Happy Thanksgiving

We celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation today. These are difficult times. That fact alone makes me inclined to find and focus on things I am thankful for today.

I regret not knowing until this year that for many Native Americans this is a national day of mourning. Tomorrow, “Black Friday”, is Native American Heritage Day. As a nation of immigrants we need to at least be aware of the multitude of places our country came from.

Mike McCoy and I have been singing together for more than 50 years. We will share a meal on the Monday after Thanksgiving for the 23rd year in a row. We will remember the year that is behind us, and the one that lies ahead. The tradition comes out of a very dark time. During the hardest times we are not alone. That is something to be very thankful for.

In the introduction to the song, Thankful, I talk about how Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as a time for the nation to celebrate together. FDR changed it to the 4th Thursday of November. For a while the 4th Thursday of November was known as the Democrats’ Thanksgiving and the 5th Thursday as the Republicans’.

Happy Thanksgiving, EVERYONE.