26/02/2026
Last Friday, I had the great privilege of meeting one of my musical heroes.
It was the most intimate gig I’ve ever been to and one of the most inspiring.
Barely 400 people in a room but all tuned in to his story and his music.
Last time out we’d seen him play to a few thousand but as I stood there in that room, I couldn’t help but think…
At the height of his career even here in the UK this place would have been too small. His passion. His voice. His connection with the audience wouldn’t have been lost in a much bigger venue.
But that’s where you need to take a step back and understand the significance of this moment…
At the height of his career he played:
Major stages and had the momentum and trajectory every artist dreams of.
And then his world was flipped upside down.
A brain bleed. A collapse on stage. The diagnosis that could have ended everything.
But what struck me most last Friday wasn’t what he lost. It was what he’d gained and it is what he was building now.
Because what I witnessed in that room wasn’t a man chasing the highs of the past. I saw a man building something deeper.
Fireside conversations.
Conversation at the heart of community.
Connection with people and family and above it all purpose.
It wasn’t just what he had to endure and overcome but it was how he came back with a grace, perspective and a love for others.
As I sat watching I felt a deep sense of relief. Not that my musical hero was still performing and creating new music but that he embodied what modern fatherhood is all about and what our children need to see.
He had the fight. He had the capacity to come back. He had the strength and power to build something bigger than himself. He has the love for those he loves. He’s willing to share his struggle. His time. His authenticity. His love.
We all want something…
Bigger income.
Bigger status.
Bigger impact.
But our kids don’t care about scale. They care about presence.
And that 400+ person room taught me something powerful about collapse, identity, resilience and what really matters as dads.
You may not listen to his music but I recommend you read the story.
