Forget the trainwreck show of last week. Some things come better late than never. I had a wonderful time with Boomer Castleman and his fabulous drummer, Lois Hess. Not only did they make it to the studio okay, but they beat me there, for heaven's sake! I actually saw a lot of Boomer and Lois this weekend because I introduced them onstage at the Nashville Songwriters Festival on Saturday and also heard them later on Sunday evening at the Commodore Grill.
Boomer shared all kinds of great stories about his career during the 60s and 70s and some of the people he's worked with, such as his experience with knowing and writing for the Monkees and some "musical history" he was present for involving John Denver. You can read some of those stories in an excellent interview with Boomer from 2004 that is online at http://www.musicdish.com/mag/index.php3?id=9820
Opening songs:
I Feel Good, I Feel Bad - Lewis & Clarke Expedition
What Am I Doing Hanging Round - Monkees
The first time I met Boomer at one of Doak Turner's 3rd Sunday songwriter gatherings I shocked him when I told him that I remembered him from being in the Lewis and Clarke Expedition (which also included Michael Martin Murphey, by the way). For many years until my last move, I had some of the 16 and Tiger Beat magazines with them and the Monkees! 40 something years later, here I am talking to Boomer! Who knew? I wish I'd kept those magazines.
Boomer and Lois did two songs live: "Never Say Never Again", the song Boomer did at the "Silver Stars" competition (and he "landed the triple axle" with a perfect falsetto at the end at 8:00 in the morning!); and "Alligator Gar", with some hot licks!
Other tracks we played were "Where's Jenny Now" and his hit from the 70s, "Judy Mae" (which he notes was controversial for its time, being a song about incest).
Boomer is also known for his invention of the Palm Pedal, a guitar enhancement which gives it a pedal steel sound and endorsed by such luminaries as Chet Atkins. This also earned him a recent place on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville.
I knew we'd have no problem filling the hour with things to talk about and the hour just flew by. (He also kept telling me how young I looked...I love this guy!) I also laughed a lot during this show. I am glad Boomer did most of the talking because my voice was in somewhat dubious shape, no thanks to a headcold I caught during the week (which I blame on a swimming pool).
Frequency To The Heart:
Part two of the three ways to Embrace Encouragement: Accepting Encouragement
This show's a definite candidate for rebroadcast. Thanks, Boomer and Lois...love ya!
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