I think Nick was beyond this world in his talent, his intellect, and his ability to see things that none of us of normal folks could. I remember talking about books, movies, music, but more importantly, what it meant to be human.

Women liked him, he had a distinctive sense of style, he was smart, and he wasn’t vain. He was your friend. He was always your friend.

Nick would bring in new songs and we would rehearse them for three hours. We could play the SHIT out of them! He didn’t just write lyrics. He wrote poetry interwoven with music.

Early ’85 Nick and I met at the White Horse. Just me and him. We had a beer and he said, ‘I wanna join,’ and I was like, ‘Welcome aboard, Buddy!’ I remember walking out of the bar feeling like I’d just been signed to SONY Records, thinking, ‘HOLY SHIT, Nick is gonna join my band?!’

All of Nick’s advance billing, the huge build up of expectations, it was all correct, absolutely—as a guitarist and as a songwriter. One of the things that didn’t come up as much though, was his voice and what a great singer he was. Jesus, he was a great singer.

Nick’s music never fit neatly or comfortably into just one category. It had the natural ability to reflect the many facets of the artist, himself, always reaching toward something just out of view.

Nick was into digging deeper. That was something I learned from him about music—to dig deeper into a piece of music and not be impressed by the frosting on the cake. Songs that are done well have multiple layers, and you can peel them like an onion.

Nick and Bob Kimball had a magical chemistry in Weird Summer. When he sang with Bob it was like two lead singers, and you had this amazing three guitar onslaught. It was just incredible.

There were so many layers to his songs. His ability to sing lyrics that don’t rhyme and the pure confidence he would present them with was incredible.

When One Track Mind came out, I was just over-the-moon thrilled with it. He wasn’t a superstar in the rock and roll market. Whatever. That record fits squarely among the best work put out by Donovan, Elliot Smith, and Game Theory-era Scott Miller.

I went to two schools: University of Illinois and the University of Mabel’s. And Nick was the main attraction.

Nick's passions for music, poetry, literature, art and knowledge were intertwined within his personal goals of sharing community, kindness, love, beauty, enlightenment and empathy. Truth.

His guitar playing, of course, was seemingly effortless, organic, natural, and mesmerizing, be it electric, acoustic, jazz, rock, folk, you name it. He could do it all. I loved to just watch him play.

I always struggled to find the words to tell Nick how much his music meant to me in a way he would accept. Instead I decided I would just try to help facilitate whatever the B-Lovers wanted to do in any way I could. I guess I ended up starting two record labels to release Nick's music so there would at least be some artifacts.

His acoustic music was really wonderful, the way it would resonate, and his dexterity, it was just really remarkable. I was really, really lucky to have been able to play with him so long. I’m surrounded by Nick, is the way I see it, the way I feel it. I think about his smile and I’m surrounded by him.

I’d love for Nick’s stuff to be heard everywhere. There are so many great things in CU, but Nick was on another level. Something special, the one you really want to tell the world about.

You know, lots of musicians would be a SPONGE for any passing compliment but he never needed that, he always wanted to just do the thing, and maybe, you know, maybe that’s why he never made that jump to the next level, cause he was never about that. I mean, he was as close as you get to being a true artist.

For me there was a point where his guitar playing took a big leap. Here’s this guy that has a million great songs and all of a sudden he was playing guitar at a whole other level. I remember that evolution of his talents. He seemed fully formed as a songwriter, basically at the beginning.

I first met a young Nick with his group of music loving friends at Screams shows (1977-1978). They were all young, hip musicians who knew about all of the up and coming bands that were obscure at that time

I marveled at Nick’s knowledge, his patience, his talent, and his unassuming nature. I loved when he laughed. It signaled a connection in thought or of perception.