OVER THE RHINE Roots on the Rail: Day Four (Monday: November 8th) – Songwriting Workshops, Michael Wilson on Photography & just hanging around at The La Posada Hotel – Winslow, Arizona

Roots on the Rail: Day Four
Monday: November 8th

Songwriting Workshops, Michael Wilson on Photography & just hanging around at The La Posada Hotel – Winslow, Arizona

Today was planned with some free time and several optional activities; Workshops by Linford & Karin (with Lucy, Molly & Bill sitting in), Michael Wilson and a side trip to Meteor Crater was also available.

Jennifer, Nick and I had a nice breakfast at the hotel (amazing chili potatoes), then took a walk around Winslow. As we made it to “the corner” we met up with JP (Scott, OtR’s tour manager) and he joined us. We did the required photoshoot @ the corner of everyone in every combination and continued our walk.

For the tourist, outside of The La Posada and “the corner” there really isn’t much else to Winslow, it was basically a train stop on the trip from LA to Chicago during the glory days of rail travel, not much else. Sadly, like many of America’s small towns and communities, today’s Winslow has a lot of distressed and boarded up buildings. We took a casual, slow walk for about a mile or so, stopping to take a few pictures here and there.

Breakfast, a nice walk, good conversation, great company, a fine way to start, set-up and enjoy a casual, relaxing day.

jennifer

me

nick

JP

jazz hands!

Monday afternoon was workshop time. Linford let a discussion on their songwriting style, how they write and where their inspiration comes from. One description was to always be “looking,” he used the metaphor of a butterfly net. When you see the butterfly (or idea), you have to be willing to grab your net and catch it, if not, the butterfly will be lost to you and continue to fly on until it is captured by someone else.

He also said that their objective is to write a killer first line, then write a song that can live up to the first line. IMHO, it seems to work for them.

Karin, Lucy, Bill & Molly joined in w/Lucy stating that due to the talent in her family (Father & Mother; Loudon, Suzzy – Brother, Rufus – Sister, Martha to name a few) that she had a hard time gaining the confidence to play her songs for other family members.

Bill discussed the difference in collaboration, which he does a lot in Nashville, and trying to find someone to offset his weaknesses and complements his strengths as a writing partner while writing for others and how he approaches writing songs specifically for Molly, which he does as a solo writer.

Molly confided that, after all these years, she had kept a list titled “Songs for Molly” that he presented to her the first time they met. He was surprised that she had kept it and very touched, almost to the point of tears by that. The workshop ended after a brief Q&A.

Next up, Michael Wilson did a presentation on the photographers that had influenced his life, work and style of shooting. After the presentation, Michael showed some examples of his work, mostly portraits and did a quick Q&A.

I love the fact, that the presentation was “typical of Michael” and presented “old school” with a Kodak Carousel Projector on a silver projection screen, no computers, no power point.

After another wonderful dinner in the Turquoise Room at the La Posada, we again retreated to the Ballroom for another intimate evening of music. Lucy, again kicked off the night with a typically wonderful set with hilarious commentary.

Bill & Molly followed, giving us more of their charming music, tonight, in appreciation of what these artists had brought to us and the trip, both were summoned back for encores.

And now, the closing set of the trip by OtR, the previous night’s closer, “Latter Days” had to be scratched from the set, due to the curfew, so they decided to kick off tonight with it, just K&L, and as always, it was quiet, intense and beautiful.

About midway through the set, Linford introduced a fellow traveler, the daughter of his father’s best friend was on the trip with us. They had never met face-to-face and the first time that she had heard Karin & Linford sing was at his father’s funeral. She heard about the trip and talked her husband into coming and waited until the last full day to introduce herself to Linford. It was an incredibly touching moment, bringing her and many others to tears.

And the tears continue to flow thru the next song, “Oh Yeah By The Way,” the song obviously hit many in the audience “where they lived,” including a new friend I was sitting with. A wonderful person that I happened to have the incredible good fortune to meet on the trip and spend a good bit of time with, that had recently dealt with some significant change and loss in their life. While these changes are obviously painful, they are right and necessary, most of us continue to have doubts and serious reflection. I think (hope) there can be peace and comfort found in knowing that you are not the only one “in that place” and that you are not alone. That we’re all in this together, strangers yesterday are friends that care today… Yeah, we’re gonna be alright.

In many ways the set was somber. Personal. Real. But, also joyful and redemptive at the same time.

