darlene

What a beautiful post, Val! Happy Raspberries Anniversary to you! I'm SO glad you got to see them! Al and the guys are absolute honeys. So is Denisie and all their families. Ecstacy for sure. I still start walking on air thinking of those shows, even from "the old days." Maybe Santa will be good to you and at least give you a dream or two so you can relive that night! I have one every once in awhile... MERRY CHRISTMAS! -Love, Dar

It's WE who were lucky that we got to see YOU playing onstage that night and the whole tour! You were perfect with Raspberries. Eric has always had unerring and visionary imagination that cut like a laser beam through all the possibilities to know what would work and it did INDEED work! Raspberries in 2004 were even better than they were back in the day, and I was there to see them back then. They were like nothing else when I first saw them and thought they could never be better than they were in the '70s. 2004 proved me wrong. It's such an honor and a pleasure having been able to hear you play and get to know you and Debbie as well! --Dar

Fantastic photo, Bernie! Thanks for posting it. Gorgeous picture of Eric. But that's easy to do. Eric's gorgeous.

FUNNY, LEW! You are too much--and I love it! Happy Holidays! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DEB !!! So sorry I missed your special day on EC.com. Sending you belated birthday wishes for a year as wonderful and warm as you are, Deb! I have loved reading your posts ever since you came here, and you deserve every birthday wish you ever made! Here's to all of them coming true! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY KIRK!!! I made your birthday in time on Facebook, but was off gigging and missed it here. So sorry! Wishing you nothing but joy and love throughout the entire year! Sending heartfelt wishes to one whom I would have married sight unseen, based solely on the sweet posts that always come right from your heart. Wishing you nothing but the best always! --Love you! Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY LARRY!!! Sorry I missed your special day. I was playing. Sending you belated wishes for a most beautiful year to a most beautiful person. Your dedication and devotion to the music and the friends here are exemplary and you are well loved! I love being able to call you a friend and always will! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY PHIL! SO SORRY I missed your special day! I was off playing a beautiful Christmas gig in PA. Sending you wishes that, however late, still mean just as much: May your coming year give joy, love, peace, prosperity, good health and beautiful music always! You are a truly devoted fan and a dear friend since we began here! Love you! --Love, dar

Hi Kirk! Thanks for the sweet compliment. I definitely love the music to Seussical and anything that reminds me of Eric certainly always inspires me to play in a manner that transcends my usual, so I guess what you said is true in a way. I get really inspired when I'm playing something by Rach that has Carmen written all over it (or sounding all over it.) Ah...music! --D

I just played solo violin for Seussical the Musical and I especially liked the music for this show, which was written by Stephen Flaherty. Some of the songs were so beautiful. There were a few places that had a touch of Eric, either in the chords used or part of the melody/chords combination. One place sounded like it came right off his first solo album! I always smiled when I was playing them and those "touches of Eric" made playing this show even sweeter. --Dar

THANKS, VAL! Wishing Eric, Wally, Dave & Jim, Bernie and all the board members at EC.com and their families a Happy, Healthy and Safe Thanksgiving. Love you all! --Love, Dar

And right back atcha, Ira! Thanks for always being there and being one of the most lovingly supportive members of the music, Bernie and this board! HAPPY THANKSGIVING MY DEAR FRIEND! -- Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DEAREST DEAREST DIANED!!! HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO THE SWEETEST NOVEMBER GAL THAT EVER EXISTED!!! I am devastated that I was offline on your special day and missed it. But this wish still means just the same: You are sugar and spice and everything nice and the best possible friend in the entire world! I wish you love, joy, peace, happiness, good health, prosperity and beautiful music, especially of the EC and Raspberries kind! You are a precious precious lady, beautiful inside and out. I know you had a wonderful birthday but I wish you every beautiful thing in the entire year to come. Love you always and forever! --Love, Dar

