Artisan: Scaring Away Folks With My Love Songs

The Highway Is For Dreamers 

Girl From The Other Side Of Town

Correspondence 

Logic And Lies

Be With Me

Been Down So Long

Phil Koening (Guitar) and Freddy Jones (Harmonica) on Been Down So Long

I was listening to More Rodney Smith And The Townedgers album on the way over and the first two songs came off that album.  Both made their debuts.

Ron LaFleur was there with Fran but he had to go to bed early so he left right before my performance.  Which he usually does.  Kimberly Sphr opted for Karaoke music and left during Logic And Lies.  I gather she doesn't like my love songs for Julie.  She was welcome to sing on Gold Dust Woman, but she opted not to speak to me.  I suppose it's the conservativeness of them and perhaps they didn't want to hear my tribute to Rush Limbaugh, with a vocal only Oh Death.  Somehow I didn't sang that one.

Dave Bonham was there and closed the show.

Brian Bries, from Blues Rox, played three songs with Freddy helping out on one.  I don't know why Brian gets nervous of playing solo.  Hell, I have done this and conquered my stage fright.  Maybe the next time I will get Brian to help out on a song that I play.  

We had enough jammers to not have a jam session but Phil Bo and Freddy helped out on a cover of the Doors' Been Down So Long, a song I haven't played in a while. Both can adapt to my oddball arrangements.

The Artisan is moving back to Cedar Rapids.  After four years of being there, the place was sold and I guess there'll be another realtor or office building replacing the Sanctuary in Marion.  I considered it home for the past four years and there have been special memories of playing there.  The Blues Jam of last year, Julie's Benefit last January, the Maury Baker Jam next door at the Famous Mockingbird (a distant memory).   The hope is to return one more time and share the stage and go out with a bang. The new place is across from Coe, which used to be an office furniture store. In fact I worked there in 1987 doing key entry for about a week.  I will miss the old place but look forward to be playing a newer and perhaps a more open stage.  We'll see what Jim will have in store.