November 2014: The Stuff Were Dreams Are Made

“You have to dream before your dreams can come true.”~ A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

The days ahead are beginning to look up for me in the most thrilling of ways.

I know that they don’t mean a lot to you but they will be meaning so much to me as I look forward into the next month of November.

This day, the 30th of October, would pave the way to three more months until my next birthday. That significant birthday in which doctors said that I would not live to see.

But before reaching that ultimate goal, in November there are some events happening that I am anxiously awaiting to happen.

The other day I woke up from a nap. I found a message waiting for me from the model known as Red Vamp.

She mentioned that she was going to be in town on the 15th. She actually said “We will be there.” so I am assuming she meant her and her husband.

I had so much trouble containing my excitement over the matter.

To think that the one person that I would believe was the most beautiful redhead on the planet was going to be in my area and she was willing and wanting to meet in person.

The one and only female that I adulated and adored so much, and yet avoided all the typical talk about how hot she is and all of that and just simply TALKED to her as if she was a next door neighbor or a friend across the street or something. It opened up the doors to the friendship that we have now.

I know that my regular readers are probably getting sick and tired of hearing about Red Vamp, but after so many years of worshiping and adoring her, I’m about to have an opportunity to be in a tangible place at the same time as her as well be in the same space.

I honestly shake with pride and excitement when I think about it. 

The following weekend will be the return of NANCY SILVA PROJECT.

NANCY SILVA PROJECT has a show at the Gypsy Lounge on the 22nd, just one week later after I get to meet Red Vamp in person.

If you’ve been around for about a year, you know that I went to the Gypsy Lounge last year in September to see POC NATION play live, and know about the misery and obstacles that I had to face at that venue. But knowing that back then it was the first time being there, so I am hopeful and faithful that the second time at the Gypsy Lounge won’t be as challenging or taxing as the first time.

So all in all, my excitement level is about to reach brand new heights in the coming weeks.

It is almost the beginning of November already, and soon those first few weeks will burn on by and I’ll be back on this blog, writing about what it was like to be hanging out with Red Vamp and then my FOURTH time watching NANCY SILVA PROJECT play live in under one year, and then later on being able to connect with Nancy Silva on a personal level.

I personally cannot wait!!! I don’t want to wait any more!! COME ON NOVEMBER!! DO YOUR MAGIC AND ARRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But yes, I’m am pumped and excited. This dream is partially coming true. And I am humbled by the mere thought.

13 September 2014: One-Eyed Doll At Dirty Dog Bar- TOUR HOMECOMING

“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.”~Paulo Coelho

Part II – One-Eyed Doll.

The first difficult lesson that I learned was never to move from your spot if you got a good place in front of the stage, if you are at a One-Eyed Doll show.

Being a local band, there’s plenty of people who were there for One-Eyed Doll specifically.  I’d like to think upwards towards 90% of the crowd was there for them.

And I had never seen Dirty Dog Bar that packed with people. I probably said that in the last post. I was the only person there wearing a NANCY SILVA PROJECT t-shirt. And I wore it with total pride, against the oceans of One-Eyed Doll shirts.

But this was my first time for One-Eyed Doll. And I have been watching videos on YouTube for the past two months or so just trying to familiarize myself with the band.

The only real connection I was able to make was listening to two songs called “You’re A Vampire” and “Committed.”

When the show started, I was so far deep in the back after trying to find Nancy Silva to hang out that when I attempted to reach the stage that nobody would move so I got pushed over to the side of the stage closer to the restrooms, watching the show from behind. Watching Kimberly Freeman’s back the entire time, unless she marched over towards the side of the stage before going back up front.

I missed the silly introductions and realized that the first song that they were going to perform was “Committed” and right from the start I found myself in a spot where I would know this first song, but nothing more… unless she performed “Vampire” and she did not. So everything else was new.

One-Eyed Doll. Photograph by M. Eagle (I was sitting directly behind and to the right of the guitar stand with limited visibility.)

I just didn’t know what to think about this entire show. Filled with silly props, silly banter, silly lyrics, and silly stage presence. But it worked. It turns out that Kimberly Freeman and Junior are actually incredibly talented musicians who makes silly turn into gold.

