Mark Monogue - The Piano Man

A few weeks ago I found out a guy I sort of grew up with was gone. It wasn't something I expected, although I'd heard from family he'd had it rough after high school. He'd turned to some vices I'm sure some are familiar with. However, he had one of the most amazing families I knew - two sisters and a brother, great parents. He also had a child and a girlfriend. They had their problems. No one's perfect. People get frustrated, angry, depressed. I didn't know Mark during this time of his life.

I knew him as the piano man. My clearest memory of Mark is at an annual camping trip. I don't have any siblings so I grew up tagging along with my cousins and every summer we went on this ridiculous camping trip with at least two other families. It was great fun. In the photo below I'm the one in that hideous green shirt in the middle - Mark is in front of me, wearing the Pink Floyd t-shirt and the red hat. He was obviously smarter than I was.


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I remember Mark as the piano man because one of the things we used to do was lip-sync to our favorite songs. I remember being enthralled with the way Mark "played harmonica" as Billy Joel blasted from the boom box. I 100% blame Mark for my love of Billy Joel - and especially for my love of that particular song. I can't help but smile and feel happy when I hear it. Mostly because I picture Mark in my head. A 16 or 17-year-old kid, pretending to play piano and harmonica in front of his family and friends. It was damn fun. I also fault Mark for my love of Steve Miller. I remember him choosing "The Joker" as another one of his masterpieces as we sat tent-side. We all sang along after the 50th time it played on the tape deck.

Mark changed the way I looked at music. I don't know that I'd heard Steve Miller or Billy Joel before these camping trips, but I clearly remember going home and buying a Steve Miller cassette because of it - or hearing Billy Joel on the radio and freaking out. That was Mark's doing. It influenced what station I listed to (KQ back then) and steered me away from the Top 40 - which looking back was a huge favor. I don't listen to much Steve Miller or Billy Joel anymore, but I still own their CDs and vinyl.

Some people come into your life for a reason. That reason may seem silly at the time and it usually doesn't sink in until something tragic happens. I hadn't seen Mark in a long time before he chose to take his life. I wish I had. He's forever ingrained in my memory and I thank him for what he did for me. Partially because of what he did, I am fully immersed in music. It plays 24/7 either out loud or in my head. Mark is and was part of that. I'll miss him.

Billy Joel - Piano man
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