The aftermath that night is the third event for the friends that are the centre of the celebrations this enchanted weekend. “To rom og kjøkken” is the location, and a big applause is nearly lifting the roof when Jon Lord enters the quite intimate chambre separee.

Fuelled with post-concert adrenaline, released from the nervousness and putting-it-all-together-tension - knowing that this was an utter success - he chuckles his characteristic laughter. His rock ‘n roll jokes and stories are involving the whole cabinet of Madame Tussaud’s and R n’ R Hall of Fame, to the amusement of the entire crammed party.

To this audience he even had an impressing run-through of variations of my birth names and nick names (many founded by him over the years) perfectly pronounced in Norwegian of course.

Extremely exhausted I left the party ahead of Jon early that morning. Jon and I had a big long lasting hug, and the words ‘thank you’ were expressed in unison between us over and over again before I left. I didn't know at the time that this would be our last meeting.

Despite of watching from a distance the blistering performance at the Royal Albert Hall with Rick Wakeman the following summer, I didn’t see Jon Lord in person again. But we talked on the phone, and the last text message from him was: 

“Thanks Kay-Nut. I miss you. Can we talk soon? I’d love to bring you “up to date” with everything. Love Jay-Ell. Xxx”  

16th July 2012 was one of the darkest days in my life, but the music and the memories of Jon Lord are like diamonds in the sand. And diamonds are forever.

July 2013 / Knut Morten Johansen