DESCRIPTION:
Shortly after the death of Ronald Reagan in June 2004, at the end of one his programs, Larry King presented a beautiful video tribute to the relationship of Ron and Nancy Reagan. During the video montage, the song "In This Room" by Leslie Tucker was sung by Larry King's wife, Shawn Southwick-King.

Recently, I visited my aunt whose husband died last January, and in our conversation, she echoed many of the sentiments in this song, and I was reminded of Nancy Reagan's pain and then thought of my own mother's pain when my father died many years ago.

I tried several treatments of this song, but eventually decided to focus on a video featuring Ron and Nancy Reagan, since it was during that video tribute that I had actually heard the song for the first time. Whatever anyone political views may be, I doubt anyone could ever disagree that they shared a genuine love for one another, a romance that lasted more than 50 years.

Quotes:

Ronald Reagan: "I can't imagine a life without her. She saved my soul. Life began when I met Nancy."

Nancy Reagan: "My life really began when I met Ronnie."

Patti Davis - "I don't know why Alzheimer's was allowed to steal so much of my father before releasing him into the arms of death, but I know that at his last moment, when he opened his eyes, eyes that had not opened for many, many days and looked at my mother, he showed us that neither disease nor death can conquer love."

Leslie Tucker - In This Life

Album notes
Personnel: Leslie Tucker (vocals, guitar); Mike Marshall (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); John R. Burr (piano, keyboards); Dave Pomeroy (bass); Rick Reed (drums, percussion).
Personnel: Tim O'Brien (vocals); Mike Marshall (guitar, mandolin); Clive Gregson (guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Alison Brown (banjo); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); John Catchings (cello); John Burr (piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ); Rick Reed (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: Tom Size.

In This Room

In this room,
lives the sweet ghost
of a love gone away.
It comes to me
whispering the things you used to say,
between hills and valleys
the softness where we lay.
In this room,
it's lonely now.

In this room,
I can barely breathe
this air that speaks your name.
It flows through me
from each corner,
from the window frame
where we'd watch together
for the sun to rise again.
In this room,
I miss you.

In this room
there's a place on the wall
a picture of you and me.
In this room,
I can still recall
the dreams you shared with me,
and it felt like a castle -
now it feels more like a tomb.
in this room,
I remember

They say true love never dies,
but sometimes lovers do,
and few ever realize
the kind of love we knew.

In this room,
there were flowers
sent to ease the pain,
and I prayed for hours
trying to understand
how one life passing
could mean this love is through.

In this room,
I can feel you.
I will see you again,
in this room.