Broadway Street and the Ryman Theater

What a day.  Yesterday was a day of meetings and our Board banquet, so we didn't get out and about.   Today our board meetings ended at noon.  I rented a car and three of us headed to downtown Nashville.  We really had no idea what to expect.  We knew we wanted to see the Ryman theater - the "Church of Country music". 

We got to Broadway, found a spot to park.   Bars, bars, souvenir shops, and record stores.  We saw the sign on Earnest Tubbs Record Store and knew we had to go there.  His record store is in a old building that pre-dates the Civil war.  Apparently in the Civil War it was a hospital.  All along the walls, there are rows of pictures (with signatures) of the who's who in Country music.  Very special place.  Of course, now it is lined with CD's for sale instead of the vinyls. 

Along the street you constantly hear music coming out of the bars and grills.  Every now and then someone will try to draw you in.   One spot we went in, one of the band members came after us to come back in when we left.  One place had chicken wire.   To make a long story short,  Wanda and I wandered around a bit later in the evening on our own and stepped in to give a listen to some of the music.  One place had a 4 piece group playing some rockabilly music.  When we went in they were playing Johny Cash's Folsom Prism (rockabilly version).  The place was jumping.  They had this guy playing double bass who was the most incredible double bass player you'll find anywhere.  He broke into a bass solo that brought the house down.  You see that kind of stuff all along the street.  

The highlight of the day though was our visit to the Old Ryman Theater and a back stage tour.   Got to go into the dressing rooms, but no picture.  Heard the history of the Ryman and its near death a couple of times and about its restoration by the Gaylord properties (who own the new grand ole opry theater).  Apparently Emmy Lou Harris was its saviour because it sat unused for 20 some years and she wanted to do a show there - and did.  That brought the interest in restoring the Ryman back to its glory and its future protected as a historic site.  

So at the end of the tour, you can get up on the Ryman stage, look out into the theater and play a song.  An older fellow and a woman got up there just before me and did a version of one of my favourite songs "In the Summer Time".   The acoustics are so great, the sound just carries.  She started singing and the everyone wandering around the theater stopped in their tracks to listen and gave her a great applause when they finished.  That's a tough song to do and she did it proud.   I have no idea who she is.  

So then my turn.  Its the Ryman..  You can't help but stand their and think of all the great artists who stood in that same spot.  Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Little Jimmy Dickens,  Earnest Tubbs,  Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Elvis,  and on and on and on.   My fingers went like butter and I couldn't play a thing.  I played "Sitting Here" - got through it, but I didn't sing it.  Too Chicken I guess.  But I actually got up and played a guitar on the Ryman theater stage.  How frickin' cool is that.  

Grand Ole Opry

Here I am in Nashville.  A work trip.   I was supposed to work at the Edmonton Blues Fest this weekend too.  But a chance to go to Nashville.  Common.  What would you choose? 

Interesting trip down. Flew from Edmonton to Houston to Nashville.  40 minutes on the ground in Houston to get to the plane to Nashville.  In the air, the airport change the gate for the plane from Edmonton.  It was supposed to be close to our next plane, but they change to the farthest point and 3 terminals away from our boarding gat to Nashville.  On the plane they called for us and told us that we had a very short time to get to our plane.  At first the steward told us that no planes are flying to Nashville and we'd have to go to Memphis and rent a car.  That didn't sound so bad.  I could go see the old Sun Studio.   Anyway, he was pulling our leg.  Basically, they told us how to get to our next gate quickly.

Seeing that gate B67  was in two buildings away from Gate E12, we had to take the train.  40 minutes.  the plane pulls up to gate E12 - they can't get the unloading bridge to work, so we stuck on the plane.  time is slipping away.  they get the bridge working and we finally get off the plane.  We walk fast.  get directions to the train.  Catch the train to terminal B.  then its a long walk to gate B67.  Just happens to be the farthest away from the train terminal.  this is a big airport for a small town boy.  We get to gate B67 and they are just finishing boarding the plane.  Just made it.  

So we are now in Nashville.  It is hot and humid - at least for our comfort.  Nashvillians say it is a nice day.  We get to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  this is a huge complex.  Attriums all over the place.  Restaurants, bars, shops and thousands of rooms.   This is where our SWANA convention is.   And it is also where the Grand Ole Opry is.  But you got to bus across the resort lands to get to it. 

I got tickets for Friday night Grand Ole Opry about 2 months ago.  We picked up our tickets and took the bus over.   It wasn't on the web page, but Vince Gill was going to be there.  There was a lot of old country stars - and I mean old.  2nd set, out walks  Little Jimmy Dickens.  He's a funny funny man.   90 years old and about 4 foot 6.   I had to get photos.  