I kept wondering if she was the female rock and roll version of Weird Al Yankovic. I just couldn’t take a lot of the lyrical content seriously and come to find out, you aren’t supposed to.

During “Committed” she kept up with her high kicks. I had previously asked on her official Facebook page how many kicks she predicted to do during the entire tour. I received the answer of “One Million.” I’m tellin’ ya though, with as many kicks as she did during that first song, I am pretty sure she came close to hitting that mark.

There was quite a bit of audience participation, including allowing members of the crowd to join her on stage.

From my searches on YouTube, I noticed that there was a lot of gross stuff too. Spitting and screaming the demeaning of others by humiliation. Even one video a few years ago where she had one man on stage with her and she just up and slapped him then spit on him.

Freakin’ gross! Can you say “assault” charges?

Who in the world puts up with that? Who in the world thinks that’s great entertainment?? The members of the One-Eyed Doll nation. Although sufficed to say that there was no spitting. No slapping. But plenty of audience members on stage to dance and dress up in silly costumes. There was also plenty of audience participation to scream out phrases like “Yee-haw!” during songs such as “Be My Friend.”

One audience member was brought onto the stage and it was announced that it was his birthday weekend. Come to find out that it was the same person who gave me the VIP pass earlier as a gift. So he got to hang out during a song or two. The One-Eyed Doll nation is a very close and supportive group, whether they are from Texas or from Tasmania or Toledo. 

Poor Kimberly was met by one member of one of the earlier bands that was on stage before her. He was so drunk that he just made his way up the stairs and stood right next to her. Her sound technician played a dual role as he pulled the slobbering guy off the stage and away from Kimberly. All she had to do was stand there and keep her distance. And I wondered that with all the audience invitations of joining her how many times people who were drunk would misunderstand her and just show up as this guy did? How many times has that happened?

Towards the end of her 90 minute set, she sang “My Little Bus” which I am still conflicted by, lyrically. But musically its catchy as hell. I knew that one, but that was it as far as familiarity was concerned.

I still had a bouquet of roses that I had planned to give to Kimberly but I did not know how I was going to do that. I could throw them at her feet on stage but she could have used them as a stage prop and then in the end they would be destroyed. Or someone else might have taken credit, and that’s never good.

At the end of the show, Kimberly encouraged her fans to follow her to the back of the venue near her merchandise table, which was LOADED with goodies. I just was too damned poor to buy even a $3 sticker. But then again, the sticker is THREE dollars. But having the crowds follow her reminded me of the Pied Piper.

It just stinks that a majority of the items that are cool and can be used to wave the flag were $20 or more. And it sucked because I didn’t have any money for that.

Kimberly Freeman and Junior stood by their merchandise table and was available for photos, autographs, and simple conversation. But there were splintered lines coming towards Kimberly from at least six different directions. It just never seemed to move because you couldn’t tell where people were coming in from. 

Me with my camera which was beginning to run out of batteries and I just was not into any position to stop and search for the extra batteries that I had brought with me. If I had done that I would be distracted from the lines and lose my place whenever it decided to move.

Plus when people were done with meeting Kimberly they did an about face back into the crowd which I thought was stupid. I felt as if they should have made a path to go around the outside of the crowds who were waiting to talk to Kimberly rather than go back into the same crowds by going back the way you came.

People were expecting ME to move out of THEIR way- and that just wasn’t going to happen. Your dumb ass should’ve gone around the outside and now you are wedging me and my wheelchair between you, the merchandise table and a stripper pole which is located in the middle of the floor out of nowhere. This is not my problem nor my fault. You should have gone around.

Then I got closer and closer to where I could actually see Kimberly Freeman sitting there.

She had a very unique way of deciding who she would see next. Nevermind the rule of “next in line” especially since there were about six different lines coming in from different directions.

Kimberly would stare blankly ahead and stick her index finger into the air and whomever touched their index finger with hers, was next.

It was like some twisted, light-hearted game of E.T. Phone-Home. Minus the part where her fingertip was supposed to light up.

Me and my roses on my lap, playing around with my camera and realizing that the life of the batteries were extremely low was not a game. I had a surprise in store for the person ahead of me in the line that we both were in. They were short and I have long arms so I was going to reach around and touch fingers with Kimberly and take my turn. Besides, I was losing precious time wanting to do another one hundred and two things before leaving the venue and getting ready for the VIP party.

