Elegy in Song

As the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, we pause and reflect. This song is offered as a gift to anyone who is grieving, who has lost a dear one, a wise one, a loved one. May it bring some comfort.

Tom Anthony knows the human toll of aviation tragedies and has devoted his career to preventing them before they occur. He is Director of the highly-regarded Aviation Safety and Security program at the University of Southern California, and is a recognized thought-leader and innovator who has led, worked, taught, and volunteered his time around the world to make flying safer. Tom is a songwriter and musician and has recently completed his first musical, The Goodness of the Land.

Sue Warner-Bean has made her life around providing solace to families that have lost loved ones in tragedies. She was called to do so for the families of those who died in the crash of Alaska Flight 261 on January 31, 2000 and she continues with this mission in her work today. She also volunteers with PeaceTrees Vietnam, a non-governmental organization which removes unexploded land mines and builds kindergartens and libraries in central Vietnam. She is an instructor at the University of Southern California.

In water cooler chats over the past several years, Tom and Sue discovered their mutual interest in music-writing and began exchanging melodies and lyrics. This is their first collaboration. The music is Sue's, the words are Tom’s, and some very gifted musicians brought it to life.