Elliott, You're the Brightest Hippest Light to Shine

Dear Elliott,

Oh, Elliott, you have such a wonderful soul. Your spirit is truly inspiring and your visit to children's hospital was beyond words. You're an amazing person and a remarkable talent and human being. We need more people in the world like you Elliott. This is the first thing I do as a newly-minted Yaminion, music lover and fellow traveler. (I'm really sorry it's so long.) I'm not sure if you'll read this, but I'm writing to you anyway. I hope you and your family are doing well, and I hope your mom feels better real soon. Wishing her a very speedy recovery. I've been sick the past month and don't know how I would have gotten through it all without your music. You touch so many people. That soulful rendition of A Song For You, I Believe To My Soul, If I Can Dream, Trouble, I Don't Want to Be and magical version of Home are incredible.

I'm listening to A Song For You, and Donny Hathaway's version of For All We Know, Giving Up, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, his live version of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Stevie Wonder's Tuesday Heartbreak, Golden Lady, and Quincy Jones' Betcha' Wouldn't Hurt Me. It's odd for me to be listening to anything other than your music...that's all I've been listening to. It's amazing! You are truly the brightest hippest light to shine.

I've been staying up nights voting with the etrain (to Nathan Jones by the Supremes cuz it sounds like a soulful etrain engine revving) and, of course, listening to all your wonderful tunes. I just can't stop. On some nights I don't even sleep. I don't know what's happening. I'm up all night with your music and the etrain. It's really wild, it's crazy, I don't even know what time it is anymore, I don't even notice. I don't even want to go on vacation--all I wanna do is listen to your music and keep rollin on the etrain, this is crazy, man. But I couldn't be happier. You really pulled me through some dark places and inspired me. I was so sick and you really blew me away with how great you were with Donny and Home and especially on Elvis week and with I Believe To My Soul. I could not stop watching/hearing If I Can Dream and Home and A Song For You and Trouble and It Had to Be You and I Believe To My Soul. It was so very healing. Thank you so much. I tried everywhere to find the Frank Sinatra version of It Had to Be You that Reiner used in When Harry Met Sally--it's incredible, the best, and you came out looking like Buble--it was fantastic and you sounded exactly like Sinatra! I couldn't believe it. Wow, when you sang A Song for You and Moody's Mood at Children's Hospital (and even patiently answered that little girl with so much kindness, grace and poise), that was really unbelievable. Every time I hear A Song For You I can't help but cry. Donny's music just does that.

You do that Elliott. You touch the heart of so many, reaching out, moving people and touching the heart of everyone's soul. I was crying with Paula with my hands in the air in reverence when you sang Donny, it was inspired. And your awesome version of If I Can Dream (it was perfect! you came out threw the gauntlet down and nailed it, and that suit was hot! very Frank Sinatra, very cool) arrangement reminded me of Hathaway's To Be Young Gifted and Black and Someday We'll All Be Free, like a bluesy spiritual, really great soulful gospel. Beautiful. If you watch it back, every minute detail of the cinematography, blocking, choreography was stunning, picture perfect! But, here's the reason I'm writing to you.

I just had to tell you how incredible "I Believe To My Soul" was--it was remarkable. What's amazing is that everything you do is so good. And I think "I Believe To My Soul" was your Best performance by far--it was a masterpiece! It was like, Wow! You're the MAN! Wild ecstatic props. OUTSTANDING! I mean, how can it get any better than you doing your distinctive E-version of Donny Hathaway's arrangement of Ray Charles' "I Believe To My Soul"? I mean, it's just not possible for anything to be better than that. That's the ultimate. That's perfection incarnate. E, Donny + Ray? It doesn't get any better than that. And oh, man, the orchestration was hot! It slammed it to the goal line with that kickin Ricky Minor jammin big band--man, it was da bomb! And it would be so hot if you got that fantastic soulful blues-driving bigband with those live strings on your album--absolutely terrific, so soulful, in a hip, bluesy and swingin gospel style, and they could get down with the funk, awesome! They sounded even better than the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and CHJO is the best big band I've heard live with it's swingin bluesy Basie style. Have you ever thought of maybe collaborating on a future album sometime with Paris? It would be the bomb. You guys could do soul funk and bluesy jazz standards with a band like that, or maybe you guys could do guest stints on each others' albums, cuz her version of All I Do, Fever, Beyonce + Foolish Things was fantastic. You two were the most talented imho and should have been in the final two--let me be more specific: you swept the floor with everyone and deserved the top spot, and Paris was so talented she should have come in second in my book.