But my plan would not work. Instead, Kimberly saw me crushed against the side of the table with people looming over me from all sides, basically trapping me where I sat.

Kimberly looked and saw me and then I heard “I am going to come to you.” She got off her chair and moved to my side and hugged me. Even after being on stage for an hour and a half, moving around under those hot stage lights, her scent was still a bit intoxicating.

I gave her the roses and for the rest of the night was in shock and disbelief that someone gave her roses. Constantly asking if they truly were for her. Not even Kimberly Freeman would remember the old traditions.

Then I picked up my camera but nothing would happen. The batteries were just dead by the next time I turned it on. So I had to accept the substitute of someone taking their cell phone and taking a photograph of Kimberly and I together and then having that person text it to me, in which I had to text it to someone else who would e-mail to me so that I would be able to post it to the Internet.

I remember very clearly and vividly that Kimberly was so touched by the flowers that tears formed into the corners of her eyes, but the tears did not fall.

She touched my hand and thanked me. I then turned and lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her hand with reverence, chivalry, gallantness, affection, and respect. I was informed later by someone else that it won her over.

I mentioned to her that I would be attending the VIP party and told her that someone that I did not know was my hero for giving me his other VIP pass for nothing, otherwise I just wouldn’t have been able to afford. Kimberly stunned me with her answer of “We would have hooked you up so that you could come.”

Wow………..

More affection, more hugs, and more kind words and then I was finished. I shouted behind me that everyone needed to move the hell out of my way or suffer being ran over. Everyone parted like the Red Sea and I just kicked it backwards into high gear. I connected with my ride with the family from Richmond and then shortly after that the bar closed and the person on the PA system who was announcing the closure of the bar was being a colossal dickhead about it.

I said good night to Rai and he vowed once more to come by my place some time soon. And again I was not deterred and encouraged him to bring it. Just make sure that Nancy Silva was with him when he did stop by. I am hopeful that he had at least a little bit of seriousness within him. I said farewell and bolted for the doors, hoping to find Nancy Silva to say good night and farewell to her. Even though that I did not want to. I wished I could have kept her here in town forever.

I ran outside and found Nancy Silva just standing on the sidewalk having conversations with others. I sat nearby but didn’t interrupt. Then she said she was leaving to go back to San Antonio. We embraced, I kissed her on the cheek gave her my affections verbally and then BEGGED her to come back sooner than six months.

Then it was onward toward the hotel of my colleagues so that we could get into their vehicle to head to the VIP after party.

We were stopped by two girls who were drunk out of the skull, kissing on Robert. The first girl just pecking his lips but the second girl attempted to start a making out session with Robert but that was all stopped by Robert’s wife thankfully.

People on Sixth Street after 2:00 AM– annoying as hell.

We pilled in and set the GPS system up and took off for the house where the party was being held.

Next Post: One-Eyed Doll VIP After Show Acoustic Party.

 

13 September 2014: Infamy Remembered By OED With Nancy Silva Project

“Some people never go crazy, What truly horrible lives they must live.”~ Charles Bukowski

Let me just start off with a couple of things.

#1- The idea of giving myself a break before posting this blog post was probably not a good idea as I am beginning to forget a number of things that happened during the event and I don’t want to feel bad or let others down. So I am going to do the best that I can with what I can remember as I compose. And if that means I have to come back and edit even days later, then so be it.

#2- With scattered memories come scattered story telling so I am going to break up the evening’s activities in parts and pieces so this will take up a small number of posts. Stay tuned and keep reading!

After a week of drama of breaking my eye glasses and having to pay so much for it, and then saving my sister’s posterior and having given her money, I was on the edge because I knew that I had a choice for the evening. I could either LEAVE the venue after watching NANCY SILVA PROJECT perform and miss out on my first experience at a One-Eyed Doll show. And if I left, just how late would I stay because I would want to be able to spend time talking with Nancy Silva and hang out a bit.

The other option was to stay and watch One-Eyed Doll and then take a taxi home which would take $20 that I was not sure that I would have.

On the 12th, I was able to accomplish two things: Get a haircut and buy roses for Nancy Silva. A tradition that seems to have been lost along the years but long lost traditions will be a post for another time, if the readers want it.  I wasn’t quite sure if I should buy roses for Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll since I did not know her and she did not know me. I didn’t want to send the wrong message.

