Josh Okeefe, "Thoughts and Prayers," // GemsOnVHS™

February 14th, anniversary of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. You'll immediately find the small minded folks among us arguing in the comments section of this video. Right or wrong, liberal or conservative, guns or mental illness. You'll find them at eachother's throats, acting as they've been led to by those with agendas to follow and pockets to fill. They'll be ignoring the message of this song, the meaning, the truth. That thoughts and prayers, regardless of your political standing, are hollow words when you're burying your dead children. Josh Okeefe writes powerful contemporary folk songs, in large part missing from our world since the 60s awakening. He writes outside himself, fearlessly about politics, events and people. Which is how folk music used to carry itself - the music of the common man. The voice of the powerless, speaking truth to the powerful, striking down hypocrisy with sharp wit and melody. Listening to a folk singer used to be like reading the newspaper. Songs like these remind me that folk music is more than just a hollow genre on Spotify for men in fedoras wielding guitars singing about mountains and rivers to capitalize on. It's a stringed weapon, a buoy in the ocean of white noise, a movement and union. Much love, but no thoughts and prayers. This video is dedicated to Charlie Brocco, who passed away suddenly shortly after this filming. In the video, he can be seen watching from the control room at the end. For more Josh Okeefe, follow along: https://www.joshokeefe.com/ https://www.facebook.com/joshokeefeofficial/ Want to learn how to play this song? Check out these tabs: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/josh_okeefe/thoughts_and_prayers_chords_2638242 Consider becoming a Patreon contributor to help sustain this project. For the price of a cup of coffee every month, you let us continue finding and filming amazing artists. https://www.patreon.com/gemsonvhs GemsOnVHS is a long running series of intimate, off-stage performances by songwriters we love. We're on instagram (@gemsonvhs or @anthonysimpkins) Like us on FB too! (http://www.facebook.com/gemsonvhs) www.gemsonvhs.com Cheers, Anthony