Three new shots on the Photography page from the Not Strictly Bluegrass Fest in GG Park this month. More coming soon.
Thanks to Handsome Young Steve Neil I spent some quality time in the photo pits and around the various backstages. I love that shot of Dolly Parton. Just as the sun came out from behind the fog for her set she yells into the mic, "Well it sure is nice to be lit up by God's spotlight. Hello God!!" You know the voice and the drawl. I wonder if any other entertainer on earth could get away with a can of corn like that. What a show. She just rules.
I like the shot of Emmylou Harris too. Dolly's got the bombast and the polish, but Emmylou's got the class. The real deal. If you look carefully on the far left you can see Jon Luini skulking around way upstage right, wearing the Magic Hat. I think he was unplugging all the power amps for fun. I didn't get to see much of Steve Earle's set, but what I did see was great. Five dudes standing around one mic and going off. Wonderful.
This is a first; three days in San Diego and no Roberto's. Self-deprivation can be a horrible thing. But I'm happy to report my brand new nephew Oscar is a lovely kid. I'm planning to buy him a drum set for his third birthday to really get things jumping.
Airplane chardo mixed with a slight hint of jet fuel, foggy San Diego air, mom's cooking, new 3-week-old nephew, Roberto's Mexican food. Life is good, and my nose is happy.
You'll be happy to know I found the guitar I need, per my musings of a couple weeks back. Brand stinkin' new Gibson LP Jr, double-cut, TV yellow (they have a red one too, but I think the yellow is a bit saucy...), 2 lovely P-90 pickups, neck like a corked Louisville Slugger, sounds like god, hanging on the wall at Rocker Geetars here in SF. Only $1850. Yikes. Steve says I need a Parker; I maintain the poor fellow's on glue. Search my soul as I might, I need a Parker like a moose needs a hat rack. They're just so...oh, how to put this somewhat diplomatically...lame. Ugly. So non rocking it's embarrassing, especially the single cut. Sorry Bwana; thanks for the tip, but no Parker for me. It's that Gibbo I got me sights on. Might need to take out a loan.
My brother Carl and his lovely wife Tai welcomed Oscar Adesayo Ragnar Abatti Friedmann into the world this past weekend. Bet you never met a Swedish Austrian Nigerian Jew before.