i'm soooooooooo sorry

i had to take that Mazda picture out, it was messing with my template too much. hope you enjoyed it while it lasted! ONE DAY, i will have a digital camera and then i will saturate you with pictures. meanwhile, you must simply endure my prose.

the folk festival was wonderful, as usual! i only went on sunday as i can't handle too much social interaction--and Bill Miller was the one person i simply HAD to see. he is half German, which i could see in his facial bone structure, and half Native American (sorry, don't know which tribe). his music has been part of my life since i first heard him in 1995-6. Raven In The Snow was the name of the first cd i heard, and i was instantly taken by the powerful blend of native american flute, garage-band rock and roll, and inspiring lyrics.

the folk festival is held in a park downtown, near the art museum. there are 4 stages, and the acts change every half hour from about noon to about 7:00. hopefully you can imagine how busy and fun this event really is! plus there are several workshops on topics from songwriting to instrument repair to marketing....and it's all absolutely free and open to the public.

at any rate....sunday i showed up at about 2:30, caught an act featuring a few friends of mine (Willow Creek), and made my way to the Courtyard Stage where i was volunteering. i recorded about 6 acts--some of which were very wonderful--and then it was time to go get situated to listen to Bill Miller. all seats in front of the Plaza Stage were already filled, but there is a grassy knoll to the south of the stage where my buds and i traditionally hang out during the evening acts. we bring blankies and beers and it's generally a communal sprawl. you can't really see the performer, but the audio is good and the vibe is even better.

the act before Bill Miller was phenomenal--Harvey Reid and Joyce Andersen; he's a guitar wizard, and she's a monster fiddle player. i had my folk fest t-shirt in hand and had borrowed a Sharpie just in case i got close enough to Bill to ask for an autograph. just before he went onstage i walked back and caught his attention long enough to get that autograph! we had a brief conversation and shared a hug. my day was made!

suffice it to say that those who didn't know who he was, know now! he only had a keyboard player with him ("This guy gave up Mariah Carey for me," said Bill), but he invitied Harvey and Joyce back up on stage to jam with him. i appreciate professional courtesies like that, plus the combination kicked ass! he played some blues, made a few references to his personal path through common reservation pitfalls (apathy and alcohol), and ended his set with a really funny bob dylan imitation (knockin' on heaven's door). the audience was singing and laughing and i was teary-eyed with joy and emotion.

it was a performance to remember, and i will cherish my autographed t-shirt as long as it lasts.