Older and wiser but no less passionate

Itās no reflection on his audience ā he āfeels blessed and privilegedā that they want to hear him sing and every concert is a mindful exercise in giving them his best. But home is where his heart is ā itās the safe base to which the 69-year-old can retreat, where he plays the guitar and piano every day and sings in his room. Itās where the dad of three adult children has the company of his wife, Valerie, who he describes as his ābest friendā and who has shared a deeply emotional journey with him over their 41 years of marriage. Home is also the base to which he retreated for two years when he had, in his own words, a breakdown at the age of 53. That was 11 years after his heart attack and nine after he became sober.
āDuring the period of the breakdown I lost the facility to go out, to communicate and I was convinced I wouldnāt be able to play again,ā he says.