7 am, October 21, 2009
On
the tour bus, rolling through flat country north of LA, past endless
fields of pistachio trees. The trailer carrying our gear has a flat
tire, so the driver is going slowly till the next repair shop. He’s
got the CB radio on and the voices of Spanish-speaking truckers are
coming through, echo-y and mixed with plenty of static, like a
broadcast from another planet.
Yesterday
was our first day off since beginning the tour with the Holmes Brothers
and Paul Thorne. My friend Wiz (aka Dennis Leonard) took me to visit
George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch where he works mixing soundtracks for
films. Dennis was the mixer for the Dead tour I did a few years ago,
and we hit it off back then, it was great to see him and to see the
beautiful compound Lucas has created for himself on thousands of acres
in Marin County. I was struck in particular by the grace of an
exquisitely carved wooden spiral staircase in the library, and by
Charlie Chaplin’s hat and cane in a glass case next to the original
badges worn by the keystone cops and the light sabers from Star Wars.
My nephew would have been very impressed…
I’m
so happy to be touring with the Holmes Brothers at long last.! I have
known them for probably 15 years, since the days when I was a fledgling
singer and they were the kings of the NYC blues and roots music scene.
I was in awe of them back then, of the fact that they could turn a club
into a shouting, sweaty, roadhouse one minute, a gospel church the
next, and the Grand Ole Opry the minute after that…since then I have
become friends with them, produced one album for them and we are just
finishing a second. They have lost none of their power, and their
voices have become even richer and more soulful. Keith Cotton, the
keyboard player from my regular band, is rounding out the ensemble and
serving as musical director, and to have them all as my rhythm section
is a dream come true. And then to hear them sing the harmonies on my
songs…heaven!
The
Holmes’ are also a great bunch of men to hang out with, smart and funny
and full of stories of their childhoods in the south, their early
careers on the r&b circuits of the 50s and 60s, and their travels
around the world. Keith and Paul Thorne and I weigh in with our
stories too, and the bus/backstage are full of hysterical laughter.
After
our first show in Chico, we all adjourned back to the Holiday Inn where
there was a salsa party in the bar. Wendell Holmes and I cut a rug
while Popsy Dixon joined the conga section and Sherman Holmes had a
scotch with Paul. He’s our opening act…Paul was someone I had not
known about until this tour, but he’s killing the audiences every night
and making us bring our best or get left in the dust! He writes great
songs and is a gifted raconteur, wickedly funny stuff. He’s from
Tupelo Mississippi, and to be around his accent along with the Holmes’
Virginia drawl has re-awakened my Kentucky girl twang in a big way!
The
morning after the show in Monterey, my friend and booking agent
Jonathan Levine took me for a short hike in the redwoods. It was
almost like entering a vocal booth in a studio, the carpet of needles
on the ground was so thick that it absorbed most of the sound…Jonathan
guessed some of the trees in that grove to be 2000 years old, judging
from their girth – 20, 25 feet around.
Tire
is fixed, we’re getting close to LA now. We have a couple of days off
before our Glendale show, going to see some friends and lay low…more to
come. Thanks to everyone who has come to the shows so far, great to
meet and talk with you after the shows!