I loved them growing up... I always wondered if I could meet Superman what I'd say to him. Maybe I'd ask for some of his power. I'd love to be strong like him... to fly... X-ray vision. But I never got to meet Superman and with age, the thought eventually left me...
Until the summer of 2016.
I was headed to the UK for some shows. My boy, Luke Edwards, threw out an idea. He skimmed across the story of a boy who had suffered with a debilitating disease. His family needed help in raising some awareness and money for his medical bills. He asked if I'd consider writing a song about it...
"A song?"
I wasn't sure about it. I'd never done anything like that and I didn't know these people from Adam. There are so many children going through various things in my own country. I hadn't done anything like that for them. Plus, I wouldn't wanna make this in any way about me, so how could I help from behind the scenes? Was there any way other than a song? A couple weeks later, I was in England and had forgotten about this conversation... Then Luke reminded me.
He showed me a video of Master Taylor Lewis Marshall in all his glory. I watched the happiest little boy with the biggest smile laugh and play as toddlers do. But Taylor had lost all of his fingers and thumbs, one of his legs, and his other foot. It shook me up. I immediately thought of my sons. I'd had some nights in the hospital with them. By the grace of God, they had come through just fine, but I remembered how helpless I felt. I immediately told Luke I wanted to meet Taylor. As a dad, it touched me more to see him. Luke's idea started taking on a different place in my head. I thought about it constantly.
When I met Taylor, he was smiling with these huge blue eyes. It was infectious. I started smiling, too. I remember humming "Keep on smiling" and "In your eyes I see..." in various melodies until his mom, Terri, told me the tale of what had happened. I went from creative mode to absolute shock. He literally just took sick one day. She had no idea how much danger he was in. Taylor was 8 months old and was placed in a medically induced coma. Terri was told he only had hours to live and to say her goodbyes. Taylor had contracted Meningococcal Septicemia (Type W Meningitis) which caused his kidneys to fail and his liver to suffer permanent damage. If he made it, he'd be on antibiotics for the rest of his life. Taylor spent 7 months in the hospital and fought through 46 operations.
Today, he is still fighting... and smiling.
I'd like to fight with him.
Taylor made me take a long look at Terrance. Terrance is spoiled. Terrance complains about very small problems. Terrance has all of his fingers and toes and for some silly reason doesn't wanna smile some days. Well damn that. No more. The biggest lesson I've learned came from a 2 year old. He showed me, without trying, how blessed we are to experience life. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful becomes our story. This little guy has seen a lot of bad and ugly. He's come through it with a smile. I wanna deliver some good and beautiful...
Luke was right. What am I best at? What could I do to help this family? So I wrote a song... Taylor's Song.
We shot the video together. I've given half of the publishing to him so when you buy the song, his family will receive those proceeds and it will pay forever. The world will decide how much. Taylor will need prosthetics and more operations to grow up healthy and happy. If you want to donate to Taylor's family above and beyond the purchase of the song, please visit www.TaylorsSong.com.
This project is dear to me. My Maker has instructed me to use my gift to change lives... To touch people. I've done music for fun. I've done music for money. I've done music to make a statement. This is music created to affect a child's quality of life.
Taylor is fighting and winning, but the scars from this battle will be with him forever.
In one of the most divided, frightening, and uncertain times I can remember, the best thing we can do is help somebody. I wanna help Taylor Marshall. He gave me some of his power. He's made me stronger. He's given me X-Ray vision... If this project helps him get a new leg, I'll be FLYING...
I finally met Superman.
The song is available to purchase on iTunes now. Or give it a listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.