The first popular record that I remember buying was "Rebel Rouser" by Duane Eddy. The year was 1958. Since that time I've had a special place in my heart for songwriters and guitar players.

I've also always had a special place in my heart for magic moments. Sports. Theater. Childbirth. Great meals. You name it. When a magic moment happens, my heart grows warm.

It happened last Saturday night.

As Abraham Lincoln said as he gazed out on the battlefield at Gettysburg: "The world will little note nor long remember ..." That was last Saturday.

First of all, candor.

John Sieger is married to my niece, Linsey. I suppose that makes me and John some kind of shirt-tail relatives, but I don't know what you'd call it. But he's a member of my family. I've played with him on stage. My admiration for his musicianship is unbounded.

Last Saturday at Shank Hall there was a CD release party for John's band, the Subcontinentals. It was a normal CD release party, good music, some talking in the crowd, a few people dancing. Then it happened.

It started with four words, music coming on in the fourth. "I got to laugh ..." The song title is "I've Got To Laugh (To Keep From Crying)." It's just what it says. Sad and slow. Real slow. And real sad. About love and how tough it is to be in love and be out of love and wonder about love and talk with your friends about love. A love song. But so much more.

First of all there was a confluence and rawness of John's voice with Kelli Gonzalez, the girl singer in the band. If you didn't know better you'd think this was their life story. When you hear "I can't win your love" and "I got no pride, I got no shame" you know all you need to know about how love is a contest that isn't all that easy.

The thing that really set this song apart is the guitar work. John plays guitar the way it ought to be played. No more, no less. There are no extra notes or chords. It's not missing any notes or chords. The hair on the back of your neck stands on end, as the music pauses in a white space somewhere and you lean forward, holding your breath and waiting for the next note.
Just as you're about to fall off your barstool, it comes, saving you a terrible fall.

Great guitar players know that the guitar is a slave to the song, not the other way around. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton in his quieter songs, know the value of no sound at all. Sieger understands that as well.

When the WAMI people begin to think about the Song of the Year, they need to hear this one, and then they need to say "thanks, but no thanks" to all the other entrants. It's that good.

Just so we're clear here. I don't love all of John's music. Some songs are clearly better than others. I'm not a slave to his stuff.

But this song is up there in the ether.