I just heard tonight that Sharon Sheeley just died.

I'm left here feeling stunned, and not a little bit guilt-ridden. You see, the last time I'd heard from Sharon, it didn't go well. Funny thing is, I can't really remember what we were arguing about… all I know now is that it wasn't important to me at the time. Whatever it was then, I'm sorry now.

Sharon knew my father. She was a little girl new to Hollywood who wanted to be a songwriter one day. She was enterprising too… In 1959, she even staged an automobile breakdown in front of my Pop's house so she could meet him and pitch him a song that she'd just written (later, she confided in me that it was the only song she'd ever written). Later, I listened to Sharon talk and talk about songwriting and her first hit's impact on the songwriting world (the song was 'Poor Little Fool'… which went number one with Ricky Nelson singing it in 1960 I believe). The story was great. My Pop had just come home after a long day working on the set of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet when a young Ms. Sheely approached him and asked him if he could help her with her car. My father, always the gracious one, invited her inside so she could use the telephone. (The fact that Sharon thought my Pop never figured out that the whole thing was staged is really cute to me… especially due to the fact that the Nelson house was on a very obscure side street called Camino Palmero and was at the end of a cul-de-sac).

Anyways, as the story goes they both went inside and talked in the kitchen while they waited for a tow truck. At this time Ricky Nelson was the biggest recording star on the planet… Elvis had just gone in to the army, and my Pop had completely taken over the airwaves. So, armed with big brass ones, Sharon casually told my Pop about a song that she'd written for Elvis (she hadn't) that he had on hold to record (he didn't). Naturally, Pop wanted to hear the tune… and that was the story of how 'Poor Little Fool' came to be. It was a wonderful marriage of a writer, a song, and an artist. The thing I love most about that song is the fact that it does not have a chorus. Check it out. Some folks at the time thought that it was an extremely avant-garde take at writing a song. Frankly, Sharon didn't know what she was doing yet- which was wonderful, because it just came from her heart. Whether or not it was a miracle, or a happy accident, or whatever… what it was NOT was dumb luck.

I just read Sharon's obituary on AOL, and I personally thought that it did her a disservice. It spoke about her association with Rick Nelson… then about what most people referred to when they spoke about her: 'She was (rockabilly legend) Eddie Cochran's girlfriend'. A three-paragraph obituary on AOL- where literally billions of people could read it- and it had more print dedicated to people other than Sharon who certainly didn't need any more press. Sharon had seemingly spent her life supporting the stars in her life from behind the curtain. I think just once it's right for her to be given center stage and a follow spot. So, I just thought I'd take a quick moment to add a couple of thoughts of my own.

Sharon was a wonderful mother.

Sharon was an artist. She was a true fan and champion of Rock and Roll. She loved music. She always spoke her mind, wrote her heart, and shot from the hip. She was not only someone I looked up to and admired: she was worthy of being looked up to and being admired. Sharon had passion, creativity, imagination, ingenuity, and BALLS. Her getting a number one hit off of 'Poor Little Fool' is a testament to that… and something I and the entire Nelson family owes her thanks for. Thank you Sharon for inspiring me even now to live my dreams. To act 'as if'… to see the goal and soldier on as if it's already occurred… and in the meantime I'm just 'filling in the blanks and letting everyone else in on it'. Thank you for taking away any energy or mileage my lame excuses have afforded me up until now. Thank you for giving me a great example of the boundless lengths an artist must go in order to make their vision materialize. Thank you for being a mentor to me, even though you weren't aware of it. And thank you finally for showing me how precious friends are, how futile grudges are to maintain, and how fleeting one's opportunity to say they're sorry can be.

Via Con Dios, Sharon. Thank you for all you've done for me, my Pop, and the world through your heart and your art in your short time here. Say hello to all of our mutual friends for me… and know that you left the world a much better place for your having been here.

They've always said that heaven has one hell of a band.
But I just bet they've got much better songs to play now.

Rave On,
Gunn