Not As Young As I Used To Be...

Jack Williams, originally uploaded by Paul-G.

Kay and I decided we would roll back the clock this weekend and camp with the other musicians at the Gamble Rogers Festival in St. Augustine. Around the folk scene it is a tradition to camp out, and swap songs late into the night after the stages are closed down. On Friday night we had 50+ players and listeners around our tent, including Jack Williams (pictured above in silhouette during his main stage sound check). That finally broke up at about 2:00 a.m...

There was a time when I could get away with just a few hours sleep and get up the next morning, gargle with a cap full of Captain Morgan's spiced rum, and hit the stage. Like Jack, we are all getting older, though he is the youngest, hippest, fastest-handed 65 year old that I have ever met. The guy's a super star (look him up), but utterly without pretense and ego -- never fails to look me up and remember my name on those once or twice per year occasions when we cross paths... anyway....

Come Saturday afternoon, and our first set... It was actually very good, but beyond that I barely had the energy to snap a few frames, and pass out on top of my sleeping bag shortly after 9:00 p.m. I woke up briefly to the sound of some angel's voice I was sure had come to carry me home... but otherwise slept through another late night jam a few yards from our tent. Some of the playing in the campground continued until the sun edged over the eastern horizon. There was a time....

I guess it's time to learn to pace ourselves... into the sack a little earlier (maybe at a local motel)... rest up in the afternoon. But I have to tell you, if you've never experienced a night by the fire, swapping songs with your idols, your friends, folks you've never met before but sure hope you will again -- you've missed something.

A few photos will be posted in a gallery on my website in a day or two (insufficient energy reserves tonight), including that song circle in our camp. Check it out... home made, live music. It's a thing of beauty. Simple.