1/25/17 Acoustic Jam-Going It Alone

Set list: Solo

Get It Over With
The Live We Lead
Ever So Much
If I Were A Carpenter

With:
Mike Frederick
Kathy Hartman Spina
Lorie Parker
Steve Black Wolf
Belinda Christensen-James
Mark Randolph

Checker's Tavern

One month ago, I started doing the Checkers Acoustic Jam to sharpen up my skills and see if I could play guitar and sing at the same time.  Over time I managed to do some choice covers with fellow musicians   But this time out, Julie Gordon stayed home and Skip Richards who played bass wasn't around.

With no other musicians on stage, I finally ventured out on my own and picked the three easiest songs, the first two from the Jubilee album, Ever So Much from Pawnshops For Olivia and then If I Were An Carpenter for the only cover version. With enough improvising I managed to keep the missed notes down to a minimum, although I did have to borrow somebody's capo to do the first two songs.   I forgot to pack mine when I had to go into work early.

The big story was Steve Black Wolf getting a buzz cut from Kathy Hartman Spina during a break. He has lung cancer and started chemo treatment.  It was nice of him to order me up a pizza before I got there.  We had a laugh about that on Facebook earlier.   It was a very small crowd but very supportive bunch of folks.  Even had a few guys commenting me on a good job on the songs that I did.  As well from Kathy, Belinda, Lorie, Mike and Mark to name a few.

But it's going to be my final appearance for a while since I work nights and we are getting busy once again.  If I didn't have a regular job I could do this more often than not but bills need to be paid and in reality quitting my job to do a hobby that doesn't pay would be a wise decision.

But I will say this, to share a stage with a supportive group at acoustic jams, I should have done this years ago. I'm finally happy with the way I sing and somehow things fell into place. It's true that Cedar Rapids has a great support group of musicians here to encourage you to play live.  I've known that from jamming with Terry McDowell, Dan Johnson and Tim Duffy from years past but also from Kathy, Lorie and Julie.  Punishing myself for 30 plus years after the Paraphernalia Tyrus breakup didn't help either but I wasn't ready back then.  But with a small intimate crowd they made it easy to sing in front of folks. Abigail is only 10 years old but she can nail Spiders And Snakes  better than most folks.

And with that after doing my set, I ended up playing shadow guitar to the rest of the jammers.  First time I shared the stage with the guitar and I still think while playing guitar is great, I'm more happier behind the drums (or congas).   That might come into play if I go visit Julie And The Mad Dogs and spell Mike a while on drums.  But it's a wait and see although I did promise I'd show up after work.  Next up will be the popcorn jam, or next acoustic set in Whittier next month.  We'll see what happens then.