On a cool drizmally
Sunday night, under Pat & Don’s tent canopy, we watched and listened to
Johnny’s daughter -- September 3, 2017, Labor Day weekend at the 29th annual
Rhythm and Roots Festival in Ninigret, Rhode Island. Someone thought to bring
Drambuie.
Our daughter Kezia is a
fan. Sandy bought Rosanne’s book and asked her to sign it as a gift. The name
of the book is Composed. I am reading it now, in my casita. The first house
that the Cashes lived in in California was at Casitas Springs. It was a large
ranch style, with adobe and redwood shingles.
My personal favorite
that night was “Tennessee Flat Top Box.” John Cash wrote it in 1961. “In a
little cabaret in a south Texas border town ….” It made Bob’s CD years
ago. Hardly a CD is made without a John Cash tune. He liked to be called John,
not Johnny.
John Stewart, in 1987,
wrote “Runaway Train.” John was with the second Kingston Trio. Do you know his
big hit “Gold?”
When the lights go down
in the California town,
people are in for the
evening.
Well my buddy Jim Bass
he’s a working pumping
gas
and he makes two fifty
for an hour.
He’s got rhythm in his
hands
as he’s tapping on the
cans,
sings rock and roll in
the shower.
Rosanne became a friend
to John and used “Runaway Train” on her album “King’s Record Shop.” The store
was in Louisville but, like so many records stores, is gone now. Do you
remember Laflem’s Record Store in Adams? Google didn’t know it either. So don’t
feel bad. When I was in 7th grade, I would stop in every day and browse. Do
people still browse? Richie Valens, Rick Nelson, Little Richard, Fats
Domino. Mostly 45’s as I remember. That album, “King’s” was big for Ms.
Cash. She had four hits off of it. Maybe the biggest was “Runaway Train.” King’s
Record Shop was her sixth album.
John Stewart was a
favorite of Kezia’s. While she was attending Hampshire College, Kezia went to
his concert in Hartford. Hartford is a city in Connecticut. She introduced
herself. John asked if she was coming to his next concert at Johnny D’s in
Somerville, Massachusetts. She said no. He asked why. She said she was under 21
and could not get in to a club that served liquor. John said, “Come as my
guest. You can handle the sales of my CDs.” She did. This led to John calling
every time he was in New England. Sandy and I went to a concert of his out in
Westboro, at the Old Vienna Kaffehaus and we became fans. Michael & Trysha
Lynch know the Old Vienna.
Kezia went to a Rosanne
Cash concert. When she introduced herself, Rosanne, being a good friend of John,
said, “So you are Kezia.” Pretty cool. But then again, reading her book, you
sense that she is very down to earth.
Last night in the book,
a guitar player joined her on tour. His name is Vince Gill. He played with Pure
Prairie League. Remember them?
I will keep you posted
on the rest of the book. You do not have to thank me, but thank you for
listening.
