Well, friends, as I write, the summer seems to be already winding down, and I don't feel like we got enough summer at all. Perhaps I feel this way because when we were kids the summers seemed to stretch out in front of us like years, like oceans of time, like entire eras in our lives. Now, as grown ups, it's a whisper of time….we mark it off as a series of events, maybe a trip or two and bang, it's Fall before we know where all the time went.
Steve at Yosemite
This summer, though, has been full of adventure, joy and profit for us, in music, community and spirit. Steve and I began the summer visiting two great California music festivals, the Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite Valley and the Live Oak at Lake Cachuma, North of Santa Barbara. We had friends at both places who made us feel at home and showed us the ropes. At Strawberry we actually were snowed on during our first night there and wowie, were we glad to be in our snug little RV that night! Before it snowed, however, it had been raining and it was definitely cold. We had the great fortune to snag our buddies Rodger Phillips on banjo and Lisa Burns on bass, rehearse really quickly in the warm RV, and made our way out into the cold, dark and wet for our debut on the Hog Radio after hours show! We patted ourselves on the back for being professionals as we splooshed through the muddy meadow in the rain with our instruments in their gig bags. Waking up the next morning we looked out the window to see the trees covered in white!
Susie With Fred and Sharon Munroe at Live Oak
It was astonishing to see Camp Mather transform itself so quickly just a couple of days later into a sunny and warm early spring paradise. We played again on the Hog Radio that weekend, thanks to new friend Larry Carlin, at the "Breakfast Club" on Saturday morning, with the same crew, this time adding our pal Dan Sankey from San Diego on fiddle.
Susie with Che Greenwood at KVMR, Nevada City
Michael Lewis Luthier - Working on the OMC
We then began on our July adventures with a feeling for and excitement about travel in our heads. Our Northern California tour began on the 12th of July with the trio appearing on CalPublic Radio in Sacramento with Jeffrey Callison on his show "Insight." We then headed further North in our lovely little van (which Steve packed professionally) to Nevada City and Colfax where we did shows at The Crazy Horse Inn and Evangeline's. We loved getting to know Evangeline and swimming in the beautiful and cold American River on a hot day before our show. It was the peak of the stunning Sierra summer for us. We also loved playing for Che Greenwood on KVMR in Nevada City the morning of our show at Evangeline's. We shared a love of the old masters, especially Jean Ritchie, with Che on his show "Folk Say." We got to visit luthier Michael Lewis that same day out at his shop near Colfax before our show that night. And Michael came to our show just to check on our guitars! (not really – he came to hear the music)
The next day we left the wide open spaces and found our selves back down in the Bay Area urban reality, in Berkeley, playing on a triple-bill at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House. Our new friend Bill Evans joined us on stage and played his great banjo on two songs he apparently learned in a matter of minutes while we drove into town! And he was great!
At The Freight & Salvage with Bill Evans
The next day we said a reluctant goodbye to our newest band member, Mark Indictor (fiddle), along with his wife Pattie (who had taken video for us) and picked up Rodger Phillips (banjo) for our further caravan North! Our comfy little van took to the beautiful Klamath River Valley, traveling through the Mt. Shasta area, to join in the Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival. It was one of the most beautiful parts of California I had never seen. We had a great time with new friends there and garnered an offer to return for next year's festival.
At The Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival
All along the way, we were in the midst of family, whether our actual family (my two brothers, Rob's brother James, Fred's nephew) or those who just felt like family, old and new. It was an enormously enriching trip and I am still unwinding all my memories and good wishes from all those in our audiences.
Now in August, we have some time finally to work on Rob's new songs for a new album project I hope to get started on later this year. We're all excited to get the songs off the ground at last. We'll also be including on this CD project some other songs from friends of ours, also wonderful songwriters, like Ernest Troost, Steve Werner and Jeni Hankins, along with songs from Gillian Welch, Steve Earl and Jean Ritchie.
Now I'm squeezing every bit of summer I can out of August, my true time off, and it feels so good, with our good friends around us, and good fortune to have them. And fine memories of a great summer and plans for the future. We feel really blessed.
Enjoy the rest of your summer! Fall will be here in the blink of an eye!
