April 30, 2014
April 30, 2014
Hey, man! Shaun has been a lifesaver for me. Our friendship began in 2008. I was impressed that he had purchased an old business on the northeast corner of the Cooper square and converted it into a venue for musicians to rehearse, perform, record and jam--The Java Joint. I met and jammed with numerous musicians there, both promising young talents and seasoned pros. Although usually jovial, smiling and energetic on the outside, since losing my dream job perpetuating an appreciation for indigenous American music art form for almost two decades, I was in a state of depression, no longer interested in even listening to--much less performing--music. Shaun recognized that and, with the help and prodding of Dawn, refueled an enthusiasm within me to play and listen with passion again. I was always welcome in Shaun's home/studio to play, listen to recordings or just chat. Within a couple of years Shaun asked me to rehearse a duet with him, and thus was born the last incarnation of Shaun Michael's' HairBilly RoadShow. We practiced every week for the past couple of years. We didn't play many gigs, but we didn't really need to. Our riches were the wealth of satisfaction we received from simply playing and the pride we felt when it jelled and we nailed it. Through the simple, generous act of asking me to practice with him, Shaun reintroduced me to a regimen and joy that I had lost. Although we were playing primarily songs originally intended for loud electric guitars and bombastic drumming, as a duo with Shaun's acoustic guitar and silky vocals, I played brushes on everything! I l00ked forward to our Tuesday afternoon-into-evening rehearsals each week. Whereas other bandleaders I'd worked with were domineering, possessive and jealous if a member played with other musicians outside of the core, Shaun encouraged me to broaden and take on additional projects. He even had Dawn present me with opportunities to play with other musicians and join other groups, knowing that we still had our thing happening on Tuesdays. Then, just a few months ago one Tuesday afternoon I arrived to discover Shaun had an audio board set up next to the now close-miced drums. He explained that he wanted to document some of what we'd been working on for over a year...And I am proud to have contributed to Shaun's last recorded effort: HairBilly RoadShow! He had informed me late last year of his cancer and impending demise. Only Shaun was accepting and prepared. The rest of us did not want to believe it. He and Dawn worked vigorously acquiring promotional T-shirts, koozies, posters, etc. and wrapping up all the final details of the HairBilly RoadShow CD, before they embarked on his solo HairBilly RoadShow tour which, for Shaun, was an excuse to travel around the nation to see and visit all the places he'd always wanted to go but had never been. A couple of weeks into the tour, Shaun and Dawn returned home because Shaun was simply too weak to continue. I am thankful to God that He allowed Shaun to remain Shaun, his laughing, smiling, joking, laid back self with minimal suffering before he peacefully passed on in his sleep. I am amazed at how well Shaun arranged for his aftermath. I shall always remember and be thankful to Shaun for having such a positive influence on me and my life. I thank God for pairing us in a musical marriage of beautiful bliss. Physically, Shaun is gone, but he's "Not Disappearing"...