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
what we need is music 