Posted by Norm on 6/22/2009, 11:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Mayville Wrap-Up. Great time!"
Well, it kinda like the Trio concerts: they take the time to actually TALK to you, and maybe share some drinks and snacks if you're inclined to head back with them if they're staying for the night. In other words, there is a "decent humanity" about them that was set waaaaaaaay back when they were superstars, putting 4 albums at once on Billboard's Top Ten. Plus, ALSO like the KT, these people do NOT in any way, shape of form need "studio magic" to play and sing your socks off! Sitting two feet away at Webbs, and listening to those totally acoustic guitars, mandos, bass, fiddle and banjos to perfection, 4 and 5 part harmonies, great solos...and this is a "group" that wasn't even a "GROUP" (three of them had never even PLAYED together before Saturday!), well, I need not gild the lily further.
Personally, I ended up quite by happenstance offering the empty chair to my right to a nice looking young gal, who was texting somewhat during the Webbs' jam. I dunno even how it came up--but I made some comment about something, and she tells me she is Clay Hess's wife, newlyweds...since May I think...and the two of them were pretty much walking hand in hand, or arm in arm all over the Town Park both days. She would come up to the Gazebo with him when he signed CD copies. I managed to really crack up Sierra Hull when she was finishing a cupcake up in the Gazebo before the crowds descended for her to sign her fabulous "Secrets" CD. Well, she had this cupcake wrapper, and there was no garbage can up there, but we'd been pitching junk into an empty cardboard box behind us, so she's kinda got this cupcake wrapper all crumpled up wondering what to do with it...so I said "here, I'll take it. I have a trash-box here." So, she's all embarrassed she's handing my this caked-up wrapper, and apologizing like it's some big deal. "No problem." Then I held it up in front of the people who had gathered by then and said "OK--what am I bid for this genuine Sierra Hull cupcake wrapper before I put it up on Ebay?" Well, everyone got a good laff outta that, particularly her. OK--small deal, but again, just emblematic of how terribly NORMAL they all are.
Always have a blast out there. Being a volunteer is a great gig: free admission, wrist-band that lets you in ANYWHERE, and if you want, time to talk guitars, music, songwriting-you name it. I hope you can come down one of these years KEN!
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