2004-06-15 - 9:32 a.m.
Thought I’d finish up the Spring tour before heading out on the Summer tour. For now, I’m really only writing about the tours and not the weekend stuff while we’re home on the east coast. And don’t forget, if you haven’t noticed the little note at the bottom of the entries, you can sign up on the notify list and I’ll send you an e-mail each time an entry has been posted. Check it out at the end of each installment.
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Nashville! Home of Country Music! Well some kind of music anyway. We’ve made our way here and after loading in to 12th and Porter I go for a walk up to the main drag and over to the art museum. I see they are having a Picasso exhibit so I head in to the lobby where there’s an afternoon music series in progress. I don’t have time to go through the exhibit, so I grab a bottle of water from the commissary and sit down and chill out. It’s nice to be alone for a while and just sit and listen to some nice music. It’s a duo of violin and classical guitar and they are playing a Villa Lobos piece that I recognize but can’t name. Villa Lobos was perhaps one of Brazil’s most famous composers whose music really gave a unique voice to the beauty of that country. After a couple of numbers I head back for sound check. On the way back my brother rings me on the cell. He’s in town on business and he’s over at the club wondering what’s become of me. I come walking down the street leading to the club and there he is shooting the shit with Johnny Grubb. My bro’s a great bass player and you know what they say about birds of a feather. I visit with him briefly and then he’s off to his hotel to check in. After sound check we are treated to some absolutely fantastic food at the adjoining restaurant. My friend Gary Gulberg has come to the show. I’m nearly done producing his record. Time and money have once again proved to be the enemy. He’s moved to Nashville to be with his girl who is also an aspiring songwriter. They’re both great! Two other great songwriters who are old friends show up. Victor Valorani was the best man at my wedding. Andy and I do some of his songs with our band Kings In Disguise. There’s no one exactly like him. Bruce Kunkel is also in attendance. He’s a great songwriter (I produced and engineered his first record) and a fabulous guitar builder. One of his instruments is in the Smithsonian! My buddy Jack has also shown up from Alabama with some fine moonshine! It’s great playing for and visiting with all our old buddies!
Next day we’re off to The College of the South just an hour or so south of town. My nephews Matt and Dennis are there with their wives and it’s a sweet out door show on a lovely night. There’s nothing quite like the soft evening air on a spring night in the south.
Now the Hell drive! We’re to be in Bowling Green, Ohio the following evening to play at the Clavell Theater for our good friend Tom McLaughlin. It’s something crazy, like 600 miles. We make it fine, but a little burnt. I love Tom. He really knows how to do it. The crowd is smokin’ and we have a fantastic time playing in this cool old theater. The after party was slammin’ at Nate and Wally’s (thanks for the water glasses of whiskey fellas!) and in the morning our bud Kelly has us over to his coffee shop/book store and treats us to books and the bean! Kelly’s an interesting cat who knows his music, coffee and books.
Hell drive, part 2. Bowling Green, Ohio to Wilkes Barre, PA. Well over 500 miles! The good part is I’m so close to home I can taste it. There is a shit load of our NJ fans there. The place is packed (not bad for a Sunday!) and even though we’re exhausted, we rip it up. My good friend Len Mooney comes to the show and gives me a ride home afterwards. It is so good to be home!! I crawl into bed, hardly believing it’s actually my wife next to me and my two cats sleeping softly at the my feet.