Steve and I had a great time in June getting around to music festivals in California and enjoying the new friends we've made there. The Live Oak and Strawberry Music festivals were such fun and I recommend them both to you if you haven't been. A wonderful family feeling invests both of these events and it's so great to experience live music outdoors in California's golden spring! We've seen some wonderful artists ~ so inspiring!
As I write, we're excitedly preparing for our July tour to the wilds of Northern California mid-month. We also have a couple of shows here in So-Cal in July, both return trips to great venues we know and love. On the 10th we're back at the Fret House in Covina, California, then on the 12th we embark on our travels. The crown-jewel of the tour is our show at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on July 15th in their beautiful new location. We hope to be filming that show, so if you're in the area or you have friends who are, please come see us and land in our movie!
That weekend we'll be driving up to the Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival in beautiful Etna, California near the Klamath National Forest, and then at the end of the month we return to old stomping grounds at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Pasadena with our good friend Ernest Troost opening the show for us. If you don't know Ernest, he was the Kerrville New Folk winner last year and is a truly gifted songwriter of new Piedmont blues -inspired songs. That should be a great show for all of you in the greater LA area.
We look forward to seeing you all out there on the road!
Happy Summer Trails!
Love,
Susie
PS: The Martin Guitar official newsletter for July "The Sounding Board, Vol. 29" featured us in June! More about that next letter. Stay tuned!
Our show at the Topanga Festival last month was really fun and so many people made it out to the Paramount Ranch this year! We visited with old friends and met new ones and basically had a great day - and got to sing with Fur and Steve just by happy accident! Right is a photo of Steve and me on the Railroad Stage, captured by new friend Patricia Van Over.
We meet up with June having just come back from our very first trip to the Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite. It was an amazing adventure, full of the beauty of the Sierra Nevada in Spring, and great music with a stellar lineup of artists. I was really excited to meet the great Lisa Burns (www.lisaonbass.com) and play two short sets with her on the Strawberry Hog Radio, along with our friends Rodger Phillips and Dan Sankey. Lisa rocks! and I have a new girl buddy in music! This was the best part of Strawberry for me this year. Here's a picture of Lisa playing her bass.
Back home now, we're getting ready to play again at the Talking Stick in Venice, this time with our newest member, Mark Indictor on fiddle (here's a photo of Mark at Topanga, also by Pattie). I so enjoyed meeting Mark last January at the Benefit for Haiti in Culver City I invited him to work with the Hilonesome Band. He'll be joining us on tour to Northern California in mid-July as well (more about that in a minute), and will be with us at the Coffee Gallery on July 30th.
Another very cool thing coming in June is the AMAZING Joe Craven will be visiting Southern California for two shows and I want you all to do everything possible to make it to at least one of them (that's Joe below with his banjo). This is a world-class artist in our midst folks, and you owe it to yourself to experience the great Joe! He's had an amazing career, including his long-running association with the David Grisman Band. From Joe's website: "Joe is a musical madman with anything that has strings attached; violin, mandolin, tin can, bedpan, cookie tin, tenor guitar, mouth bow, banjo, berimbau, balalaika, boot 'n lace, animal bones, squeeze toys, cake pans, waste cans, umbrella stands, martini shakers and; himself. Educator, former museum curator, visual artist, actor/storyteller and festival emcee, Joe has made music with folks ranging from jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli to Grateful Dead Guitarist Jerry Garcia to The Persuasions. An advocate of the folk arts, Joe's educational mission is to empower individuals to take possession of what they already have and tell their stories by 'demystifying' art through self-expression as a daily ritual. No matter who he's connecting with; a community workshop in Costa Rica, a university lecture demonstration in California, or on stage in front of thousands of school kids in Scotland, he's at home and loving every minute. 'Everything Joe touches turns to music,' says David Grisman, who Joe played with for almost 17 years. No one who saw Joe wring a percussion concerto from his garbage-bag raincoat during a downpour at the Strawberry Music Festival could disagree."
Joe's appearances in Southern California are rare so I urge you to check out his shows and plan to treat yourself to a master, virtuoso, and the best student of music and art I've ever seen. Joe will be at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena on June 25th and on June 26th at Russ & Julie's House Concerts in Oak Park. Visit Joe's website and his schedule and read about his brilliant work at Joe Craven's Website.
