Vinyl Kings
“Smoke Rings for Renee”
From their new project, Big New Life
By Dale McCurry
January 29, 2023
The stimulus for “Smoke Rings,” written by Vinyl Kings’ founding member Jim Photoglo, was the passing of his bandmate Josh Leo’s wife, Renee LaRose Leo, “an artist and educator, who stepped off this mortal plane on January 29, 2021.”
Though separation and loss were the stimuli, “Smoke Rings for Renee” emerges as a stunning story of survival—a triumph of gratitude, perseverance, and joy. These are veteran songwriters first and foremost, and the song is the thing they turn to when life presents itself.
The result is a breezy, Harry Nilsson-paced, poetry-rich celebration of a life … and life itself.
~By Dale McCurry
Colors burst in summer skies
Sparkling in her laughing eyes
Captured in her loving heart
To be set free in living art
To see this world as Vincent saw
To live in love and light and awe
~from “Smoke Rings for Renee”
Video filmed and directed by Jim Shea
Learn more about the Vinyl Kings https://vinylkingsband.com/
Dale McCurry
Writer and Editor
Following years as a reporter and editor of a handful of weekly newspapers, Dale McCurry was co-founder and publisher, writer and managing editor of High Notes Magazine on the Western Slope of Colorado and The Wires and the Wood in his native Ozarks. Today, he wears all of those hats for NoteWorthy Music as well.
Contact: Dale@NoteWorthyMusic.org.
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