Fall, Fred, Holland, France and Rosanne
9 Oct
I am on a plane to France tonight, looking forward to a few days off in Saint Antonin Noble Val, a village outside of Toulouse, where Arnold, my Dutch booking agent for the last 10 years now lives. He’s had enough of Amsterdam, and has moved his family to the South of France. Sure sounds good to me! He has invited us to come visit for a few days, and relax a little. We will play a single show there in the village, then go to Amsterdam for 10 days, driving from our base in the city to the gigs throughout Holland. My first record deal was on a Dutch lable, and I feel very at home in The Netherlands, so returning is a great joy for me. There will be a lot of driving, but it is a small country, and I find it easier to base a tour out of one hotel and drive a couple hours to and from a gig, than to pack up and change hotels every night. My favorite hotel in Amsterdam, The Schiller Hotel (where I wrote at least three songs that I recorded on my Lost Highway records including The Last of the Hobo Kings) was fully booked, and way too expensive now anyway…so we are trying a new hotel this time. I am a creature of habit and will miss my old haunt, but over the years I’ve been saddened by the demise of Rembrandt Square, the square where the Schiller is located. They’ve put neon billboards and flashing signs and tried to turn it into a sort of Dutch Times Square, and there’s massive amounts of drinking and rowdiness there on the weekends. The last time we stayed at The Schiller when we returned to the hotel after our gig the scene was downright threatening. Roving bands of drunk young men, yelling and agressive. All good things must pass, I guess. No matter, we will have a great time in Holland, and find our way to wonderful food, shops and walks in the cities where we will play.
I am reading with great admiration Rosanne Cash’s memoir, Composed. I bought it at the airport in Nashville, and I have not put it down since. We had a three hour layover in Charlotte and I am now on the plane again and almost done reading it. She is a fantastic writer, and has a wonderful sense of herself, and she puts it out there in an engaging and generous way. She has me totally captivated. I am trying to write my own memoir of sorts, and I am well aware of how difficult it is to tell your story and be objective, fair, even handed, interesting, honest and funny. It ain’t easy! Especially when addiction is a large part of the story, but she’s done a fine job of it, and I will refer to her work as I trudge through my own. We performed with her this summer at The Vancouver Folk Festival, and Tania played a few songs with her, she was charming and warm and I thrilled to recommend her book to everyone. It’s a page turner!
Tania Elizabeth, Rosanne Cash, Vancouver Folk Fest 2011
I spent last week on musical train trip through the southwest with my dear wonderful talented friends Karyn and Lindford who bill themselves as Over The Rhine, and Richard Shindell, has whose work I have truly loved over the years. Tania took a much needed 10 day vacation, and I went to New Mexico and Colorado, solo. The adventure was put together by Roots On The Rails, which is more or less my friend Charlie Hunters vision and passion, and his right hand helper Sarah Ovenden’s logistic genius. They do several of these trips a year, and if you’re up for a musical adbenture, it’s an adventure of a lifetime.
Richard and I hit it off quite well, and I found myself on stage singing country songs directly to him, as he played guitar with me. He was a sport and allowed me to indulge him, and we ended up writing a song together in an old wild west hotel in Silverton Colorado called Black Eyed Susan’s Looking Back. It’s got Richards classic sound, and I can’t wait till we finish it so I can play it on the road.
Fred's Birthday! Me and Bill and Fred and Blue on Fred's B'day this summer.
I’ve taken to playing a great song called Cigarrette Machine, off of Fred Eaglesmith’s FANTASTIC new record 6 Volts. I love the song and totally enjoy singing it. I played it with Over The Rhine, their band, and Richard at a Roots On The Rails show in New Mexico, and I did not want it end it was so much fun to perform. Can’t wait to play it with Tania in Holland.
As we fly over the ocean now, I am visualizing Tania Elizabeth and I sitting in a little French Café’, eating avec de l’ail et vin blanc and pommes frites avec la mayonnaise a l’ail for dinner, croissant and black café for breakfast, and I am filled with anticipation for our little four day holiday. We have been traveling nearly non-stop over the last year and a half, and a couple of days in the same place has resonance with me. I will rest, I will write, and I will eat French food…. all three things I truly love doing.
Getting ready for the show, Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters Oregon, 2011
Hello Mary and Tania,
I was at your concert yesterday in Groningen and I am still blown away by the whole experience. Last week I bought the tickets in an impulsive moment. I sort of discovered your music when I heard ‘mercy now’ played in a BBC detective series some months ago. Then I saw your name on the Oosterpoort website and bought tickets. What a quality performance it was! The lyrics, your voice and the sound of the violin pierce right through you. I was really surprised to see you two after the show, selling Cd’s en talking to fans. So approachable for such great musicians! Thanks for shaking hands! Hopefully see you next year again in Groningen. In the meantime I will listen to ‘the foundling’ a lot.
Hello Mary and Tania,
I was at your concert last night at the Amer. It was wonderfull and i enjoyed it very much. It was the second time that i saw you(last year in Groningen – Oosterpoort) and again i was moved and touched by your performance. I think your a wonderful personality and your songs are not other than the best there are to find in the genre. The Foundling is one of my favorite records from the last ten years and very well be one of my so called Island records. I hope that there will be a live cd/dvd from The Foundling in concert at one time. Your other records are also great. Great personal lyris and poetic stories, great compositions and a moving voice and guitarplaying. Thank you Mary(and Tania) for making such incrediable music. I hope we can enjoy your music for years to come. Thank you and have a great tour in Holland and elsewhere.
Hi,
Yesterday I was at your show in Bovenkarspel. Enjoyed it quite a bit, and my mom, in hospital, was very pleased with the CD you signed for her.
Plien
Hej Mary (and Tania)
I had to miss you at Wolfville’s Deep Roots in 2007.. but last week in Hengelo (close to my hometown) I finally made it to attend a life performance. It was more than great. As far as I’m concerned it could go on and on and on. You two are such an inspirational ‘couple’. I do love this music and I specially loved your good spirits this evening! Hope to see you both again sometime. In the meantime I’ll play you CD’s on and on and on…
Mary,
I stumbled on an article about you in the Daily Comet online. I’ve often wondered where
life lead you. I’m so happy and inspired to so where you ended up. I’m going to look for
your tour coming to Florida. I’ve been in St. Petersburg since 1989 practicing as a veterinarian. Enjoy your European tour, and be sure to eat some waffle cookies for me
in Holland. I spent my senior year at the University of Utrecht.
Have just driven home from St. Antonin through a beautiful, clear full moon night having seen you and Tania play; listening to “Between daylight and dark” on the CD player. Thank you for coming and playing here – I never thought I`d ever get the chance to see you – and please, please, please come back again soon. An amazing incredible evening was had by all. Merci (now)!
What a wonderful musing Mary. Roseanne is a dear friend from my years in Nashville. You are a continuing inspiration. I have finished that album I told you about a few years ago. Next on to mastering. Music is a wonderful and strange road through the swamps and the highlands. Reading about your trip in Europe took me back to the many places over there that I hope to play again. Keep on keepin’ on sister and thanks for your support in finishing this record…
further…
Brad Parker
Mary !
It’s great to ‘have’ you on this side..
i wish i could have seen you…
Vous aussi, vous êtes une source d’inspiration.
Bon séjour !
Mayonnaise à l’ail = aïoli