Message-ID: <3a27ba6b_3@pigeon.jmu.edu>
From: "John G. Drummond" <drummojg@falcon.jmu.edu>
Subject: FTSD: End of an Era
Newsgroups: talk.bizarre
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Date: 1 Dec 2000 09:49:21 -0500
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Well, that's all of that.

Last Friday we packed up all the equipment, and unlike most Friday nights
since Judy broke her ankle, we put all the stuff in the van instead of
storing it all in the back room-- which was where we used to play when
more people came.

Some of you who know me well know that I used to play music with my Aunt
Judy at a place called Taylor's in Deltaville, VA.  Friday was our last
night, probably ever.  The season is over, and the owner wants to sell the
restaurant before next season.

I didn't know when I came home for Thanksgiving that it was Judy's last
night, or that it was, in all probability, her last night.  I had to
borrow her Telecaster.

Judy's been playing there for the last 30 years or so, and I've been
playing there with her off and on since I was in high school.  I even
dated one of the waitresses at one point (I figured she was interested
when she always requested the same song -- one that I sang).

I've been going to see her there all my life, long before I could play
guitar myself.  I remember my parents were younger, and would have a blast
(along with everyone else).  When I was a teenager, the owner's young
granddaughter would come pester me and my friend Steve.  Now she's in high
school.

Judy used to have a partner named David, who had also been my middle and
high school band director.  His wife Ginger used to run the sound, before
she was his wife.  He quit a few years ago, and sadly, their friendship
did not weather the strain. We're all older now, and different, I guess.
 
I started my musical career singing "You Are My Sunshine" there when I was
about 8.  And let me tell you, it was quite an education to learn new
chords in the middle of a song years later when I actually got to sit in
with them for a set or two some nights.  Sometimes Judes would show me a
chord, and I'd ask her what it was called. "I don't know" was the usual
answer. We called them Judy Ward chords.

When Judy started playing moons and moons ago, with George Grove (who's
now in the Kingston Trio), she didn't know what any of the chords were
called; she'd have to ask someone to show her the first chord in the song.

I still have the first dollar I ever got for singing.  An old lady gave it
to me.  At Taylor's, for singing "You Are My Sunshine."

Judy gave me some of the tip money like she always does, in the parking
lot after packing up.  Along with these memories and the free meal, it
will probably be the best-paid gig I'll ever play.

We closed with the blues version of "Summertime" that we play.  Judy
always did let me close with that, just so I could fire off some good
riffs in a place that I love.

Hush, little darlin'.

-Omar

-- 
-=-=-=-
<drummojg@jmu.edu>                     http://falcon.jmu.edu/~drummojg/
"Doom is not an acceptable fate."
      -Marshall T. Savage, _The Millenium Project_