Thanks Nick

Nick Drake (www.myspace.com/nickdrake)

On this Thanksgiving eve, I thought I’d take a moment to express my gratitude for the music of Nick Drake. Nick passed away 35 years ago today, leaving behind three stellar albums and dozens of home-recorded songs.

That old cliche about music changing the world can get, well, old. However, I do believe music can bring a sense of peace, a feeling of being right with the world, even if it’s only for the span of a few verses and a chorus. Nick’s music has done that for me in the 12 short years since I discovered Five Leaves Left. I would dare say that I’ve listened to Nick’s albums more than many people listen to music. It has been my soundtrack to good times and bad, always a solid ally on long road trips, a perennial favorite on the iPod.

Nick never sold more than a few thousand copies of his albums during his lifetime. Outside of the music cognoscenti, no one really knew who he was after he passed away in 1974. Re-releases in the early 1990s sold several thousand more copies, but did little to bring the recognition he so long deserved. Then, in 1999, “Pink Moon,” the title track from his third and last album, was featured in a TV ad for Volkswagen. Everything changed after that.

And so, Nick, I lift a toast to you on this sad anniversary. You’d be proud to know that, according to Nielsen SoundScan, you’ve sold nearly 1.1 million albums and 433,000 digital tracks to date since 1991. Your music is more necessary than ever. Time has told me you’re a rare, rare find.