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Day 4 - Susan Moss |
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Susan's last hurrah: It is a bit after noon, and we are in the hotel (and I use that term loosely - think Norman Bates... ;-) room, headed back to the festival in a short while - it's been wonderful to be able to stay up until 4 a.m. (and then some) every night, catch a few hours sleep in the tent, motivate to the room for air conditioning and a shower mid-morning, and then return to the ranch each day. If you're doing the math, that would equal about one hour sweat-free, with the other 23 ranging from perspiring, dripping, drying off, and salty, repeat cycle as necessary... I haven't even had the good fortune to read Brian's reports as he's written them, so I will save that pleasure for when I get home (nope, that sounds weird just now - how about... back to Florida?) - oh, wait, the only thing I did catch was his mention of Peter Yarrow being in our row (as Susan P. said, "it's not nice to name drop. Robert DeNiro told me that." ;-) Some quick fill-ins and last minute comments: - Songwriter Competion Six Finalists - Suzanne Buirgy, Ray Bonneville, Mitch Barrett, Diane Zeigler, Jeff Berkley, and Mark Erelli. As disappointed as we all were that Amy was not chosen as one of the six finalists for the New Folk competition, it becomes obvious, up close and personal, how really true it is what they say at the Oscars every year - it's just an honor to be chosen. When you consider she was one of 32 "selected from more than 500 entries from 45 staes, The District of Columbia, and four Canadian cities" (to quote from the program), that speaks volumes for the quality of her music - many people in Texas were lucky enough to be treated to Amy's two entries on the main stage, and many of her other songs around campfires into the wee hours of the morning. Amy handled the disappointment with grace and style, and continues to give of herself in immeasurable ways - I feel truly blessed we were here to see what can only be the first of many Kerrville appearances. :-) [And just wait until you all hear the new song Susan P. and I were treated to in her hotel room mid-day yesterday - up until that point, it had been unveiled for Brooke and Grant only!] - Annie Wenz graced me with her lovely Find Your Own Way around a campfire my first night there (my second good cry of the evening...) - thank you, Annie, for helping me make this new transition in my life, to know that I've been giving Sarah "roots and wings" for 17 years, for just this reason... - Brian and I have had a blast playing the "best song lyric line of the festival" game, and I am sure he has many to share - I would probably have to give top honors to Butch Hancock, for the highest per capita heart-hitters, but there have been many runners-up! - On a related note, Bob Tower (another Florida friend) has been with us much of the time, and he said he could always tell when I liked a song (or a line) because "you mmmmm'ed four times during it..." - I smiled because I realized he's right, in that I am a very lyric-oriented person, and my reaction is an involuntary reflex. - I wore my purple Dar T-shirt yesterday, and a guy sitting behind me leaned over, tapped me on the shoulder, and said, "I think you put your shirt on backwards" (Dar fans will get this, especially since that line is on the front!) - we had a nice conversation because of it... - Bruce, I looked for the CD's you asked me to pick up, and I haven't been able to find them yet - I will alert Brian as to specifically which ones they are, and he said he will continue to look. - Rick and Mike, I got your T-shirts... :-) Notes to myself (and other Kerrvirgins): bring better walking shoes (lots of rocks), bring chilly weather gear (and I thought Texas was only hot, hot, hot!), leave the overalls at home (straps and porta potties just don't go together), and no cheese (enough said...) I've got to wrap this up now, as we're headed back (after taking a lunch break - mmmmm, cafeteria style liver and onions, spinach, macaroni and cheese, cornbread and sweet tea...) to try to make it by the 3 p.m. ballad tree - word has it that Amy will be there to put her name in the hat... I do want to thank Brian so
much for this entire adventure, from inspiring me last year with his ramblings,
to doing all the planning (knowing how hectic my life is), to introducing
me to so many wonderful people and experiences - I might never have done
this if he hadn't made it so easy, and I know I will do it again, most
probably for the entire 18 days next Believe it or not, I am uncharacteristically out of words (you laugh if you don't know me, but if you do, you understand) - it seems that the longer I am here, the more verbiage becomes unnecessary, redundant, and inadequate. The language of this festival is defined in terms of music, hugs, and listening - as Brian initially suggested, I *have* been transmitting less and receiving more... I am sure I will fill in the blanks as I cross state lines (and cosmic planes) but for now this will have to do - in the meantime, here I go, as OzWoman, clicking my heels together three times, and proclaiming... There's no place like Kerrville... there's no place like Kerrville... there's no place like Kerrville... g=*( |