SUMMERFEST 2009 - Sunday memoirs

 

I got some sleep Saturday night, because things start a little later on Sunday.  My workshop was first up that day, so I left the Main Stage in the capable hands of Dave Palmater, & headed straight to Hospitality.  They were nice enough to let the musicians keep their stuff there overnight, so it was an easy load-in on Sunday.  I grabbed a bit of food & water, hydrate thoroughly on what looked to be Another beautiful day.  [It was topic of conversation from everybody, as we'd experienced several weeks of cold rainy weather... day after day... and suddenly it was lovely for the weekend of the festival.]

 

I grabbed my gear & went to the Whaling Museum early.  John Gorka was already there, sound checking his guitar.  He was really zeroed in, and I learned that extra time should be spent in extra preparations!  I joined him on stage, at the other end of the four set-ups for the four performers who would be sharing the theme; "Night & Day, Day & Night: the classiest songs I know".  Bob Franke followed, as did Antje Duvekot.  We all got settled, and sound checked & it was 15 minutes before the official start of the show, when we realized we were ready and there was a Good audience already.  Sonny Ochs, our host, asked if we wanted to start early & I said "Sure... why not?"  As workshop leader, I said a few words... preparing the theme and proceeded to play my first song.  "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", I believe.  It's a classy old song & seemed like a good start.  We went around the circle... each playing a song, and it was great.  The place filled up & was packed soon.  (I heard later, there was a waiting line outside, so that meant every seat in the 220+ theater was filled.)  When my turn rolled around again, I did a Dylan tune that I'd scheduled for Saturday but hadn't gotten to.... "Make You Feel My Love".  I played it with a little bit of chorus effect on my guitar, which gave it a different sound, and sang it as well as it can be sung, I think.  John Gorka played guitar lead on 2 instrumental verses, which was a Major thrill for me!  It got a nice response.  Once again we went around the circle... each performer doing wonderful songs & performances.  [The Good news is, the show was video taped in it's entirety by a fellow I'd met the night before, who asked IF he could video it for his own use... promising to share the results with the performers.  I hope he send us the entire workshop, & not just our part of it, as there were some songs by the others I would love to see as an audience member.]

 

The third time round, I decided to do a song from my Nursing Home repertoire, as I hoped it would be a chance to get the audience singing.  I told the story of learning it for a woman who repeated asked for it.  Then I shared the lesson learned from Annabelle in my early years, when she asked several times in one show, for "Always" & what a hit that proved to be, there & elsewhere.  I also did the story of the SMU crowd on retreat, telling the same story & having a friend say, "I can see us in twenty years, 'Do you know 'Satisfaction'?"  I added a bit about "some snot nosed young guy replying "No... but I'll got home & learn it", which cracked Gorka up again.  I ended with my starting the song... singing "I'll always remember..." and then blanking on the next line.  Ugh.  John sang softly, "Try to remember..."  The audience Did join in & I felt like it had gone OK by the time it was done.

 

John & Antje shared singing on a couple of each other's songs... as they'd done it before.  Very sweet.

The last time around, I opened the turn with "the classiest song from Seamus Kennedy" which was "Monkey Farts".  Got some laughs from the crowd.  Antje was delighted I'd "opened That door" which allowed her to sing a song by a friend called "Dead Horse Trampoline".  It was gruesome, but I thought Funny.  As we reached the end of the round, John did a song everybody could get involved in... and we ended the set 5 minutes early.  Hey, remember, we'd Started 15 minutes early... so fair is fair.  Kept Sonny Oachs happy, as it allowed her & the sound crew to get a jump on Harry Manx, the next act to play the Whaling Museum.

 

I spent some time out in the plaza talking to friends & fans, bought 2 pair of tie-dyed socks from Wild Child Tie-dyers, and then went back to hospitality for some lunch... & to grab the remainder of my gear.

Then it was straight over to the Custom House stage, where I was just in time to introduce the next workshop, "Remember Me to the One Who Lives There: music of past times & distant places", with Richard Shindell, Tim Ericksen, Livio Guardi, & Daniel & Luc - The Thonon Brothers.  That was a wonderful workshop.  (I'd met Daniel Thonon a couple years ago when he was with Mount Corbier & we shared a Love Song workshop together with Brooks Williams & John Roberts.  It had been a musical highpoint for me, as they all took turns doing leads on instrumental verse... and the whole tent's audience shared vocals on the chorus on my version of "Can't Help Falling In Love With You".  Wow!!)

