My brother died Sunday from suicide; he took comfort in PJ's music in his last days. Thank you.

Sunday night, while in a hotel room in Chicago, between the two Wrigley shows (Monday was set to be my 100th show), my phone rings. My brother was found dead Sunday afternoon. I immediately got online and booked an early Monday flight to Dallas (where I live) and then once I landed I grabbed my things and drove to Memphis (where my family is). After I arrived, I was talking to my mom and she said, "your brother told me, "this isn't gonna happen, but if I die, there's a Pearl Jam song Long Road and I want it played at my funeral."" I was floored.

The next day she asked me if I would find an additional song to play at the funeral. I chose Given to Fly. Once I settled on that, I played it for her and when it hit the chorus she started crying and told me that after my brothers last overdose (sadly, just a week prior to his death - he was on a wait list for a rehab facility), he played GTF for her and told her that while he was in the hospital he played in bed and listened to that song for three or four hours straight through. Once she read the words, she said it made total sense, "a bad time nothing could save him...."

This Saturday, we are not having a sad funeral, but a celebration of a life cut short at 28, of a kid that absent the heroin, was a goddamn good kid. A kid that loved me and that I loved. A kid that shared my love for music. Long Road and Given To Fly will be the soundtrack for that celebration.

Thank you, Pearl Jam, for creating art that he took comfort in during his last days.