I went to a music festival near where I live, to see, perhaps for the last time *knock on wood* a singer I love. Going to his concerts as a child with my mother are probably some of the few happy memories I have of being out and about with her at “official functions.” Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger at the Orpheum, at Expo ’86, and more.
Pete’s gone, but his music lives on with his children and grandchildren, and contemporaries, as well as all of his fans who are still singing his songs. Arlo’s not gone yet, and still carries on the legacy he shouldered when his father passed years before I was born, and more. Arlo had convinced Pete to keep singing for another 15 years, and told us, his audience, the story, about how he convinced Pete to keep going. “Have you seen our audience? They don’t hear so well no more.”
But the jewel in the crown was Arlo’s daughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie. His son was also singing backup and on the keyboards, but her voice brought tears to my eyes. Sarah Lee has the voice of an angel.
As she was singing a song, I thought for a moment about Arlo – how eerie it must be, and proud as a father, to hear his father’s song in his daughter’s, his father’s granddaughter’s, voice.
Of all the times I’ve seen Arlo Guthrie, and Pete Seeger, either together or seperately, this was the first time I’ve ever heard “Alice’s Restaurant Masacree” live.
If Sarah Lee hadn’t gotten me to tears, the fact that I finally heard a song I’ve played sooooo many times in my life, and so many different versions, live at last, did. I was there with my youngest too – she was still “underage” for buying a ticket, so she got in for free, and sat beside me.
I only wish we had had the money for all of us to go. I was in both heaven and hell musically. There was music from all over the world at the festival. I had to leave when a wonderful jazz group got onto the main stage, even though I wanted to hear them. The heat had gotten to me, and two days later, I’m still not better. I got a couple of autographs too, and watched with pride as Arlo used MY pen to sign someone’s guitar.
That pen is going to be a keepsake. Thank you, Arlo. I may not have gotten your signature, and found out after the event why you were so cranky, and it wasn’t just the heat. I hope that I get to hear “Alice’s Restaurant 100th anniversary” from your own mouth.
I’m still recovering from near heatstroke being at the event. It was worth it. The ticket I got was a belated birthday gift from my real life husband. I even called up Spitfire at one point so she could hear live over Discord, because she can’t leave the UK for the moment. Both of her parents need her care and attention, and that’s more important than her flying to a three day music fest. Her father’s health is that delicate, and terminal. Her mother’s is delicate, but with a good prognosis of years to come.
I’m looking forward to more concerts and more events coming up. I’ve decided not to apply for one event, for personal reasons, and have settled my schedule as to where I need to be and when. My Saturdays are open. My Sundays are the busiest. I’m taking a break from my YMO djing because of summer and no one being around much.
A meme crossed my social media scroll the other day: “Always be careful of what you hear about a person. Rumors either come from someone that can’t have them, someone that cannot compete with them, or someone that wants to be them.”
Living well and succeeding is my best course of action. Knowing that those who are spreading rumours will forever be jealous of what I’ve accomplished makes me smile, because the only way they feel good about themselves is to try to put me down.
I’m not perfect, but I sure as hell will keep on getting up after a gut punch. After all, I’m probably just like Arlo Guthrie, with a study of my fingerprints in black and white somewhere in a warehouse, kept for security reasons. If my fingerprints are with his in all those boxes and boxes of files, then I’m in good company, as well as all the other fingerprints that are there.
“You can do anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…”
My life is a work of He.art 