When I was a very little girl, I ADORED a show that I'll bet nobody remembers or even knows about. It was sponsored by Tide and it was called "On Your Account," hosted by a guy named Win Elliott. Anyone remember this one? I remember being fascinated by the round little doors (they were actually almost cone-shaped and looked like metal with concentric circles on them) in the wall that Win opened and got a question from for the contestant to answer. The doors I believe had "Tide" printed on them and were labelled $30, $40, etc., which represented how much money the contestant won by answering that question. It had to be 60 years ago because I was only 5.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY !!! I just made it in time! I know you had a fantastic birthday and hope it was spent surrounded with beautiful Debbie and your loving family and friends. Wishing the best and most terrific year to one of the most superbly gifted musicians in the business and a guy whom I'm proud to call a friend. Sending wagonloads of wishes for good health, happiness, love, prosperity, peace and beautiful music the whole year through. I know the music will indeed be beautiful if you are creating it! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL !!! Wishing the sweetest birthday to the sweetest girl! May you spend your special day surrounded by family and friends and enveloped in love! Wishing you good health, good luck, peace, joy, prosperity and love. You sure have mine! Make that BIG birthday wish! May it come true in multiples all year for you! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, JOHN !!! OH NO! I was offline and missed your special day! So sad! I know your birthday was fantastic, and I wish for you a year just as loving, warm and wonderful with every good thing you can possibly handle: happiness, love, peace, joy, success and good health! You are the salt of the earth, my friend, and I love ya! Wishing all your birthday dreams come true! Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCKERREDS !!! To a longtime devoted member of this board, HAPPY HAPPY SPECIAL DAY. Wishing you love, peace, prosperity, good health and happiness today and all through the year! You are indeed special! ENJOY!!! --Love, Dar

Thanks so much for your fantastic post, Brian! Hearing the country's best orchestra perform in Severance Hall is truly a thrilling experience. Wish I could have been there. What fabulous program notes! I remember the time the Trenton Symphony performed this concerto and Lobsterlvr Dave was in the audience--our conductor spoke about Eric's song as well, and Dave and I were ecstatic. Whenever I perform this piece, I am transported to EC Heaven--and a happy grin stays permanently glued to my face. The program notes are a beautiful tribute to Eric and Aunt Muriel and I know she is smiling in the cosmos. Thanks again for this terrific share! --Darlene

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL MAUL !!! Sending a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY out to a fine member of the EC.com family whose posts I have so enjoyed! Wishing you nothing but the best today and every day throughout the year. Wishing you a day and evening warmed with the love of family and friends and lots of love! --Love, Dar

HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY POWERPOPMAMA!!! SOOOO sorry the hurricane knocked out our power and I missed your birthday! Wishing a VERY VERY HAPPY belated birthday to one whose posts I always love to read. I know your birthday was fantastic and I wish you love, joy, peace, prosperity and beautiful music in the year ahead--all good things to one who truly deserves every one of them! --Love, Dar

Hi everyone! We lost power on Monday Oct 29th at 8 PM and were out almost 8 days till 3:30 PM today. I practiced in my cold music room about 10 hours a day because it took my mind off the storm. No heat nor lights but we were safe. There was no damage to our house and we were cold but extremely lucky. People lost homes, family members and children. Washing dishes and clothing by hand gets old but we were safe the whole time. Thanks SO very much for all the well wishes and prayers. I know they got us through. Candlelight dinners are cool, but not when they're a necessity. Today the dishwasher, the automatic washer and the heating system seem like gifts from God. And they are. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered real devastation from this storm. SOOOO very glad that Diane, Bernie and everyone else in NJ and the path of the storm made it through and are safe. Praying that everyone stays safe, and thanks again for the well wishes. --Love, Dar

Thank you for offering this Naeko! What a beautiful song to share. Janey is great! --Dar

Hi Lew! Love your September Newsletter. Some of it I didn't get, but that's just me. Except for those things, I was laughing hysterically, as always. Classic Lew indeed! --Love, Dar