By Bob Makin
originally published: 06/10/2022
The Rory D’Lasnow single, “’Power of My Love,” is now a music video and the Makin Waves Song of the Week. PHOTO BY DAVID ROSS LAWN
About nine months ago, acclaimed Bergen County singer-songwriter Rory D’Lasnow released an impressive EP, “Songs From an Empty Room,” the best song of which was an inspired by a memorial service.
While the single is more than a year old, a video for it is brand new and equally impressive, makin the heartfelt tune the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Power of My Love” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on June 10 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you also can tune in any time at The Penguin or at Mixcloud.
Rory, who lost his mother to a sudden heart attack at 14, is no stranger to loss. But it was immediately after attending a memorial for a friend’s cousin that he was inspired to write “Power of My Love”.
He explained, “The song was written in about an hour. My friend’s cousin was tragically killed in a terrorist attack in New York City. The young man, Darren Drake, had been a passionate advocate for kids aspiring to vocational careers and his family started the Darren Drake Foundation in his honor. I was so moved by the impact this man had made on his community, that I came home and wrote this song in one piece.”
The song had begun to take on a more personal meaning after the loss of his father immediately prior to its release.
He said he had been planning to release the song on May 21, 2021, when his father became more gravely ill.
“After a long battle with a variety of persistent ailments, he passed away on the 8th,” Rory said. “I had contemplated postponing the song’s release but quickly resolved to share it with the world in his honor as he was the one who handed me my first guitar, taught me my first chords, and was my biggest supporter when I chose to pursue a career in music. There seemed to be no more fitting tribute to him than to champion a message of perseverance in the face of adversity. Grieving is a universal experience and I wanted to remember my dad, much like Darren’s loved ones remembered him, by telling the story of love overcoming any obstacle.”
Rory D’Lasnow as a lad with his dearly departed father to whom he pays tribute in the new video for “Power of Love.” PHOTO COURTESY OF RORY D’LASNOW
“The video was shot by Kris Khunachak and features a spoken word piece at the start from a book my dad left for me with letters and poems,” he continued. “He was a gifted writer. I thought the piece was especially poignant because he had written how he sees himself in me, and I really cherish the moments where I see him in me as well. I also included a voicemail he had sent me that perfectly encapsulated our relationship. I feel so blessed to have had him as a father and wanted to pay tribute to him with this video since it’s about the spirit of keeping someone’s memory alive after they’ve passed on.”
Rory also has had plenty of opportunity to keep his father’s memory alive through performance.
Last month, he toured from Philly to Hollywood. Coming up, he will play June 12, Garden State Plaza, Paramus; June 16 and 26, Hudson Table, Hoboken; June 17, Monroe’s, Hoboken; June 18, July 8 and Aug. 6 and 26, Gus’ Last Word, Woodridge; June 25, July 9 and Aug. 27, Parkside Social, Verona; July 1, Black Horse Tavern, Mendham; July 2, 2 pm, MacMurphy’s, Ridgewood, and 7 pm, Taphouse 15, Wharton; July 14 and Aug. 12, Table 42, Dover; July 31, TGI Fridays, Princeton, and Aug. 19, Curly Wolf Saloon, Staten Island.
For more about Rory, visit www.rorydlasnow.com.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].
New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Award-Winning Rockland Jazz Composer Takes New Live Album to Paramus
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- Popular local jazz act The Peter Furlan Project host their New Jersey album release party for their freshly revealed Live At Maureen's Jazz Cellar at Bergen Community College's Ciccone Theater on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Vivid Stage presents Old Friends: A Cabaret with Charles Thomas
(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center in Summit, will present Old Friends, a cabaret featuring vocalist Charles Thomas and pianist Rick Knutsen on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 7:00pm.
The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke on Friday April 24, 2026 at 7:30pm. The singer-songwriter merges evocative folk, melodic pop, with an edgier roots rock sensibility.
MPAC presents The String Queens on April 24th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Praised for its authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens (TSQ) is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! The String Queens come to Mayo Performing Arts Center, Friday, April 24, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Sweet Honey in the Rock Brings 50+ Years of Music and Message to McCarter Theatre Center
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Sweet Honey in the Rock, the GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble celebrating more than 50 years of artistry, returns to McCarter Theatre Center on Friday, April 24, 2026 with its signature blend of socially conscious and spiritually uplifting music. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller of Old 97's
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm. Rhett is a revered singer-songwriter known for his more than three decades fronting the popular rock band Old 97's who were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2025 Americana Awards at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
Clint Black Brings His Back On The Blacktop Tour with Special Guest Gareth to CarteretPAC on April 25th
(CARTERET, NJ) -- Clint Black Brings His Back On The Blacktop Tour with Special Guest Gareth to the URSB Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Get the Led Out to Perform Three Nights at Scottish Rite Auditorium
(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- The Scottish Rite Auditorium presents three nights of Get the Led Out from April 23-25, 2026. From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, the band has captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage.
The Chapin Family presents: Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE
(WAYNE, NJ) -- The Chapin Family presents: Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Shea Center for Performing Arts. In the long rich history of Family Groups in American Roots Music, this family has a special place. When these singers, songwriters and extraordinary live performers come together, magic happens. Showtime is 8:00pm.
Sold-Out Cabaret Returns: The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret Comes to Lincroft on April 25th
(LINCROFT, NJ) -- After selling out 200 seats in just days, The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret returns for a special encore performance Saturday, April 25, 2026 at The Earth Room at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. Created and performed by PJ Casbar and Tom McCormack, the show blends original music, musical-theater favorites, and modern pop into a character-driven cabaret evening that moves between humor, storytelling, and moments of theatrical surprise. Showtime is 7:30pm.
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