Silver Dollar John and Mud River Lee are two great guys. Both, in the Business of performing music, should be recognized for their dedication and longevity to Music, mostly Blegrass and Folk Variety.

Silver Dollar John’s real name is John Losienecki, and Muddy’s is Andrew Lee Modder. Frequently I write candidly, expressing ‘the moment’ or ‘my’ moment, but let me make this clear: Silver Dollar John and Mud River Lee are caliber guys, caliber musicians, and caliber and consumate performers with track records that stem decades, and they are men who host melodies near and dear to the hearts and minds of not only those playing in their bands, but the listeners who crave the melodies, new and old.

 Imagine the happenstance downtrodden being who comes across a lightenong rod of energy, humanity and love pouring forth and found in the roots and essence of guys like these, springing forth a new hope….in the coming of, the next song, and the next song, and the song after that. What a terrific thought.

Keep coming to our shows people, you get to meet amazing individuals. Speaking of amazing individuals, we had Boney Fingers and Jude Kinnear show up this week at our Jamboree. It was very cool. Cap Lee sat in for Muddy, as Muddy, for the first time ever, had to take a moment and recoup from an illness. Elderstateman Cap Lee, a legend in education disciplines, a friend of Mayor Tom Barrett, and enthusiastic and energetic musician, came to our rescue, and stepped in for Mud River.

Wow, Cap did a great job… Things could never be the same without Muddy, but Cap Lee was an angel, and all of us in the Bluegrass Orchestra, who have worked together building songs around Muddy’s repetoire, knew we had a struggle that lay before us. We survived, and that is the lesson of the jamb this week. I am the Production Dog in this venture, so I know it to be true, ‘The Show Must Go On’…and it did, and will as we gear up for radio ads this week, have the commercials halfcut….

 THIS WEEK PLUS SOME MORE THOUGHTS:

On Dec 11th, 2008: The Night Began with Jude Kinnear. She is a remarkable lady, who just oozes with coolness, and ability. She rocked out classics with her Joplin twists, and does sing much better than Joplin ever could. If you ever dreamed of what it would be like to see Joplin, you can see Jude, she is as close as it gets while remaining herself all the while. She is …I will say it again…a very cool lady.

Boney Finger’s Dave Butler and Dennis Flink, stole the show, of course. Dennis Flink has this uncanny Jerry Garcia voice, and they brought friends, from decades past to the show. It was cool to visit with Dennis Flink, and hear about Fatherhood from him, and this is what I saw:

Dennis unfolded his phone and showed me a picture quite different from the last one I saw. This baby now has an almost full head of hair, and is expecting a sibling come springtime! Good for you Dennis, Lovely Wife and Family!!!

HERe It COMEs: The Life According to Barbara (The Mama Brags)

I am interested to find old (but not so old) friends finding the delight of parenthood, especially since I had ‘em young, and mine are in college, as in ‘pretty much ‘done’ ‘ . It just fascinates me, and I can relive through their joy, now that mine are old farts and in college, let me reiterate (while I still am youngish…he haw)….

This is to all those who questioned what exactly I was doing with my kids, besides the obvious, ’parenting’. I know I was grooming them…. and through all the trials and tribulations, tears of joy and sadness, they have both stood and planted very near the tree from which they sprung. It makes me extremely happy to see them, and I am contented deeply when I do.

Lauren works at Pabst/Riverside/Turner theatres, in ‘Marketing’, as well as at The Marcus Amp during Summerfest, in ‘Swag sales’ . Robert has been an Impressario at a few points in his life, and is always building his business sense as he tries to catch music by it’s tail, sometimes the long way round, like his Ma. He is a fine ‘kit’ player, and a fine low brass player, when he has the chance – that also crosses over to Didjereedoo….that young man, 6′9″, has the ability to amischure rather well. Lauren slipped during ‘load out’ of Harry Connick Jr. the other night and bruised up her ankle. I asked her how it went, during her production effort, and if she was tired, and she was. I had loaded in that day, and thought it fun, and then I bebopped over to The Harley Museum to bartend for their 2200 person event. I told the marketing lady there that I was ‘in’ Bluegrass…and we all know how well Milwaukeeans LOVE Bikes and Bluegrass. So the pitch begins….Wish us luck!

I sign out now, and hope to one day inspire one person (may it be a parent, alone, broke and musically inclined with tendencies to write- I jest), and always remember this inspirational quote by beloved Mel Brooks that is sure to bring a smile to your Face:

Tragedy is when I cut my Finger.

Comedy is wehn you Fall into an Open Sewer and Die.

or as Groucho Marx would say:

Time Flies Like an Arrow and Fruitfly’s Banana.

Make Peace. Over and Out.