But Taylor was cool and irrepressible--I thought he was better earlier, though; I really liked the first time he did Livin for the City, Takin it to the Street, Easy and Trouble--not nearly as fantastic as your raucous Memphis blues Trouble though.

Home was fantastic. You + Paris didn't deserve to be in the bottom two--your performances were so strong--Home melts through you and gives you goosebumps it's so good and your performance was beyond-Buble-perfect mesmerizing--and the suit was hot! I loved your encore of On Broadway, wish there was a way to get a copy of that. Many of us were trying to save Paris that week because she was so good and didn't deserve to go out so soon, so I was tryin to throw some luv to Paris and when you were in the bottom two I died. If something had happened and you had never gotten to Elvis week I would have died and never ever forgiven myself...it would have been terrible because think about it, that was your moment: you just shined for the whole world to see, and it was amazing.

I had no idea Elvis week would be so good--and it was great because of you, Elliott. It was truly wonderful. I didn't even know you had that in you. Masterful choice of songs and arrangements, Elliot. You're like a chameleon, you continue to surprise me. You were extraordinary--you rose to the occasion and exceeded anything anyone could imagine. And no one else was any good. But you just shined (I was even a bit disappointed in Taylor's In the Ghetto, I guess I thought it could have been better and more soulful, he did it more as a country song.) So when you blew everyone away on Elvis week, I thought, 'how's Elliott gonna top himself after Trouble?,' which was so amazing with it's raspy raucous hard-driving blues--you were fantastic! I loved that wild rebellious spirit...

But, man, you blew me away, took my breath away, when you came out with I Believe To My Soul. You just threw the gauntlet down, brought it, blew it out the box, hit it out of the park, and it was absolutely beyond stellar amazing! What an extraordinary, truly awesome, mind-blowing 'I could not believe how good that was' PHENOMENAL performance! I could not believe how fantastic it was. When you sang "I Believe To My Soul" it was like this amazing music + this incomparable arrangement just poured out of you like only Elliott (no one else, man) can bring it. It was undeniable. Terrific. Like 'Oh, yeah!' soo totally da bomb! It was hot, Hot, HOT!! Sparks were flying! It was transcendent! My heart was jumping for pure joy! Incomparable. Nothing compared to that. Nothing even came close. Everybody else was mediocre that night and the week before. But you shined. When Clive made you sing Open Arms I was like come on, you've got to be kidding me. (Clive should have given you something much meatier and more soulful with some chops, more Donny Hathaway and Ray Charles, or even 'One' if he wanted a rock number.) But you still went for it and sang it even better than Steve Perry did. (but what was with the weird cap and the jackie trayhorn suit--E's not a beegee, for godsake...don't these record execs know soul? You were so much hipper than that. gimme a break, it was so not even worthy of you, man, but you were the bomb.)

