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2003-09-12 - 2:44 p.m. Dear Johnny, You will be sorely missed. Thanks for all the great tunes and the inspiration. It impresses me still that you had the guts and the conviction to be true to your art and yourself. When you played and recorded two live albums from prisons you must have known what such a move could do to your image - there are some still who believe that you must have served time - but you didn't care. You played for those men with the same passion and showmanship that you gave to all your fans - because to you that was what they were, men who appreciated your music not just writing them off as a litany of crimes as so many of us tend to do. You showed me that people all have a touch of dark in them but there is some goodness too. When we lose sight of our own (and others) humanity that is when we lose ourselves. You had a touch of that darkness too. Your struggle with addiction could have taken you down like so many others, like your friend Elvis, but you never let go of yourself. You fell but you also held on, fought back, stumbled a few times but kept on. You always gave credit where credit was due whether it was to your wife, your fans, fellow musicians, your band. You also gave hell when that was due too. You refused to let the industry relegate you to the pigeon hole they issued you which is why today you are mourned not only by those of your generation, but by their children and their children�s children as evidenced by your seven nominations at the MTV awards. Thanks for the music, Johnny. Godspeed, and farewell! Dear John, Oh the laughs we shared. You didn�t know it then but I was in love with you. I didn't care how much older you were, I was mature for my age and I knew you'd wait for me. And when we did get together, you'd cook for me that romantic dinner that never quite worked out with those other girls. I watched you every night. I didn�t matter to me that the story never changed, the misunderstandings the resultant catcalls and pratfalls, those silly slapstick scenes you do so well. But then it was over. I heard you were doing theater. Then there was that movie, Problem Child, by then I realized the age difference was more problematic than I�d thought but I still had a soft spot for you and I looked for you, saw your guest appearances on Ali McBeal and Buffy. When I heard about your comeback to the world of sitcoms I wished you well but I must admit by then I had moved on. I never saw your show. I was busy with my own life, my own interests. I just figured I'd be home and I�d catch up and now you're gone. So young, 54, the age my father was when he died. My heart goes out to your wife and children. Farewell John, you�re gone but you won�t be forgotten. � 
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