My father, Charles Snyder, passed away on Sunday August 7th, and was buried on Monday August 15th, yesterday, as of this post.

https://soundcloud.com/david-snyder-gigs3/song-for-my-father-shenandoah

I sang this song at his graveside service, a rendition of his favorite song Shenandoah, a song about the area of Virginia where he was born.

My first memory of life is a musical memory--I was about the age I am in this picture and my father was holding me in his lap singing this song, as he sat in a rocking chair and I looked at the beautiful tree outside the window. He had, and always had, the most beautiful tenor voice I have ever heard.

I remember thinking, "This is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. What a beautiful day. What a beautiful world."

Thanks for the gift of life Dad, thanks for the gift of music, and thanks for being my imaginative Dad, the best Dad a little imaginative boy could ever hope for.

It was pouring down rain while I was singing this song to him to say goodbye, so that is the noise you will hear in the background, but maybe that will add something to it. It often seems to start raining at the beginning of funerals, and ends when they are over, and no one knows why. Maybe God will tell me one day.

I just pressed record on my phone before I played this because I wanted to remember it, so don't expect Abbey Road. But I wanted to share this moment with my friends to remind us all of how important family is. Make every moment count. Every second.

Treasure and love everyone in your family while they are alive. It is the most important thing.

Shenandoah
(Traditional, arranged by David Snyder.)

David Snyder, vocals and guitar. The voice at the end is my Mom, my Dad's best friend for his whole life, and according to him, the best thing that ever happened to him. I guess a lot of guys, or at least the lucky ones, including me, have found someone like that, too.

Dedicated in loving memory to Charles Snyder, the man with the world's brightest twinkle in his eye from 1933 to 2022.

David Snyder
Songwriter/Renaissance Man
Studio + Fingers

https://davidsnydersongs.com/
https://spoti.fi/359Gigs
www.davidsnydermusic.com/
www.reverbnation.com/davidpsnyder
www.soundcloud.com/davidsnyderchannel
https://www.songtradr.com/user/profile/david.snyder