London, England

The sixth and final day at the RAH. It's been a terrific week at this historic and beautiful concert hall and while we've settled into a comfortable routine, it never becomes blase when you step out on the stage and realise where you're playing.

My good friend Derek Lawrence and I spent a few hours this afternoon catching up with each other and re-telling the old stories. Derek is a legendary record producer from the late 60's through the 90's and looked after making records by groups like Deep Purple, Heads Hands and Feet, Wishbone Ash, Quiet Riot and hundreds more. I met Derek in 1971 on my first trip to London with Neil Diamond, I was scarcely out of my teens but Derek and I hit it off famously. It was great seeing him and marvelling that we're both above ground and still in the music business.

My wife and children have been with me for the past week in London and it's been a whirlwind, mostly for them as I've opted out of several outings to get some rest for the shows each evening. They've managed to go to the Tate Britain and Modern, Churchill's War Cabinet, The British Library, The British Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, St. Paul's Cathedral, a boat trip to Greenwich and The Royal Observatory, The Natural History Museum, a football match (U.K. vs. U.S.....2-nil, U.K.), shopping, Soho and more AND attend the shows each night. I'm exhausted having just typed it all! I'm going to miss them very much when they leave tomorrow.

Tonight's show was a fitting end to our RAH residency, the hall was packed, including the standing room only balcony that encircles the high reaches of The Albert. The audience was on their feet for the last four songs of the show and MK & Co. were in top form, a show with passion, dignity, loads of fun and precision....tremendously well played. Following the show was an especially large reception with what seemed like several hundred in attendance. My wife and I made our way through the crowd stopping to visit with friends and fans. When it was over I made one last trip to the dressing room to pick up my stuff and bid farewell to the Albert Hall until next time.

A day off tomorrow to catch our breath and say good-bye to our families. It's hard to believe how quickly it is going and we've now completed all the U.K. dates. On Sunday we'll board the Legacy again and begin the final homestretch of the European leg of the tour, 12 more shows then on to North America. What a tour.

So long,

Richard