The Eman was hot, lookin so FINE when you sang Bobby Caldwell's 'What You Won't Do For Love' that I thought I would die...or at least swoon. (sigh. thud.) And you did all those amazing blues riffs in it! Paula and I were having an ecstatic fit. Pure Bliss! But even with all that you topped yourself with I Believe To My Soul. It was like E came out and was saying to our blissful ears, hearts, eyes, minds and souls 'you ain't seen nothin yet--this is just the appetizer, baby. I'm just warmin up. If you think that was good, [and it definitely was--I was already a puddle on the floor], wait till you see this--check this out.' Damn. It was so, so fine. E brought it. It was the best thing I'd ever seen. I couldn't believe it was on television. It was better than the grammys. It was better than anything I have ever seen on television. Ever. I could not believe that anything this good was on primetime network tv. And I especially could not believe that anything this fantastic and phenomenally stellar and hip was on American Idol (when everything else -- on tv, radio, commercial music + film -- was so cheezy, homogenated and bad -- god, they even put that awful synthesizer drum machine blaring over your beautiful vocal to ruin Moody's Mood--what were they thinking? Since when do we turn James Moody into lame sterilized pseudo-kenny g! [oh man those AI compilations always suck!] we got your single anyway--your live version in the elimination round with the band is better though--but at least you got to sing the whole song and we've been voting like crazy on etrain+polls to show our support + throw you some luv and much-deserved props. You're the best. So cool it debuted at #1 and hit the hot 100.)

I'm not sure you realize how incredibly fantastic you are, Elliott, and how grateful we (me and so may others, check out: http://www.moosak.com/elliott-yamin/) are that you are sharing this amazing uncanny inate gift of yours with us. It's unbelievable, man. We are all truly blessed. Your music, your brilliant song selection (I Believe To My Soul was perfect! don't let anyone tell you otherwise--your instincts are right. on. the. money. no one has your instincts for song selection and arrangement and your ear and your voice and performance style and ability--it's very rare and unique, it's a gift; Donny had it, and you've got it, just like that, no one else), your voice, your heart and soul are truly extraordinary.

In case you didn't already know, I just had to tell you, to make sure you knew and had faith in your 'right on' perfect instincts and didn't have any reason to second guess yourself. You were absolutely right. They were wrong. There is no doubt. I wanted to make sure you knew. I Believe To My Soul was the ultimate crowning moment, a pinnacle extraordinary performance for you. It doesn't get any better than that, well you never cease to amaze me--but I hope you know that you were truly at the top of your game, man. With that performance, you outshined everyone. No one even came close. And you showed the world just how phenomenal you are. You were clearly a (the) champion. You blew everyone away, dawg. It. was. awesome. You were amazing. (and when I listened to ray+elvis' versions of your songs I could not believe how much more fantastic your version was!) And you amaze us every single time. I was so jazzed and proud and psyched and inspired by you. Your unique music and gift cuts to the soul and heals the spirit.

Randy was speechless--he and Paula were falling over themselves, they couldn't even get the words out, you were so good. (and that wonderful expression on his face when he was so blown away by how unbelievably good it was that all he could say was, 'you can definitely sing, man.' no kidding. you had just sang your heart out. It was unbelievable. I couldn't contain my joy.) You nailed it so perfectly, no one could even fathom how much you had exceeded anyone's expectations. I've never heard anything that good in my life. And I'll never get to hear it again if don't keep singing it, because no one will ever be able to do that. Not like you, Elliott. No one will even come close. And the world loves you, Elliott. And they, we, all LOVE I Believe To My Soul. It's the Best. (You can check out the international etrain crew on Moosak.) We all love you. I don't know how you do it, man. I Believe To My Soul was the perfect song for you! You've absolutely got to include that and Trouble on an album. It was so Sizzzlin. It was truly beyond scorching, baby! Ya set that stage on FIRE!! I was lookin for the fire extinguisher. All your phone lines were busy nonstop for three hours straight Elliott, that's how good it was. And we'd never even heard it before and we were dying for more! (same with If I Can Dream and Trouble) And I was in tears the next night when you sang that tender jazzy rendition of Moody's Mood and poured your soul into that beautiful fiery heartrenching encore of I Believe To My Soul. It was a truly amazing thing. Thank God they let you finish the song. We were hanging on every precious note. I Believe To My Soul was the pinnacle of the entire competition, your crowning achievement. No one topped that. No one even came close.

