Shadows of Your Past

I was driving yesterday afternoon and heard that Deep Purple founding member and keyboard player, Jon Lord had died at the age of 71.

Jon Lord during the early years

71?…that can’t be correct, no way was he that old, was my immediate thought.

Rumor confirmed in a very interesting article entitled Another One Bites The Dust. Unfortunately, the article predicts (common sense is more like it) that we will soon be seeing more names we know on the obituary page. Names that are part of the building blocks of our youth…names we associate with.

I feel much younger today at 52, than I remember my dad appearing at the same age, (He may take exception to that when he reads this) but it is moments like this and that nagging arthritis in my knees and ankle, that remind me I am not a kid anymore and have more years behind me than I do in front of me.

Dam.

…and a slightly more mature Mr. Lord.

Deep Purple was a great band, even with the different lineups over the years. A big part of the reason it was always great was because of Jon. I only saw them once, many years ago while Ritchie Blackmore was still with them….an awesome show.

Here is a You Tube video about Jon’s last night with the band. I think it conveys the emotions of coming to the end of one chapter in our lives and preparing for the next. I think that anyone who has ever dealt with “retirement” explores the same emotions.

It is a good lesson for us all.

Since he mentions “Perfect Strangers” in the interview, here it is. There are surely songs that were bigger hits or had more complicated keyboard arrangements, but this video depicts the band as I like to remember them….a shadow of my past.

RIP, Jon….job well done.

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