Farewell To The Master - Keith Emerson - In Memoriam, By Chris Huebner
- 8 years ago
When I first heard of Keith's death I was shocked and in the state of disbelief. A progressive rock icon had passed. Someone who while I didn't know personally, had been a huge inspiration and influence to me in my music. I later learned how he died and the shock and disbelief only grew more intense and was combined with a feeling of profound sadness. It's been a couple of days now and I'm still very sad about this. I don't really understand why, but this has hit me hard. Much harder than any other entertainer or musician's death. Perhaps because I grew up idolizing him? Perhaps because if someone like Keith was in so much pain as to come to that decision, what hope is there for the rest of us? I still don't know. I think we tend to see someone like him as something more than just a person, or maybe I did. This is a reminder that we're all the same and deal with the same problems, fears and pains albeit to differing degrees.
I remember that afternoon in the mid/late 70's when I first "discovered" ELP. I bought the Welcome Back My Friends live
three record set. Dad's poor Quadraflex speakers were never the same after that (a few blown fuses and tweeters). Since then I've immersed myself in much of his music. To this day, I still listen to my old ELP and Nice albums - of course now digitally. He was an incredible musician and entertainer.
It took me a day or two to even want to sit down at my piano and play. When I did, I felt the need to try and compose some sort of music to express me feelings. So in an attempt to deal with these feelings of sadness and loss, I've put together this short video. It's just a collection of some of my more favorite pictures of Keith along with the music I wrote. I hope it helps me. Maybe it will help someone else out there too - that would be great.
Rest in peace Keith Emerson. Thank you for the entertainment and the inspiration.
Emerson Lake and Palmer
ELP
The Nice
Brain Salad Surgery
Yes
Camel
King Crimson
Greg Lake
Carl Palmer
Prog Rock
I remember that afternoon in the mid/late 70's when I first "discovered" ELP. I bought the Welcome Back My Friends live
three record set. Dad's poor Quadraflex speakers were never the same after that (a few blown fuses and tweeters). Since then I've immersed myself in much of his music. To this day, I still listen to my old ELP and Nice albums - of course now digitally. He was an incredible musician and entertainer.
It took me a day or two to even want to sit down at my piano and play. When I did, I felt the need to try and compose some sort of music to express me feelings. So in an attempt to deal with these feelings of sadness and loss, I've put together this short video. It's just a collection of some of my more favorite pictures of Keith along with the music I wrote. I hope it helps me. Maybe it will help someone else out there too - that would be great.
Rest in peace Keith Emerson. Thank you for the entertainment and the inspiration.
Emerson Lake and Palmer
ELP
The Nice
Brain Salad Surgery
Yes
Camel
King Crimson
Greg Lake
Carl Palmer
Prog Rock