Each week I could not even imagine how you were going to top yourself, especially after your stellar performances with Donny Hathaway's A Song For You, Buble's Home, the Benson encore of On Broadway, and If I Can Dream and Trouble on Elvis week...but, omg, you were unbelievable when you sang I Believe To My Soul. I was ecstatic! I was overjoyed! It was amazing! I was jumping up and down, cheering 'yeah!, yeah!' (omg, so hot. umh. sigh. melt. Thud.) And Elliott, you outdid yourself and shined, week after week. It was an amazing, extraordinary, beautiful thing. You even brought the house down and stole the show with a few bars from A House is Not a Home and One even though they wouldn't even let you sing a complete song. (!) I hope they let you sing a lot of complete (solo) songs on the tour because you deserve it, we can't get enough of your beautiful gift and we can't stop listening to your amazing music and vocal chops between now and the next time we get to hear more. Many are going to the tour just to see you. We'd prefer a solo tour! We're waiting with baited breath.

I started to write the passage below, and never had the heart to actually post it, but perhaps if I figure out how and where, I will. I don't know where it came from, it poured out of me--it's way too long and a bit of a mess, please forgive me. But I wanted to send it to you to share my deep feelings about what your music means, and has meant to me. I couldn't believe how strongly I felt about it. I had to write it down and I thought it was important, but I got too shy about posting it and didn't know where, and decided that maybe I should get the courage to just send it to you even if you never read it. Anyway... Thank you for everything. Stay true to yourself. You're an inspired, amazing, remarkable individual with a unique style all your own and an instinctive insightful vision and that's what we all recognize and love--we really appreciate it. If anyone ever tells you otherwise, please read this and remember how wonderful those innate instincts of yours are. I wish I had them. We all wish we have what you have Elliott. It is truly a rare gift of the spirit, heart, mind and soul.

Many thanks, much love and aloha,

IBelieveInMySoul

Here's what I wrote--sorry it's so long--I promise never to write such a long one:
The supremely talented Elliott Yamin is truly my American Idol and one of the best singers I've heard in my life. Elliott's an awesome, sensitive, remarkable and inspired talent. His charm touches me to my very soul. Elliott has such a special, rare gift, sings like a dream + is truly a shining rising star with a voice that melts and stirs my being to the very soulful core. It's a tribute that Elliott honors and inspires us to hope, dream, love, and feel from our soul like the late great Donny Hathaway, Ray Charles, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Harry Connick Jr and Michael Buble...It's amazing to hear E sing. Elliott is phenomenal, the best I've seen, he's so incredibly good. E has something special. It's what Donny had, man. It's rare. It's truly a gift. And Elliott has these remarkable savvy gut instincts about choosing what only he, and no one else, would choose, what others mistakenly dismiss as 'obscure'--because they don't have the gift, this Donny-esque inspired brilliant innate gift that Elliott just naturally has--he knows exactly what song to sing and what to do with it to make it this brilliant remarkable transcendent extraordinary musical gift that E shares with the world and turns us all on to it + hips us to it and everybody gets all excited and can't stop listening/watching/experiencing this wonderful new musical journey that only Elliott can bring because he's got the gift like Donny, man. It's uncanny. And E's so much hipper and smarter with that gift. I'd never heard I Believe To My Soul or If I Can Dream or Trouble or I Don't Wanna Be or even Home (ok I'm embarrassed but Elliott's version just melts me to the core it's so silky smooth). Now that Elliott's exposed me and opened my eyes, ears, heart and soul to his remarkable amazing versions of these songs--once E sings the rare treasures, gems plucked from 'obscurity' (I don't think they're obscure at all I think they're essential, and necessary, and awesome and unbelievable.) Now, I cannot stop listening to his versions of these inspired beautifully rendered and newly discovered songs after hearing them from Elliott for the first time...they are my favorites even though I've never heard them before. Elliott's kickin raucous soulful blues on I Believe To My Soul and Trouble was so OUTSTANDING--IT WAS THE BEST EVER!--it was so fantastic, magnificent truly awesome I've never been so happy and ecstatic and overjoyed to hear something and I've never heard these songs before--it was amazing, so impressed just beyond words wow...major props it was so terrific it was just so amazing and truly mind-blowing--it was so good I couldn't believe I was hearing something so amazing--you were so good ya hit it waayyy out of the ballpark with Donny's arrangement of Ray Charles (you can't beat that, man) I Believe To My Soul was beyond unbelievably stellar, same with Trouble and If I Can Dream and when I hear the originals I'm amazed by what Elliott did with them and was so mind-blowingly impressed by his versions that I can't believe how much more I like E's version than the originals.

