I only worked with Joe Tarsia on one project. That was all it took for us to become friends. Over the years he shared pearls of wisdom - guiding words an elderly engineer had given him early in his career, advice he routinely gave to young people trying to break into the field, wisdom from years of experience owning a recording studio. One afternoon over lunch at an Italian restaurant in New York City, while Joe was singing the praises of gelato, I asked him if he was an especially skilled studio owner or had he just been in the right place at the right time. He looked me square in the eye and said, “I got lucky.” Despite all the fame and his accomplishments, his feet remained firmly planted on the ground, always in touch with reality. When I got the news of his passing earlier this month, I reflected on his many kindnesses, and knew that “I got lucky” too.

Goodbye Joe.