Neil Peart Tribute

My inspiration for starting this blog, and the best drummer to ever grace our planet, passed away a little over a year ago after a 3 ½ year battle with brain cancer diagnosed shortly after he retired from Rush. The anniversary of his passing got me thinking about all those I have heard about who either passed away or encountered tragedy in one form or another right after retiring. All they had worked for all their lives pulled out from under them and their families too soon.

Neil Peart’s entire life was a quest – to learn, to grow, to continuously improve his drumming (taking lessons and changing his style even after becoming the best drummer in the world!), and to find peace and contentment in life. One of his quests was to “read every great book ever written” and he got to many of them, with a book always at his side. Those great books inspired a lot of the lyrics to Rush songs, giving us a glimpse of world literature without a lot of listeners knowing it.

He was real – no pretense from Mr. Peart, and no patience for it. He held many roles - drummer, musician, lyricist, friend, father, husband, adventurer, mentor, and example (greatest drummer in the world always trying to be better, playing through adversity) and approached all of them the same way, fully committed to being the best he could be. He was, and still is, an inspiration to many aspiring and successful drummers and at least one writer (that would be me). The writing style he used in his travel journal books captivated me with its natural flow of thought, like reading a letter from a friend describing his day of travel.

We can take a lot of lessons from Neil Peart and the way he lived his life, the way he bounced back from losing his daughter and wife in the same year, the way he dedicated himself to constant learning and growth, and the way he stayed true to himself.

Live your life to your fullest. Life is more important than possessions, so keep your priorities straight and be true to yourself and your family, and create a legacy you can be proud of. Neil did.