We'll be spending the rest of June getting ready for our July tour to Northern California and are totally jazzed that we'll be playing the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley for the first time! Incidentally, we hope to be filming that show, so if you're in the area or you have friends who are, please be in the audience and probably in our DVD! We start in Sacramento on Jeffrey Callison's radio show "Insight" on Capital Public Radio. We then head up to beautiful Colfax and Nevada City near Grass Valley to meet up with KVMR and sit in on Che Greenwood's radio show. That night we play at the lovely Evangeline's Cafe in Colfax, then it's on to THE FREIGHT & SALVAGE in Berkeley. That weekend we'll be part of the Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival in Etna before coming back home. All the details are below, so we hope to see you or friends you know in July up north! I'll remind you about all the tour stuff in next month's newsletter, so stay tuned!
Happy June (No Gloom) Summer, Friends! Make sure to get outside and play with your dog or dig in the dirt, plant some flowers and vegetables and wear sunscreen! We look forward to seeing you out there!
Joyous Spring! Easter was glorious as I again joined the All Saints Canterbury Choir for a joyful singing marathon during Holy Week, including some solo a capella on Saturday night's Great Vigil of Easter. Picture it if you will: in the dark, candlelit church, hundreds of people droning on a C...while I pour out an old Appalachian lament from the balcony........it was as always a most transcendent moment, and deeply gratifying to say the least.
"Oh, Father, won't you come and go along with me
For Heaven is my aim
Jesus is gone, but he's coming back again
To take his Children home.
Look the way, look the way, look the long lonesome way
You can see the promised land
Look the way, look the way, look the long lonesome way
You can see the promised land."
Some of you might remember that my dear friend and mentor Jean Ritchie (from whom the Appalachian sacred ballads spring) had suffered a stroke on December 4th, and many of you have asked about her condition as the weeks and months have gone by. I'm thrilled and amazed to tell you about an almost unbelievable Easter resurrection miracle.
As I prepared Jean's songs for the Vigil service, I had not heard lately of her condition which had been at many points during the last four months extremely grave and I had often been so worried. As I was getting ready to share her songs and her legacy with All Saints, I received an email out of the blue, partially written by Jean herself and the rest by her son Jon, stating that she had gotten all of our letters and that they loved us all. Her son wrote that she had typed this short note with very little help and that Steve and I had been the first mail that she had sent since the beginning of her illness.
Now to see Jean's words again and to hear her voice was a gift I could not believe. I send this story to you with gratitude and joy, and feel the Easter presence is alive again in our world. To quote a great leader of mine, Ed Bacon: "Love will always rise!" Alleluia!
March Adventures
Our return to the Coffee Gallery Backstage in mid-March was an amazing night! The place was packed and we had a great time, especially as we got to introduce the wonderful Shaun Cromwell who opened for us. Later in the month we headed down to San Diego for a couple of new and interesting dates, scooping up our friend Dan Sankey to play fiddle with us. The San Diego Indiefest was a rollicking and wild bunch of fun, and the show up at the beautiful Wynola Springs that evening was also great. It was wonderful to see Spring popping up in the beautiful Julian Valley. We hope to get down there again later in the year, hopefully around September.
Great American Song Contest Finalist Just got the news that Rob's song "Albuquerque" (from our "Green Kentucky Blues" CD) was a finalist in the Great American Song Contest (Country category)! Congratulations, Rob!
April Coming Up
We have two good ones coming up for this month: we'll share the stage at Boulevard Music in Culver City with the Ray Doyle Band on April 10th. Ray is the guitarist with famed Wylie & The Wild West (the "Yahoo!" yodeler), and will be serving up songs from his critically-acclaimed album "The Emigrant Trail" with classic songs of the heritage of the west. Then the next week we'll be at Concerts in the Library in El Segundo (Saturday, April 17th), presenting our "Appalachia to Bluegrass" show. The Hilonesome Band traces the roots of modern bluegrass music and its evolution from Appalachian ballads and story songs--featuring the work of American folk music legend Jean Ritchie, along with contemporary songs from the Hilonesome Band's lead guitarist, Rob Carlson. We welcome our guest Mark Indictor on fiddle. All concerts are free and light refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library. All show details are below.
