It's hard to say goodbye to friends and family. In this troublesome era we've been living in, I've clung to friends and family like never before.  I'm very much a recluse most of the time. I have trouble connecting personally with people on deeper levels, especially as I grow older. 

There are those people in my life though that I don't have to do any heavy lifting for or deal with the interpersonal struggles. I don't have to worry that I might use the wrong words, or have the wrong ideas, or tell the wrong off-color joke at the wrong time. There are those in my life don't have these conditions. Because their love is unconditional. It is not based on what I do or what I am at any given time. And over a lifetime their love is proven. When they have watched through it all, the ugly, the ugly, and the precious (I feel that's the rythem of my life) and they don't even flench. Their love is freely given. It has little to do with my efforts. 

From my life, I see that this love is very rare. I might have family like this, a few friends like this; usually, we have deep roots in life together. 

Pete Salicco, was one of those rare people in my life. I never differentiated him from close family, nor his kids. He was the definition of his name, 'Peter,' in my life, a rock.

I receive so much underserving lovely correspondence from fans, but Pete's messages to me were a monolith, and they lasted from childhood to just recently. As if he was an angel in my ever-changing life to deliver one message to me, and that message is simply put, "Keep going brother", "Don't give up".  Just so happens, at any given time, that is the message I need to hear. 

Pete was also a music mentor to me. Probably my first music mentor outside of my parents. I was talking to his daughter, telling stories and she said she remembered going to sleep listening to him play guitar outside her door. 

This song, Family Songbook, seeks to honor that tradition in my life and family. I have no more precious memory than those of going to sleep to my parents—and their bands and friends—playing and writing into the night. Peter was one of those bandmates and friends on the other side of my wall too. 

His songs live on in his children and in me, and many others. They go on and on ... and we will go on and on. 

I hope you enjoy the song and hopefully think of someone you love who plays music,  think of all those nights that they sit and work on beautiful things. If your working on something beautiful, keep going, don't stop now, someone needs it, we need it. 

We love you Pete. 
Rest In Peace

- ezra