Keith Emerson profoundly touched the lives of countless musicians over the years. As various colleagues have shared thoughts about him in the wake of his suicide, I'll join the chorus with my two cents' worth.

Without my exposure to his innovative, trailblazing work, I wouldn't have pursued music professionally, discovered and embraced the music of other progressive artists, or attended music schools.

My growing up with a background of classical, jazz and rock that often seemed incompatible with each other, Keith's blending of them unlocked a creative door for me. Although his composing influenced the direction of some of my earlier writing, it was his playing and merging of genres that particularly inspired me.  Well beyond his pioneering role in the application of synthesizers, he was a musical guide to broader, creative possibilities.

Many observers, some close to Emerson, have tried to explain or understand what caused him to take his life.  But in the end, it is still difficult to fathom or accept. Not every detail of his physical illness, depression, and financial and medical circumstances is publicly known, nor are they any of my business. Yet they surely factored into his final mindset even more than frustrations about his impairment as a keyboardist reportedly did. To whatever extent other details regarding his condition are disclosed, perhaps they will contribute to helping others similarly afflicted or seeking to treat such cases.

Despite inconsistent results throughout his career, "perfectionism" has been a recurring characterization of Emerson's approach to his work, right up to his final days, when he'd been preparing for an upcoming concert tour.  And, by all appearances, his work was his life.  Although perfectionism may be an overly simplistic observation, it is easy to imagine that the high bar he set for himself and his audience – especially earlier in his career – that guided his artistic vision made his later impairment and coinciding professional pressures and expectations all the harder to bear.  Indeed, he'd already bore them for some time. Yet, to many of us not in his shoes, his performance flaws and discomfort pale in contrast to his pivotal impact on music and musicians.

Emerson was hardly alone among musical icons whose serious health problems in later life impeded their capacity as performers. Art Garfunkel, Phil Collins and Pete Townshend come to mind. Yet each managed to find some way to cope that ultimately provided a new lease on professional life. Emerson's talent and insight certainly transcended his active playing but, sadly, other factors undermined such prospects for him.

It is at least a small comfort, or blessing, to continue to celebrate and draw inspiration from his legacy, influence and creative spirit. Fortunately – or hopefully – those contributions will define him more than how or why his life ended.

Carry on,