- On a Personal Note -  
     
 

Charles Lyonhart is pleased to announce that his come-back concert was a great success! Having now fully recovered from his transplant surgery, Charles and special friends Lincoln Schleifer, Jeff Streichert, Michael Hunold,Fooch Fischetti, Brian Hollander,Julie Last and Mimi Patural entertained the full house with a 3 hour concert featuring songs from Charles Lyonhart's new CD "Maverick Road"currently in production.

 
   
     
 
Charles Lyonhart is personally supporting the effort to help the victims of Cyclone Sidr which moved north though the Bay of Bengal and hit southern Bangladesh on November 15, 2007.
The storm caused significant damage to coastal towns and The storm caused significant damage to coastal towns and thousands of deaths and injuries have been reported.
Please help the people who have been ravaged by this catastrophe.
  
   
 

When asked "What If Women Ruled The World" for "Dakota's Question", a popular forum in the Phonicia Times, here's what Charles Lyonhart had to say in the Nov. 9, 2006 issue!

  
   
     
  Charles Lyonhart's 2006  
  Holiday Message  
  Charles Lyonhart's 2006 Holiday Message to his fans, including a brand new photo of Charles and Butch Denner celebrating at Levon Helm's ramble!  
     
     
  In Memory of Dr. Zakir Ramazanov  
   
 
I am very sad to announce the loss of a very good friend of mine ,Dr. Zakir Ramazanov. Zakir was a wonderful person and a pioneer in the Nutraceutical Industry. He was wise, honest and an extremely caring person so full of life that he was much like a human super nova. He touched the lives of all of the people that he met in a very special way. His loss will be felt greatly. There will never be anyone like Zakir in the Nutraceutial Industry or anywhere for that matter.  Dr. Ramazanov was a unique man who was truly one of a kind. His projects and discoveries revolutionized the Nutraceutical Industry and his products were ground breaking. Zakir was a fan of my music and often we compared our work as to what kept us going.  Dr. Ramazanov was a real human being and knew no other way of doing business than by simply being honest.  That is something rare in  the world today. I always came to Zakir for advice and he was instrumental in my life with choices that I made. "Charlie, you just have to do. Life is too short. There is no time to think about things. Just do!!!".  He was so right about life being so short except I don't think that he knew the short life would be his own. Zakir did not know the word "fear". He was a courageous soldier of the army of man. He loved people and that is what he lived for. I can only say that I loved the man deeply. He was a great teacher, a compassionate friend and genius.  His passing  should make us all realize just how precious and fragile life is. Zakir my brother, I wish you peace and to your family and friends and to all of those who knew Zakir and loved him, a part of Zakir will live on in our hearts forever.
  
  Charles Lyonhart  
     
  The Tribute Show in Honor of John Herald Pictures and Review  
  In Memory of John Herald  
   
  When I learned that John was gone a few weeks ago I understood only too well why he ended his life. At the same time I was surprised since it was only a few days earlier that he said, " I'm not going to do it just yet. 70 is a good age. If I can make it until I'm 70 I'll do it then." I had no idea that he would not wait until his 70th Birthday and just a few months short of 66 he took his own life. There were reasons he often spoke of, his ailing health, his teeth decaying, his great fear of deer ticks and catching Lyme Disease, his dwindling finances and his loneliness and spending another endless winter in the tiny shack that he rented on Maverick Road in Woodstock, NY. And John was a Maverick indeed. He was a rebel with many causes. John should have been born in simpler times like the late 1800's. He was a gentlemen and a real artist by every definition of the word. He was surely the last of his kind. Much like Martha, the pigeon that he wrote about in his classic song "Martha (the last of the) Passenger Pigeons" John was that bird Martha, "very proud, very sad, but very wise", John's passing is the end of an era. Even today as I reach for the phone to call him I stop seconds before realizing that nobody will pick up. There is not even one of his entertaining messages on the machine now disconnected. I used to discuss his messages with him and even though I was half kidding he took me ever so seriously. "You think so, really?", he would say. Through the years he would every few months or so change the messages. "To keep things entertaining and interesting", he would say. Herald, we could have had a few more Chinese dinners together. Since John's Birthday was in early September and mine in early October we always met half way around the end of September early October. John was the only man that I ever kissed on the lips when we saw each other and when we parted. He loved the fact that there were no barriers between us. "You know in Europe they kiss like that. Only here are things so much different", he once told me. I wish I could hug him and kiss him now. The other day when I was up in Woodstock I went into his house to look around at a place that I had spent countless hours. How many nights I slept there too tired to drive back to Warwick. The conversations and hours that we spoke about politics, sex, life, love and all the people we knew, the smell of John still permeated the air. John's house always had a unique odor that was a mixture of Carlton cigarette smoke, John's cooking, musk, earth, mushrooms and guitar polish. I could still smell the presence of John in the house. I walked around the house one last time smelling his hats, furniture, books and I could swear he was still there in that house. I stood in each room (there were only four tiny rooms including the small bathroom and kitchen) and thought of our times and memories together. How I LOVED THAT MAN! I left the house and got into my car with John's one Cat's Eye Guitar that Brian Hollander had given to me earlier in the day. John left his one guitar to me. Probably his most valuable possession. I was sad and honored at the same time. I couldn't help but think on the long drive home that a piece of John was with me. As John sang, "you know a piece of us all goes with you".
 		  
