We were late as usual. "Come on!!", my friend said as we snaked our way thru the haze of "smoke" and college age bodies sitting in various positions on the gym floor. I'm eighteen and still in high school, out with one of my friends. He was older than me and a lot bolder."There is room up front!!", he shouted. Of course there wasn't or at least you couldn't see if there was thru the haze in the dimly lit gym. As we wound our way thru the crowd towards the front , something that would never be allowed today, I tried to keep my feet on the gym floor rather than on the heads of some of the stoned collegians. Of course when we got to our seats 10 feet from the stage ,everyone made room for us on the floor as if we had reservations in some VIP section. "See!!!!" my friend said, grinning from ear to ear.

As we took our seats the band was already in mid song. I knew the lead singer, a gyrating Englishman with the raspy voice, but what caught my eye was a lone figure behind a grand piano at the corner of the crowded stage. A stage full of more musicians than I had ever seen. The long haired, white bearded man in the top hat who seemed to leading what appeared to be some kind of rock and roll circus was Leon Russell.

He is gone now like many of my rock n' roll generation. I got to see him with friends a little while ago and I thought then that it might be for the last time.

When I was young I thought rock n' roll would never get old. Some people, places and memories never did. I'm glad to have survived those days and celebrate them now with friends for along as we can.

             ROCK ON!!!