Christmas Tide is a time to cherish blessings.

It is also offers us a space to reflect on those, no longer with us through death or estrangement, with whom we once shared Christmas.

Still we can hold them dear in our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers.

Over the last few years we have lost many legendary musicians – Aretha Franklin, Tony Joe White, Hugh Masakela, Denise LaSalle, Otis Rush and Charles Aznavour immediately spring to my mind.

As I decided which musicians to feature under T for the Alphabet Series I thought at once of Tom Petty and his rousing Christmas Anthem, ‘Christmas All Over Again’.

It was with some sense of shock that I next realised that Tom Petty, so vital a musician and personality, had died shortly before Christmas 2017.

Here’s to you Tom – thanks for all the songs and all the singing.

We will all pass on like the melting snow.

Like melting snow.

Raise your voice alongside the cracked croon of Tom Waits and pray that all those we have lost sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Heavenly Peace.

The Alphabet Series continues on 17/19 and 21 December.

Don’t Miss One!