Walter Becker’s Daughter Pens Poignant Tribute to Father
Walter Becker‘s daughter Sayan shared a poignant tribute to her father, recalling his obsession with guitars and head full of humor and knowledge. “You loved music more than anyone I know,” Sayan wrote. “You’re always there bobbing your head to each beat, doing a little dance here and there, or sitting over there with your big headphones on and swaying back and forth. I could see it, your dissecting the song — listening in closely for each beat, for each musical instrument — you know, whatever you musicians do. But I get it.”
Becker, the guitarist, bassist and co-founder of Steely Dan, died Sunday at the age of 67. No cause of death or other details were provided. Becker and his wife, Elinor, adopted Sayan and also had a son, Kawai.
In her note, Sayan spoke about road trips with her father that always included a pit stop at a random guitar store. Sayan said she would sit and watch her father noodle on guitars for hours without ever buying one. “I understand, though; it was your fun place, like an arcade; playing all you can, and as loud as you can,” she said. “Your candy shop.”
Sayan spoke about Becker’s ability to rattle off random facts about everything from the states and countries they visited to the seals at the Central Park Zoo. She also recalled her father’s sense of humor, noting, “I may not understand the meaning behind your witty, highly intelligent comments or jokes, but for you to smile and make everyone – or even thousands all at once – smile and laugh, then yeah you got something going for you pops… I get it. Your presence makes everyone’s day a little brighter. I love you for that.”
Sayan closed her note thanking Becker “for your love for music, your fatherly advice and devotion, your knowledge about the world and your blindingly sharp sense of humor… for all that and more.” She added: “It’s true your love is shining from the next galaxy. I could see it now; you got a whole galaxy of guitars to look at. Rock on dad, rock on until your heart is content.”
Sayan Becker’s Tribute to Walter Becker
You loved music more than anyone I know. You’re always there bobbing your head to each beat, doing a little dance here and there, or sitting over there with your big headphones on and swaying back and forth. I could see it, your dissecting the song — listening in closely for each beat, for each musical instrument — you know, whatever you musicians do. But I get it.
Every road trip without fail came The Pit Stop at some guitar store. Heck, dad, I keep telling you why don’t you just own your own store? Five hours go by as I sit watching you fiddle with a guitar here and there…yet you never end up buying one. I understand though; it was your fun place, like an arcade; playing all you can, and as loud as you can. Your candy shop.
Dad you’re kinda funny; sometimes I may not understand the meaning behind your witty highly intelligent comments or jokes, but for you to smile and make everyone — or even thousands all at once — smile and laugh, then yeah you got something going for you pops… I get it. Your presence makes everyone’s day a little brighter. I love you for that.
Coast to coast. How is it that you know so many facts about every state or country we visit? We would walk through Central Park Zoo and just randomly point out some little thing… and here it comes, some long historical fact about it. Dad, it’s a seal for crying out loud! It amazes me how intelligent you are.
“Dad, I like that we understand one another”
“Sa-girl, we are soul mates”
“Dad I love you to the moon and back”
“Girly face I love you more than that, to the next galaxy”
“Wow, that’s far!”
“Well it’s true”
“…Thanks dad”
… for your love for music, your fatherly advice and devotion, your knowledge about the world and your blindingly sharp sense of humor … for all that, and more.
We had one hell of a ride. You are my world, my soulmate, my father, that I love so much.
It’s true your love is shining from the next galaxy. I could see it now; you got a whole galaxy of guitars to look at. Rock on dad, rock on until your heart is content.
I hear you.
I get you.
-Your only Pulama Ama Lama.