I'm a HUGE Donny Hathaway fan and not everyone has heard and been exposed to his music. A Song For You is one of the all time great songs. ever. And a lot of people don't even know about it. They haven't even heard it before. Well, after Elliott Yamin, they know it now. No one will ever forget it, or the memory of Donny and a keen understanding of just how amazing Elliott is. E shines bigtime. And it's so fantastic, such a truly incredible, really remarkable song. And because Donny is the man and few can even come close, we'd never ever get to hear this amazing, brilliant piece of work. I hadn't heard it in sooo long, way too long, and I absolutely love that song. It's beyond da bomb amazing. I about died when Elliott came out and I heard him sing it at the AI audition. E's got that rare special Donny thing, that unique soulful gift of brilliance that only Elliott can bring. And he supremely honors Donny with his version of A Song For You (and the Donny I Believe To My Soul arrangement)--it's brilliant, reverent and so so inspiring, I cannot even tell you how blessed we all feel to be able to experience any small part of that amazing gift that you have Elliott, that you bring joy to us by sharing it with the world. The night E did his tribute to Donny was truly transcendent, so amazing and full of love. You give us so many of those moments, Elliott. I was crying. I had my hands in the air in reverence to Elliott and Donny. You da MAN, E! (love Stevie Wonder--prefer early Stevie esp 70s stuff up through Hotter than July). First album I had was a Stevie album, Songs in the Key of Life. Listened to it on vinyl over and over and Knocks Me Off My Feet is one of my favorite songs of all time, second cut on side two, the best side. (yeah, I know there are a lot of fantastic hits on that album, but still, there was something magical about KMOMF...Ordinary Pain parts 1+2, Summer Soft, As and Another Star were terrific too.) I couldn't believe that anyone would be hip enough to sing Knocks Me Off My Feet on AI--it was outstanding! (yeah, I know E said he was nervous that night but still, it was magical. It rocked my world bigtime.) It was really so wonderful, man. Elliott is just innately hip and inspired that way. E's got that gift. That Donny thing, Elliott is so awesome. And he does this, he touches us in our hearts and souls in this remarkable one-of-a-kind way. No one else can do that. Not like Elliott. It's really something. Donny had that, he did that. It's uncanny. And Elliott has got that. And he manages to find that song that's 'obscure' and it's absolutely brilliant. I literally cannot stop listening to I Believe To My Soul and If I Can Dream and Trouble.