One thing about the Grand Ole Opry,  they encourage you to come up to the edge of the stage and take photos.  No videos though, but with all the technology today, how would they know.  I don't have video on my camera anyway. 

Anyway, I took advantage of the opportunity.  Here's a few shots that I took.

Little Jimmy Dickens

Vince Gill

Exile

Playing and Performing

Last night we went to Little Flower Open Stage.  We hadn't been there since before Christmas.  Getting to Fiddlers Roost (an odd name for a club that is in the basement of a commercial building) right now is a challenging task. The usual route across the North Saskatchewan River that runs through Edmonton is under construction, so I have to go way west or way east to get there.  The same road in front of Fiddlers roost is closed too.  that means you have to find you way down the side streets and miraculously find a parking spot. I lucked out on that one and only had to walk a long block and a half. 

I took my guitar and Banjo and we had planned earlier in the day to play My Dream Automobile, Two Feet in the Water, and Clouds of Alberta.   Normally, we'd play these songs in this order, but I'll tell you later what we did.

Before I tell you about the performance, let me tell you about the few hours before the Little Flower Open Stage.  I decided to sneak out of work earlier than usual to get some grooming.  Yeah, my hair was getting a bit long and strangly, and I figured I should try to look at least neat if not short.   So off I went.  got my hair looked after, went to pay the lady, and no wallet. no money.  I phoned home and luckily Wanda was on the way to work and was going right by, so she stopped in to pay the bill. that took 20 minutes out of my day.  So then I went back to my office,  30 or 40 minute drive in rush hour, to get my wallet. Of course I worried all the way there that I wouldn't find it.   After all I was leaving for Nashville in two days and without credit cards I'd be screwed, and replacing them in one day would be highly unlikely.   Luckily it was there.  But on the way, I got a work call that ended up taking more of my time.

I still had to get home, get my stuff and find my way through the alternate routes across the North Sask to get to Fiddlers Roost.  Hadn't eaten yet, so grabbed a burger at Rotten Ronnies and headed home.  Got home, packed my stuff, and off I went.  I decided to go across the High Level Bridge and then down Saskatchewan drive. That would take me right in behind the area where Fiddlers roost lies.    Great idea, until I got across the bridge and found myself in the wrong lane and ended up going right back down a 1-way into the river valley instead.  this meant I had to loop around to get back over the High Level Bridge again.  I convinced myself not to make that same mistake again, and I didn't.  So I eventually got to Fiddlers Roost. 

Bored yet?  

So at the Little Flower Open Stage.  Now there wasn't a lot of people there, but they were filtering in.  Even with all the trials I went through, I still got there before Don and Brian.   So when our name came up on the list, we headed up to the stage. Breezy, said hold on, Amanda wants to go up.  We got bumped for Amanda.  Well, that was OK, we'd be next.  

Well.  We decided to play the songs in a different order than our normal routine.  We played Clouds of Alberta first.  that's the song that is an aggressive tempo with me on banjo, Brian on bass, and Don on Guitar.  I said to Brian before we started ' this should be interesting, my fingers feel like lead tubes tonight'.  And that's exactly how I played too.  First part of the song, I was off tempo, and got off the song.  I got into the song on the second verse, but lost my place a couple of times later in the song.  Was able to quickly recover though. 

Then we did My Dream Automobile.  This is one of those folksy easy going songs.  I'm on guitar, Brian on Bass, Don on the piano.  We started off.  Brian counts us in.  Brian's on, I'm playing the right chords, but I didn't recognize what I was playing.  Don's trying to figure out what I'm doing so he's off.  We just kept playing until I got the right song going and we all got on the same grove.  Then the song went good.   As Brian said, the harmonies sounded great.  I wasn't very proud of my vocals between the harmony parts though.  So we had a disaster start, but we got on track and got thru the song. 

Last song.  "Finally" I'm thinking.  This should go well. I play the song Two Feet in the Water all the time. I'm on guitar, Brian still on bass, and Don is now on bouzouki.   No problem here.  yeah right.  We start playing.  It sounds like hell.  I start the vocals, and it was so far off.   Brian smiles, asks me this "Do you want to play this in the Key of A".   You see, I usually play this with a capo on second fret, but I forgot to use the capo and was playing in Key of G.   So what can you do? People are watching.  You just smile, say oops, grab the capo, and start again.  Rest of the song went OK.  I still wasn't happy with my vocals and I missed a couple of lines, but we got thru and were done for the night. 

So lessons learned from last night:

Focus.  learn to focus for performing.  I haven't been doing a very good job of that lately.  Last night I felt pretty ho-hum about playing.  that's not a good attitude.  As Don has said many times, we are not just playing music, we are putting on a show.  Can't do that well without focus.  Seems that my focus is better when I have a little nervous energy. 

