Checker's Acoustic Jam 5/10/17-Somewhere Johnny And June Are Smiling

Song-list:

That's All Right (Skip Richards: vocals)
Good Lovin/La Bamba
Ring Of Fire
If I Were A Carpenter
Gold Dust Woman (Julie Gordon: lead vocals)


With:

Dan Hartman-Guitar  (That's All Right)
Skip Richards-Bass  (all songs)

And

Julie Gordon-Backing and lead vocals
Lorie Parker-Backing vocals

Tom: Congas
 Rick Wagle: Congas on Gold Dust Woman


Upon on going over songs to do at the jam tonight, I wanted to debut You're Gonna Miss Me but since when I got up there, Skip and Dan went into That's All Right so I sang backup to them.  I helped out Belinda, Mark and his son on a couple of originals that he did plus Fever.

I scrapped the originals in favor of improvising on Good Lovin/La Bamba, since I felt they would be more fun than You're Gonna Miss Me, or Does It Matter.  And of course, Skip picked things up as they happened, even with my unpredictability and continuing to tinker with songs.   Dan took over for Cathy Hartman.   It's funny how Julie and I talked about Johnny And June last time we got together and I didn't figure how things happened till I just took a look at the set list and realized that  Ring Of Fire and Carpenter were done by Johnny And June.  Had I known that Julie was going to help sing this song we could have dusted off Johnny and June's version.  I was undecided on the next song and debated to do Everybody's Talking but then I just did the riff to Carpenter and went from there.  I think that riff did throw Skip off a bit but nobody else does that riff.

Two weeks ago, I didn't play guitar but did provide the beat to the songs at hand and didn't think much about playing guitar but this time I wanted to try some new songs, new ideas and where they may lead.   Basically with my situation at place of employment, I have become disgusted on how things are turning out to be and while practicing today, I simply took the guitar and despite our place being busy, wanted to go play rather dealing with machines.  I would have loved to take Rod Albaugh with me to help out but since he's supporting the scanners and such that was out of the question.  However, I made no announcements about coming to the jam till about 6:55 when I P.M'ed Julie that I was going to have her sing on Gold Dust Woman.   I have no doubt that Kimberly Trevallion (who was there) could sing it or Belinda too and they would have done a good job.  But I know Julie can sing it just like Stevie Nicks, therefore I wanted her to sing it.   And she came through.  As always.  And as I continue to work with Julie on songs the hope is continue to find suitable songs that we could trade vocals.  And the more comfortable I'm around her, the more songs we can together, maybe tapping into the Richard And Linda Thompson songbook as well.  I'm sure she can bring some sort of counterpoint  to For Shame Of Doing Wrong.

Kimberly sings with Blue Scratch and she's more of a shouter which goes great with some songs.  Blues songs is her specialty. But even as a Facebook friend, we have yet to chat and I didn't get the chance to do that when she stopped at the bar to sing.  She did do Sweet Home Chicago and Drift Away and Gimme One More Chance.

I would say Gold Dust Woman was the highlight of our songs of the night, and Julie really tore into it, especially at the end, where I should have extended it out and have her really get into it.  It's strange that we haven't played together but for a couple weeks at best but somehow she has managed to anticipate what I'm going to do next, even when I don't know when I'm going to do next.

For a debut of new songs, I think somewhere Johnny and June are smiling.

(Photo: Kevin Simnacher  Rumors Jam 5/7/17)