Enjoyable Saturday listening with Will to his latest mixing of several of his songs in Nashville: four covers and one original song, including Black Hole Sun, All Apologies, and others. Then we had brunch at Apres, and visited a Tennis shop to check out tennis shoes and rackets. All in All, a rewarding day for us.
Will Thigpen,
Tybee Island
Will and I have shared a personal friendship for 15 years. Our friendship took root two years after his graduation in the spring of 2010 and after his experience at LaGrange College. He was the best philosophy student I taught at BFA. Darryl and I attended his many musical performances in Atlanta: see the photos of these posted here. We have traveled together several times: Lookout Mountain and Cloudland Canyon, New Orleans, New York and Brooklyn, Miami Beach, Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast, Charlotte, Savannah repeatedly, as well as Asheville. Will has hiked with me in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the Graveyard Fields and Waterfall where My Mom's and Darryl's ashes are.
Will observes Allen Ginsberg
High Museum of Art
Our friendship began when Will asked me if I thought he should read =On the Road= by Jack Kerouac. Telling him a little about the main characters and their story, seeing his reaction, the answer was clearly yes. It was not long before he was quoting the famous:
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
Will came often to Darryl's and my Townhouse. Here he is at Christmas, giving us a performance. He always struck me as a natural for the stage and for singing. He's a natural entertainer, writing his own songs and music.
We three shared a love for Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Rufus Wainwright, Dead Can Dance, and many others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7VYIVboWNA
In the early days of our friendship, Will and I performed at coffee houses in Atlanta: Will singing and playing guitar; I, reading my poetry. We made a wonderful group of friends who also performed. They made a film in which Darryl was one of the stars. They also had parties which Will and I enjoyed, often until 3 or 4 in the morning. Over the years our relationship became close and intimate.
Katie and Will
with Tiramisu
Irene's
A Beignet at
Cafe Du Monde
Fabulous dinner
Galatoires-- on our second trip to New Orleans
After a swim at Tybee
Will entertained fellow travelers.
Joe and Will
Coco's Sunset Grill, Tybee
Will at Graveyard Fields,
Blue Ridge Parkway
Sold out performance, Charlotte, NC
Greenwich Village
Will has met and spent time with almost every one of my friends: the Killians, Starr, Maggie & Jocelin, Joe, Katie, Wolfgang & Sebastian, of course, my brother many times. Will has moved to live and make music in Asheville; but is in Atlanta often. He was here when Darryl suddenly became ill and had to go to the hospital. When Darryl died; when Katie died, when Lee died all in 2025, Will was there. First among all my friends he was there repeatedly when I needed him. No one has given me more comfort and love over the past year and a half. He joined my brother and Steve Killian the past two summers to remember and honor Darryl in Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Will at the Summit
Blackrock Mountain
State Park
Will performs in our room.
Malaprops Bookstore, Asheville
Tongue in Savannah
Besides spending time together in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at Cabin Six at Blackrock, The Pisgah Inn, and the culinary delights of the area, besides many stays together in Asheville, we are now planning to travel to Japan for a month in the Winter and Spring of 2027.
