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It's a big life... Mez says he loves touring with me as each day is so different and always packed with interesting stuff.  I was sorry he wasn't on my recent Texas tour because some days I needed him more than most...

THE TOUR MUST GO ON.....!

I turned to Anne McCue at one point during our recent tour of Texas and asked "Do you attract this shit?" 

From day one we were tested.  It was 11pm, we were heading south on Hwy 59 and 10 minutes from a comfy motel bed.  The 18-wheeler in front of us collided with a car driving the wrong way up the freeway. In the next moment the truck exploded high up to the heavens.  It was unbelievable and shocking. My body trembled like I've never known.  Afraid of what the truck may be carrying I reversed up the freeway shoulder, as the truck continued to explode.  Grey smoke and ash fell upon us.  We were helpless to provide assistance, not believing anyone would have survived.
A week later I learned from the Marshall, TX newspaper that the truck driver did in fact survive! The errant car driver was not so lucky.  I found some relief in knowing the truck driver survived and do wonder how he managed to escape - maybe he was blown from the truck when it exploded?

Needless to say, this event coloured the rest of our travels, my driving in particular. I now practice the UPS code of "always give yourself an out".  We were given a heavenly pardon that night.
OK, so add in food poisoning, a night in an old haunted hotel and driving through thunderstorms that felt more like a rally track and you get the picture.
But we did get to dip our toes (and paws) in the ocean at Corpus Christi (mmm... like a bath), hear a Jon Dee Graham show that rocked the house, hang out and eat with Eddie Wilson at Threadgill's Restaurant, play 2 house concerts with Maryann Price of the famous Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (boy she's a groover - pictured above) and played a great show at the wonderful Freyburg Hall, which is like Gruene Hall without the traffic and tourists.
Best of all we got to open Billy Joe Shaver's show at Courville's restaurant in Beaumont.  Some say we "saved the show"!  Normally an opener will play 30 - 40 minutes.  Right before we were to go on the venue asked if we can play for 1 1/2 hours and not tell the audience that Billy Joe is MIA! [OK Aud, chin up and remember those 4 hour gigs in every RSL in Australia? I can do this, I just hope they don't start throwing stuff.]  Well, we were blessed with a very gracious audience.  After our first opening set we took a short break whilst Donny Courville entertained, then we went back on for another hour! By then the audience had learned Billy Joe would be late so we all had fun, sang Ernest Tubb and Rose Tattoo, drank home-made wine and ate great food. He was worth the wait!  Billy Joe finally arrived at 10pm and played till midnight and was as awesome as ever.  His fire continues to burn bright.  Great songs, inspired performance and a killer band.

WITH LOVE & THANKS TO...

*  Craig & Krista Wilson in England for playing "I'd Leave Me Too" at their wedding. What a great start!

*  Kori Free, a 12 year old dynamite guitar playing girl who jammed with us and proved you can never be too young to get the blues.

* Steve and Lisa Stagner for the Rockgarden and outstanding hospitality.

* Anne and Alan Mayfield for providing a perfect day at Fancy Gap, Virginia and an unforgettable barn concert, excellent BBQ, strawberry steeped moonshine and the hope to do it all again next year!

* Anne McCue for keeping Aussie culture alive inside and outside the minivan.

* YOU for turning off unwanted power and saving Appalachian mountains from coal-mining.  Once they're gone, they're gone...

                   Audrey x