Good morning from Jamestown, RI. This is me in my happy place. A morning coffee, some reading and my new little friend Freddie. Little Freddie Boy! From the song....the new Christmas song for this year that is still taking shape. I love being in Jamestown. It's where I've felt really appreciated and seen over the years at the Krause family property. They are doers and get things done and have built quite a life for themselves here over the past 10 years.
Years after I was dropped by Atlantic Records and my manager, I was living in New Orleans and working a day job out in the country and still making records and getting a few songs into film and television. I worked from 7:30-4, drove home to New Orleans, worked a few hours restoring an old house, showered then lit a fire and grabbed my guitar. Music has been my safe place where I go to make some sense of this ball we stand on. In these times, Jeremy Krause would call me to introduce himself. He was enthusiastic about my records and offered much needed energy from miles away. It's weird being a writer and being inspired with a new project idea. You're alone with it and no one cares if you get to it or not because they don't know it yet. People don't know the kind of militant drive it takes to complete a project on your own with no label, manager or dead lines. Sports gave me great drive and I have always applied it to art.
But back to Jamestown. I met Jeremy and Jami in Providence, RI in 2014 when I first got the van and hit the road. I was playing in an art space and I saw this couple eyeing me with the most caring eyes. They offered me food and a key to their house right away. That tour I only had 4 dates on the calendar, one with Nels Cline and the rest solo. It was nice to be seen and appreciated. It was why I hit the road. To see and meet the folks that write me and say such kind words.
I was telling Jeremy's mom Jan last night, that when I started this tour I was coming out of having my head buried in the ground like an ostrich. I was busy renovating our kitchen and working on other houses and playing guitar at night to get ready for tour. I bought a small stool because I have been preferring to sit part of the show but over time it has made me feel like I'm still hiding. The Krause's for some reason give me energy and now I want to stand.
Others make me want to stand as well. Dustin and Alicia in Elkridge, Md are our new friends. They had us play in The Elkridge Assembly Room and it was quite heavy for me because this place was dedicated as a meeting place for both sides after the Civil War. On show day, I was staring off and Margaret asked what was wrong. I was concerned on what the tone should be on stage that night. I want to still feel that music and art can make a difference but as I grow older, I doubt it but the songs come like an army marching resiliently. They make me different. I'm more of a person that wants to hide and be quiet and live creatively but the songs require me to have a certain strength and certainty.
But I do feel like my circumstances all these years have shaped me and given me confidence to stand in the moments of our time and articulate a simple truth. The Brooklyn show felt so good to stand in front of my friends Mac and Adrianna on New York soil and put my sword in the ground. Margaret had her head buried in the mic and we were dialed in the whole time.
And then it was off to Huntington and the love of the Gordons. Every place feels like going home for Christmas. We met a new friend Todd at our friend Zack's band Revivalist show. He came to our show at Treiber Farm and we played to a small crowd. We play the same no matter the size of the crowd but I couldn't help but think what Todd was thinking as the last time when we met him, the crowd was roaring and there were 2,000 people cheering for Zack. Afterwards we had oysters by the fire and wine and he told me of his battles with cancer and the mood was nice. There was an appreciation of life as it is vibe with him. Our path is really micro but we have some really special connections that seem to grow every time we come out. Perhaps I'm writing this to remind myself when I get home and get busy thinking that no one cares and the television talking heads have worn me down. I have to soldier on. Met Giovanni at our Treiber Farm show and he had us over to his winery the following day and told us his story. It was lovely and perhaps someday I'll talk about it.
I'm very excited to hit the stage tonight in Jamestown. Our friends just bought a new house and the property is beautiful and they are already talking about next year. It feels good to come here. I rest and know that I am seen. I think that's what I want more than anything. Something is coming through and I need to cut through the noise. Little Freddie offers me much comfort. The bridge to this years Christmas song "Magic Socks" says, "I'll shed a little light on the world stage tonight.....I'm gonna burn my television".
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