Tuesday , March 19 2024
Rest in peace, Lenny.

Verse Chorus Verse: Bob Dylan – “Every Grain of Sand”

And then the music stopped…

I was on my way to the Sprint Center last night when I got an e-mail from TicketMaster.  Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's concert scheduled for October 26 at the Spring Center in Kansas City had been canceled due a death in Springsteen's immediate family.

I was shocked.  My thoughts were racing:  Was this real or a hoax?  Was this a mistake? 

I quickly went to his official web site and saw the following statement:

Due to a death in Bruce's immediate family, tonight's show at Sprint Center has been unavoidably cancelled. All tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase. Bruce and The Band deeply appreciate the understanding of our Kansas City audience and look forward to returning at the earliest opportunity.

Oh my God.  That's terrible!  What happened?  Who could it be?  Please don't let it be Patti or one of his three children!

I was mere blocks from the venue.  I continued on and saw people walking away from the arena.  I didn't quite know what to do.  There wasn't a concert.  I was in a strange city, far from home, and my mind wasn't responding quickly.  The only thing to do was to turn around and go back to my hotel.

In the hours since the cancellation, rumors and speculation swirled around the internet.  First, a local news station broke news of a death of a member of Springsteen's road crew.  Later TMZ reported that Lenny Sullivan, Bruce's cousin and assistant tour manager, passed away this afternoon.  I was skeptical, until it was confirmed on Bruce's official web site.  Lenny was 36.

So my journey to the heart of rock and roll nirvana ends unfulfilled, displaced by tragedy.  Thousands of us were coming from near and far, hoping to participate in the transformative power of an E Street Band show.  It was not to be.  Our disappointment is real, and it is completely trumped by the tragedy that brought it to a sudden, unexpected halt.

I'm heartbroken tonight, thinking of a life cut too short and a family that will never be the same.  To find solace I've turned to what I've always turned to at times like this, and "Every Grain of Sand" is perhaps the greatest song ever written for moments like this.  The lyrics are thoughtful, personal, and profound.  The music is elegant and stirring.  My prayers, thoughts, and best wishes go out to the Sullivan family and all those who knew and loved him.  I hope in the fury of the moment, they can see the Master's hand.  I wish them all peace in their time of sorrow and grief.

About Josh Hathaway

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