The Passing Of David Bowie

This one hurt.

They all do but this one just a bit more.

I'll bet you can recall exactly where you were when you heard that David was gone.

I can.

Monday morning, early, I was at my desk and had just turned my computer on. I went to Facebook first, as I do, and there it was. What? David Bowie died?

The internet can be a wonderful thing but I learned to be careful. It's full of hoaxes and untruths. I used to take it as gospel, I learned the hard way to go to different sources for the real deal so I went to The New York Times website and there it was on the front page.

David Bowie had died.

I took a ragged breath and just sat quiet, still as can be. David Bowie had died.

I wasn't the only one. Here came the tributes, the memories, the downright shock of hearing the news. Social media is great at times like this. To hear how David affected someone in Alaska, in New York, a young man who now lives in Orlando, was endearing, was poignant.

A few memories of mine...

In college and being in my domain, the basement of my house, and playing "Suffragette City," loud. When it came to the 'Wham Bam Thank You M'am,' my mother came downstairs mad as a hornet and said, in no uncertain terms, that that kind of language was not allowed in her house. I tried to explain it was just a song.

I don't remember her response I just remember she was mad.

Cut ahead many years and a story my wife tells. She told it to her mom this week. We lived in Manhattan, had just had our twins, and she took them to a pediatrician who had been recommended. As she was waiting with the other moms, who came in but Iman with she and David's daughter. My wife thought, "This doctor must be pretty good if Iman comes here..."

On Facebook I saw videos I'd never seen before. You probably saw them, too. The interview that David did with MTV where he took them to task for hardly playing black artists was fascinating.

David singing with, wait for it, Cher.

A very funny clip of David at a piano at a party and singing a song about Ricky Gervais. The lyrics were a hoot and watching Ricky's face... It was great. Ricky's clip where he talked about David was great, as well.

I did a Live By Request with David and he and his band were just offstage about to go on.
They were in a circle like ball players before a big game, and they all had their heads down. David looked up, saw me, and winked.

And off we went.

One other thing.

I had guests at that show. If you watch it (it's on youtube) watch right after the first caller. He requests "Changes" and as David and the band start to play it, they cut to the audience. There is Denise and my brother Kirk, with blond hair, happy as happy could be.

David Bowie.

They all hurt.

This one just a bit more.




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