Paying tribute to Rich Cavallaro, @Richcav, on this week's Mosen Explosion

Having taken a much-needed recharge day away from social media, it was only as I sat down to write a post about this week’s Mosen Explosion that I learned of the death of Rich Cavallaro due to complications relating to pneumonia. He was just 28. To say I’m numbed and shocked to the core doesn’t cover it.

The Mosen Explosion has been around so long now, that I, and many regular listeners, think of ourselves as kind of a family, keeping up with each other’s major milestones, ups and downs. In fact, Rich has been communicating with me on Internet radio since he was in his early teens, and would tune in regularly. Bonnie and I send our love and condolences to Rich’s family, and to all who are feeling his loss.

I’ll have much more to say about this remarkable, capable, generous young man on the show. As it happens, the show I had intended to present this week is one I know Rich would have made a special effort to hear, because he loved Billy Joel and Elton John. Sir Elton has just released an incredible compilation of his greatest, with crisp, fresh remastered recordings, that runs well over three hours. It’s remarkable how many great songs he and Bernie Taupin have done together, one of the most successful and enduring partnerships in music history. But in Rich’s honour, I’ve modified the show a bit to feature both of the piano men he particularly liked, Elton John and Billy Joel.

If you have songs you’d like to request, or memories you would like to share of Rich, you would be very welcome to be in touch.

Stay tuned right after Darren and before Steve for The Mosen Explosion, at 2 Pm Eastern, 7 PM UK, 8 AM in New Zealand, on Mushroom FM.