The saddest songs are the happiest, the hardest truth are the easiest, put us both to the test…

As Karin told me later, “I think there was a lot of healing happening on that train.”

I’m sure she was right.

My friend and I sat around and talked for a while after the show wrapped up, as with many on the trip, I believe bonds were formed and a lasting friendship made… Yeah, we’re gonna be alright.

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“Roots on the Rails” conducts about four of these trips a year featuring different routes and musicians. They are now in the initial stages of planning another trip with OtR, possibly for next September.

Contact Sarah or Charlie @ (and PLEASE tell them that you were referred by Bill Ivester and read about it here)
Roots on the Rail: http://www.rootsontherails.com/

Roots on the Rail (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=roots%20on%20the%20rails&init=quick&tas=0.6926599160176896#!/group.php?gid=9411601292

Over the Rhine @ The Troubadour/Los Angeles (11.12.2010)

I was trying to decide if I should “stay on track” or if I should derail this “train” of thought (I know, groan…but, I couldn’t resist) and go ahead and post something about “The Troubadour” show, which obviously, I have decided to do.

When I was planning for this trip, sticking around for this show was something that always was in my mind, I just wasn’t sure if it would work out. Fortunately, the moon and stars aligned and I made it.

I wanted to go for several reasons; one was the legendary status of the club (see for yourself @ http://www.troubadour.com/history/). Second, was I felt that if Joe Henry and/or Lucinda Williams were ever going to do a “drop in” appearance, since they both live in LA, this would be it.

I headed over to the club in the early afternoon with the band and helped with the load in, wandered around the neighborhood a bit, crossed into Beverly Hills (just across the street from the club, and never saw any swimmin’ pools or movie stars) and grabbed a bite to eat. Around 6:30PM, I was sitting at the bar talking to Lucy (Wainwright Roche) when a nicely dressed bearded man knocked on the window and Lucy popped off the barstool with a “There’s My Dad!” she pushed open the door and the legend himself, Loudon Wainwright III walked in.

Lucy did the intro’s, I tried not to gush and make a fool of myself.

I knew that he was coming to sing with Lucy, but I never really imagined standing face to face with him and chatting. He was very gracious and funny and seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to play with his daughter. After a few minutes, he said, “you want to run through it, I’ve got dinner reservations at 7:30” and Lucy said “sure.”

They sat down and started playing the incredibly beautiful “You Can’t Fail Me Now.” Me, a friend of Lucy’s from Brooklyn and the two of them sitting there playing. It was stunning, I was blown away at the beauty, emotion and intimacy of what I just heard and was thinking “Wow, I’m not sure how I got here, but what a moment to be in the right place at the right time.” Loudon looked at Lucy and said, “Let’s do it one more time.” I never moved.

He was having such a good time, they decided to do a second song, the touching and funny (and true) “Family Tree.”

I had known for a couple of days about the surprises and that my hopes and suspicions for OtR’s set, were in fact, going to happen. Both of them. One of the reasons I wanted to go early was to see the stage set-up and try to stake out positions to shoot.

So, five songs in, Karin went into a discussion about someone who’s music had meant a lot to her, which led into the introduction of Lucinda Williams, Lucinda came out quietly to huge applause and after sharing some mutual, sincere praise and love for each other (Linford: “Lucinda reminds me that I ain’t dead yet”), they launched into a stirring version of “Undamned” (which Lucinda sang with Karin on “The Long Surrender”), it was quiet and achingly beautiful. The feel and vibe was perfect and it sounded great. Afterwards, as they say, the crowd went wild.

Three songs later, surprise number two of the set, three of the evening, was introduced; “the proud papa” of “the Long Surrender,” Joe Henry was introduced. He joined them for “The Sharpest Blade” that he wrote the lyrics for and Karin wrote the melody, they followed that with his song, the incredible “the Man I Keep Hid,” from his album, “Blood From Stars.” Joe has a quiet intensity about him that is hard to describe, he is very low key and unassuming, yet once he starts singing/playing, there is no doubt that he is putting every fiber in his body into every note of every song.

There is definitely a common thread, an unspoken spiritual, musical vibe between Karin, Linford and Joe that is undeniable. It’s obvious on the record and even moreso on stage.

With most bands, continuing a set after two appearances like that would be a challenge. Nope, not this band, this night. In fact, they were energized and continued to pick up steam.

