From Mole People to Maryland and Virginia
Monday Rambling Mailer
~ Roots On The River is a great little festival. I was honored and elated to be there. I sang and played well. Rocked the house. Downside? - my personal paranoia as to why it took 20 years to have me. I wish it and all involved continued success.
~ Mary Gauthier is a brilliant goddess. She takes the simplest of language, and even while working with others, as with all the work she’s doing with Songwriting With Soldiers, she manages to paint like no other. Truly she’s John Prine with lady parts. Yes, I said that. Nashville has taken notice too, apparently not giving too large a shit that she’s gay. There is hope.
~ Alice Howe is another brilliant singer-songwriter, half of me and Mary’s age. So. Much. Potential. I love and cherish this child/woman as the daughter/niece I never had. We are the greatest of friends. Go girl...
~ Pic is via Mary on the drive up to VT- she stopped to take it, I saw it and wish I had, she forwarded it to me and we both laughed about it later. I’m dying to know the roots of this feud. There's some time that went into that sign, I’ll tell you. Tony’s character is leveled in 6 words and 3 font sizes. Rotten bastid…
Favourite part of my set is singing to Freebo while he was getting a massage - I did Bonnie Raitt’s “Nothing Seems To Matter”. Off of Give It Up from like ’71 - ’72. Very formative and influential album for me as I was starting college and beginning to play this folk thing, and he played bass for Bonnie on that album. Pretty proud of that moment - people laughed at first then realized why I was singing it to him. I love it when present real time and history play nice together.
~ Speaking of history - Fans. I love you supporting me. All of us musicians love and cherish that kind of support and connection. But to those of you who are as long in the tooth as some of us musicians are, stop. Stop it. Stop. Don’t do it. At least please think about it before saying “Do you remember that show you did 17 years ago in Slutbelch New Mexico when you sang….?" Worse yet is one of those statements followed or preceded by “Do you remember me?”. Jesis.
We have a few choices to answer. We can:
1) Lie. You’ll smell that in a few minutes and you’ll be disappointed
2) Tell the truth - “I don’t know/remember you”. You’ll be disappointed.
3) Sputter somewhere in-between. It takes supreme effort to do that and stay gracious as you have put us on the spot via this test and everyone I promise will be disappointed.
4) Just walk away like we didn’t hear you. Guess what? Disappointment…
Don’t test me. I will fail. I promise. It’s not about your personal worth as an individual. I’m over 50. My agent has booked for me, since 1995, as of today, 2006 dates.
2373 shows. Two thousand three hundred and seventy three.
I started this journey in 1989.
I’m trying to recall if I did or didn’t put the guitar back in the case I’m carrying or whether I left it backstage (do NOT ask after the veracity of that actually happening, shut up.) and/or where I parked the car.
Try this: “ Hi, I’m (name here) and while I don’t expect you to remember, you made/sang/said/created a moment at the East Buttkrack Kaffeehouse that has stuck with me for years…Thanks for that and for tonite’s show."
Hell, I’ve given away CDs for that!!
~ Bob Massie would make a pretty decent Massachusetts Governor. He’s progressive, yet inclusive. And a real live survivor of stuff. He also plays the banjo. I’m not certain whether to hold that against him or to cheer his chutzpah and folk roots. I played his rally at the Regent Theatre last night. Noel Paul Stookey did too, and it was grand to re-connect. He’s a great performer, and a formidable guitarist.
~ I’m sorry. Hugh Beaumont aka Ward Cleaver as the lead in the movie The Mole People is just weird. Then again, the head of the Mole People is Alfred from the original Batman.
~ Why am I expected to notice at 10:45 pm as I come into the house with guitar and bags that the front steps have been power-washed? If THAT isn’t a shitstorm set-up, I dunno what is. Who sold her that thing? I’ll kick your ass.
Lovingly, Your Friend,
Vance
This Sat 6/16 - Columbia MD - UUCC One World Coffeehouse https://uucolumbia.net/programs/music-ministry/coffeehouse/
Sun 6/17 - Vienna VA http://www.jamminjava.com
6/29 - Wilmington DE - Olympia @ The Queen http://queen.worldcafelive.com/
w/Ellis Paul
6/30 - Beacon, NY - Towne Crier http://townecc.tunestub.com/event.cfm?id=278335&cart
w/Ellis Paul
P.S. Aug 17, 18, 19 - Livington Taylor’s First Annual Music Retreat https://livingstontaylor.com/about/retreat
at Boston University - mention my name and get $100 off of your already pretty inexpensive tuition
Coaching songwriting, voice and performance, private parties, stained glass polishing, just let me know.