Nonetheless, I would pull an audible and buy roses for Kimberly Freeman as well… keeping in mind the old time traditions of presenting performers with flowers after their show.

Then as I returned home, I had a personal message waiting for me from Nancy Silva herself. She wanted to know if it was okay if her group would come to my home to get ready for the show and relax and hang out.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????????????????????????

I do not usually say this but OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!

The one brilliant, musically talented, and beautiful woman that I adore coming from San Antonio to do a show. Someone I have not seen face to face in six months plus one day was asking me if she could come to my home.

I thought to myself, “Dear Lord, these are the things that only dreams are made of. And its slowly showing signs of becoming true!”

After a few hours of bantering back and forth I agreed to the arrangement. And as I was doing so… I was scrambling to get everything in my home straightened up and clean and everything at least in the condition to be acceptable for having company over.

My apartment manager defines a clean apartment (for me at least) as “If you would be embarrassed to bring a girl back to your home… then you need to clean it.” And at this point, there was this great possibility of a girl coming over. So I made sure that the apartment was up to those standards. Then I sat back and waited. Noticing that the request to obtain my address had not been given. The longer it went on, the more I thought that this would not happen or that something was going to defeat me.

So on the 13th the day of the show as I was watching my favorite college football team beat the crap out of their opponent, I received word that it was not going to happen. And this was the official decision. It had been raining too and that was  getting annoying. Would I be going out in the rain again?

As deflated as I became I knew that in a few hours I would be there at the Dirty Dog Bar and that I would see NANCY SILVA PROJECT play.

There was just a few details that life hadn’t given to me in the memo.

Doors were supposed to open at 7:00 PM. They were not.
There was a LINE to get indoors. What the hell is up with that?
Staff who normally are warm and friendly were nothing but hulking statues of not giving a rat’s ass.

Everyone in line ahead of me and everyone in line behind me had some kind of memorabilia for One-Eyed Doll. I was the only person there with a NANCY SILVA PROJECT. Damnit, I am gonna wave this flag!!!

And some how when I got inside, there was already so many people inside. Why are THEY inside and I am not? I figured it was a lost cause and dropped it.

One-Eyed Doll Nation was everywhere. This place was totally packed and there were scores of people already lined up along the edges of the stage from the front and wrapped around to the one side.

But I would find Rai de la Cruz, the guitarist for NANCY SILVA PROJECT. I had never in my life conversed with him before and now it was like we had been friends forever and had connected again.

His continuous plaguing me of John Malkovich stood throughout the entire night. But I never fought it and that probably threw him off.

He’s now threatening to make an unannounced visit to my home… now that the band has my address. And again, I responded with “BRING IT ON.” If it was a fear tactic to pick on me, it wasn’t working. I would LOVE to have NANCY SILVA PROJECT in my home. Of course I’d have to take a photograph or two to have proof of it actually happened. But I got along with Rai pretty well. And Raj Arenas, the drummer. These two guys clearly remember me from SXSW Festival six months prior.

And then at long last, I saw Nancy Silva but she moved into the restroom and I lost her there.

And as I was digging out the roses to give to her she sprung out of the restroom and spotted me there. She hugged me, I gave her a kiss on the cheek and then gave her the roses.

There was this really bizarre color on one of the bouquets of roses that I couldn’t pass up, so I gave Nancy Silva BOTH.

Then a well known local photographer took our photograph together. Then I let her go, knowing that she was busy with preparations of her set on stage coming soon. Six months plus one day I had waited and the patience was paying off in spades.

So then I learned something about these events:

Rule #1 & 2 in attending a One-Eyed Doll show: If you are there for them or even some other band that is playing the same venue, get there early and grab your spot and DO NOT MOVE THE REST OF THE NIGHT.

Geez. I had to fight to get a place near the stage where I would be able to see. And still to that point I had not made up my mind as to how long I was staying.

Some gentleman saw me and then sacrificed his standing position that was right up against the edge of the stage and said that even if I was in front of him, that he could still see because I was so low.

I had thanked him and found myself next to a cute redhead who was even shorter than I was sitting down in a wheelchair with X’s on her hands.  Wow. Just when you think that they cannot make women any smaller you get proven wrong.

