It has been a while… Seems like, for many of us, 2020 and 2021 faded away into a stream of half-remembered events held together by our screens. Fatigue from doing less physically, exhaustion from a political world that seems to have become unhinged - these have become the new norm. For me it has been four years of working toward civility in our Legislative process in Alaska - as State Senate Minority Leader and as a concerned citizen. Music took a back seat with so much in front of us. Canada closed its border for the better part of two years, leaving what little touring I was doing put on hold. I look back at that rich last entry and realize just how much time has passed by. Like a dream in so many ways.
But life continues, and we adjust. We hope for better futures, though never far from a feeling of being untethered in this new world. Who knew then that we would have a war in Ukraine and a breakdown of democracy here in the US? Certainly, we did not. I suspect I will write more on those and other issues over the next few months, at least I hope I will, but I have faded before, and may yet again.
Sarah and I, though, are back playing music as my Senate career winds to a close. This tour began with a preliminary date in Boise in July set up by my good friend Sharon Harrigfeld at the home of Philip Gordon. I was able to get the car to Denver where the next set of gigs began after a few months at home. First was a show at the home of State Senator Chris Hansen and his brilliant wife Ulcca on October 9th. We followed this with a slow drive from Colorado to Oklahoma City, where we joined Mike and Carol Wofford at their home on the 14th with another fabulous fundraiser for the Neighborhood Alliance (what a treat seeing so many old friends!). Austin was next and Kerrville Konnection, Jimmy Joe Natoli joined us for a show on the 19th there set up by Ann Conrad. It was a small, but lovely group that included my old guitar teacher Bob Reid (he denies he taught me, but I know better…). Next, after stops to visit friends in the New Orleans area, it was back on WMNF 88.5 in Tampa on the Acoustic Peace Club, and, later this week on the 29th, a house concert at the home of Jeannie Holton-Carufel and her wonderful husband Mark Carufel (who will play an opening set of his original music!) From there it is home.
Driving through America, trying to stick to the Blue Highways, we see a lot of what our country and all of us are going through. There is fear, and there is hope; there is a promise of something more, but the ever-present pressure of a world that seems out of control. Where will it all go? Elections are looming. What we care about matters, not the fears we are driven into. Turn off the ads, and think about what you want most, what matters to you and those you love. Vote because, at least today, you can. Don’t throw away your future on a promise of power without purpose, because purpose matters. Deny the rhetoric of hate, the misuse of morality, the claims that somehow evil resides in the other guy, whomever that might be. And most of all, deny those who deny the truth. That is all we have.