  Please visit John Herald's website and read Brian Hollanders story on John as well as listen to some of his songs.  
  Roll on John. I know that you are waiting for me by those huge pearly gates.  
     
   
     
  In Memory of Mindy Jostyn  
   
 
I am so shocked and saddened to hear about Mindy's passing. At the same time I am trying to come to terms with it and why the Lord would take somebody as young and gifted as Mindy. Mindy is and will always have a very special place in my heart and in my life. She taught me so many things about G-D, prayer, healing, music, people and so much about life through her eyes. I find this all so overwhelming that it rocks my very own faith a bit to think why the Lord would take her. There are so many things that I can say about the times Mindy and I shared together. I remember just how witty and funny Mindy was, but I want to first send my most heartfelt condolences to her mom, Chris (and I know how much you meant to Mindy and how much Mindy meant to you), her husband Jacob, her siblings, Kelly Neale, Jay and Jennifer Jostyn. My heart goes out to her two young sons, Isaiah and Misha, who I had to privilege to meet a few times. To say that they are beautiful children is an understatement. As a parent and grandfather myself understanding the wisdom and innocence of children, I know Mindy's sons were gifted to have Mindy as their Mom. I will share one story about Mindy's wit and humor. One night on one of her Birthday's we were going to a Broadway show. I don't remember the name of the show but Gene Hackman (one of Mindy's favorite actors) and Al Pacino were in it. Running late up to the last minute Mindy was suffering from a migraine headache as we hurried for the cab uptown. "Take two aspirin", I said. "You'll feel a little better so you can enjoy the show". At first she declined since Mindy was a devout Christian Scientist. Finally getting out of the cab she said, "Give me those aspirin. I'll try it". We just made the first act and about 20 minutes into the show I asked her how her headache was. "I feel fine", she replied. "So", I answered, "those aspirin did work". "Of course not", Mindy snapped back, "stuff like that doesn't work. You know that! I just think that they are working!" I will always love Mindy and I am again so sorry to hear this news. The only way that I can come to terms with this is realize that all true angels must move closer to G-D. There must have been a higher calling for Mindy and perhaps we truly do not understand everything and the reasons why they happen. This makes no sense to me and will take a long time, if ever, to come to terms with. I will always love Mindy and I hope and pray each day that G-D gives her family, in particular her mother Chris, the strength to get by. I wake up each morning hearing the lyrics in my head to “Time Be On My Side”. This one really rip’s me apart. We must truly all be going to a better place of “Common Ground”.

Please visit Mindy's website to see what a wonderful person she was, to send a message to the family, or to make a donation to one of Mindy's favorite charities.
 
     
   
     
  I  would like to contact Geoffrey Cassell but the email address I have for you no longer works.  Please contact me at: Charles@charleslyonhart.com . Thanks!  
     
   
     

My good friend Ritchie Cordell passed over last night and I am so very saddened at having lost such a good friend. It was only a few short weeks ago that Ritchie told me of his illness and his passing was quick.  Ritchie and I co-wrote several albums worth of material and he produced a version of "Senorita Dance" a few years back.  Ritchie will live eternally in our hearts and through his wonderful music.
     
   
     
  Charles Lyonhart's 2002  
  Holiday Message  
   
     
    I would like to thank Joey Reynolds for continuing to play the new theme song that I wrote for him.  Driving home from the Dylan show last night I turned to WOR 710 on my dial and lo and behold, I heard the song.  I also listened to a very interesting show. I urge everyone to tune in to WOR 710 and listen to my pal Joey!  
  Charles Lyonhart, Nov. 13, 2002  
   
     
       I was very sorry to have heard the news that Warren Zevon has been diagnosed with untreatable lung cancer that has spread throughout his body. Warren has been a very big influence on my career and I have been an avid fan of his work from the beginning. He is taking this whole thing rather well, as only Warren Zevon could. I wish that Warren had all the time in the world left. We all spend our days killing time and in the end time kills us. Time will not however kill Warren's body of work that will be with us for many years to come. If you are not a listener of Warren's work please check him out.  If you know Warren's music, go back and listen again. His songs remain in a class by themselves. I am hoping that he beats the big C and is with us for many years to come. "An Excitable Boy", they all said.  
  Charles Lyonhart  
   
     
       I am deeply saddened by the tragedies that occurred on Sept. 11 in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones and all those involved with the relief effort. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of any of my CD's will be donated to the: Robin Hood Relief Fund  
       Every time I look up and see that the Twin Towers are gone, I realize just how real this is and that life as we knew it will never be the same for any of us. This is something that I never thought would or could happen in our lifetime.  
       If there is one thing to learn from this horrendous event, it is that we should live our lives to the fullest each day and live every single day as if it were our last. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what really matters here.  
  Charles Lyonhart  
   
     
 
Joy, Larry, Jo and Charles in Philadelphia Nov. 17 200l
 
Saint Cecilia
The patron Saint of composers, martyrs, music, musicians, musical instrument makers, poets and singers.
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