Today was an very laid back day.  I woke just before 10 after staying up too late last night blogging.  I got Max up to continue his prep for going back to Pratt tomorrow.. then I spent a few hours on some of the Sam projects I’d fallen behind on. We really need to finalize the plans’ for the Sam Cohn guitar giveaway at MMU which will happen around Sam’s birthday (May 28^th) and the Sam Cohn Scholarship at Abenaki which we’d like to be available this summer. I personally am very excited about the Guitar giveaway. We’re planning on giving away the electric, acoustic or classical guitar of the winner’s choice to one kid a year at Mount Mansfield High School. The winner each year will be chosen at random (so Sam can pick) from a selection of students who are nominated by their teachers or peers as having a ‘musical soul’ like Sam has. At Abenaki we’re working to establish a cool camper award in Sam’s name. There will be one winner chosen by the staff for each of the three two week camp periods. I find working on these memorial ideas t be very rewarding. It’s a good feeling trying to do some good around Sam’s memory,

   After a few hours of working on that stuff, Diane came back from her errands and Gabe woke up. Gabe was feeling a bit under the weather so we all hung close to home today. Not much at all happened here from 12 to 4. . It was wonderfully slow and sleepy…
  At about 4. Diane and I wandered over to the Paulsen’s for a pre-concert dinner for Skanky Green .. our ‘house’ band. . 

They were opening for Bad Fish , the Sublime cover band which was playing Higher Ground tonight at 8..but had to leave home at around 5 to get set up. It was so cute watching them get ready for their gig.. they were very excited and visibly nervous.  I was so  very proud of them.

We got to Higher Ground around 7:30  and the room was already filling up with Skanky green fans. Abbot was in a both outside selling T-shirts and copies of their new first CD. It was really professional. I got my first view of the CD> it’s got a great list of songs, including ‘The Ballad of Captain Sam’ which the band wrote for Sam. The CD itself has artwork of a dancing (skanking) man that Sam drew for the band last year.. and the whole disk is dedicated to Sam. T all made me feel very good.  The band came on promptly at 8 and started playing. They sounded so good. I was so proud watching them play.. to think , this band  started and practice in our barn… This was as close to being famous as I was likely to get.

   Skanky Green plaid about a 30 minute set… they sounded absolutely great. They were tighter than I’ve ever heard them play and they really bonded with the crowd.

The high point of the show for me was when they plaid “The Ballad of Captain Sam’, the song they wrote for Sam.. I always cry pretty hard when I hear them play that song.. I still managed to get most of it recorded.   Sorry about the shakes.. I was crying pretty hard.. I can’t begin to tell you the emotions I have around that song.. I am so grateful that these guys took the time to write such a great song for Sam.. it really captures his spirit.. I was so proud to  hear them playing it on the big stage.. at the same time.. Sam never heard it.. at least not while he was alive..  The Skanky Green set set ended way too early for me 

I never thought I’d be able to cram this range of emotions into the same moment.   Diane and Gabe took off after the Skanky Green set, while Gabe and I hung out to hear the other bands. .. We all milled around waiting for back up bands number 2 and 3.. It turned out that both were excellent sets.   I was glad I stayed.  He main act, Badfish.. a Sublime cover band’ finally came on around 10ish.. they were excellent too.. Gabe had had enough by that time. So we headed for home..   The band has planed a post-concert victory party at our house. It’s a few minute after 12 and I’m hearing the house fill up with people. It’s going to be a long, fun night.. I better go play host.   Sam.. I hope you enjoyed the music and the party… please hang out with us tonight. . I love you

-jc

Hear are the lyrics to the Ballad of Captain Sam  by Skany Green ( I also posted thes back in Feb.) Enjoy !