I'd had many lunches with Joan Baez circa 93-96, Palo alto. Her idea. when the Highwayman Tour (Willie, Waylon, Johnny Cash, Kristofferson) came through Mountainview California, I went to record and interview with Kristofferson. Standing at the back gate, while passing my request to the road crew, Johnny Cash's bus pulled up. He and June Carter looked like anxious tourists, near the front . I waved, he waved back. I stepped aside, let the bus go by, because force never works... then comes Joan walking up with a huge boquet of flowers for Kris. She laughed, and I told her I'd calaled Willie Town down south and was waiting... they opened the gate and I respectfully hugged her knwoing I may not see her backstage. My friend Jean Michel was being very patient with me, waiting with me... then, a few minutes later, all the gates opened for us. I will never forget looking Johnny in th eeye and shaking his hand backstage, thanking him and June Carter for their life-long gifts.... I'd already thanked Joan , in person, over lunch many times. I'd learned from the inside out, that what they did was pure sacrifice, in many ways. And later, I got to thank Kristofferson. While he was in the john, on his bus, I confess... I stole one of his guitar picks... I know he noticed it... but he never busted me. He and Joan, and Mimi (her sister, God rest her soul... she founded bread and roses... passed away of breast cancer in in 2000, I think... while I am at it, I hope Johnny, June, Waylon are all at peace... they all made my world a better place with their talent). Anyway... Joan was dancing in Joy, as you see here. And , as you also see, she was happy to share it. Thanks Joan! The last time I saw her, crossing the Alley towards Country Sun foods, she asked me "where have you been?" . It was the week that both Mother Theresa and Princess Diana had passed away. I answered; "Joan, I have been everywhere, and nowhere"... she said... "I know what you mean, I know what you mean"... actually, I did see her at the Stanford Pow Wow with her mother. I have already shown that I consider these folks to have sacrificed a lot , especially their privacy to create something better for us. I don't take up their time trying to get them to listen or to view my own work. I give them some of my artifacts as gifts... and that's for them to re-frame, if they choose, not to get me anywhere. They have enough responsibilites trying to stay humanin this insane world. The last time I saw Johnny, he performed at the Frost Amphitheater on Stanford Campus. I knew he was facing something huge, I sensed it. I feel very, very , very moved by the way he laid his whole life open for us all... it's a tribute to his friends, these folks Imentioned, that he finished with honesty.... Contrary to what he said via that video and song "hurt", when I looked him in the eyes that day when this photo was taken, I saw a deep human presence of compassion inside him. the suggestion that he had lost a part of himself by embracing fame was his own illusion, and maybe there was a part he could have given beyond what he did... on the other hand, I think it is "par for the course", for a certain style of human to always wonder... "did I really do enough?"