19 years ago today I was with my family in Rangely Maine at a family Reunion. I think we’d gone into a small local store.. and that’s when I heard that Jerry Garcia had died.  I remember it took the breath out of my a little. I’ve always loved the Dead.. it’s what I still listen too when no one else is around.. I even have a station in my car that only plays their stuff. I’ve never been a complete deadhead and followed them around.. but I have been to more shows than I can remember.  Gabe was only 3 months old.. Sam was3 and Max must have been 7. I remember thinking that  “i’ll never be able to take them to a Grateful Dead show”..  Funny thing is, all three boys learned to play China Cat Sunflower as one of their first guitar songs..

Thank you Jerry for all the music you put out in the world.. we’re all still enjoying it.

Tonight Diane, Ellen and I went back to the waterfront to here some more music.

Tonight It was the Avett Brothers. A band I honestly hadn’t hear of until Ellen mentioned them to us on Thursday. I don’t know what rock I must have been living under.. 4000 fans were there tonight.. all ages.. and they all seemed to know all the songs…    To be honest I had to listen a while to ‘get’ them.. I’d heard a few of their ballads that sounded a little like townes van zandt songs.. Those I really liked. I wasn’t prepared for the amazing wall of sound they brought . The two brothers were amazing musicians.. one on banjo, one on guitar. that was surrounded by stand up base, a fiddle player, drums, (excellent !)  , keyboard player and a very cool Chinese guy that played the cello like it was an electric guitar. They were loud and high energy.. .. sort of like a bluegrass Mumfred and Sons.. or drop kick murpheys maybe. By the end of the show I was in the groove.   They even played ‘Uncle John’s Band’ as an Homage to Jerry ..

Here my favorite song of theirs.. “You and love and I”.. They didn’t play t tonight..

I want to also shout out to the lead act, David Mayfield . He was an amzing musician and entertainer. He really worked the crowd well. I’m goign to check out more of his stuff !

It was a really beautiful; day.. I’m grateful for that.

nite all, nite sam

-me