fugue

just some quick thoughts on performing and singing songs. i am playing solo acoustic shows these days and i will tell you it's hardest thing i have ever done. to keep a group of people interested for a half hour forty minutes with just a guitar and your voice IS like brain surgery. and it is fantastic. strip away everything, the effects, the pagentry, the clothes, the players, everything! get right down to it. to the lyrics, the songs, what they mean to you, how can you sing them to people so that they understand what you mean. the delivery! everyone EVERYONE who is a musician should do it at least once in their life. it makes you 1. a better musician 2. appreciate THE SONG more. buddy holly said one only needs three chords and the truth and hank williams sr. said a song ain't nothing but a story with a bit of music added and they are both correct. a good example is johnny cash's record "american recordings" a voice and a guitar. nothing more, no solos, no reverb units, no echo chambers. just songs and a fantastic singer to boot. i have been doing this lucinda williams song "pineola" recently and for the first time the other night when i played it i believe i finally understood it. it's about a friend of her's that committed suicide and it's chilling. fantastic lyrics. there is no chorus just verses and the last one is my favorite:

born and raised in pineola
his mama believed in the pentecost
she got the preacher to say some words
so his soul wouldn't be lost.

anyway, read letter is playing on september 3rd at navy pier for all you in chicago. starts at 3:30 ends at 7:30 p.m.
we will be doing "pineola" if you want to hear it or even better just go listen to the lucinda williams version. it's on her record "sweet old world"
out!