Elliott really moved me, he moves so many of us. He has this deep down soulful vibe that reaches out and captures the spirit, infuses his music and remarkable voice, and inexplicable breathtaking talent and really profoundly touches us to the core. E + his incomparable gift are quite simply, amazing, something very unique, really special and rare. It's for real, truly distinctive, authentic, extraordinary. Elliott gets to the very core of one's heart and touches us, moves us in new, wonderful, different ways. Elliott is really remarkable and completely refreshing. Elliott is so amazingly hip, very cool and wise beyond his years. He's got this wonderfully profound sense of who he is, grounded in integrity and this incomparable soulful heart. A humble rebel striking out and not compromising that soul, but touching others, moving them to great passion and feeling and that maverick spirit in all of us. His kickin soulful rendition of I Don't Want to Be (which I'd never heard before) and What You Won't Do For Love were off the hook! (He doesn't try to be some lame manufactured vacuous 'cookie-cutter' Hollywood glamour boy with all flash and no substance.) He's got such tremendous talent, genuine substance and real charm. It's deep. It's to the soul. Donny Hathaway had this. Nobody's got this. But Elliott has got it to the core. E is absolutely fantastic; not just soulful, but an awesome jazz and blues singer too (from raspy raucous Trouble + I Believe... to tender silky smooth Home, It Had to Be You, and that wonderful Jarreau arrangement of Teach Me Tonight); it was quite something. And he's got an incredible recording voice that actually sounds better the more you hear it played back it sounds even better than before. This guy's like wow!, the real deal, incredibly 'real' genuine sensitive, passionate soulful guy--and really so amazingly nice, descent, down-to-earth laid back 'normal' humane person (that we can identify with) who had to battle some tough challenges in life and has evolved and grown and blossomed into this amazing 'together', mature, centured responsible extraordinarily talented person who doesn't take anything for granted and is this total knowledgeable music jazz-blues-soul hipster who loves Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder...now, how cool is that? This guy is definitely truly a man of my heart! And Elliott, you're a total babe hottie. Much admiration, respect and wild props. You move us to tears and joy Elliott.

I had a transformative experience when seeing a young Frank Sinatra for the first time (didn't know what the big deal was with all the swooning bobby soxers--I thought 'what's the big deal? who's this scrawny guy?') He was playing a down and out moody jazz musician in Young at Heart--and then he starts singing Just One of Those Things at the piano and it's mesmerizing--it's like wow! Who is this guy? Elliott's like that--he blows everyone away, knocks it out of the ballpark singing Donny Hathaway's kickin bluesy soul version of Ray Charles' "I Believe To My Soul" and it's so wonderfully hip with Ricky Minor's live arrangement that you can't even believe something that refreshing and good is on network tv, and especially on American Idol. (And Elliott's version of Buble's "Home" is so silky smooth it melts you--it's even better and more soulful than the original version.) I couldn't believe it. Elliott's really talented and a sweet, gracious class act who touched a lot of people. Very impressive. We were really moved. So were many others.

Everyone, folks--fans across the country and internationally--are amazed by E, and I've never seen so many fans in my life, the internet is on fire! The more ppl hear, the more they're like wow! Something is happening. Everywhere. And there are fans of all ages and all stripes. Married moms and their little daughters, guys, girls, husbands. They all luv Elliott. Whoa. Man. Best singer I've ever heard, by a mile...up there with Donny and Stevie. This guy has a natural gift and he's still stretching his ability and has this inate right-on-the-money sense of soulful vibe that's just amazing, wonderful and remarkable. Donny Hathaway had this really special quality that no one else captured. And he's got that, deep down to his soul, a bluesy vibe that gives something remarkable to anything he sings (and he's incredibly versatile too). This boy's got it, and it's an extraordinary, refreshing surprise. I about died when Elliott sang U2's "One" with Mary J Blige and sang soulful blues versions of Elvis' "Trouble" and "I Can Dream" and Hathaway's version of Charles' "I Believe To My Soul" -- awesome bluesy numbers steeped in rich soul, they rocked, incomparable, and he nailed an impeccable, very difficult arrangement of the late great Luther Vandross' rendition of Burt Bacharach's "A House Is Not a Home" (originally sung by the Carpenters way back when and covered by everybody, but Luther's version's the best and most challenging one around.)

Anyway. I guess my secret's out. I'm a total E!addict (now going through withdrawls) and the entire concert tour is completely sold out. What am I gonna do? Elliott was really truly fantastic and I hope he lands a magnificent soulful-bluesy record deal that swings big time so I can hear a fine cd sometime soon...until then I guess I'll have to wait and see. and hope. Thanks E. You're amazing and awesome.

