I met Jon Michaels many years ago when he performed at Gilda’s Club in Warminster, PA which is a non-residential support community for those living with Cancer, along with their family and friends. It was named for comedian and actor Gilda Radner who was part of the original cast of SNL. She died of Ovarian Cancer in 1989. Her legacy lives on. Jon’s song The Gift of Forgiveness remained with me as a touchstone that I shared with clients in my therapy practice as many face seemingly unforgiveable circumstances. What a twist of fate that all these years later, Jon found himself in need of support for a Cancer diagnosis.
We remained in touch since our initial meeting and 18 months ago, he reached out for help to navigate the waters he found himself in. I have been honored to witness his journey and to see him thriving.
Please offer some background so the readers get to know the man behind the music.
I am a baby-boomer raised in California who hung out at the beach daydreaming that I would grow up to be like my heroes – James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin and the like. I used to think that by the time I was the age I am now, (64) I would be a household name. I just didn’t realize it would be my mother’s household. I have been writing songs since I was 10 with just enough success to make me miserable. I have traveled the world, written songs for many other well-known artists and even theme songs for The Today Show and the Tennessee Titans Radio Network. I love to go SCUBA diving and kayaking. I speak Spanish, I have a beautiful wife named Jeannie and an awesome daughter named Jennings. I currently live in South Carolina where I publish a neighborhood magazine and still perform and write songs.
Was music always a big part of your life?
Always since I was in the 1st grade. My sister and older brother taught me my first chords on the guitar, and I was off to the races. Once when I was in the 6th grade, I volunteered to sing for my classmates and my teacher brought in all the kids from all the classes. One of the students that heard me sing was the prettiest girl in the school. The next day, I was eating lunch all by myself and she came over and asked if she could sit with me. It was then I knew I wanted to be a singer.
Who inspired you as you grew your repertoire?
My favorites were the Beatles, Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, and many of the singer-songwriters. It really was the sole singer-songwriter that motivated me to write songs and perform. I loved that feeling.
A major life event occurred 18 months ago that changed your perspective on, well, likely everything?
Yes, I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer. I had turned 62 and this wasn’t part of the plan- at least my plan. Battling Cancer changes whether you like it or not. IT was the most difficult challenge of my life. Also, one of the most loving experiences of my life.
What was your initial reaction?
Scared. I was told by the doctor that Throat Cancer (Head and Neck Cancer) is the hardest treatment of Cancer to go through. It would be brutal, and I would need to have a positive attitude to make it through the treatment.
At the time, did you believe that you would survive to be having this conversation?
I was told that I would survive the treatment, and they were confident of that. My cancer stemmed from the HPV virus we all have had. Literally over 90% of us have HPV in our system. Most of the time, our bodies can battle it without any outside help. That said, there are a few strains of HPV that can turn into Cancer, and I drew the short straw. The main reason the Vaccine for HPV is given to children around the age of 12 is to prevent them from developing CANCER in their later years as I did. People like Farrah Fawcett.
Here is a list of some of the famous people who have had HPV-related Cancer:
Michael Douglas
Actor and producer who was diagnosed with stage IV tongue cancer in 2010. Douglas has been vocal about the importance of HPV vaccination, especially for young people.
Marcia Cross
Actress who has been open about her HPV-related anal cancer. Cross and her husband are both in remission after completing radiation and chemotherapy.
Steve Bergman
English actor who was diagnosed with HPV-related throat cancer. Bergman has been an advocate for universal HPV vaccination for both girls and boys.
Martina Navratilova
Her HPV diagnosis has brought attention to HPV-related cancers.
Other celebrities who have battled throat cancer include:
Val Kilmer
Dave Mustaine, lead singer of Megadeth
Beth Chapman, wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter
What got you through those first few months?
My family and friends. They were very supportive of my conquering this battle and fighting it tooth and nail.
How are you feeling now?
Like a new man. I can sing again, eat spicy food again, and I am alive!
Please share your thoughts about our conversation in which the song title “Let the People Who Love You, Love You” was born.
I called on you at a time when I needed to talk to spiritual people who understood the emotions I was going through. I have never been a religious person and here in the south, Christianity is the major GOTO source for surviving. I was born Jewish, but my faith was not necessarily in check. I believe 100% in God but not in organized religion. I had read some of your posts on my FB page and you seemed like someone I could reach out to. Funny story. There was a FB group called “I’m not that kind of Christian” and I always thought you were the admin of that group. When I reached out to you, you informed me you were not part of that group, nor had you heard of it. Funny, how bridges are crossed. I crossed your bridge by accident and what a sweet accident.
What is your vision for the song, if it could accomplish what you would most like it to?
Bring some minor peace of mind while listening to it, the knowledge you’re not alone and there are people you can reach out to help you get through this journey. It was my way of thanking all the people that helped me get through it. They inspired me to write a song about my journey. Our conversation sparked an Awe ha moment when I was kvetching about Thoughts and Prayers… Ya, just what I need, more Thoughts and Prayers. It was then that you said, Jon, you have to let the people who love you, love you. As a songwriter, that statement caught my attention besides the obvious manner in which you said it. It caught my attention as a title for something later on…An idea to discover.
Who might you like to see license it and/or record it?
When you mention “License it” I want to clarify that I want to share it with the world for FREE. If an organization wants to use it for fundraising, then yes, I want to try and license it for help in paying off my medical bills. As a singer-songwriter, I make literally zero royalties in today’s world of streaming, Free Downloading and now AI creating work for next to nothing So, if it is any org that believes they can use it as a backdrop for future campaigns, I would hope we could work something out. The administrators get paid, it would be nice if the content creators could benefit some as well. Enough to pay off my medical bills.
Let’s talk about your idea of taking it on the road and doing presentations for audiences around the world.
I love to perform and that is who I am – A performer. I would be a wonderful guest speaker/musician to address companies that deal with Cancer. Be it the treatment, the sciences, pharmaceuticals to talk about the experience and journey and use music to help educate as well as entertain at the same time.
What message would you like to share with those diagnosed with cancer, as well as their family and friends?
It’s okay to be scared. We all are. Also, it’s okay to make decisions that others may find selfish. For example, I told my wife if this cancer were to return, I would elect to not go through the treatment again. I hope I don’t have to make that decision. Cancer is curable so be sure to get checked often especially if you have family members who have had it. And definitely remember that people want to help you so let them.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Author
