The Un-smokey Life

[icecreamtruck]

Friends -

I gather from comments by Anjani that Leonard quit smoking several years ago. I remember being astounded at the tenor vocal of " Nightingale" on Dear Heather. Anyway, in the press kit interview for Ten New Songs he was seen to be smoking so it had to have been sometime in 2001 or later that he quit. I don't expect, despite his new intro to "That Don't Make It Junk," that he had a drinking problem serious enough to have to quit totally ("I only drink professionally" he once said) However, he is SO sharp in demeanor and vocal chops this time around that I would be very surprised if it takes any of the three bottles it used to to get him on stage these days.

I just finished listening to the recording of the 06/06/08 recording that has been made available and there is an extra vitality to Leonard's presence this tour. I am 23 years old. When I was 19 I became fascinated with the dedicated craftsman we celebrate here - Hero, if that's acceptable. What a tremendous joy it is to hear him in such form. I have collected live recordings spanning his 40 years on stage and right down to the way he places each word for emphasis, these performances are special - and that designation has nothing to do with his age or the fifteen years, period! He often speaks of having to be able to "get behind" a line before he can perform it and folks, he is making each and every line count like I've never quite heard before.