We called it the “Crawling Thunder Revue”…
Seely, Montana – Lindberg Lake
We saw bears. We laughed every day. We sang every song. And for the seven days we got to spend time together, we caught up with each other… all busy lives happening at a distance these days.
Heaven only knows how our hosts Jim and Wendy endured the convergence of nine or ten songwriters on their home in Montana, but somehow they managed to do it without getting hurt. It’s no easy task… just getting that many artist-types and odd-balls like us to do anything at the same time is a lot like trying to herd cats. Nobody has the same idea at the same time… and everybody has a good idea at the same time. Go figure.
It doesn’t happen very often these days, but I was “unplugged” from telephones and Internet for the whole seven days – almost like having a real life again. The quiet was so refreshing it was hard to decide what to do or not to do every day, but drifting along on a canoe was always a good start to the day. This trip was a gift – first class all the way, and nothing but smiles and comraderie with friends I don’t get to see often enough – from start to finish. And bordering on over a million acres of National preserves, there was no end to the beauty, wildlife or the overall spirit of adventure being in that part of the world affords.
In attendance: Kate Wallace and Doug Clegg, Peter Gallway and Annie Gallup, Jimmy McVay, Jim Sheridan, Wendy and a whole host of livestock (dogs), evening guests, and our hosts Jim and Wendy Drasdo of Santa Barbara. Not only are these some of my favorite songwriters, but they’re also some of my favorite people and best friends. Each of us has our own style, sense of life and sense of humor, and conversation can run deep as a well or shallow as a puddle. It’s just great fun to spend time with them and to have a few days every year where the rest of the world can wait, and the best of the world is sitting right in front of you with a guitar in your lap. I don’t know that life gets better than that for a guy like me.
