dear damien.

please enjoy this brilliant letter that my beloved husband sent to one of our favorite artists, the one and only...damien jurado.

Hi Damien,

My wife and I were at the Musica show, in Akron, last week. She and I really enjoyed your set. We were talking about how we observe such a depth and soulfulness in you and your music. My wife has been through some difficult things in her life and she felt like she could really relate to the suffering and sorrow in some of your songs. Some memories of both the joyful and sorrowful times came to her mind as she was listening to your music.

She said that God used you to show her something last night. He used you to remind her that she doesn't have to smile all the time and that her outward expression of sorrow doesn't need to be hidden from the world.

I have also enjoyed your music over the years, as I've been listening to your work since 1996 or so. Your music is at once beautiful and grotesque, much like Flannery O'Connor's writing (one of my favorite authors). People feel your music when they listen to it. Your honesty and sincerity is something that I have personally valued.

So, for this and more, I wanted to thank you and encourage you, by letting you know that whether you see it or not, Jesus is working in you and through you; you are making an impact on people's lives just by being yourself.

P.S. I was the one that called out the request for "Ocean Shores '87".

Thank you!

With love not mine,
Jimmy Arcade
24.AUG.2009
3:08PM

Damien Jurado - sheets from Chelsea on Vimeo.