Suitcase Full of Tears

I’m guessing it was around 1990 when my sister Janie hosted the Spelker Family Reunion. (What a great party that was!) When I asked what I should bring, Janie said, why don’t you write a song? So I did. I wrote Lovin’ Family for Janie and played it for the first time at the Family Reunion.

All hell breaks loose around 4:20 

Grass Valley Police Department
Tuesday

• At 3:05 p.m., a caller from Chapel Street at Brighton Street reported a man with long blond hair and wearing a T-shirt with “weed” on the front appeared to be smoking something out of a pipe.
• At 4:24 p.m., a caller from a business on the 600 block of Freeman Lane reported a vehicle was vandalized. Police took a report.
• At 4:27 p.m., a man reported three skinheads in a brown Toyota pickup were looking at him in downtown Grass Valley. The caller wanted police to know the alleged skinheads were targeting people. Dispatchers advised patrol officers.
• At 4:42 p.m., a caller from the 100 block of Stewart Street reported small women in skinny black pants were yelling and screaming.

I had no idea how good this was going to turn out. I had to share it on the youtube to get it to play. Sorry Steelhed, it’s likely to make you a star. 

There are only 10 kinds of people. Those who understand Binary and those who don’t.

Steelhed’s got a cousin named George the II. They call him Deuce, but his Tattoo says “DUCE”. So Ms. Melon and I have taken to calling Mike the III, “Tray”. Hey! Leave us alone we do what we want.!

Tray lives quite a few states away so we like to do a little something special together when we can get a chance to visit.

So on November 27th and 28th 2005 we went into Psycho Studio Records and cut a song we had never done before together, but Tray had heard me play literally since his conception.
I was totally knocked out by his performance. He picked up the solo I was meandering through and sweetened it up and handed it to Vince, who, kicked ass on drums bass and electric guitar. It was a totally awesome and cherished experience and dang if the song didn’t turn out purdy darn good too. What a hoot!

Here’s me and Tray and Vince doing Cowgirl In The Sand written by Niel Young.

My friend Jenny is totally cool. She’s got herself a real nice yungun too name a Jake. They’ve got themselves a swell gig over there at the KVMR every other Wednesday which includes Jake’s Beatle Show. I remember the first time I ever heard it I was driving out by the fairgrounds and I’m like whoa that’s a little kid doing a Beatles Show on the radio! He musta been 12 at the time. I believe it was the Trailer Park Troubadors that came up with the bumper sticker I tried to recreate here. Congratulations Jake on graduating High School!
Well, last year Jake’s School Choir raised money for a trip to Spain by doing an All Beatles Benefit at The Center for the Arts. (Why yes, yes I have played The Center for the Arts).

I played Beware of Darkness by the late George Harrison.

Adam was there with his Microphone Hat Bless His Heart!

I know where I am going to be Saturday July 28, 2007 8pm-midnight.
The Miners Foundry!

…long known as an incredibly fun and high energy Grateful Dead tribute band, the DeadBeats return to Nevada City for this one summer night. And as the name implies, the DeadBeats originally came together to cover the music of the Grateful Dead. Within this tradition they base their interweaving and often unpredictable jam style.
Together since1994, these days the band plays only occasionally for special events. The band has amassed a loyal following of steadfast fans who are always excited when the band decides to get together and play their hearts out with the music of the Dead.

So I’m roaming around my kitchen this morning getting coffee and what not. Suddenly I am overcome by the smells of delicious aromas wafting this way and that. “I’m ready to eat” says my stomach. “Me too” I says while opening the oven door to see what I had been cooking in there. Hmm? Nothing in there. Is it toast? Is it ready? No, nothing goin on in there either. Open the microwave to discover a cold cup of tea but no banquet. Guess I better take out the trash…

Two of the best things about living in Grass Valley are the  California WorldFest and KVMR 89.5 fm.

Ani DiFranco, Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra, Eileen Ivers & the Immigrant Soul, Tommy Emmanuel, Jackie Greene, Perla Batalla, Joe Craven and many more!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KVMR! 29 YEARS!

Stairway To Heaven Live 

Holy Cow I love this stuff! I heard some of it on RadioParadise.com.

Rodrigo (Sanchez) and Gabriela (Quintero) are two fast-fingered, Dublin-based, Mexicans with a unique sound created on acoustic guitars. Their music is difficult to define, straddling both world and rock, and often imbued with timeless Hispano – classical influences. The fire in it comes from their life-long passion for metal music. This spring, “Rodrigo y Gabriela,” beat both the Arctic Monkeys AND Johnny Cash to number one in the Irish charts.