The Wedding of the Year!

It has been called. . . Here is my handsome groom...doesn't he look happy? Here I am, below. Don't I look happy? If you are so inclined, you may visit topekatonight.com, scroll down to other, then click on Deb G. Gary and Deb's wedding is one of your choices. There is the video, in 3 parts. It was a beautiful service, conducted by our friend Sue Ann Seel with music by our friends, High Falutin' Stringband and Dave and Kim Houser. More pictures to come. These were taken by our dear friend, Doug Ruth, God Bless Him!

Bluegrass, Bloodstains, and Bob Gordon

The last few days have been hectic, literally and historically. From bluegrass to assassination, it's been a busy April.

Sue Ann Seel and I again visited the Little Grill near Manhattan where Chris Biggs and Steve Hinrichs were playing. Folks, they are so good and that little Jamaican grill has just about the most interesting eclectic decor I've ever seen(outside my own house, of course). From bait bucket light fixtures to grass-skirted overhangs, it screams "good time" when you walk in the door. They also have absolutely the best waitstaff in the world. Try it sometime, but especially on Wednesday evenings when Chris & Steve are playing.

On the 14th, Andy my Yankee informant, emailed to remind me that this was indeed the day Lincoln had been shot in 1865. Does he think I need reminding, for Pete's sake? Anyhow, he was indeed correct, and the 15th is the day Lincoln actually died. By the 16th, it was Easter Sunday and folks referred to it as "Black Easter." Cities, homes--the entire country were draped in black. This story has fascinated me endlessly, as well as countless others, and I was privileged to speak in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago with a group of folks including Gary Grove. Gary is a wonderful, generous man who has made quite a bit of news of late. He is the scientist who has been contacted about examining Lincoln's DNA from a blood stain owned by a Philadelphia museum. Well, I happen to know those museum folks as well. Read more at : http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090413_Lincoln_s__Shroud_of_Turin_.html I gotta tell ya, that Hugh Boyle tells of an encounter he had with a skunk one time that just about tops anything Jerry Clower entertained audiences with. I wouldn't begin to recount it; just ask him to share it with you sometime.

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Bob Gordon Theater

I want to write now of happier things. Time Tunnel is on television. I remember it would come on Sundays as part of the lineup on Bob Gordon Theater on WSJS in Winston-Salem. Bob was a local celebrity, a ventriloquist who would interview local folks between episodes of classic TV shows. We would often be at Grandma and Grandpa Coalson's house and Grandpa would be enjoying his Dr. Pepper. These were good times. We didn't talk very much--my sister, my brother, my Grandpa and me, but we laughed together.

At the Emma Chase Cafe

The Chase County Courthouse dominates the tiny town of Cottonwood Falls--like an ornate wedding cake at the top of Main Street. Last night however, the excitement was inside the Emma Chase Cafe (below, right is Sue who owns the cafe, and on occasion, appears as Emma Chase). We could barely find a seat. My friend, Sue Ann Seel, that banjo -picking girl, invited me to join her for the weekly jam session. Last night happened to be gospel night, which might have promised a sedate evening's entertainment.

Not.


The first song was "I want to be a cowboy," just to get the crowd in the mood. Then there were rousing renditions of the Hank Williams classic, "I saw the light," then, "I'll fly away," and "Do Lord,"and "When the saints come marching in." There were softer tunes, like the one newcomer from Wichita, Clarence, performed, "Let the harvest go to seed.


It was the closest event to being home at the Willis Gap Community Center on Saturday night that I've ever found in Kansas.


Nothing goes with good traditional music like good traditional food--fried catfish, chicken fried steak, cherry pie, peach pie, rhubarb pie. As people came and went, there was barely an empty seat to be found at any given time.


Speaking of seats, next to me was a young family--a couple with a darling little girl. He is a professor of anthropology at Wichita State University and hails from Hamburg, Germany. Needless to say, this was his first visit to Cottonwood Falls. His lovely wife (left) was Turkish. Emma gave them a jar of apple butter for coming the furthest to the event. (Even though technically they just drove up from Wichita.)


Okay, so near the end of the show I could hardly stand it anymore and I asked if it would be acceptable to dance even though they were playing gospel. This gentleman, Dan Force (left), replied with a hearty "yes!" So I know I look a little bedraggled but I had danced up a storm!


On the way back up the road, Sue and I tried to carry on a conversation, but I we had some mind-blowing bluegrass CDs and every time we got into a deep conversation, a really hot song came on and we would say, "Oooh, wait! listen to this!"

I can hardly wait for the next jam session.

Flint Hills Grass

Sue Ann and Rod Seel asked me to join them at the Classic Bean, Fairlawn Plaza, here in Topeka Saturday night. Chris Biggs is her banjo teacher, but I was really impressed with how good he was along with fellow musician Steve Hinrichs. On March 27th, Chris will be back at the Classic Bean with the band Kansas Heart. In the meantime, visit his website biggsmusic.com and order the CD Blue Flannel Friday. YOU WILL LOVE IT! I have played it over and over. Folks back home would be impressed. I wish we could do a musician exchange program between the Flint Hills and the Blue Ridge Foothills. . . .Hmmmmmmm......

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Just Imagine. . . .