But I sat there and waited for NANCY SILVA PROJECT to set up.

I saw someone who I had just made friends with that was there who also is in a wheelchair. He and I together were calling ourselves “ROLLING THUNDER.”

So this conversation happened in the crowd between my newest colleague, the guy who gave me his spot, and myself about whether or not I was going to the VIP after show party.

Umm no. I could not afford that.

Then the guy who sacrificed his spot became my personal hero for the day. He had bought two and he just gave me the other one and didn’t ask me for anything for it. I couldn’t believe it.

Then my newest colleague promised to give me a ride to the party and then drop me off at home.

Honestly, could this have become any better???

Nancy Silva Project- Photo by Maurice Eagle

The VIP passes were $100 a piece. $150 for two. Before I could turn into a thankful blubbering mess the set started and NANCY SILVA PROJECT was rocking it from right out of the gate!!

The One-Eyed Doll crowd was blown away.

I started keeping track of the set by writing down the song titles on my hand with a permanent marker, knowing that this blog post was going to happen but because I waited, its nothing but a blurry mess that looks like a tattoo on my hand from far away.

They had nine songs on the set list but had to cut it short. Two songs were clipped. And when I heard the sound guy say “one more” I began to panic because my favorite NANCY SILVA PROJECT had not been performed.

What if they didn’t perform it? Would I feel cheated? Would I be angry? What the hell?

But all of that would not be necessary as they finished their set with “Lift Me Up” … my favorite song that has taken me through quite the huge emotional roller coaster ride over the past half year from tears to goosebumps to feelings of love and pride to support. And everything in between. No other musical performer has been able to do that to me or has had that much or that kind of impact on me. And so I love Nancy Silva and NANCY SILVA PROJECT so much because of it.

And then I made the costliest mistake of the night. When NSP was off of the stage, I moved away from my spot by the stage. It was time for me to hang out. Although it didn’t really work out as well as I had wanted.

There was two bands in between NSP and One-Eyed Doll and honestly, I could have cared less. I mean, the opening band “Force Of Rage” sounded okay but of course in my singleness my mind was focused more on the two female led bands ahead. I cannot even tell you the two names of the bands without looking it up.

Those wrist bands that bars give up, I finally found a way to not hate and loathe them as much any more. I presented Nancy Silva with a number of odd items and handed her my permanent marker, asking for her to sign it.

First was my bus pass. And since I had a return ride home, and I was not going anywhere the following day, it was useless for travel. So I had her sign it as a piece of memorabilia to remember that I had to take the bus and ride it for nearly an hour before I got to the venue.

Then I stuck my hand out wanting her to sign the wrist band. I turned my head and she started writing on my hand. I had to clear up the confusion. She signed the wrist band and then I told her that since she already started writing her name on my hand to finish it. Otherwise it would look odd with “NA” on my hand the rest of the night. Comical errors are very comical.

After a while, Nancy Silva discovered that the band’s equipment was going on unprotected. Nobody was around to kind of keep an eye on it and this look of frustration crawled across her face. I volunteered to watch it with no argument and then just kinda sat around near the stage area where bands stash their stuff. I wondered if that was a mistake because I felt tethered to it all. But in the end, it was fine.

I was so happy. The world could have blown up that night and I would have gone out happy and feeling like the king of kings.

I take Rai’s words seriously. I think that if he could get away with driving up from San Antonio to crash my place, that he would do it. Nancy Silva seems to be supportive of the idea. The band suffered 20/20 hindsight wishing that they all would have come by. And all I could do was shrug.

I told Rai that I did NOT want to wait six months to see them again. Six months from now will bring us back around to SXSW 2015. Rai claims that they will stop at my place for SXSW, and they’ll do it over and over and over again as long as they are in town and in the area.  BRING IT ON, RAI!!!! LET’S DO IT!!!!!!

Now I wait and pray to see them all sooner than six months.

The next blog post: One-Eyed Doll’s performance at the Dirty Dog Bar. And then the VIP party. 

Attack Of The Drama Llama

“The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed.”~ Eminem

Just about that time when you are about to put everything on cruise control for a few days… that stupid llama finds you in the bedroom window, staring at you while you sleep. And its wanting inside the house.

