Henry Townsends Guitar

Day 3 continued...

I played at BB's Jazz Blues & Soups in St. Louis.  It was my first time in St. Louis.  I've passed by St. Louis for 14yrs and was happy to play it finally.

I walked into a typical blues venue with memorabilia all over the place, as most blues clubs have, and loaded my gear onto the stage.  My gear consists of 3 National Reso-Phonic guitars and 1 acoustic.

John May, the talent buyer, noticed all my Nationals and says, I have the guitar National made for Henry Townsend, you want to play it?  Of course I do, I said.

I'll admit that I didn't have much pre-knowledge of the legendary bluesman other than the song "Cairo" from a video of various blues icons.

National made this Style 1 single cone guitar for Henry in 1997 and presented it to him at the Blues & Heritage Festival, I'm quoting the inscription.

It's a very cool guitar.  2 things of note:

 

1 - the rigged up pickup.  I actually did not use the pickup and went straight through a mic...I didn't want to be the one to damage anything.

2 - He used a plain steel string on the 3rd (G) string rather than a wound string.  John May was very close with Henry, even produced a few of his recordings and was with him on his death bed in 2006.  BB"s was his "home" venue, obviously cause they had his guitar. 

John didn't know why Henry strung it up like that but I offered this suggestion.  He was playing a gig and broke that string, which is very common, and didn't have a wound replacement so he used a plain steel.  He liked what he heard and kept doing it.  Makes sense to me.

I was a little unnerved when he told me that Henry Townsend and Roosevelt Sykes used to play this very stage together on regular occasions...

2 things that struck me about BB's.

1 - Most blues clubs have memorabilia that they've purchased or has been given to them but BB's is the real deal.  The real guys played this place.  It wasn't just stuff on the walls for the tourists, it was the history of the venue that included their lives.  Very personal.  Family.

2 - Most clubs would have had Henry Townsends guitar in a glass case, something to show the tourists, but this guitar is getting played.  I never met John May, I've never been in that club, we don't know each other and he says, you want to play Henry's guitar...that's crazy!  That's BB's.

Now there a lot of St. Louis clubs that have tons of history as well as BB's, but it's the only club with Henry Townsends guitar.

I was scheduled to play in Nashville the next night, but I cancelled.  Something I never do.  It was 100deg in Nashville and 5hrs away and I didn't feel up to the drive for a 15min set.  So I drove back to...you guessed it, Iowa City. 

I woke up at 8am with the worst stomachache.  I crossed IA my 4th and finally time and got home to spend some time with the fam for fathers day.  My stomach hurt so bad, I slept for almost 24hrs...glad I didn't go to Nashville.

The Road to Henry Townsends Guitar

What a weekend...

I crossed Iowa 4 times in two days.

Day 1 - I left my house around 10:30p after my wife got home from her music ministry rehearsal and I drove to Mason City, IA, which would be my 1/2 point to Iowa City. Thankfully I left later cause it was the night that storms where blowing through and Albert Lea got hit by a tornado, which was in my driving path.

Day 2a - I was on Iowa Public Radio's Javablend Radio Show at 2p, it's a pre-recorded show recorded at the Java House in Iowa City. The air date is July 9/10 for those who can hear it.

This was my 3rd trip, 1st solo, and I did all the songs from the upcoming Tribute CD as it was in promotion of the release. People are really responding to this material and I'm getting more and more excited about releasing it.

1st major storm of the day blew overhead out of nowhere, it raced ahead of me to Iowa City leaving quite a bit of damage. Lucked out on missing that one too.

Day 2b - I hoped in the car at 3:30 and had a 3hr drive to Garner, IA for Bash on the Farm.

I originally had a date booked closer for that night cause I was playing in St. Louis the next day but Bash on the Farm only comes 1x a yr and it's worth the drive for me.

1 passed through 2 more awesome storms. 1 with a wall cloud that covered the entire horizon and the other that formed just behind it. I only got the rain part but the emergency vehicles were out watching and waiting.

I made it to the farm on time and it turned out to be a beautiful night. Had a great set and than drove back down to Iowa City...yes back down...that's 3 times across IA for those keeping score.

Day 3 to be continued...

Yes, I do sleep in my van

Friday, June 11 - 2nd Street Bistro, Ashland, WI
Saturday, June 12 - Green Room, Sheboygan, WI

First off I forgot to take pics so I apologize for no photo's.

