Every year around Halloween and All Souls’ Day, my bride, Rebecca, sets up an ofrenda on our dining room table for a couple of weeks. It is filled with pictures of those in our lives who have transitioned—family, friends, students who are very dear to us.

Recently, as we stopped to honor each of them and take down the photos, two of my former students jumped out at me. Both became very dear personal friends, and reading the quotes on their memorial cards brought back a flood of beautiful memories.

Joe Layton

The first was Joe Layton, one of the great director-producers in theater over the last few generations. Among his many achievements, Joe ran Radio City Music Hall, created iconic acts for Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler, directed the 1980 Tony Award–winning Broadway musical Barnum, and served as executive producer for the film Annie.

I first met Joe during Annie, and while our relationship had a challenging beginning. Everything shifted one night. Albert Finney and I attended Barnum, and while having a drink during intermission in the lobby, Joe came up to me, looked me in the eye, and said "You’re masterful. May I study with you?" As he witnessed my Work with Albert and Aileen Quinn—who played Annie—he recognized my value and the depth of the Work. From that moment, we formed a lifelong bond.

On his memorial card, there is a lyric quote from Barnum:

"The colors of his life were bountiful and bold... The colors of his life will leave a shining light to show the way."

Inside, Joe was quoted saying:

"The people I enjoy working with the most are the people who are blessed with the understanding that they are the lucky ones. They love doing what they do, they are thrilled to be successful, to realize that they're talented, and to be so stage-struck—as I am, still, after all this time."

I share this because Vocal Awareness is my life's Work. My Vision has never changed: it is To Change The World Through Voice. People often ask if I plan to retire, and my answer is always no. God has given me real gifts, and it is my responsibility to fulfill that Mission. Like Joe, I am still so stage-struck, even after all this time. Thank you, Joe, for the gift of your memory.

Georgia Frontiere

The second photo was of Georgia Frontiere, the former owner of the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams football team.

I trained Georgia for nearly a decade as a singing student. She had a truly beautiful singing voice and was a remarkably kind, generous, and devoted human being. One year, Georgia had the creative idea to ask if I would train the coaches and players' wives, then conduct them from the 50-yard line at halftime during our last home game before Christmas. Leading over 50,000 fans in holiday carols and a Hanukkah song to bring people together through the joy of singing is a memory I will cherish forever.

On her memorial card was a piece titled Perspective:

"It doesn't matter if it doesn't happen... but it doesn't happen if it doesn't matter!"

Georgia’s words speak directly to the importance of being in service. They remind me of my core principle: Surrender, Serve, Soar. We must always be in service to our Work, to our Vision, and to God. We fulfill our callings to the best of our ability because it does matter.

There is only one of you in all of time. It is our opportunity, our challenge, and our gift to achieve what only we can achieve.