Dear Dana Key's Family... I Have Learned of Your Loss

Today is the day of Dana Key's memorial service, a service held at The Love of Christ (TLC) Church in Cordova, TN, where Dana had served as the senior pastor. Though I never had the opportunity to speak directly with him or hear him speak at TLC Church, I have loved and come to know this brother in Christ through the medium of his music and life.

One could argue that you can't really know someone through just their creative efforts. To a point I'd agree with them. Still, through the years and the many albums of DeGarmo and Key (17, to be precise) along with Dana's solo work, I've gotten a sense of what moves this man's soul. Since the news of his death this past Sunday, one song of his continues to replay in my heart; I've found myself playing it every day this week. It comes from Dana's solo album, Part of the Mystery.

The song? "Dear Mr. Clapton".

Dear Mr. Clapton is a fan's song, with a heartfelt message. I don't know if Dana ever got the opportunity to meet Eric Clapton, but his heart for the man, in the midst of the tragic loss of Clapton's son, has spoken to me throughout the years. Dana's song surprises me. After all, how many people do you know that go out of their way to reach out to a hurting soul in the midst of grief? I don't know a whole lot. But Dana did.

You can't just read the lyrics to this song. No. To really get the emotion behind the message, you're going to need to hear it. A video of the song from Forefront music can be heard up on YouTube (Click here to hear "Dear Mr. Clapton" by Dana Key)

Dear Mr. Clapton
by Dana Key

Dear Mr. Clapton,
I have learned of your loss.
Tears in heaven...
It's a beautiful song.

I know your bleeding
Won't cease with my words.
They're just a cool drink
To help you along.

Through Saturdays with no noise,
Baseballs and untouched toys.
They leave an empty feeling in your soul.

He is in Heaven's care.
There are no tears up there, cause,
Jesus loves children more than we will ever know.
He loves those children more than we will ever know.

Dear Mr. Clapton,
You are not without hope.
The door to Heaven
lies beyond the grave

If you would only
believe as a child,
someday this pain
will be washed away.

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Back in 1997 I had the pleasure of submitting questions for a Dana Key interview by Brian Jarrett of Tennessee (Click here to read the entire interview). Take a look at this excerpt:

Dana Key: The one song that has generated more fan letters than any I've ever written is 'Dear Mr. Clapton' off of my last solo album. I think it's because it's such a weird song about such a weird subject and it touches so many people in a personal way that it causes you to want to go write me a letter ... I guess, because it's such a compelling subject ... the death of Eric Clapton's son, and basically the song is my fan letter to Mr. Clapton, explaining to him that there will not be 'tears in heaven' according to Revelations.

Brian Jarrett: Has he heard the song?

Dana Key: I sent him a video as well as a CD about 6 months ago to London by way of Los Angeles, his management company, but I have not heard back.

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Know what immediately speaks to me? Dana's compassion. To take the time to reach out to someone -whether they be rich or poor, famous or not - is an act well worth emulating.

From his music and life, Dana Key taught me to love God and to reach out to those hurting. All during this week I've found my heart hurting for Dana's wife and children.

How do I reach out to a family so far away? That I've never met?

I've been praying.

... praying that our Great God will bring His peace and comfort into their midst. That when the time is right, that He will be the one to wipe away their tears. Dana may be gone from this world, but he lives on in the next. I want God to remind them that the door to Heaven lies beyond the grave.

Until they are all reunited -- Jesus, be the One who is the cool drink, to help them along.

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Dear Dana Key's Family...

I have learned of your loss...