Wendell Holmes, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and songwriter of the critically acclaimed soul/blues band The Holmes Brothers, penned an open letter to his friends and fans as he entered hospice care. Wendell recently retired from touring when he was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. Holmes Brothers drummer Willie “Popsy” Dixon died on January 9, 2015 of complications from cancer.

Text of the letter in full:

As I write this letter, I am preparing to go home on hospice care. One benefit of hospice is the time it allows you to say some of the things you want to say to those you love and care about. I’m grateful for the opportunity to say “thanks” to many friends for your many expressions of love to me and my wife Barbara.

Thank you for being my friends in life. You’ve shown me how you care through your many cards, letters, phone calls, home and hospital visits, on line acknowledgements, and more importantly, your prayers. Please know that it is greatly appreciated and I am awed by it all. It means a lot to me.

It was Abraham Lincoln who said that “the world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but will never forget what they did here.” Of course, I’m no Lincoln, but I believe there’s an element of truth there, and I do hope my music, whether some song I wrote, sang or maybe some notes I played, will leave a lasting impression.

You know that it is my custom to tell everyone who will listen…”don’t go it alone,” and I can tell you that it’s been by God’s amazing grace that I have had a truly enjoyable journey. It’s been a great ride and my thanks to you for making it so.

I love you, and may God bless you all!

Wendell Holmes

P.S. Thanks too as you continue to support, enjoy and appreciate the gifts in my big brother Sherman as he carries on The Holmes Brothers legacy with his own Sherman Holmes Project along with Brooks Long and Eric Kennedy

More on Wendell Holmes on Alligator Records