Zappin

"A Father's Tear' is a tribute album that was written in memory and honor of my father. The players are all studio musicians though the drummer happened to be "Duke" Dewey of "Country Joe and the Fish" of Woodstock fame. It became a very special record for all of us since at the time most of the musicians were dealing with losing some part of their own fathers. Recently, some months ago now, my father died. My father died.

I had always wanted to be close to him in every way, over the years, but either he or I got in the way of that. What I wanted and what he was going to give me were two completely different things. I ended up having a ringside seat at his death. He began dying quickly, though it began unnoticed by me. As he diminished mentally and physically, I wasn?t yet touched by the fact that this was the end for him. I wasn?t that concerned, at least no more than usual. Our bland relationship saw to that, I guess. As days, work, talk, laughter, and other normal experiences went by I began seeing my father in bed but unable to move, talk, sit up, and as stiff as a board. I cried as often as I saw him and sometimes just alone. What I always wanted in a father, dying, was making me cry, or my father in such a state was yanking purposely and personally at my emotions. I think the latter. One early evening I was called home and told that my father had died. Even now I feel emotion sweeping over me. Where?s this coming from? Anyway, he?s dead. The music and lyrics to this album, ?A Father?s Tear? is entirely about my relationship with and without him. Many things have happened in the process of this recording. Relationships with people, and that includes myself, have marked a major part of the evolution of the project. I began to see my father and others saw theirs, I guess in their own way. My old needs from him have somehow were replaced by an unshakable love for him