We really are tribal beings and one of the ways we can still revel in that part of us is dancing and singing, clapping to/with musicians expressing themselves with their instruments. I was fortunate to grow up in a place that valued teaching instrumental and choral music to their children. We had really good high school bands and choirs throughout our county….and I was again fortunate to become 18 in 1971 when there was an incredible amount of good music on our radios and record players. I played drums in a rock band for 4 years…and then did a year with a big band, wearing a tux every weekend. I lived a lot of life and learned how to collaborate and be part of a unit and contribute my part. We all depended on each other “being there” in every possible way. It helped pay my way through college…with no lingering debt. I’ve seen a lot of people young and old, dance to the music…laughing, kissing, squeezing…having a party…and the 13 and 14 year olds trying to figure out who to dance with and how to ask…how to start it…and the 70 year olds celebrating 50 years together…in a dive bar or a 4 star hotel. The love and emotion is all the same.
It’s life at it’s best…especially when you just let go and don’t care how you look to others. Over the past 20 years I’ve gotten a big part of my music fix by running a video camera on live concerts with some of the best bands in the land. It’s a blast and can be very organic and it’s always in the moment…you’re trying to capture the fire and art of the music and musicians as it occurs. It really is magic that 5-6 people can play different instruments and blend their individual talents together into a whole piece that moves an audience to tears or joy.
I think it’s human expression at it’s best. So the next 10 days is going to be like Christmas in the mid summer for me. We start Thursday with Melody Trucks and the Fitzkee Brothers at my nephews bar the Park Inn. It’s probably going to be 95 degrees…but there’s cold beer. Melody is the daughter of rock royalty, Butch Trucks who was one of the founding drummers in the Allman Brothers Band in 1969. The band I played with back then did a lot of Allman Brothers. I was fortunate to meet Butch in 2013 at his new band camp Roots Rock Revival. Going to the camp was a gift from my beautiful wife Linda, who loves to dance…and craves good live music as much as I do. Butch wanted to mentor young musicians and help them become artists. That’s what Melody is doing and that’s why we’ll be at the Park Inn on Thursday…to help the circle be unbroken and document some of the goings on.
Then they play another club on Friday, the 50th Anniversary of the massive Watkins Glen concert…playing that music…they continue their tour towards the Roots camp, while we go to Bethel Woods at Woodstock to catch the king of the road, Willie Nelson still on tour at 90.
We all meet up again on Monday at Roots Rock Revival…the 10th year of Butch’s dream camp. It’s going to be a week full of live music, played by every possible level of player from the best you can find to folks just starting to play out with others. It’s total and complete magic and love. I’ll catch up with you all when we get back. Peace to all
Enjoy, Mike! I know it’ll be fabulous!