Radio Airplay
"Green Kentucky Blues" as well as our earlier title "Blue Eyed Darlin'" have picked up airplay on roots radio in the U.S. and Canada:
KGLT/Americana Backroads - Bozeman MT WMMT/Art Menius - Whitesburg KY KVMR/Four Strong Winds - Nevada City CA WNEC/Out of the Woods - Henniker NH WYEP/An American Sampler WRFL/Hard Travelin' Revue - Lexington KY WEFT - From the Joshua Tree Inn - Champaign IL WVGN - Virgin Islands CIUT - Radio Boogie - Toronto KBOO - Saturday Morning Gumbo KCSN - Bluegrass Etc., Northridge, CA
"Children, now our meeting is over, and surely we must part,
And if I never any more see you, I will love you in my heart.
The Lord will land on the sea, the Lord will land on the shore,
The Lord will land on the sea, and we'll shout forever more!"
Blessings and love to all of you, and Happy Easter!
Our February was amazing - we were on the road for a music-filled President's Day/Valentines Day weekend. We debuted everywhere we went, first at the Fireside Concerts in Newbury Park, and the triumphant San Francisco Bluegrass and Old Time Festival on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. The fans in SF were great and loved the band! Kudos to my brother Rick Glaze who chauffeured us around all weekend and let us stay at his lovely home and to Laurie Lewis who so generously lent us her beautiful Eminence bass. It was beautiful and Fred had a blast playing it. It was great to feel the glow from the new and growing fan base in Northern Cal, and we're looking forward to getting back there! A big surprise was that my brother Rick sent me home with another Martin guitar he gifted me from his collection, one that I borrowed to play the shows with - a beautiful OMC which is Orchestra Model Cutaway. The photo below is of our entire Martin family!
March Shows This month I'm excited to be sharing the stage with someone I'm a fan of, Shaun Cromwell. He's opening for us at the Coffee Gallery Backstage on Friday, March 12th and I hope you'll all come out! We've got a rousing group joining us and new songs, and you've got to hear the great Shaun. We're headed down to San Diego later in the month to join the San Diego IndieFest and our great friend fiddler Dan Sankey will guest with the trio.
Radio Airplay "Green Kentucky Blues" as well as our earlier title "Blue Eyed Darlin'" have picked up airplay on roots radio in the U.S. and Canada:
KGLT/Americana Backroads - Bozeman MT WMMT/Art Menius - Whitesburg KY KVMR/Four Strong Winds - Nevada City CA WNEC/Out of the Woods - Henniker NH WYEP/An American Sampler WRFL/Hard Travelin' Revue - Lexington KY WEFT - From the Joshua Tree Inn - Champaign IL WVGN - Virgin Islands CIUT - Radio Boogie - Toronto KBOO - Saturday Morning Gumbo KCSN - Bluegrass Etc., Northridge, CA
Thanks to press agent Teresa Conboy for her good and creative work!
Spring! In LA we're just starting to see the first hints of Spring. It's always a new joy every year when it rolls around.
More than the little extra light, more than even the faint aromas, there is a new presence in the world, in the air around me. I feel it clearly, though it is tiny and timid: it's opening my eyes and ears and heart, and re-lighting that little bit of hope I thought had been buried in the dark.
You have no idea how closed in you've been until the first bright rays of sun find you in your dark room.
Here's a quote for Spring Faith and Spring Hope:
"Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.
In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
and life itself is grace." -- Fred Buechner
Love and Blessings for a hopeful Spring and Revival of the Presence!
Susie
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
We had the most awesome time in San Francisco last weekend! Just home now and starting to recover from a whirlwind weekend! Fireside Concerts in Newbury Park on Friday, SF Bluegrass and Old Time Festival on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and zooming home last night - the fans in SF were so warm and loved the band! I think we'll be asked back! Kudos to my brother Rick Glaze who chauffeured us around all weekend and let us stay at his lovely home and to Laurie Lewis who so generously lent us her beautiful Eminence bass! It was gorgeous and Fred had a blast playing it. It's great to feel the glow from the new and growing fan base in Northern Cal. We're looking forward to getting back there!
Well folks, the New Year is not even 3 weeks old yet and there’s already been a lot going on!
New Band Photography
We started everything off with a bang and a snap the first week by asking our friend Cam Sanders, a great photographer, to create new band photography for us and the wonderful results can be found on our website’s gallery page: http://www.susieglaze.com/gallery
New Sounds!
