I'm learning to do when I'm writing a song about someone who has passed, I invited Tait to be with me in the writing process. He certainly was, because what came out was an unbridled joyful celebration of a song, full of playful imagery, rootsy instruments, and a message for his mom and those who loved him - "you should come and meet me, how will you know where I'll be? Just follow the music through the trees."

This song is going to have a special place on my next album, "For Others, Vol. II". Thank you Tait, Mandy, Arch, and your whole family and friend group for such inspiration through your resilience and openness.

Visit @liveliketait at Instagram to jump a little bit into Tait's life. If you're ever in the Denver are, go visit the special rock bench that was placed there for him at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Or better, when you're out on your next hike in the wilderness, say a little prayer and invite him to accompany you along your way. "And if I cannot meet you in my body - know that I'll be with you in the silence of the breeze...."