Background Notes:

As far as anyone knows, If I Go was the last song Lonnie ever wrote. According to at least two reliable sources, the song was performed once at a Lonnie and Reid Papke gig, but the only documentation was a lyric sheet, a video selfie of Lonnie humming the melody to the chorus accompanied by his guitar and a first-draft audio clip of Lonnie singing the chorus (Included below).

Patti hoped to see this gift to her from Lonnie come to final fruition. She asked Richard Grossman, a long-time friend and musical collaborator of Lonnie’s, to take a stab at constructing a completed song working with the three ‘clues’ Lonnie had left behind.

Knowing he couldn’t carry Lonnie’s case when it comes to the guitar, Richard focused on the piano as the primary accompaniment to the chorus melody. As for the verses, not having any specific guidance from Lonnie or not knowing what he had originally written in terms of the music, Richard came up with the chord changes and melody for the verses on mostly blind faith, but also by trying to channel Lonnie through meditation. There was encouragement from Reid Pakpe, Dale Strength and Madeleine Hart in their validation that Lonnie would have been pleased with the results. But the greatest validation came from Lonnie himself, who, in a dream, paid a visit to Richard encircled in radiant light with a warm smile, assuring him he approved of the final version.

A very special thank you goes out to Dale and Reid for sharing their talents so freely and with such heart and soulfulness to this project. Patti was truly surprised when she first heard it. The tears flowed freely as one would expect. The entire experience was quite surreal, yet extremely rewarding.