Anne Marie has left the stage.

She showed up at one of my gigs in the early years at Blue Chicago in the mid 90’s. Always sitting alone, stage right with a note pad in hand – writing stories and songs. Shortly after our first meeting she told me she liked to sing & perform and I would call her up to do a number or two. She was good. And she was a true free spirit, artistic, smart, beautiful, fashionable, so positive and so very funny. I loved her immediately. I saw her through her restaurant years, various apartments, Landmark and then the weird speech thing and then the diagnosis. We would drift in and out of being in close touch – my fault, my regret, my pain. But as always we came back to each other. Kindred spirits. She always lending a boost to my spirit. She left everyone with that impression: bright, full and joyful. She asked me to perform with my band at her KissMyALS party. It made me so happy to see all of the love and support she had. I tried not to think of what the future held for her condition. She came to see me at the Drake Hotel over the summer. Again, sitting alone with a notepad in hand to speak her words. It meant so much to me. I held her hand and she smiled at me dabbing the side of her mouth – that sparkle in her eye, that shine in her smile, that lovely hair and a kickass outfit.

She walked with a fashionable cane. In life she made lemonade. I am heartbroken, I weep for our collective loss. O Death. Oh, lovely, vivacious Anne Marie. We miss you. I will never forget you.