Full Circle (Use Headphones If You've Got Them)

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"Listen Here!"

Several years ago I was in a record store looking through the CD's and picking them based on cover alone (didn't your Mom teach you anything?). Did it intrigue me? Was it dashed with enough mystery or style to justify a listen? Well, there were a few, but one that stands out in my memory was this CD with the band members sitting on a log in a forest (I know, sounds intriguing, right?). The image was filtered through a green filter lens, further enhancing the "greeness" of the understory. The name of the CD was Tomorrow The Green Grass. The band was The Jayhawks. After I found a few CD's I went over to the player in the store and strapped on the headphones. First CD, it was alright - nothing drew me in track-to-track. The second, man I should learn to not judge on cover alone! The third, well this was different, warm and rich (this is starting to sound like a familiar fairy tale. hmmm..). The melodies and honest lyrics hit me almost instantly. This was The Jayhawks CD. From song to song, I was pulled deeper into their sweet melancholy. The melodies lifted me. Funny how a great sad song can make you happy. I guess they hit that spot for me on the music my Dad listened to and I grew up listening to (listening to my Dad play them on his gibson and listening to the records with him. He's quite the musician and personality). Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Elvis, Eddie Arnold, Johnny Paycheck, Bobby Bare Sr.(my dad went to school with Bobby.). Good country music. Music that speaks to your soul.

Well, I was looking up Mark Olson this past weekend. He's one of the former and brilliant members of The Jayhawks (hopefully your listening to him right now). It turns out he's on tour! And, he's playing at Iota in Arlington, Va. with The Last Town Chorus. I've played there myself (open mic). One night I was looking at the wall of posters and artist solicitation and there was a poster of Bobby Bare Jr. (the son of my Dad's classmate and musician too) who was scheduled to play. I called my Dad that evening from Iota in a bit of shock.

I called my Dad today and told him I was getting tickets for us to go see Mark when he comes to town. I mean, Bobby Bare, childhood memories, similar venues, transcedant music carried on through generations, posters on a wall that evoke, synchronicities, magic, spark, love of what I am. Thank you Dad.......