Also early in the month, our friend Ken Lopez from USC did us a big favor by helping us to find new sound equipment which we did with the help of Kurtis Ewing at Westlake Professional Sales.Now we’re traveling around with some fine Audiotechnica mics and are really happy with them.The other cool sound addition to the band is my brother Rick’s Martin 0018.The day before we played Kulak’s he brought it down from Northern California for me to borrow and we love the sound in combo with Rob’s big D28.I hope we get to keep it!
January Shows
The month has already seen two shows – we had a great time at Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood with Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements on January 9th, and the following weekend took the Quartet to Tom Lee’s Songtree Music Series in GoletaCalifornia where we had a great, great experience. It’s a beautiful new space for concerts and a large and wonderfully warm audience.
Lastly this month it’s the Concert for Haiti benefit concert on Sunday, January 31st at the CulverCulver-PalmsUnitedMethodistChurch, 4464 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City90230.Artists include Laurence Juber, Amilia K. Spicer, Brad Colerick, Robby Longley, Freebo, Bernie Pearl with Mike Barry, Matt Cartsonis, Renaissance, James Lee Stanley, Severin Browne, Michael Richards & Doctor Fun, Tracy Newman, Bonne Musique Zydeco, Sage, Tim Tedrow & Terry Vreeland, Robert Morgan Fisher, Dale LaDuke, Dave Morrison Band, Dafni, Duane Thorin, Lisa Turner, Kara Grainger. Call the Culver-PalmsUnitedMethodistChurch at 310-390-7717 for more information and plan to come and donate for Haiti earthquake relief.Organizations represented will be Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health – PIH, CARE, Oxfam, Americares and others. Visit their website for more info and flyers. http://www.hope4la.org/.
NAMM
Steve and I attended the NAMM trade show (National Association of Music Merchants) a couple of weeks ago in Anaheim, where we ran into many of our buddies hanging at the Martin Guitar exhibit.Thanks to our friends at IBMA (thanks Jill!), we attended as members of that organization. At Martin we were incredibly lucky to meet with Dick Boak who handles Artist & Public Relations, and is the editor of “The Sounding Board” (Martin's official newsletter). We shared with him the unique story of how our D28 came to us, and he offered to add a listing about our band and our Martin story to the newsletter, published twice a year. The story in short: Our Martin D-28 (pictured in the banner photo on the top of our website) came to us by way of Steve's good friend, actor John Goodman. John worked with Steven Spielberg in the movie "The Flintstones" and was given the guitar as a gift from the director. John found he didn't play the guitar very often and offered it to Steve who promptly jumped at the chance to own this gorgeous instrument. We've featured it in our concerts and recording sessions ever since.
We should be in Vol. 29 of “The Sounding Board” this summer.
Also while at the NAMM show we were delighted to set up artist relationship agreements with Shubb Capos (http://www.shubb.com/) and Deering Banjos (http://www.deeringbanjos.com/).Steve ordered a Vega Old Tyme model from the Deering booth and we’re excited to have it arrive soon.Watch out for some old fashioned plunking from Steve coming soon…!
Writing
I’ve started my CD review writing for Dirty Linen (http://www.dirtylinen.com/) and my first byline will appear in their March/April issue.On Folkworks (http://www.folkworks.org/) my review of Jeni & Billy’s CD “Jewel Ridge Coal” is currently CD Review of the Week.