Pre-show warm up:    Usually when we do a performance, I run through the songs at home before I go.  So you know the story of my few hours before getting to little flower. I didn't do my usual run through the songs.   That is really just an excuse, it is not a good reason not to warm up.  I could have done that in the backroom by the exit stairs before going up to play.  I think that warming up gives me a little bit of that nervous energy too. 

Learn to sing;   You already knew that. 

Write another song: Why not?

And Lastly.      ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!!!!!.    Then I'm off to Nashville.  

"Thunder Rolls" - Another New Song

I've started playing around with a new tune during the folk festival.  Must have got some inspiration from somewhere.  Perhaps it was from the rain on Saturday night, or perhaps it was from the players at the festival.  More likely the latter. 

The new tune is called "Thunder Rolls".  it uses a muted G and C chord throughout to give it a sound of pending drama.  The drama of course is lightning, thunder, and rain.  Lyrically, it isn't a great piece of work, so I don't consider it a complete work.  This may take some time.  I do have lyrics, but they are not what I hope them to be when I'm finished. 

I won't post a sound track of the song until I'm finished and feeling secure about it.  Till then, this is just another song on the pile.   Can't wait to hear what Don and Brian will do with this. 

Edmonton Folk Music Festival

John Rutherford, Mighty Popo, Des Temps Antan, Deep Dark Woods

This girl is with Alpha Yaya Diallo and it is amazing to watch her dance

Tim Robbins

This year I became a newbie volunteer for the Edmonton Folk Fest.  This was the 31st year for the festival and it has grown into one of the best in the world.  Word is the musicians love the festival and want to come here.     Check the web page to see the line up http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/

One of the great things about this festival is the location.  it is on a ski hill in the City's river valley.  14,000 paying customers cover the site.   Over 2,000 people volunteer to make the festival happen.  Janiva Magness was very thankful to the amazing organization that happens every year and the wonderful job done by the volunteers.  I agree.  Seeing it from the inside this year, it is amazing. 

The crowd that goes to the folk fest are a very seasoned crowd.  They know the music.  They know the routine.  They come prepared for anything.    As can be expected in Edmonton, the weather can change in an hour, so you need to be ready for anything.  Saturday night was no exception.  In the middle of the evening main stage show, there was a deluge of rain.    It is quite a sight to see all the rain gear come out and change the landscape on the hill within seconds.  No one left. It could have rained all night. They would still be there. 

My job was driving shuttle vans for volunteers and performers.   I did drive a few of the performers.  The biggest name that I delivered to the site is Tim Robbins and his band. You know Tim Robbins from the movies - Bull Duram and Shawshank Redemption.  Shawshank is one of my all time favourite movies, so to have one of the stars in that movie in my van, sitting beside me.  Very very cool.  But then he didn't say hi, ask how's it goin, nor did he even say thanks.  I didn't think it was my place to be intrusive either.  so it was a quiet ride.   Many of the other performers did talk along the ride and were very friendly and appreciative for the ride.  But then, they weren't big movie stars either.  they are working musicians and nice people. 

The festival has 7 stages.  6 side stages and the main stage.   During the day, all 6 side stages are active and picking which one to go to is quite difficult.  there is good stuff happening at them all.   Here's a few photos of the performers I did get to see. 

Janiva Magness

Guy Clark

Mary Gautier



At the end of each night the music doesn't stop.  The volunteers and performers head to the after party.  It ends some time after 4 am.  That's when I left.  

What songs do you like best?

Over the past few months I've posted a few of the songs I've written.  Also since I started this blog, it has had over 1200 hits.  I don't know if anyone is actually reading it or not, nor if they are listening to the songs that I've posted. 

One way to find out is to include a survey of what songs that I've posted on this blog do you like best. 

Please take the time to complete the survey.   I set it up so that you can mark more than one song if you like.  That takes the pressure off.  

Of course you might notice that I didn't include "none of the above".  I had to think that you'd like at least one of these songs, and I really didn't want to damage my fragile ego by giving you that choice. 

Sittin' Here

We've been doing this song for about 3 years now, and it's the song we got some airplay on CJSR in advance of the Hearth of the City Festival.  In an earlier posting, I included a live version that we did at the HOTC Festival in 2010.  That recording was a bit noisy as it was done on my Zoom H2 that we set up in front of the stage, so there's a lot of outside noise.  

We did another recording of this song a while back when Yvon was drumming for us and doing backing vocals on a few of our tunes.  So on this version I've included here, you'll hear Yvon on drums and backing voices - Brian on a short-scale Fender bass,   Don in playing the mandolin, and I'm playing my Tachimine and doing lead vocals. This is the version that got the air play on CJSR.