The more I look over all the songs that i have written over the last twenty- six years, the more I am grateful to the man who graces this page today. His name is Tim Doran and bar none other than my amazing mother and father, my immortal soul and good heart and talent there is no other gift from God that compares. My arranger and friend has taken faithfulness, dedication, and protection of me to levels few have ever attempted. We've been friends and partners in music since this day way back in 1990. Sixteen years! God does work in mysterious and wonderful ways. We had met because I needed an arranger to put my melodies and lyrics in coherent form and we were introduced by a guy who was my room mate at the time. Steve Hunt wasn't the best of singing teachers, but I will always be grateful to him for connecting me with this incredibly gifted musician. Of the six hundred songs that I've created or co-created half of them have been arranged by Tim Doran. At first, they were put on large music paper in pencil, (what a job that must have been) but later Tim got connected with a godsend: Finale computer publishing. What a great program! Now all of the songs and arrangements that he creates for me look published and truly professional. I wouldn't have known that today was the day we met except my ex-roommate and friend of many years ago found an old journal of mine that somehow had gotten mixed up with his personal things! He called me last night at 10pm of all things and asked if I still wanted it. I asked him what was in it. I had noted a Happy New Years Eve celebration. He send the move to Steve's house on January 13, 1990 was noted. He said I described an unpleasant encounter with a wannabee student arranger from Cal-State Fullerton on April 17th of the same year. It noted a joyous Easter that same year and one additional note: June 22nd 1990. It said I was introduced to a remarkable musician named Tim Doran. He was looking for work for the summer and an agreement was made. I will tell you without doubt that day was and will always be my red letter day. I had been through a difficult collaboration with a guy who was very talented, but could never finish anything on time. I simply and without doubt could never have been the songwriter I am today without Tim Doran. I have had no formal musical training. I write songs like Mel Brooks and Irving Berlin-- mostly by ear. Berlin could only play the black keys of the piano. Mel sings songs into a tape recorder. Tim has taught me more things about music and theory and structure than I could have learned from anybody else. I can not begin to tell him of my appreciation and gratitude to him for all of these years! Tim is loving, patient, and plays the piano like few can play it. I am the luckiest man in the world to have found the treasure of this sweet, kind and incredible individual. He has a heart like mine. There's a song in Stephen Scwartz's "THE WICKED" called "For Good" It tells that sometimes people come into our lives very unpredictably and very suddenly: when we least expect it! We are never the same afterwards because they have changed us: we are now stronger; we are more confident; we are kinder to others around us and most important "we've been changed for good" I am proud to now be partnered with this incredibly gifted and kind hearted man. We have written "The Traveling Companion" together and I hope a lot more. Sixteen years is a grand collaboration. Now we simply have to make our mark in the world together. Today also marks the 20th anniversary of the arrival of "Godspell" on Broadway after playing 2,124 performances Off Broadway. Stephen Scwartz is a kind and wonderfully helpful writer. So after Pippin in 1971, this marks Stephen's 35 anniversary on Broadway. I can only hope that Tim and I go the distance as he has. It's never too late. The great director Geore Abbott directed shows past 100 years of age. In the very words of one of our songs from "The Traveling Companion" "impossible is plausible; you can be unstoppable I feel" So thank you, Tim and Happy Anniversary!