Jay W.

My parents introduced me to John’s music when I was 16 years old, coincidentally around the same time I got my first guitar. I spent months learning every song in his catalog that I could. John’s songs were the soundtrack my high school and college years. I finally got to see him live a few years later at Nightfall in Chattanooga (maybe 1991?). I sat front row and the stage manager invited me and a couple of friends back after the show to meet him. That was such a surreal moment to a 19 year old superfan. That that show and his kindness to us kids probably inspired me several years later to quit a “real” job and move to Nashville to work in music. I would always offer to buy him a Handsome Johnny when I would run into him at the Greenhouse and remind him of that impact that moment and his music had on my life. John was truly one of the most gifted but humble and kind geniuses I’ve met and I happily donated because I wanted to honor his memory and the mission of the Hello In There Foundation.