Thirty times.

At least.

My agent says he has 24 times on the books. Add to that 2 open mics, one opener each for Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, and Warren Zevon, and we have the 29 total times I have played the Iron Horse so far in my career.

I first saw the place as part of an adventure, in 1982, as I drove my old VW Beetle out there from Boston in relentless rain to see Jon Hendricks and Company. I scat sang my whole way home, no radio, coordinating phasing with the puddles as I had to lift my legs to one side when I hit them thanks to holes in the floorboard. Not much car left, for sure, but yes, I had been to the Iron Horse. Imagine me, playing there, some day.

The previous owner, Jordi Herold, who helped break artists like Suzanne Vega and Sonya Kitchell, heard second hand about me from his house manager when I played the open mic the first time. I played again 2 weeks later and he was in the back doing the day’s paperwork. I guess I had a great 2 song set, as he called next day. He managed me for about 5 years. Things went well, then they didn’t. I wanted out. He sued me. I counter-sued. We agreed on a money amount. 10 years later we reconciled as humans, and I played his wedding. He took the name of one of my tunes as the name of his new business. We both grew up.

Now it is home. I’ve sold it out. I’ve had 37 people show up. And much in between. And they keep having me back. And I keep growing up.

So much good playing and learning has happened to me in the name of the Iron Horse.

Come to show #30 Friday May 19th, will you? Let’s celebrate a little.
http://www.iheg.com/event.asp?show=9060&id=476&n=Vance+Gilbert

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Yes, I have a full coaching schedule on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Performers you go out to see are some of my clients. Lemme know what you want to work on and get in touch.

Still playing private parties too.

Other great shows including:
May 18 - 21 Spring Gulch Folk Festival, New Holland PA, http://www.springgulch.com/folkfestival.cfm
July 8 - 9 New Bedford Folk Festival, New Bedford MA, http://www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com

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Here’s a nice lyric of mine to send you into spring:

Come here my love
Sit by my side
I’m in need of your company

And the sun’s gonna do what the sun will do
All that rise and fall
And the moon takes the second shift
They swap places in the sky
Today, tonight many times
For all times

Come here my love
And take my hand
Let me walk you down Rockfield way

Where the children chalk our names in the blacktop
How much more famous do we need to be?
They dance giggle and blush
Go on now, I hear your momma call
And my eyes linger too long on your face
It’s like staring at the sun
And you see a good in me
The world don’t seem to recall

So, come here, come here, my love
Sit by my side
For all time

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Come see me play. It’s what I do. xovg