Friday, March 04, 2016

Ground Zero

I've started decluttering my office this week and I came across a stash of old photographs in an album
tucked near the bottom of a bookshelf hidden between garden and writing books.

Many of the pictures are black and white ones from my childhood, but there's one of me in my Army khakis. Also, filed loosely between the pages, were a number of photographs of Jilda and me with our friends. Flipping through the photographs brought a smile to my face.

Near the back were several pictures of Jilda and me that were taken the first time we went to Memphis in the 80s. We did photo ops of us at several historic places there including the one here at Sun Records.

Sam Phillips, the owner of the legendary Sun Recording Studio did the first recordings of Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Elvis. It was a humbling experience just being there and considering the impact this little studio had on the world of music.

Later that evening we performed in a small club at Layfayette Corner, playing our songs for people we didn't know. 

It's good playing for people who don't know you because you get a sense of how your songs resonate. When you play for your friends and family, they usually tell you "you're great" out of a sense of moral imperative, but strangers are under no such obligation. 

We did well that night and the songs we played seemed to work and our four-hour drive home the next day was upbeat and full of promise.  Maybe it was playing for a receptive crowd, or maybe it was being near ground zero for the music that had been woven into the tapestry of our lives.

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:58 PM

    Could you please post any videos of you & Jilda performing so we can see you two in action?

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  2. It is amazing how one small place did set the music world on its ear. What a change in the music world with the names you listed. It is hard to fathom the reaches of Sun!
    Yeah you and Jilda B cool!
    BTW. got the book! THANKS

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  3. I echo fishducky's request. I love vintage photographs.

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  4. Yep, Fishducky has a great idea! I always wonder when coming upon a serendipitous moment...like finding forgotten photos...was there a reason for this to happen today? Sounds like good memories to take y'all to your gig! Hugs~

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  5. How wonderful to find old photos. I love old photos and seeing how people used to look, what they wore and where they travelled even if it was to mom and dad's for Thanksgiving. This is a great place you visited and must have inspired both of you.

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  6. We're about to start work on a new CD and we plan to shoot video on the porch of our creative space.

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  7. I've enjoyed the CD I have of you and Jilda and I know it would be a hit in person! I love old photos too and when I saw the one you posted here it reminded me of a friend of ours from Chiropractic college back in the 70's. Made me smile! Have a good weekend!

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  8. How cool that you found those photos. Sometime you can find treasures when you declutter. Good luck with your new CD you two.
    Have a great weekend.
    JB

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  9. I delight in that photo, Rick. The modest Sun facade, and you two are beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. You have a picture to cherish. Actually all pictures are meant to be cherished memories so I close.

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  11. Yea, Post a video!

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  12. It was only recently that my mum started going through some photos and found some pretty good old photos.

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