Purpleheart

Purpleheart- Jackson & the Immortals
Written by: Dan Stanton 2018
Cover Art: Ken Jacobs (Smokey Joe)
For my friends- In memory of Mikie Lee Prasad, Steve Gannon and Vivian Dronet

Dan Stanton- Bass
Dave Bell- Guitar
J. Hansen-Drums

The tune is named Purpleheart for Mikie, Steve and Viv… some of the best of all of us. Steve and Mikie were mentors, brothers, friends who I had the privilege to make a ton of music with. They both inspired me to do my own thing, find my own path as a musician. Even though they were a generation apart, Steve being the mentor and elder statesman and Mikie being the brother, both passed away from cancer in the span of a year. I never heard either complain of their illness as things progressed and both played as long as they could. For that I give them a Purple Heart! A medal for true bravery. Vivian was a beautiful, intelligent woman and Steve’s soulmate who also passed this October. I remember pulling up to her house for the first time and you know what color it was? Purple!
I’ve found as I get older I strive to play strictly with emotion when I solo, I try not to think of notes or patterns as I once did when I was young. I want to play straight from the heart, whatever color it may be.
Recording Notes: This song was recorded much in the style that Mikie used for many of his records, recording at home on rustic gear. I recorded the bass parts at home, took them over to J. Hansen’s house to overdub drums. We used 3 mics and imitated the Glynn Johns method. From there I took it Dave’s studio where he recorded the beautiful acoustic guitar and we mixed it. Family style is how it happened… as it should have.