Songwriter Jim Rosenberg released his first album, The Cold Hard Truth, in 2018 at the age of 61. He recorded his single “Finding Joseph” for Heroic Dose Records in the autumn of 2023. It was released on Dec. 15, 2023 in conjunction with the 25th Annual Santa Cruz County Homeless Memorial. Discover more of Jim’s music at https://www.jimrosenbergmusic.com/.

About “Finding Joseph”

The first time I heard “Finding Joseph,” Jim Rosenberg and his son Dylan Rose were playing it live on KBCZ, our hyper-local radio station here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After the first chorus, I pulled my car over to listen to the rest of the song.

In the vein of John Prine, “Finding Joseph” is a heartbreaking tribute to those we lose to the streets. It’s a devastating, beautiful, quiet lament and indictment of us all. When it ended and I'd managed to compose myself, I decided to reach out to Jim and Dylan and ask them to record the song for Heroic Dose Records.

Rosenberg was game. Over the course of a couple sessions, Jim and Jon Spivak produced “Finding Joseph” at the Heroic Dose Records studios on the Westside of Santa Cruz. The recording features Jim Rosenberg (guitar and vocals), Dylan Rose (lead guitar and background vocals), Alisha Ripatti (background vocals), Keith Wieland (percussion), Jocelyn Olson (keyboards), and Jon Spivak (bass).

On Nov. 18, Jim and I spent a few hours shooting a video for “Finding Joseph” in locations around downtown Santa Cruz. The plan was to release the song and video in the days leading up to the county’s 25th Annual Homeless Memorial. The names of all the men and women who died on the streets of Santa Cruz County in 2023 would be read aloud at the Dec. 21 event.

When we finished shooting the video, I ran into my friend Johnathan Garza down by the levee. I’d met Johnathan in recovery. Ten years earlier, we’d both been struggling to sober up. While I managed to get clean, Johnathan, who was 15 years younger than me, could never quite turn the corner.

On this particular morning, he was filthy, infected, totally strung out—clearly on the tail-end of a long, brutal run. We chatted for a few minutes and he repeated, almost as a reminder to himself, “You’re no different than me. You’re no different from me.” I assured him I was not, gave him a hug, told him I loved him, and continued on my way. The day after we released “Finding Joseph” and its video, which depicts a homeless musician in Santa Cruz, I learned Johnathan had died on the streets.

Less than a week later, Jim Rosenberg and Dylan Rose played “Finding Joseph” live at the 25th Annual Homeless Memorial in the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. The first three rows of the audience were reserved for the 122 people who had died homeless in 2023. I found Johnathan Garza’s name in the front row—directly in front of the podium.

Santa Cruz County is home to one of the nation’s most acute homelessness problems. In particular, we're losing veterans, seniors and those experiencing serious mental health and substance-use disorders. Maybe “Finding Joseph” will inspire more of us to help our brothers and sisters dying on the streets. Learn more at https://housingmatterssc.org/.

(RM, 12/25/2023)