A BIRTHDAY WELL-SPENT!

Let me start out with a big thanks to all who took time to wish me a happy birthday! Your brief comments served as tiny photographs that triggered thoughts of our times spent together, and they compiled a memory photo album of my life. Reading each comment only reinforced something I have known for years. I am a lucky guy! Each of you has contributed to the wonderful road I have traveled so far, and I only hope I can keep enhancing this awesome trip with you. Here’s a little summary of the last three days of this incredible journey.
Siobhan and I kicked off the weekend by opening up another season of first Friday happy hours at Rylie J’s in Geneva. We play these happy hours from October to May, and we just started off our ninth season. Joining us for this opener was one of our favorite sidemen, Perry Cleaveland, and once again, he lit up our show with his mandolins and fiddle. When we jam with Perry, the goal is for the three of us to have fun, and that is just what happened. In all honesty, it happens just about every time the three of us get together. Thanks to Perry for being the class act he is both on and off stage, Pat and Amy McGhan, the owners, for always including us in the Rylie J’s family, and Roachie and Jeff for being two outstanding bartenders and friends for many years. Finally, thanks to you, the patrons of Rylie J’s, for coming out and supporting us; you always make it a fun evening!
Saturday, we returned to The Tipping Glass, a little bar/lounge in the basement of The Naples Hotel. Playing there makes you feel like you are doing a house concert because it is so intimate and cozy. We’ve only played there a few times, and this was by far our best outing yet. Thanks to Heidi Goodman, the owner, for inviting us to play, Dom Gallo, for introducing us to Heidi and bringing us back to the village of Naples after being away from it for so many years, and Karen, the bartender, for being so accommodating and helping us unload our equipment. Thanks to Tom MacAllister for coming down from the hills with his spoons and sitting in with us Periodically throughout the evening. It was a blast! Finally, thanks to all of you who came to The Tipping Glass to listen, especially you folks from North Carolina. We really appreciated your support!
We closed out the weekend on Sunday by hosting our songwriters’ concert series in Quiote at Rio Tomatlan in Canandaigua. Jack Jones, also a journalist and biographer, was our guest, and he was backed up by Fran Cary and Kendall Paul Wilt, two of his band mates from The Stid Hill Stompers. In addition to confronting common themes of love and identity, Jack’s incredible songs, delivered at times in a Dylan-like cadence, reflected his experiences working in Vietnam, Africa, and state prisons. His outstanding lyrics were enhanced by an unbelievable musical presentation. His voice was strong and clear, and at times, Fran Cary added some exquisite harmonies. Jack and Fran’s voices were surrounded by beautiful sounds from Kendall’s harmonica and keyboard and Fran’s guitar and banjo. To put it simply, the audience was totally enthralled for the entire show. Thanks to Jack, Kendall, and Fran for feeding our souls with their beautiful music. Thanks to Raf, Erin, Brittany, Teresa, Julie, Amy, Trevor, Chris, Sadie, and the rest of the staff at Rio for always trying to be as helpful as they can when we are hosting a show. Finally, thanks to all of you who came out to support Jack, Fran, and Kendall. I hope they enriched your life as much as they did mine.
Still reading? If so, have a great week and thanks for being in our lives!