Note from Emerson:

Cheryl has written hundreds of lyrics for our music over the years. Out of that creative process, she spontaneously delivers phrases that surprise us both in terms of their ability to capture the essence of what we’re writing about—topics that are pivotal in our lives and therefore deeply emotional.

Cheryl and I have been together for 55 years as of this writing in 2026. The image above, of her harvesting olives captures her personality—thoughtful, generous and carefully attentive at every turn. You might say “Olive trees are worth the effort,” and so are “just the right words at the right time.” She is a sensitive soul with whom I’m grateful to share life. One of my most profound experiences has been the privilege of watching her write lyrics for our music. From my perspective, it’s nothing short of mysterious—hard to imagine for those of us who are lyrically challenged.

We begin our process with a meaningful experience coupled with the sounds of the guitar. She will lie down, close her eyes and from there, the words literally flow onto the page. What she writes is basically complete as delivered, in a relatively short time. I’ve never seen anything like it.  She has penned tens of thousands of words that never fail to convey the story, but also carry just the right poetry and emotion along with it. Needless to say, she is a miracle in my life, and I hope you find her words and messages as poignant and meaningful as I do.

The following quotes have been taken directly from her lyrics and then coupled with images to capture the essence of the story, mood or message. We hope you can find your own resonance with her heartfelt offerings.

Sincerely,
Em and Cheryl

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