Hey, Ya’ll
How goes it? I’m good. I think.
I’ve been deep in Ken Burns's ‘Country Music’ and what an amazing treat it is. I mean, I have a lot of country records. I’ve always liked the music. It wasn’t really ‘my’ music in any way but it’s always been around me somehow. Growing up in New Mexico it was definitely around. Later in life I became a deeper fan and really dug into some of it. I have a lot of country records but I really never fit them in a context, a history.
I know a bit about the history of the blues and a bit about the history of rock and a bit about the history of jazz but absolutely no sense of the history of country. It’s so exciting learning about it. Especially because I have a lot of the records. So, I’ve been going deep into the Carter Family catalogue these last few days on the road. Heading for Jimmie Rodgers next. It’s really incredible what a deeper understanding of an art can do for your appreciation of it. The fact that was I was in Nashville laying on my bed watching the doc knowing that so much of it happened in that town gave it some heft as well.
I was only in Nashville one day but I always have a nice time there. Great town. Walked around a bit. Learned something about myself that I think I will stick, too. I’m old. 56 now. I know that’s not ‘old’ and I know that other people in their fifties get really defensive when you say that but I didn’t assume I would live this long and now here I am. It’s great but sometimes I don’t know what to do with ‘life.’ What makes it ‘fun?’ Worthwhile. Exciting. Historically, for me, it seems to be doing things that aren’t great for me but feel good. I’ve had to move away from those things, change them up. I have my moments though where I think, ‘fuck it, you only live once.’ I decided in Nashville that that isn’t necessarily a bad philosophy if you manage it. I decided it could apply to one decision a day, max, if at all.
So, I said, ‘Fuck it, I only live once,’ and ate at Arnold’s Country Kitchen. Been wanting to go there for years but it always seemed closed. I was dying for some chess pie which you can only get down south and not too many places have it. I had a plate of fried catfish, cauliflower casserole, corn pudding, turnip greens, cornbread and a slice of chess pie. Fuck it, I only live once. I’m glad that was where I allotted my one daily use of that philosophy because I walked over to Carter’s Vintage Guitars after lunch and they still had a few of Ed King’s guitars for sale. They had a mint ’53 Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top. It was stunning. I didn’t need it, but I didn’t need the Arnold’s either. The difference between saying, ‘Fuck it, I only live once’ at Arnold’s and not Carter's was about $39,980. Phew. Not that I have that kind of money to spend on a guitar but… fuck it. I could’ve. Didn’t. Feel good about it. Chess pie was amazing. That was the smart use of my new ‘fuck it’ limit.
Today I go a different direction with my talk, still show biz, but unique. I talk to make up and effects genius Rick Baker and it was great. On Thursday I talk to the Pamela Des Barres, the original rock groupie.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron