Ben Edmonds, my lifelong friend and musical comrade-in-arms, passed away today, after battling pancreatic cancer for the past year. Our friendship began in Wellesley high school, and took us to New York City and Detroit, London and LA…and points in-between. He was a source of constant support and encouragement to me during the years I struggled to make something of myself in the music industry, and was the pivotal element in setting up my Capitol Records deal in 1979. I regret that he only recently opened up to me about his condition, and I didn’t have a chance to visit with him one last time…

Good-bye, “Old Man,” all my love and respect. You were there from the beginning…