I had huge expectations due to the venue and surprises, expectations that had they just been met would have made for an amazing night. They were not met, they were not exceeded, they were completely blown out of the water. The night was light-hearted yet intense, reverent and steamy, quiet and rocking. It was everything. It was perfect.

And, if all that wasn’t enough, I got to hang out and chat with Lucinda for quite a while after the show. She absolutely loves Karin and Linford and you just got the feel that she didn’t want to leave. She was such a sweetheart, kind, funny and generous.

Lucinda: “I feel like I know you…”
Me: “Lucinda, I can assure you that we have never met, because, trust me…if we had, I would remember it.”
Lucinda: (with that wonderful drawl) “Aww honey, you don’t have to meet someone to know ‘em.” (then she gave me a hug)

Yeah, the night was that good.

OVER THE RHINE Roots on the Rail: Day Three (Sunday, November 7th) The Painted Desert & Petrified Forest (or are you sure this isn’t just a great big mural and movie set?) and The La Posada Hotel – Winslow, Arizona

Roots on the Rail: Day Three

Sunday: November 7th

The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest (or are you sure this isn’t just a great big mural and movie set?) and The La Posada Hotel – Winslow, Arizona

After a breakfast on board the train, we again hopped on a bus, destination, The Painted Desert. It was about a four hour trek, there was good conversation, reading, naps and as we neared our destination, about an hour of the trip was an informative presentation by Lynn (Neal) on the formation and history of The Painted Desert. After Lynn’s presentation, Charlie informed us that what we heard “was all a bunch of crap, that it was really just a huge mural!”

Once we arrived, we had a nice, tasty boxed lunch and a casual little picnic in this beautiful setting, The view was stunning, many of us walked the rim, others, half way down (me) and a few brave souls, made it all the way to the floor. Several of us attempted to seize the opportunity to take pictures, which despite the views, was hard to come away with something that didn’t look like a post card. We then headed to The Petrified Forest.

On the drive over Lynn again explained the history to us, the drive was fascinating, the craters and jaggedly formed hills and formations, mostly void of vegetation, looked much like I would imagine the surface of the moon would. Hmm, maybe those “Never went to the moon” conspiracy theorists are on to something.

Sadly (as a commentary on our culture and our country), my first thoughts when arriving in the Petrified Forest Park was my amazement that this place existed and was preserved and that we weren’t walking into “The Disney Great Petrified Theme Park, Mall and Condominiums.” The sheer fragility of these few prehistoric “rocks” just lying around on the ground, after tens (hundreds) of millions of years was awe inspiring. It kind of put us, as humans in perspective and what a small (yet often destructive) piece of the puzzle of life we are, and how short our visit on this miraculous planet really is. Many thanks to President Roosevelt for the courage and foresight to form the National Parks Service to preserve these natural wonders.

We jumped back on the bus for the cruise to Winslow and the beautiful La Posada Resort. As we were checking in you could hear the band sound checking in the ballroom for the show later that night. Several of us who kind of bonded on the trip met up, had dinner together in their wonderful restaurant , then headed to the ballroom. The format was much the same as Santa Fe, with OtR playing a slightly shorter set due to a Sunday night 10PM curfew out of respect for other guests in the hotel.

On a side note, just after sound check, and 80 year old man approached Karin (having no idea who she was) and asked what was going on in the ballroom. She explained and he immediately was disappointed. He then asked if it was a “private function,” and she replied “yes” and asked him why. After talking further, she found out that on the same day a year ago, he married his wife (she is 60 and they were both widowed) there and that they had they had their first dance as “husband and wife” in the ballroom and that he had surprised her with a trip back there to celebrate their first anniversary and hoped to dance with her there again tonight.

Karin lit up, explained who she was and personally asked them to please attend the show.

After a great dinner in the La Posada Restaurant, everyone began to casually accumulate in the ballroom across the hall. Lucy opened the night with another charming set of music and her stories, Molly & Bill (Swan Dive) followed and then OtR. All sets were slightly abbreviated there was very little break between them, due to there being other guests in the hotel and a 10:00PM curfew.

Three songs into the set, Karin acknowledged the newlyweds mentioned above and invited them to “have their dance” while dedicating “I Want You To Be My Love” to them. They danced together as Karin sang to them, it was a beautiful, touching moment. Many of us met them in the bar after the show and they were beautiful, kind people and very grateful and happy for the generous acknowledgement.

The set was very casual and relaxed, which fit the day, the setting and the mood perfectly.