And then by no fault of anyone, it finds its way inside. Suddenly your everything slowly turns into a nightmare from which you just wished that you would awake.

That’s when you realize that any and all attempts to play the hero and be Superman are going to just fall apart in the process. So you let nature run its course and hold on tight, hoping that it ends soon and the rays of sunshine appear once more sooner than later.

HELP!!!

That’s the way things have been recently, but they seemed to have turned around.

Saturday, the 13th…. NANCY SILVA PROJECT is coming to town and will be playing a show at Dirty Dog Bar. They are playing a show that is a homecoming event for a band called ONE-EYED DOLL who has been touring these last few weeks. The 13th will be the last day of the tour for ONE-EYED DOLL and NANCY SILVA PROJECT is on the bill to help support.

I don’t think that I have to tell you how important this show is for me. I think that throughout previous blog posts where I have talked about Nancy Silva, one can get a sense of where I am coming from with what I am thinking and feeling.

In other words: It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure it out.

Six exact months I have waited for this opportunity. 185 days to today, and then add one more day because I will not see anyone until the 13th… so 186. More than 4,440 hours of waiting will pay off.

As of nearly a week ago though, the drama llama came for a visit and hasn’t left yet.

My sister hit me up to borrow money, which was basically ALL of my spending money for the evening of the show. Now there will be no merchandise bought if there is anything that I want.  No drinks. NOTHING.

Then I busted my only pair of eye glasses on Sunday afternoon. Went into a panic because of the fact that I my vision is horrible and only am near sighted. So unless these bands plan to play while sitting on my lap, this is going to be a disaster if I cannot see.

I had a temporary fix which involved tiny amounts of Super Glue and LARGE amounts of Scotch tape, rigging the frames together to make for one-sided foggy experiences.

I went to the vision center inside Wal-Mart as was suggested. They weren’t any help at all. They didn’t want to talk to me, they didn’t want to help me, they didn’t even want to refer me to a place where I could get a pair of broken glasses fixed. These people were terrible. Then I went go look for GODZILLA on DVD, but Wal-Mart didn’t have it. I was one week too early for them to have it in stock. So ridiculous! Nothing was going right.

Finally, all signs pointed to a frame fixer who claimed that to fix the glasses would be anywhere from $5 all the way up to $60. I was charged $40. Another forty bucks out of my pocket.

But at least I got the glasses fixed, and still taking away from any hope or chance of using that money to do a little self-shopping for band merchandise. I sure would love to add to my collection of NSP t-shirts or other pieces of memorabilia if there is anything to be had.

Am I going to have any money for this show at all?? Will I even have money to get a taxi ride home?

Will I have to skip out on seeing ONE-EYED DOLL for the first time in order to catch a bus home???? The possibilities are endless that its excruciating.

The only thing that I can say at this point is that I am stressed out. I’ve been counting this date for over three months. I remember when I told Nancy Silva that the show was ten weeks (70 days) away. Both of us kind of got a little excited.

Now its just a little more than 24 hours away. The only thing that is certain is that I got my eye glasses fixed. And that I will go to the show. The rest remains a damned mystery.

First world problems and the struggle becomes real. Hooray for me.

Happy Birthday, Nancy Silva!

“Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words.”~Plautus

As the evening comes to a close and midnight is approaching here, I felt the desire and the idea to express my absolute best wishes to Nancy Silva of NANCY SILVA PROJECT on her birthday today… the 24th of August.

From the moment that we met at SXSW Music Festival and throughout these past weeks… all the way to the countdown of less than one month before she comes back to town to perform again, I’ve got a special place in my heart for her and her friendship.

Life is far different now with her, but I don’t recall much what life was like BEFORE her. And I guess that shouldn’t be the point.

I just am very thankful for the very personal friendship that I have with her and glad to see that with every day it grows and grows and grows and grows.

For a very busy musician, I have been very lucky to get behind the scenes and discuss with her everything else under the sun. Not too many musicians do that. As challenging as it may or may not have been, I hold it all within!

Nancy… you are a wonderfully talented person, and a terrific addition in my life. Thank you for your love and friendship. I hope you’ve had an awesome birthday! And may you be blessed with many more! I’ll see you soon when you come to town to play again.

Still counting the days!!!