~ Roots On The River is a great little festival. I was honored and elated to be there. I sang and played well. Rocked the house. Downside? - my personal paranoia as to why it took 20 years to have me. I wish it and all involved continued success.
~ Mary Gauthier is a brilliant goddess. She takes the simplest of language, and even while working with others, as with all the work she’s doing with Songwriting With Soldiers, she manages to paint like no other. Truly she’s John Prine with lady parts. Yes, I said that. Nashville has taken notice too, apparently not giving too large a shit that she’s gay. There is hope.
~ Alice Howe is another brilliant singer-songwriter, half of me and Mary’s age. So. Much. Potential. I love and cherish this child/woman as the daughter/niece I never had. We are the greatest of friends. Go girl...
~ Pic is via Mary on the drive up to VT- she stopped to take it, I saw it and wish I had, she forwarded it to me and we both laughed about it later. I’m dying to know the roots of this feud. There's some time that went into that sign, I’ll tell you. Tony’s character is leveled in 6 words and 3 font sizes. Rotten bastid…
Favourite part of my set is singing to Freebo while he was getting a massage - I did Bonnie Raitt’s “Nothing Seems To Matter”. Off of Give It Up from like ’71 - ’72. Very formative and influential album for me as I was starting college and beginning to play this folk thing, and he played bass for Bonnie on that album. Pretty proud of that moment - people laughed at first then realized why I was singing it to him. I love it when present real time and history play nice together.
~ Speaking of history - Fans. I love you supporting me. All of us musicians love and cherish that kind of support and connection. But to those of you who are as long in the tooth as some of us musicians are, stop. Stop it. Stop. Don’t do it. At least please think about it before saying “Do you remember that show you did 17 years ago in Slutbelch New Mexico when you sang….?" Worse yet is one of those statements followed or preceded by “Do you remember me?”. Jesis.
We have a few choices to answer. We can:
1) Lie. You’ll smell that in a few minutes and you’ll be disappointed
2) Tell the truth - “I don’t know/remember you”. You’ll be disappointed.
3) Sputter somewhere in-between. It takes supreme effort to do that and stay gracious as you have put us on the spot via this test and everyone I promise will be disappointed.
4) Just walk away like we didn’t hear you. Guess what? Disappointment…
Don’t test me. I will fail. I promise. It’s not about your personal worth as an individual. I’m over 50. My agent has booked for me, since 1995, as of today, 2006 dates.
2373 shows. Two thousand three hundred and seventy three.
I started this journey in 1989.
I’m trying to recall if I did or didn’t put the guitar back in the case I’m carrying or whether I left it backstage (do NOT ask after the veracity of that actually happening, shut up.) and/or where I parked the car.
Try this: “ Hi, I’m (name here) and while I don’t expect you to remember, you made/sang/said/created a moment at the East Buttkrack Kaffeehouse that has stuck with me for years…Thanks for that and for tonite’s show."
Hell, I’ve given away CDs for that!!
~ Bob Massie would make a pretty decent Massachusetts Governor. He’s progressive, yet inclusive. And a real live survivor of stuff. He also plays the banjo. I’m not certain whether to hold that against him or to cheer his chutzpah and folk roots. I played his rally at the Regent Theatre last night. Noel Paul Stookey did too, and it was grand to re-connect. He’s a great performer, and a formidable guitarist.
~ I’m sorry. Hugh Beaumont aka Ward Cleaver as the lead in the movie The Mole People is just weird. Then again, the head of the Mole People is Alfred from the original Batman.
~ Why am I expected to notice at 10:45 pm as I come into the house with guitar and bags that the front steps have been power-washed? If THAT isn’t a shitstorm set-up, I dunno what is. Who sold her that thing? I’ll kick your ass.
Lovingly, Your Friend,
Vance
This Sat 6/16 - Columbia MD - UUCC One World Coffeehouse https://uucolumbia.net/programs/music-ministry/coffeehouse/
Sun 6/17 - Vienna VA http://www.jamminjava.com
6/29 - Wilmington DE - Olympia @ The Queen http://queen.worldcafelive.com/
w/Ellis Paul
6/30 - Beacon, NY - Towne Crier http://townecc.tunestub.com/event.cfm?id=278335&cart
w/Ellis Paul
P.S. Aug 17, 18, 19 - Livington Taylor’s First Annual Music Retreat https://livingstontaylor.com/about/retreat
at Boston University - mention my name and get $100 off of your already pretty inexpensive tuition
Coaching songwriting, voice and performance, private parties, stained glass polishing, just let me know.