It was around 70deg as I left Minneapolis and as I reached Duluth it was 44deg.

This is good for folks like me who sleep in their van...yes I do sleep in my van, quite cozily I might add with my full sized blow up mattress.  My wife doesn't like me sleeping in the van, but it's cleaner than any motel I could afford, I tell her.

I have crazy dreams in the van...maybe it's because I'm usually exhausted.  Can't really recall what I dream but they are def. a different variety than at home.  Although now that I think about it I do liken them to the dreams I have the night I get back from a trip.  I'm usually exhausted than too...exhaustion must be a key to crazy dreams.

Anyway...

I've written before about the 2nd Street Bistro and the lack of patronage for this great bistro/venue.  I have a bit more insight now.  There is no advertisement of live music.  No events listed on their website, no emailing list, not even a facebook page.

I was told, "it's not the owners thing to mess with the computer."  My reply is whether it's your "thing" or not it better become your thing cause that's how word gets spread these days.

This isn't an old mom and pop eatery either, then I could understand. The owner is a younger guy so there is no excuse except laziness, which will result in "Out of Business".

It's truly sad because they have everything going for themselves in great food, great atmosphere and a great space for live music.  But when you fail to make adjustments, you fail. 

A local musician came in to check out the show, it's a 6-9 slot, and after about an hour and half he turned to the bartender and said "he doesn't take a break does he?"  Nope, I don't.  I came to play music and I play music...three hours straight.

I'm sure I'll play there again...I tell myself I won't, but I know better. 

The Green Room in Sheboygan was cool.  A bar.  Just a bar.  They've got some cool bands coming through and it was a good booking.  I played with my great friend Josh Harty from Madison so it was a treat to see him.  There was a good amount of people out and they really liked the music so all in all it was a good night.

I realized during my set that I close my eyes so tight my eyelids sweat.  It's odd.  Sounds even odder as I type it out. 

I don't close my eyes for any particular reason, I do it automatically as I begin to play hard.  I'm just burning...gotta get it out.   I'm singing as unto the Lord and the people get in on that experience...but my shortcoming is not engaging them in what I'm experiencing.

In fact, I'm guilty of the same thing the owner of the 2nd Street Bistro is, disconnection.  Neither of us is clueing others in on what's going on. 

It seems we both have adjustments to make.

June 4

Listening Room
Fargo, ND

Show starts in ten minutes, we are in the kitchen area and the host/promoter Scott Curfman says,"I'm sorry, this has never happened."

Absolutely no one has arrived. Not one person. My expectation was safely around 60 people. This being a "house concert" style show they usually have a solid core of people that they count on in addition to the promotion in the paper/radio. Also I had two friends who were native Fargoians and spread the word so I was pretty confident going in.

But as we waited in the kitchen I began to ponder, did we drive 3 1/2 hrs for nothing? Did we climb the stairs of death, set up & sound check for nothing?

People offer excuses for why no one has arrived to make it seem like it's ok that no one has come...the weather is usually on the top of that list. I just nod my head at such statements, what else can you do?

See, I've been performing for 14yrs now and I've learned something; weather is never an issue, no excuse is ever the issue. If Bob Dylan was playing an outdoor show and it was pouring down rain, you'd bring an umbrella. If Willie Nelson didn't start til midnight and you had to work at 6am, you'd go to work tired.

The simple fact is, I was the issue, we were the issue. No one wants to admit that or come to terms with that. If no one is at the show, it's because they didn't want to see you...ouch!

I know this fact. I dealt with that fact 12yrs ago and it's not an issue with me anymore. I'll take a risk and drive just because I love to play music. I'll take off work and go play for 10 people, just because I love to play music.

This is what was going on in my head ten minutes before the show.

But, people came. 12 people to be exact. Most people would say, "12 people what a waste of time". But people aren't a waste of time. The only number that makes it a waste of time is 0, anything above that is worthwhile because 1 person makes it worthwhile...and we sold 17 CD's.

Before the show I talked with a friend and encouraged him to get away from the abuse that comes with playing the cities and head to the small towns where you'll play to appreciative people & owners who are excited about you being there. That it would refresh him in regard to performing. It would give him a new sense of direction and give him a new sense of passion for performing.

Those words came back to me that night. I love playing music, 12 people or 112 people...

I highly recommend the Listening Room .