go etrain! nice tvguide article on E, but Hathaway's version of Ray's I Believe To My Soul was the absolute BEST, ever!! da BOMB, baby! no apologies for that absolutely fantastic choice and u blew it out da box with da vocals! i was floored! amazing! wild wild props...pleeze don't drop such a HOT right on choice--the phone lines were jammed for u boy and it was because of that song, your best that night up there with caldwell, baby! (open arms was the one that coulda been some more hathaway, blues, jazz or stevie, and of course Trouble and Home were amazing...just don't go and drop the hip innovative hathaway/ray fantastic stuff--IT WAS THE BEST THING ON TV EVER!!! REALLY. BELIEVE IT!! YOUR BEST!! (ridiculous to drop such masterful hip OUTSTANDING choice on your part and let someone tell you to go sing lame watered-down blando-synth-pop homogeno-blahh junk like i don't know, "Feelings" or "Cherish" or something...didn't u see the fabulous baker boys? Stay true to that gut, man. Your instinct was true and your choice was oh so very right--it was absolutely the best that you chose donny hathaway's version of ray charles! it doesn't get any better than that!! we went wild! we loved it! u got wild props and TONS of votes for that. don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Your choice was right--we loved and dug it--don't change a thing; it was masterful and extraordinary. that's what u should be doing. hathaway+ray=perfect
...ya don't mess with perfection, man--it was brilliant and even randy was speechless it was so da bomb good! everything u do is magic, man...terrific job, don't second guess or beat yourself up, man, because it was truly fantastic! The absolute right choice. Out of the park it was so good, and you consistently made those inspired excellent perfect choices and arrangements. It is an inate, inspired gift u have. Transformative, baby, phenomenal! EVERYONE IS RAVING ABOUT IT. YOU'RE INSPIRING, INVIGORATING AND BREATHING FRESH LIFE INTO MUSIC (AND TELEVISION AND POPULAR CULTURE) IN SO MANY WONDERFUL WAYS...YOU'RE TRULY A GIFT TO US ALL, YOU'RE INSPIRED, MAN. THANK YOU. MUCH LUV ADMIRATION + RESPECT. IT WAS NOT A MISTAKE--IT WAS INSPIRED MAN, AND THE BEST THING YOU DID. PLEASE BELIEVE IT. YOU KNOW IT. WE KNOW IT. AND WE REALLY REALLY LOVE IT + AND YOUR WONDERFUL INSPIRED SOULFUL INSTINCTS SERVE YOU ALL SO WELL--SAME FOR BRILLIANT CHOICES OF IF I CAN DREAM + TROUBLE, BRILLIANT!!! WHEN I HEARD ELVIS' VERSION I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH BETTER YOUR VERSION WAS!!! YOU TURNED US ALL ON TO THIS MAN, NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE AND CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO THEM NOW. WE ARE ALL SO EXCITED AND ECSTATIC BY YOU TURNING US ON TO THIS -- IT'S SOME OF THE BEST MUSIC EVER WRITTEN, IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT. THANK YOU FOR HONORING DONNY + RAY...THEY'RE SMILING DOWN, MAN, YOU DID THEM SO UNBELIEVABLY PROUD--THESE SONGS ARE NOT 'OBSCURE'--YOU'VE SHINED THEM ONTO THE WORLD AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW FANTASTIC ALL THESE SONGS ARE --AND YOU TURNED US ON TO THEM, IT'S SO BEYOND PHENOMENAL! YOUR BRILLIANT SONG CHOICES AND SOULFUL ARRANGEMENTS ARE WHAT WE LOVE. NOBODY CAN DO IT LIKE YOU + DONNY. KEEP THE FAITH FROM THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SOUL, MAN. THAT'LL KEEP IT REAL + ALIVE. YOU SHINE. PLEASE DON'T IGNORE FANTASTIC INSTINCTS. YOU'VE GOT A RARE, INNATE, INSTINCTIVE GIFT...THAT NOBODY HAS, BUT OTHERS WOULD DIE FOR. SO FEW HAVE THAT MAN. AND YOU DO. REALLY. BELIEVE IT. PLEASE. IT'S RIGHT ON THE MONEY. TRUST YOUR HEART. YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. BRIGHTEST HIPPEST LIGHT TO SHINE.