Songs of Love from the Heart

Sacramento Bee
March 04, 1999
By Jack Doo, Bee staff writer

"I [Heart] Carole L"

The message could be clearly seen on rocker Chris Isaak's guitar during a recent performance on The David Letterman Show.

Isaak, a Stockton native, earlier had learned his Stagg High School sweetheart, Carole Low, was in a terrible battle with cancer.

There were calls to her from his San Francisco home, the Denver stopover en route to New York and two from the Big Apple. And then the silent message that came across loud and clear.

All the attention lifted her spirits and brought much needed smiles during very difficult times. "Chris is coming," she said.

Isaak, with chart hits "Wicked Game" and "Crying," visited with Carole, 42, at her Sacramento home after the TV appearance. While turning pages through old yearbooks and sharing Class of '74 laughs and memories together, he promised a special treat for Carole, her husband, Steve Emling, and Connor, the couple's 5-year-old son.

Before taking the stage with his Silvertone band last Sunday night at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Isaak and two-members of his band played a special "family room" concert at Carole's home.

Decked out in a wild, sequined blue suit, the soulful crooner sang, swapped stories and entertained Low and a dozen of her friends and family for nearly two hours.

Isaak recalled how Carole's sister, Cathy Doo of Turlock, gave him her castoff guitar -- his first. "It had a big daisy decal on it," he said about the gift guitar. "I was hip when I played it."

His easy manner and genuine concern easily won over the toughest critics -- the kids. Connor soon was joining the jam session on a tiny xylophone as his 8-year-old cousin, Barrett Doo, picked up the beat on a snare drum.

With so much uncertainty ahead for Carole, one thing is certain, she has a very special and caring friend.

From her friends and family that have seen the very positive difference Isaak has made on her life:

"We [Heart] Chris I"

Carole Low is the sister-in-law of Bee staff writer Jack Doo.

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