Afterwards, everyone hit the small bar across the hall, pretty much overwhelming the poor guy tending it, he did the best he could, with a smile and we were patient, especially considering the fact that the bar “Closed at 10:00” and it was well after 1:00AM when we cleared out.

The Painted Desert

The Petrified Forest

Lucy Wainwright-Roche

Swan Dive

Over the Rhine

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“Roots on the Rails” conducts about four of these trips a year featuring different routes and musicians. They are now in the initial stages of planning another trip with OtR, possibly for next September.

Contact Sarah or Charlie @ (and PLEASE tell them that you were referred by Bill Ivester and read about it here)
Roots on the Rail: http://www.rootsontherails.com/

Roots on the Rail (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=roots%20on%20the%20rails&init=quick&tas=0.6926599160176896#!/group.php?gid=9411601292

OVER THE RHINE Roots on the Rail: Day Two (Saturday, November 6th) Do You Know The way To Santa Fe? (apologies to Burt Bacharach)

Roots on the Rail: Day Two

Saturday: November 6

Do You Know The Way To Santa Fe? (apologies to Burt Bacharach)

OK, upfront, to the uninitiated, sleeping on a moving train, is not easy. We were all uninitiated, but who cares, we can sleep when we are dead.

Most started arriving in the club car between 7:00 and 8:00 for a breakfast of waffles, fruit, cereal, etc. and coffee, I think the volume of coffee consumed at breakfast, probably equaled the wine and beer consumed the night before (rethinking that, nope, probably not).

Around 4:00AM, Lynn Neal, a high school friend of Karin’s from Barnesville, and her partner, Susanna joined us. Lynn, a geologist by trade, was serving the role of naturalist on the trip, explaining and answering questions about the landscape and much of what we were going to see on the trip; The Painted Desert, Petrified Forest and Grand Canyon. During causal conversations, much of the life of teenage girls, years ago in Barnesville 25+ years ago was discussed and may references from “Ohio” casually were talked about.

Late morning, we arrived in Albuquerque and had the option to stay on the train and arrive in Santa Fe late in the afternoon, or take a chartered bus and arrive a little afternoon and have time to explore. Most opted for the bus, when we hit the beautiful square in downtown Santa Fe; Michael & Marilyn Wilson, and new friends, Jennifer (from Denver), Karen (from Bloomington, IL) and I had a wonderful relaxed lunch in an old Spanish inspired hotel, more great conversation and lots of laughter.

We then set off to explore, first to the beautiful St. Francis Church, a stroll thru the square where local artisans and craftsmen were selling their handmade wares on sidewalks and in parks. While looking for the Georgia O’Keefe museum we came across an photographic gallery that was amazing, they were displaying a huge selection of museum quality images from heroes of mine; Cartier-Bresson, Harry Callahan, Lee Freelander (add many others). Just to stand there and see the images was one thing, but to be able to do this along with a photographer that I respect as much as Michael, to discuss them with him, to see the wonderment, excitement and joy in his eyes as he viewed them was just icing in the cake.

We were invited to another gallery (next to New York, Santa Fe has the largest concentration of art galleries in America) to see an exhibition of Charlie’s (Hunter, the owner of Roots on the Rail, our host) train inspired paintings. After a little more hiking, we found it (and a much needed coffee shop along the way), his work was beautiful, a mix of modern impressionism and romanticism of the train and American Southwest.

After a short bus ride, we arrived at The Santa Fe Brewing Company for the first show of the trip. After a nice dinner, Lucy open the evening with about a 20 minute set, she is so enjoyable, a clear and pristine voice, delivering thoughtful, well written and crafted songs. She has such a charming, disarming presence, as much as I like her music, her stories rival it for the enjoyment in her set.

With almost no break, Molly Felder and Bill DeMain (Swan Dive) were up next, delivering their very special kind of pop music, some bossa nova inspired, many would sound relevant if they were being played in a French bistro in the 20’s. All are wittily written and beautifully crafted, many with a sly twist or off center take on life, love and romance. Molly & Bill have a wonderful stage presence and comfort together and Bill’s lyrics are specifically written for Molly and her voice, and they are perfect together.

Alright, the reason, the force, the music that brought people here from all over the country and from Sweden, Germany and the UK…Over the Rhine. This was the first time I have seen the current formation, a trio, with Nick Radina joining Karin & Linford on cuatro and percussion. And I loved it. It was a very full, big sound for a trio and fit the new songs perfectly and the arrangements for some of the older stuff adapted very well. The set was about half/half newer and older and was an outstanding night of music.

