Smile du Jour

The Song du Jour on the Dakotah Blue Facebook page quells my desire to share music and sometimes sparks a memory or an interesting dialogue. Yesterday I posted a Richard Thompson song called ‘Beeswing’. It is one of my absolute favorites although I haven’t known it long. I don’t remember the first time I heard it but somehow it missed being on my radar until recently. Richard Thompson however I have known of for (ouch, this is a reality check) forty years. I grew up loving Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson and early English ballads and music. Together with Steve Winwood and Traffic, their music was a kind of soundtrack to my childhood and growing up years. Fast forward to October 2006. I am all grown up and accompanied my friend Assunta to San Francisco. Her husband Tony was playing at a huge free 3-day concert in Golden Gate Park called Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. He had left several days earlier to rehearse and teach a workshop in the Bay area. Assunta and I spent time with Tony when he was able, touring the city and visiting Chez Panisse in Berkley for a most memorable lunch. Primarily though it was three full days and evenings of music. It began on Friday with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Elvis Costello. On Saturday we heard Gillian Welch, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Jerry Douglas, Earl Scruggs and Billy Bragg. Sunday was filled with the music of Hazel Dickens, Tim O’Brien, Molly O’Brien, the Del McCoury Band, Emmy Lou Harris, Iris Dement, T Bone Burnett, Hot Tuna, Richie Furay and the Waybacks w/special guest Bob Weir. Besides hearing all this music I was able to meet many of the performers and for the most part saw the shows from the stage. It was an unbelievable experience and I am still in awe of it. I learned that weekend that Assunta and I shared a love for Richard Thompson’s music as well and although we tried to hear everyone we loved, there were 5 stages and Thompson was performing on a stage we wouldn’t have reached in time. He was on late Sunday afternoon and we had to catch the red eye home. Time was running out and the sun was beginning to set. We looked for the courtesy van for performers and family to return us to the hotel. We found it and had to wait for a few more people to arrive before it was ready to leave. Our hotel was a half hour away and we had just enough time to get our luggage and a taxi to the airport. Hardly Strictly had been a phenomenal time however we were both bummed a little but resigned to the fact that we had missed Richard Thompson. Assunta was having a cigarette when I decided I was too cold to wait outside so I climbed into the back of the van where it was warm. There was one other person already waiting inside. I chose the last seat as it was away from the open door and as I turned to move my pocketbook I realized the only other passenger waiting with me was Richard Thompson. He too was waiting to get back to the hotel….We were joined a minute or two later by his sound guy, Assunta and several other band members. Through the streets of San Francisco there were jokes to be traded and conversation with the driver who was a Hardly Strictly volunteer. The smile traded between Assunta and I though was hardly strictly anything but happy and for my part filled with wonder of the way of the Universe. Remember Serendipity? An aptitude for making fortunate and magical discoveries….unexpectedly.