There was this guy sitting on the corner in downtown Santa Cruz playing his guitar with a rabbit sitting on his head. He didn’t look out of place. Frankly, after spending an afternoon in downtown Santa Cruz, I was surprised there wasn’t someone on every street corner playing a guitar with a rabbit sitting on his head. Interesting place, Santa Cruz, my kind of place.
I like a town that takes it’s music seriously. One that puts a premium on the arts. I’m kind of a one trick pony. If it hasn’t got music in it, it ain’t no part of nothing. If I’m standing by the grand canyon looking over it’s majestic edge, I’m probably wondering if the any of the Indians living at the bottom of the canyon are guitar pickers, and if it would be worth the donkey ride to the bottom to start a jam.
This last weekend I took my family down to Monterey and Santa Cruz. I had to persuade them that it wasn’t a bluegrass function to get them to go, so I didn’t pack my guitar, but I tricked them. We were staying with my good friends Jim and Carol Johnston and I knew that Jim had an extra Martin somewhere and I reckoned he would pull it out, and he did, after they were all tucked in bed. And we played and everything was right in the world.
Sunday we went to Monterrey, home of the Monterrey folk festival, Where Bob Dylan played his first electric set and scandalized the world. The home of the Monterey Jazz festival and dozens of music venues and great musicians. So what do we do? We look at fish! Spent half the day in the Monterrey Aquarium looking at fish. Not a fiddle to be seen. I just don’t get it. Felt like one of those two thousand sardines they’ve got there swimming around and around in circles. There wasn’t even muzak in the elevator. The only music they had was some recorded show where some young folks danced around carrying pretend fish and sea turtles and sang songs about FISH!
I love to spend time with my family even if it means I gotta look at fish to do it. You see, I’m looking ahead. Plymouth is next week, and the week after that is Kings River and I’m going to both places, and I need to store up some family points because I’m going to need them. It’s my way of making sure they let me in the house when I get home, and maybe someday they’ll come to one of these festivals with me.
And so…now I’ve got the itch. Pat Calhouns gonna be there. Rick’s gonna have his fiddle. Be looking for Henry and Snap, and Randy Mcknight, and Lucy, and Randy Morton. And Betty and Mona, and all the rest of you. My guess is, there won’t be a fish anywhere to be seen.
Though I wouldn’t mind if some guitar player has a rabbit on his head.
