The last song the Gettysburg Pirate Orchestra ever recorded was "Bird Song." The band donated a commission to an auction benefit for Nicaragua, and my friend Rebecca had the highest bid. She wanted a song for a gift to her friend Nana Jeannie, then 95. It was an honor to write the song for her: Nana Jeannie is the kind of old woman I dream of becoming, and I was thrilled to find out that she requested the song as part of her 99th birthday celebration.