 

I grabbed some lunch... fish & chips & scallop plate... Mmmmmm-good.  Enjoyed the music.

Next up was the Lovell Sisters, a family of beautiful young women from Georgia.... 18, 20 & 24.  Their bluegrassy sound was complimented with very tight harmonies that only siblings can do.  It was lovely.

Next up was Richard Shindell, but I asked Dave, who'd returned from lunch, if he wanted to do the honors.  I know he knows Shindell much better than.  He used the best opening line... "What can I say about Richard Shindell, that I haven't already said about John Gorka?"  Yuk yuk yuk.... but he did a wonderful job.  I noticed he was very brief with his intros... mostly just a line & the names... but somehow he managed to make That work for him.  I learned a lot watching him work.  Plus we got to chat a bit, & I just loved his sense of humor... dark & sardonic at times, and always Funny.

After Shindells hour long set, it was time for my Tribute to Paul Clayton.  Dave introduced me too... having a little fun at my expense with such lines as, "There's no truth to the rumor that after his band left college the University had to change its name." or "He sometimes plays in a Grateful Dead cover band... which is like the witness protection of music.  Great place to get lost... in a Grateful Dead cover band."  I'd come up to the microphone & was NERVOUS as could be.  He did say some nice things & ended with my favorite line, "You know him.... you love him.... who is he?" & the audience yelled out "ART TEBBETTS!!!", and the nerves just drained out of me.  I was Ready.

Opened with 'Cape Cod Girls'... then got into the story... and tried to tell the Paul Clayton saga as coherently as I could.  Lead through his birth in New Bedford, on through his college years, & his performing days, his time in Greenwich Village befriending the next generation of folkies, sharing the songs he'd collected with Richard Farina, Dave Van Ronk, Jeannie Ritchie, & Bob Dylan.  I mentioned the one big hit he'd had with a song he'd written.... "Gotta Travel On", which I then proceeded to play for the crowd.  (And crowd it was... as this was Just before the Celtic Extravaganza, the traditional ending to the long Summerfest weekend... and it always draws the maximum crowd.)  I kidded with the crowd that they sang well, & could they All come to a gig I'm playing at a new place for me in R.I.  Someone yelled out where?  I said "Power's Pub in Pawtuxet Village" & got a scream from some women in the fifth row.  Guess it's their regular pub.  (Made sure to send That story to the Pub's owners... as good PUBlicity!!)

 

I was told the Mayor was ready to speak... so I ended up my part with a Thank You to the Korolenkos, a short memory of great performers who had passed through our stages & were now gone (Johnny Cunningham, Dave Van Ronk & Dave Carter).  I went off with my guitar & as I was putting it away, I was yelled to to get up & introduce the Mayor.... oops.  So, back up I went.. saying "How 'bout that Art Tebbetts?  wasn't he great?"  Laughs & applause....  Did a wicked short Mayoral intro... then went down to let the excitement of all sort of get into a more manageable place.  Liz & friends were leaving, so I went out the side of the tent to say "Good-bye" & missed what I was later told were some Very Nice words about the Korolenkos, and some about me, by His Honor.  (Damn!  Hate to miss stuff like that.)  I'm Trying to find someone who was there who was paying attention to fill me in with some quotes!

 

My last bit of work for the weekend was intros for the Celtic Extravaganza... short & sweet, as I was Told the soundmen were ready.  Got out of the way... only to find they Weren't ready.... ugh.  But they Got ready pretty quickly, and off we went.  It started late, it ran late... finally Alan asked me to give them the 10 minute warning... though they played more like 15 or 20 more.  But it was Great!  Nobody there wanted it to end.  After much hugging & "good-bye's"... I heard some musicians were heading up the street to the Hibernia, a new pub in town, so I decided to schlep my stuff up the hill & have a beer or two.  When I got there, no musicians... yet... but Mike && Deb Roussos, Joe DaLuz, & Dave Shortall were there at the bar.  I talked them all into a table, so I could watch my gear... and we all had several rounds, and bags of crisps, and Much pleasant & silly conversation.  It was a great way to end the night.  The women from Gadelle did appear, but sat up front & chatted & had a drink.  Not sure where the rest of the crew ended up.

 

Before going home to collapse, I had to go to my friends P&T's house to feed their cat, & clean his litter box... which I realized was a great metaphor for the weekend being over: 

One minute you're the darling of of hundreds... the next your scooping poop.