I found out today that my long time beloved car is dying. Her trip to the mechanic this week would turn out to be her last. She was my first car, and we’ve had some great memories on the road together, but it’s time for us to finally part ways and say our goodbyes. I wanted to write a diggin’ on a Music Maker artist that also had a special relationship with their car. I chose Adolphus Bell, “the One Man Band,” who began touring the country in a van he bought with lottery winnings. He had painted “One Man Band” on both sides to advertise his music to others while on the road. This advertising helped Tim spot Adolphus driving on the highway back in 2004. Although on the opposite side of the road, Tim saw the van long enough to later track down Adolphus’s number and bring him on board to partner with Music Maker. I never got a chance to meet Adolphus, but I’ve heard amazing things about him and have also really enjoyed hearing more of his music recently.

The song “Hurt Before You Heal” was a natural choice after receiving the news about my car today. It might sound silly feeling sad about losing my first car, but to me it feels like saying good bye to a close friend. We’ve been through a lot together. I’d like to think that this song would help anyone going through a tough time with loss, especially if it’s something more serious than just a dying car. It’s a beautiful song, and it’s amazing to listen to “The One Man Band” perform with all these instruments together on his own.

– Berk