February Shows
As I write we’re preparing for our February shows, including our first time in the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Festival (http://www.sfbluegrass.org/).All the details for February are here:
Saturday, February 6, The Juke Joint Gang At The Talking Stick
We join Ernest Troost's monthly songwriter show. 8:00 p.m. FREE! 1411C Lincoln Boulevard, Venice, CA90291. http://www.thetalkingstick.net/
Friday, February 12, Fireside Concerts
BorchardCommunity Center, 190 Reino, NewburyPark, corner of Borchard and Reino, NewburyPark - Fireside Room. 8:00 p.m. $7.00. For more information call (805) 499-3511 or write Bob Kroll at folksgr1@aol.com
February 13-14, San Francisco Old Time-Bluegrass Festival
Susie and the Hilonesome Band join the Old Time Bluegrass Festival for our first time this year. Saturday 2/13 McGrath's Pub, Alameda. 8pm - 11pm. Sunday 2/14 Mayflower Inn, San Rafael. 4pm - 7pm. Find the whole schedule, locations, etc. at http://www.sfbluegrass.org/
Jean
As I write, my beloved Jean Ritchie ails in a New York rehabilitation center.She suffered a stroke on December 4th and is now recuperating with loved ones nearby.I’ve included some random things from Jean and from me, just in conjuring up her spirit for myself these sad days:
Here is a recent letter exchange between a fan and myself:
“Dear Susie,
I am writing with an inquiry about the CD Singin' the Moon Up, The Voice of Jean Ritchie.First let me tell you how much I enjoy the work on that CD. Having enjoyed Jean's music and meeting her has been a highlight of my life. When the CD started playing the first time at my home your voice literally brought tears to my eyes because you ''captured' her spirit and her voice so well. Very, very nice work. I can only imagine how Jean must have felt hearing your lovely voice singing her songs/her life. Blessed, I'll bet. Carroll”
My reply:
“Dear Carroll:
Thank you especially for your reflections on “Singin’ the Moon Up.”It was a labor of love as the saying goes, a joy of my life, made unforgettable by Jean's participation, as well as the presence of her husband George (his photographs) and sons Jon and Peter in the show with us.Jean’s been an inspiration to say the least, both as an artist and as a woman and human being.Jean's brand of Grace is becoming more and more obsolete in this world, sadly.It is in attempting to obtain her level of purity that I've been able to emulate her skill, and I am honored and gratified that it has resonated for others.”
From Jean to me:
“The wonderful thing to me is that when I hear your recording of any song of mine (L&N definitely included), I feel as though it is myself, singing.I don't know if you realize it, but you're the only one who respects my melodies enough not to reinvent them, "make them my own," as most singers describe this process.I don't usually mind, or not within reason, but you're the only one who can manage to "make it your own," and still present the original tune recognizably.”“Susie, I love the way you do the song.You sing it in a wonderful, honest style, and get all the things I feel into your performance of it.It cannot be sung better-differently, but never better.So- you can quote that if you like!”“I just am supremely grateful and happy that you like my efforts at songwriting, and that you have sung and recorded them so beautifully over these few years blessed with the warmth of our friendship.”
Jean Ritchie Mudcat Post from May 7, 2009:
“Here. We're back- son Jon from a two-week hospital stay, still having tests after getting home as they still can't find what the trouble is. George from another series of test, taking 18 different pills a day, soon to be told to start dialysis. Myself growling around the house with a hundred aches and pains. I can see and feel big changes coming, and know that this long Growing-Old part of our lives is coming to an end--- We ARE old! I start reading sympathetically about poor OLD people, and suddenly it hits me: What? I myself am 86. What do we do with our house? Man- all these taxes, who'll pay them next year? Will we go to a nursing home? Have a live-in nurse? I tell you, it's so hard when you finally realize that Life makes you keep on learning- right up to the end. I guess, as long as I can understand Life's messages, I'll be able to go on.
And I tell myself, "Just think of all the people that ever lived in this world. How many problems and worries and tragedies have they endured, along with the fewer joys and goodtimes and successes? And, when you come down to it, one is one and all alone and evermore shall be so. Or another way of putting it, You got to cross that lonesome valley by yourself.
I don't dread it, once I accept it. I have so loved my Mother and Father, all my gaggle of sisters, my three brothers (only one out of all of them is still in the world with me). We hurt with them if they have pain at the end, but we cannot go with them or ease that journey. Someone said, "The dead always look peaceful." I believe they are. I believe that they have walked the valley and found at last the destination we all are are striving to find. What else is Life, but a trip towards something higher and better? People who have almost died, have talked of being in a dark tunnel with a faint but bright light far ahead; then their passage is forbidden and they have to turn from the light and return to Life- to do an unfinished task there? To help or guide someone else for awhile longer?
I wonder- but it doesn't matter, does it? None of us can live forever. We must live Life to the fullest, then give those behind us a loving farewell. That's what I hope I can do.