The show was open to the public (train travelers had reserved seating) and the club was packed, the audience was great; quiet and attentive but involved and appreciative, just how it oughta be.

We arrived back at the train, which was docked in Santa Fe, after midnite and most opted to go straight to bed (including me), it was much easier to sleep on a stationary train than a moving one. Trust me.

Lucy Wainwright-Roche

Swan Dive

Molly Felder

Bill DeMain

Over the Rhine

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“Roots on the Rails” conducts about four of these trips a year featuring different routes and musicians. They are now in the initial stages of planning another trip with OtR, possibly for next September.

Contact Sarah or Charlie @ (and PLEASE tell them that you were referred by Bill Ivester and read about it here)
Roots on the Rail: http://www.rootsontherails.com/

Roots on the Rail (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=roots%20on%20the%20rails&init=quick&tas=0.6926599160176896#!/group.php?gid=9411601292

OVER THE RHINE Roots on the Rail: Day One (Friday, November 5th) The Beginning A Great Adventure

Roots on the Rail: Day One

Friday: November 5^th

The Beginning A Great Adventure

After a good night’s sleep, Nick (Radina) and I wandered down stairs and had breakfast in the hotel, we sat with Karin as she was finishing up her breakfast and a little later Linford wandered in and joined us.

While I gave it my best effort, after a few minutes, I concluded that it was impossible to eat $19 worth of bacon, biscuits and hash browns and Nick and I left to explore the Chinatown, Little Mexico parts of the city. A few hours later while wandering around in the Little Tokyo district, we stumbled across Mickey, Molly and Grafton (Grimm) and Bill DeMain and we all had lunch in a great little restaurant before returning to the hotel to get ready to head over to Union Station to board.

We met up again with K&L and chatted with several people that would be joining the train. A few minutes later, we were off, ready to begin the adventure.

Upon arrival at the beautiful Union Station, we were greeted by Charlie & Sarah from Roots on the Rail and given a brief overview of what all was about to take place, then everyone wandered off to meet, greet and chat with the people, mostly strangers (but soon to become new friends) that would be our traveling companions for the next five days.

There is a line, “the beginning of a great adventure” from Lou Reed song, that just kept popping into my head as all this was happening around me.

In what seemed like no time, we all began to march through the station, weaving through the crowd as a mass pack filled with excitement, soon turning a corner, up a ramp towards daylight and there she was, the legendary “Southwest Chief,” in all her glory, waiting for us to join her on this adventure and guide us through her native territory.

After a quite humorous initiation to the train’s staterooms (we were all first timers and absolutely clueless to the world of train travel) and their tight, yet extremely functional quarters, everyone settled in, getting acquainted with their home for the next few days. As people stated to move to the domed club car, the sun began to set, and we rolled out of LA.

The introductions started and the camaraderie, conversations and friendships formed quickly. An hour ago mostly strangers, but all like minded souls with the love of the music, words of a great band, Over the Rhine. We had a bond, we new it; we wore it on our sleeves and shared it openly and without judgment.

After settling in, beer, wine and freely poured adult beverages, Linford and Nick came from the front of the train, strumming the guitar and cuatro for and lively and extended jam on Guantanamo, soon after Karin jumped in with “I’m On A Roll” and an impromptu jam was unleashed. Molly & Bill (Swan Dive) followed with a killer “Route 66” (which our trip mostly shadowed) and original or two, as Lucy (Wainwright Roche) gave us Bruce’s “Hungry Heart” and about an hour after it began, it ended with Karin leading the entire car on a sing-along of “Orphan Girl.”

The evening wrapped up late with people circulating and chatting, everything from extended introductions to brief hello’s and discussions of how you “found” the band and the music and music in general.

Sometime early in the morning hours, most retreated to their rooms or berths, curious to see what landscape and adventure the morning would bring us.

—————————————————————————————————————

“Roots on the Rails” conducts about four of these trips a year featuring different routes and musicians. They are now in the initial stages of planning another trip with OtR, possibly for next September.

Contact Sarah or Charlie @ (and PLEASE tell them that you were referred by Bill Ivester and read about it here)
Roots on the Rail: http://www.rootsontherails.com/

Roots on the Rail (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=roots%20on%20the%20rails&init=quick&tas=0.6926599160176896#!/group.php?gid=9411601292