Yuri Turchyn

The elusive House of Yuri Notes was to be a place to call home for his music—a place for the memorable moments of the past, present, and future. We sold his house in a flood zone in Roselle, where he…

June 16th was Yuri’s birthday. He would have turned 74, young enough to continue being the working musician that he was. He had a lot of music in him. Three years ago, on his birthday, he asked what had happened…

Memorial Day is Opening Day of the summer season, yet for the past two years, Yuri and I spent the weekend and weeks following in the ICU. This year, on Saturday, family and friends gathered at a morning memorial service…

Today is Yuri’s name day. May 6 is St. George’s Day. Name days, these traditional feast days, hold a unique significance as they commemorate a particular holy person, often a saint or martyr, and celebrate an individual's given name. They…

It was Saturday night, April 25, 2009, when the band Kinderhook's rocking revival reunion with the campers from the 1970s took place. Like the rest of the crowd that filled the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Whippany, New Jersey, I anticipated…

I am sleepwalking and still reeling from having to write the words that Yuri Turchyn departed this world peacefully in my arms on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Time of departure: 15:05. Sail away.

The post Yuri Notes: Wake Me Up…

Spring is in the air—rebirth, renewal, and a return to the garden. Having a birthday in Spring always gave me a breath of fresh air. A March wind cleansing, although at times the winds can be fierce, wreaking havoc

The…

Three years, one day. On March 8, 2021, we took the first Pfizer shot—three years ago – that turned into a vaccine injury for Yuri, which upended our lives. We haven’t recovered.

The post Three Years, One Day, A Lifetime…

On Valentine’s Day 2011, Yuri released Love Letters, a CD that, through original music, told the story of our courtship, romance, and an unexpected present: marriage.

The post Love Letters on Valentine’s Day first appeared on The Unexpected Present.

The Stone Pony, one of the world’s best-known music venues, opened its doors to concertgoers on Feb. 8, 1974. Like Yuri, a player on the Jersey Shore for fifty years, the Stone Pony is a survivor.

The post Rockin’ Pneumonia+the…