From A Blue Planet...

On His Business Acumen "Chuck Greenberg touched a lot of people both socially and in business with his music. We spoke daily about life, liberty and the pursuit of high record sales and critical acclaim. He was one person in the music business I wouldn't need a contract to work with." Brad Pressman, Sonic Images Records "Chuck was unbelievably kind and gracious to me during a period that was the low point of my career. There was no other artist who had the kind of personal sensitivity he had to me. I never felt I really earned the friendship he showed me but I certainly appreciated it. Knowing what a lovely person he was, I am sure he is surrounded by light."Danny Goldberg, record company executive "He was a great negotiator." Ned Hearn, attorney On His Friendship "He was someone that a lot of people called their best friend." Stu Nevitt, Shadowfax "A couple of years ago, Chuck called me and wondered if I could play on Shadowfax's latest CD. He knew how exciting it was for me, and he gave me that opportunity. He could have asked anybody, but he asked me because he knew what happiness it would bring. I wonder if he knew just how much happiness he gave to others?" Glenn Morrison, flugelhornist "I first met Chuck about a decade ago when he and the other members of Shadowfax bounded into my radio control room in Atlanta. I already knew that their music was totally unique and I was soon to find out how equally unique the music makers were as well. Chuck did most of the talking, and with the gleam of a Christmas elf in his eye, he drew me into the magic of his musical dreams. In the almost 25 years of my radio career I have met and interviewed hundreds of artists. I can count on one hand the number that I could call a true friend. Chuck was one of them. When I say Chuck was the kind of friend who would give you the shirt off his back, I mean it. I once admired a t-shirt he was wearing; he took it off and gave it to me on the spot." Russ Davis, CD101 "Chuck was something of a lightning rod for other people's momentary crises. He was a good listener but a better friend, in that he listened in a way that suggested that this momentary crisis was just that, momentary, and that what mattered was something else. We did not see each other that often, but when we did, there was always an instant and strong connection. And when for whatever reason I would count up those people that I cared for, trusted and felt pleased to share the planet with, Chuck's name and face and humor and resilience and somewhat rueful smile would come immediately to mind." Mark Bernstein, childhood friend "Chuck was always obsessing over something or another in his life, then you'd get to talking and suddenly he'd be giving you some insight into yours that helped you out." Bill Johnston, childhood friend On His Family "If Chuck could tell us now what he loved the most about his life, it would be his family. His love for Joy and the boys is legendary. I never once spoke with him without his mentioning them. I was forever receiving a picture commemorating the latest escapade of his wonderful clan. Word has it that my family was started in the room that Chuck used as his personal home studio. It's a magical place, that house in California!" Russ Davis, CD101 "I remember the day Chuck came over to my house and told me he had met a woman he liked a lot. He had a picture to show me of her (which is still in his wallet). I knew from the way he looked and talked about her that this was some special woman! Her name was Joy. He called her his 'Joy Girl' and chuckled the way only he could." Susan Harris, friend "What a special father. What was so special to me was Chuck's passion for his music and his incredible love of his family. I just wish I could have played in one of those Thanksgiving football games (the 'Turkey Bowls'). The Christmas cards were all about the boys and what precious children they are." Glenn Morrison, flugelhornist

On His Musicianship "He was the most serious of composers, but never seemed to take himself or the work too seriously. He was an innovator with his ground-breaking work with the lyricon and the hybrid of music he created fusing blues, jazz, rock and international influences, but at the same time he captured the essence of what it means to be a musician when he played. He was one person, one instrument, truly emoting." Russ Davis, music programmer "Before launching another tour in 1994, Chuck brought the band into a local music store for an afternoon concert. The stunning musicanship was shadowed only by his warm humor and animated rapport with the customers. It struck me then: it was obvious that the man was far greater than even his most brilliant music." Frank Warren, San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune "We received mail from all over the world from those who claimed his music had helped them through difficult times. Once a Cal Poly student came up to our son Maceo, who was wearing a Shadowfax t-shirt, and initiated a conversation with him, telling him how lucky Maceo was to have Chuck for a dad, and that Shadowfax's music had helped him greatly to overcome depression while his own parents were going through a divorce. There are so many instances of listeners who have remarked about how profoundly they were affected by Chuck's music, who played it during childbirth or other critical moments in their lives. There are some songs, like 'A Pause in the Rain,' that always made me cry, even before Chuck's passing." Joy Greenberg, Chuck's widow "One time Shadowfax was playing in Chicago. When Chuck went into a lyricon solo, the electronics failed on the instrument and he began blowing out the skankiest, weirdest, off-the-wall tweets and bleeps, playing some horny moose, cows- in-heat, wildcat-burning, fire-trucks-on-drugs impetuosity, and some guy in the front row went into ecstasy, thinking Chuck was blowing a solo so outside it would take the roof off the place. Afterwards, the man came up and couldn't stop telling Chuck what a powerhouse that solo was, like he was Ornette Coleman incarnate. Chuck got a big laugh out of someone thinking he was so brilliant. But the funny thing is, he was. His music had that glint of genius that soared past the usual, and touched a lot of people, people he never met, and that never met him." Bill Johnston, childhood friend "I never had the pleasure of actually meeting Chuck. But in a way I did through his music. I had the honor of visually interpreting two of Shadowfax's albums, Magic Theater and Live. Chuck's music touched me deeply, there is such soul in it. I shall play Shadowfax often so Chuck's soul and spirit may continue to live through it." Joel Nakamura, artist On His Humor "Chuck had the greatest sense of humor. He used to call us the 'wreckage of the psychedelic era.'" Phil Maggini, Shadowfax "Chuck came as an amazing Christmas tree one Halloween, complete with plug-in lights. Needless to say, he was the Smash of the Party." Nancy Kulp, longtime friend "Since Joy and Chuck were concerned that Chuck might be on the road during the the birth of their first child, they asked me to be Joy's childbirth partner too. One night when Chuck managed to attend a childbirth class with us, the teacher had us all lie on the floor to do some relaxation exercises. This was not all that easy since it was such a little room and with so many very large stomachs there was hardly any space to lie down much less relax. So the teacher gave us all these relaxation instructions and told us how to breathe slow and deep. The room got real still and quiet as she turned off the light, when all of a sudden Chuck said (with perfect timing), 'All right, everybody, GROUP GROPE!' It was the most fun we'd had in the whole time being there and it was just what the group needed. That laugh relaxed us more than any amount of deep breathing exercises could have." Dallas Westerfield, childhood friend "One of the first things Chuck said to me was, 'I'm never getting married and I'm never having children! Little Musician Killers' he called them. Suspecting otherwise, I replied, 'Well, if we ever do, they will all have red hair,' since we were both redheads. From then on he would tell everyone that he had been 'genetically selected for breeding purposes.'" Joy Greenberg, Chuck's widow

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"I'm going to miss you, Chuck. Like you always said, 'We went to different schools together.' I'm going to miss your round, red-haired head and your whole round self. Whether it was playing music, getting crazy, or making jam, as Miles Davis would say, you were 'all up in it.' So keep going Chuck! Wherever you are, go find us some more comedians, cooks, and musicians to make life more worth living." Alex de Grassi, musicianfor questions and comments:

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*photo by Joy Greenberg