12/29/2025
A wonderful tribute.
I’m devastated to learn of the passing of my friend Gabe Hirshfeld. Gabe was truly one of a kind, full stop. He was a phenomenal musician with an absolutely wicked sense of humor and was able to deeply connect with people of all stripes like no other. He had literally hundreds of friends. Not followers, not acquaintances, hundreds of _true_ friends from so many different walks of life. No exaggeration- to know Gabe was to love him. You could count on Gabe whether you were dealing with something serious or the most trivial thing imaginable. He was a perfect combination of mensch and goofball. He navigated through his health struggles with unfathomable grace and humor. I loved Gabe’s banjo playing- he could turn on a dime and go seamlessly from progressive to traditional with equal command. And whatever he played, he always played with a beautiful tone and touch. Gabe was obsessed with vintage instruments and was one of few guys of his generation who understood the nitty gritty. He had an old world sensibility and he basked in the details. Oh the number of times Gabe talked me off the ledge and convinced me not to take my banjo apart on a hotel floor because of an impending barometric pressure system or other mania. Gabe treated people with decency and respect and truly understood the power of humor to disarm and get people to recognize the humanity of each other. I will miss him dearly. May his memory be a blessing.
