Question:
On your next tour will you be traveling with a accordion
player??
Dear Tara,
I'm happy you enjoyed the Austin City Limits Show. Me and the guys were
pretty nervous about seeing our not-so-glamourous mugs on TV and performing
on a show that has hosted everyone from Lightning Hopkins to Merle Haggard.
It was a thrill, but a scary one.
Speaking of "pretty," "glamourous," and "haggard," no one has ever told me that a photo of mine looks "TeenBeatish!" I don't know how to react except to say that it ain't easy being a teen idol. I was talking with Bobby Sherman, The Bay City Rollers and Ricky Martin the other day and we agreed that it's a heavy responsibilty to bear but we do our best. As far as touring with an accordion player, my keyboardist, Joe Terry, often plays the accordion in our sets and Chris Gaffney, another accordionist, is also often on the road with us. I used to go see Clifton Chenier, the greatest of the Cajun/Zydeco accordionists, when I was a kid and his sound has had a direct influence on my music. You don't happen to play accordion, do you?
From Dave Irvin
Hey Dave,
Joe Terry and Bobby Lloyd Hicks, my keyboardist and drummer, both live down
in Springfield, Missouri, so I'm partial to anybody from the show-me-state.
(It is the show-me-state, isn't it?) The best way for me to hear your songs
is to send me a tape care of Hightone Records up in Oakland, California. I'm
glad you're "not Nashville." Although, to be fair, I have to admit some of my
favorite songwriters, as well as many of my least favorite, live in Music
City, USA. I tried living there once but I missed Mexican food too much to
last there long.
From Marc Dronkers
Hey Marc,
Thanks for saying that Blackjack David will be a classic someday. I kind of
like it myself. Regarding The Knitters show; in The Knitters all I have to do
is show up and play guitar. It's kind of like having a vacation with some old
friends where I don't have to worry about anything except not screwing up the
songs. Did you see the Reno show
that was outside by the river? That was one of my favorites of last year.
Well, I hope to see you soon up in the Sierra.
From Pat Jones & Debbie Knebel
Dear Pat (my favorite cigar smoker) and Debbie ("the fastest woman on
earth"),
It's great to hear from you guys! I hope our paths cross somewhere out there
on the road soon. I think Gregory has quit smoking cigars but I could be
wrong. Maybe I should start?
It's a depressing, miserable, awful tragedy about Ceasar's wife. Words cannot
describe how sad it all is.
Well, I hope to see you guys and the Carolinas soon. Oh, have you run into
Merle Haggard lately?
My favorite part last night was seeing all you guys jamming together. Keep up the good work!
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Laurie Young
P.S. I gave you a kiss on the cheek after a show at McCabe's a few
years ago. You said if you knew I was going to do that you would have
shaved. I thought that was kinda cute! :-)
Dear Laurie,
And I still would shave my cheek! Thanks for attending the Pasadena church
gig. I love playing there every year. It's as close to a "holiday TV special"
as I'll ever get. I'm glad you liked the encore jam with Tom Russell, Rick
Shea, Greg Leisz, Brantley Kearns and Andy Hardin, because those church shows
are some of the few times lately when I can see and play with some of those
guys due to our various schedules. As far as playing down in San Pedro, I'd
love it. I think the Warner Grand might be a little too big but it is a
classic survivor from another time and it'd be a gas to play there. I've only
played San Pedro three times. Once was a benefit for the San Pedro Free
Clinic at Raging Waters back when I was with The Blasters. I remember that
show very well because we had to follow hometown heroes, The Minutemen, one
of my favorite bands back then. It wasn't easy but we had great time.
Another time I sat in with some country band in some beat-up old bar doing a live broadcast on KFOX, a great small wattage radio station that played only vintage country records. The last time was a wake/party held to mourn the death of, or celebrate the life, of San Pedro's poet laureate, Charles Bukowski. Hopefully, one of these days I can get another kiss on the cheek. I promise I'll shave this time.
Thank you very much.
From Rita Lucca
Dear Rita,
I don't do this for anybody but I love Italy so here goes:
Johnny gave Joe his first cigarette
When Johnny married Tina, Joe married Dee,
chorus
Johnny went from job to job trying to make ends meet
repeat chorus
Dee calls Johnny every now and then
repeat chorus
Joe lit the filter and smoked the whole pack
Joe bought all the gas in Johnny's old Ford
and he always said, "Thats what friends are for"
Two blonde-haired sisters from Covington, Kentucky
Then in '67, Johnny joined the Corps
Joe did too but he never knew what for
So tonight in this barroom he's easing his pain
He's thinking of someone but he won't say the name
Folks say he's a hero but he'll tell you he ain't
He left a hero in the jungle back in 1968
And Tina divorced him back in '83
Now, 30 years come and 30 years go
And Johnny's got some grandkids that he's never known
She talks about her children and her third husband
But if he asks about someone they used to know
Dee just says, "Johnny, that was so long ago"
I hope this helps and I'll see you in Italy. Ciao.
From Stefan Campbell
Hey Stefan,
The first song we played on Austin City Limits was King Of California. We
also did Border Radio, Dry River, Out in California, BlackJack David and
Marie Marie. We played a lot more but they edited the show down to a half
hour. I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks.
From Mike Drake
Hey, Mike Drake!