I'll stop, because I don't know what I'm trying to say, but I thought it ought to be said. I guess I was trying to understand, myself, that not all of us CAN live to be old, or WANT to, and so arrive earlier at that entrance into the next world. In my personal prayers, I always say in my thoughts, "Lord, I'll stay as long as You need me, so show me what to do..."
Big Mick, feel better, and I hope that Fate, or Karma, or whatever, eases up on you. I know you'll be needed in this Life for a long time, so take the reins that have been handed to you, and have a good, long run. You have many who love you and are running along with you, and that lonesome valley is still far away.
Love to you all, Jean
PS: Darn- I bet y'all will think this is a stupid letter, and tomorrow I may think so myself! But it's what I felt like saying.”
______________________________________________
Friends,
I send you Blessings and Love, as Jean would write, herself.
Everyone always says that it's hard to believe that ten years have passed from the Y2K Millenium mark, and you know, it is hard to believe! It was a decade of lots of firsts and I won't go into them here because lots of writers have spent the Christmas holidays writing about them and summing everything up. For me, gosh, it's hard to remember everything that happened, but there were many big things this last decade. And now that I look back over it all I see how much was accomplished and I think a big "wow."
In 2000 I became a recording artist with The Eight Hand String Band on their release "Simple Truth" in January of that year. It was great and life-changing for me and made me want to do more recording. In 2001 Steve and I were married and our dog Megs came into our lives as a gift from good friends the Wright family (for Steve's birthday in April of that year). We did a bit of traveling during the decade, first to the Virgin Islands, to St. John's for our honeymoon, and really fell in love with our cottage "Aerie" built on the side of a hill facing the Coral Bay, up in the trees, designed and built by a local artist. My solo albums were made this decade: "Home On the Hill" was released in 2002 and I was lucky to start my friendship with Jean Ritchie (photo above from the Solstice Festival here in June of 2002). We lost our precious Lily right at the same time the album was released. That same year Steve and I started working with Rob Carlson and we formed the Hilonesome Band to showcase Rob's original songwriting. We spent 2003 woodshedding his songs and playing out, and 2004 working on the new album which would become "Blue Eyed Darlin'" released in early 2005. Also in 2005 the Eight Hand Band recorded and released their soundtrack album in conjunction with our work for the new Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield Illinois, called "Listen to the Mockingbird: Songs from the Civil War Era." "Blue Eyed Darlin'" was released in May of that year, and Steve and I also embarked on our further adventures with Jean Ritchie with our retrospective tribute show on Jean's life and work "Singin' The Moon Up: The Voice of Jean Ritchie" which we debuted at Penn State University in September of 2005. In 2006 I visited London and the Grand Canyon for the first time, in 2007 I started working on the album "Green Kentucky Blues" with Laurie Lewis, and released it in the spring of 2008. I also lost our precious Sassy that year, right before her 15th birthday (photo above). In 2009 we headlined again at the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest, opened for Billy Bragg, traveled to Australia, and had our first band road trip in September, traveling to the Napa Valley and Bay area for shows. Zowie!
And now we're here at the 10 year mark in the new century. My world is full of blessings, especially the friendships Steve and I have, our good health, our home, communities, our love for each other and good luck on many counts. I hope for you that God's blessings come to you and your families, and that good music is always a part of it. I'm privileged and honored to sing for you as the years go by and I hope you will keep listening. I can think of no higher calling.
I end with my recipe for New Year's Luck Greens. May they bring you good health, good luck and especially, good eats!!
We then began on our July adventures with a feeling for and excitement about travel in our heads. Our Northern California tour began on the 12th of July with the trio appearing on CalPublic Radio in Sacramento with Jeffrey Callison on his show "Insight." We then headed further North in our lovely little van (which Steve packed professionally) to Nevada City and Colfax where we did shows at The Crazy Horse Inn and Evangeline's. We loved getting to know Evangeline and swimming in the beautiful and cold American River on a hot day before our show. It was the peak of the stunning Sierra summer for us. We also loved playing for Che Greenwood on KVMR in Nevada City the morning of our show at Evangeline's. We shared a love of the old masters, especially Jean Ritchie, with Che on his show "Folk Say." We got to visit luthier Michael Lewis that same day out at his shop near Colfax before our show that night. And Michael came to our show just to check on our guitars! (not really – he came to hear the music)
March Shows