It's great to hear from you and great to know I'm not the only slowpoke in
regards to this computer/evolution jazz. You were one of the four or five
teachers I ever had in any school who actually taught me something. I'm
eternally grateful for the survival techniques of humor and skepticism you
instilled in me. It's also great to know that you're still teaching school.
Knowing this gives me great hope in the future of our country. I'll tell Phil
and Mary that you contacted me and pass along your e-mail.
They'll be thrilled. I hope everythings going okay with you and I'll contact
you soon.
From Holly
Dear Holly,
Yeah, I do listen Beethoven every so often. I am also a Copland fan (I'm
especially a Charles Ives fan) and am flattered you think I'm his rock
equivalent. But, all I can say is, if Aaron Copland had ever decided to write
rock and roll songs, his rock and roll songs would've kicked my rock and roll
songs' asses. See you soon.
My question: I play a number of your songs. Unfortunately, one of my favorites, "From a Kitchen Table", I cannot figure out. I know it is in an alternative tuning. What tuning is it? It would also be great to know the chords, but I would settle for the tuning.
Thanks, Don Smith
P.S. I enjoyed the article in Acoustic Guitar
Hey Don,
Thanks for the compliments and, who knows, Tom and I just might play Atlanta
one of these days. Now, as far as your From A Kitchen Table question, it's in
regular tuning but I capo on the first fret and play in a D position. Most of
the chords, though, are suspensions of one type or another which give it that
open tuning sound. Good luck with
that song, it's one of my special favorites. Just don't tell my other songs,
they get kind of jealous.
My question relates to your book of poetry (Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You, Incommunicado Press 1995). I noticed a theme in some of the poems about a particularly tumultous relationship with a depressed woman. Are these from one relationship or many (poems in question: Fourth of July in the Dark, Coming Home 1988, Jam Session, The First Year We Lived Together and Life on a Ranch)?
My next question is should I be asking the first?
Lastly, do you have any plans for another book of poems? The second (first I could find but would listen to tips on how I could purchase the first) was great!
From Grant Curtis
Hey Grant,
Thanks for your words, and years, of support. Words like yours help me
get through nights when I sometimes question whether what I've done all
my life has been worth it (maybe I should've sold out and gone top
forty when I had the chance - haha). Without sounding too cliche,
there isn't anything else I could do besides this. It's all I know.
Now, as far as the poems, they're all about different people, places,
times, moods, moments, etc. God, if they were all about just one
person, well, that would be pretty damm sad. The first book of poems is
long, long, long, long out of print but someone recently paid a few
bucks for one at a used book store somewhere. Hopefully, the new book
will be out in the fall. Of course, I've been saying that a couple of
years now. Thanks again for the kind words.
Thanks for your time
tom
Hey Tom,
Well, I mainly write my own songs. When I have covered other people's songs
it's because I've lived with the song a while and can relate that
songwriter's experience to my own. That doesn't mean I wouldn't sing one of
yours. It just means that I'm not a great singer and in order to make a
performance of a song convincing with my limited voice,
I have to feel like the song is something that I wished I'd written or
something I shared or lived through myself. You can always send me stuff
through Hightone Records in Oakland, California. Good luck with your
songwriting.
Ivana
Dear Ivana,
I love Italy. I love the food, the landscape, the people, the buildings, the
TV shows I can't understand, the art, the cars, the wine, the ancient ruins,
just about everything. I also think Italian audiences are some of the most
sensitive as well as wild and rocking as anywhere I've been. So, in other
words, I hope to be back in Italy soon. And I promise to shave my cheek for a
kiss. Ciao.
Does Dave have a contact address I can write him at to ask him these questions?
Thanks,
Mike Williams
Hey Mike,
Believe it or not, this is the best way to reach me. I'm glad you enjoyed the
Richard Thompson show. What an amazing, articulate, powerful songwriter,
guitarist and singer he is. I was honored beyond words to tour with him. The
touring guitar I use is a Martin
Shenandoah. It's light and feels more like an electric and sounds okay just
plugged through the soundboard at clubs. I don't think they make them
anymore. One of reasons I bought it (besides needing a dependable touring
instrument) was it's name.
Shenandoah is one of favorite old folk songs. I couldn't resist.
Your King of California CD was amazing...heard off the pre show tape Springsteen played at his acoustic gigs....
Take care
Ed
Hey Ed,
Yeah, I heard somebody was playing King of California on the pre-show tapes
at the Springsteen acoustic gigs. That's pretty cool. I would've had a heart
attack if I had been there. I try to listen to demos but sometimes I can't
get around to everything so, with that in mind, if you still want to send a
tape to Hightone Records, they will get it to me eventually. I like producing
records if I think I can be of any help to the artist, not just for the
thrills of producing something. So, who knows? Send it along. I'd like to
work in London. I like the beer over there. Good luck.
P.S. I am fully recovered, even danced a bit when you played off Off Broadway this summer during a horrible heat wave.
From Toni
Dear Toni in St. Louis,
I cannot begin to tell you how much your letter means to me. I feel like
anything I could write would just sound stupid. I thank you with all my
heart. I'm happy that everything is working out and the worst is past.
Hopefully, I'll see you on a hiking trail somewhere up in the Sierras or out
in one of the coastal ranges. Or, back at the Off Broadway would be good
enough for me.
Last modified 11Mar00
Dave Alvin Q&A/Questions/Comments
