Mr. Lovett

Last weekend, I saw Lyle Lovett perform at the Deer Valley amphitheater along with a several hundred friends.

It was a beautiful evening that started out with fierce winds and intense rain. The weather report said that the storm would pass and hoped it was right as we sat in our car in the parking lot eating our picnic dinner. We arrived early in order to get good lawn seats. We had all we needed, except for additional layers that may save us from frost bite in the mountains of Park City.

This is probably the 15th time I have seen Lyle in concert since he came into my life in 1989 when I heard songs like "Here I am," "Nobody Knows Me," and "I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You." I revisited the first two albums and fell more madly in love with "If I Had A Boat", "L.A. County" and "Give Back My Heart". Lyle was pigeon-holed as a country singer during those times but with the release of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band in 1989 it was clear that he was so much more. Blues, Jazz and nothing but class. He was different. Really different and I adored him.

As the rain cleared on this August night, we found spaces with our folding chairs very near the front, next to the place that was blocked off for those with handicaps. The guy in charge of the space told us he would give us the "all clear" signal a half hour into the show if no one showed up to claim the grassy area and we could move as close as the front row. And we did.

No matter how many times I have seen Lyle perform, I always get a little giddy just before he takes the stage. He is a presence there. A smooth, tall drink of water with messy - and now a little graying - hair. His trademark. It's not as big as it once was but still a standout feature on his tall, lanky body.

The Large Band takes the stage first, every one dressed in dark suit, white shirt and tie. They play the intro - The Blues Walk and then Lyle comes on, smiling his wonderful, crooked smile, taking up guitar and starting with a slow, burning version of "Black and Blue" from the second album. 

Lyle fans are cool too. They are older - 50's and up and they know how to have a good time. Even the guy next to me who thought he had to drink straight vodka all night and dance until fell down - he knew all the words. Just hope he remembers what a great time he had :-)

Lyle  and The Large Band played, talked and sang for three hours. One of the very best performances in my experience of him. He just gets better with age. Like a very fine wine indeed.

Thanks Lyle, for your important words and for playing the soundtrack of my life for more than 25 years.

The Joy of Giving - From Five Year Old Eyes

On a 98 degree Monday, Julian and I decide to go to the local pool, one I have never visited before. When we arrive I am overcome with nostalgia. It feels like the pools I used to go to as a kid, where you can get candy at the concession stand, take a break from the sun at a picnic table in the shade, jump off the ancient looking diving board or play ball in the kiddie pool where you can easily stand up.

After paying our $6 admission, we change into our suits and hit the pool. There are water slides into the 4 foot pool and we head for those first. I am a little stunned that the way up to the slide is a platform climbing situation, instead of user friendly stairs. Julian is at the top in a heartbeat and waits while I hoist myself to each platform. I don't think I'll be a doing a lot of water sliding today...

I go down first so I can help him when he comes gets to the water. I feel like Alice in Wonderland as I fit myself into the kid size tube, but once I begin to slide, the world is a red blur. In seconds I am shooting out of the hole, into the water. Sunglasses flying, ill fitting swimsuit top slipping....I'm laughing as I gather myself and tell Julian to come on down. In a second he shoots out the hole like a banana out of the peel and goes under. I grab him and pull him up and his eyes are wide with surprise. He didn't think it was going to be such a fast ride either.

We spend the next several hours playing with an orange ball we got at the dollar store, going from kiddie pool to big pool and him laughing as I do a wobbly cannon ball off the wobbly diving board.

Later we are relaxing in the shade, eating hot french fries with delicious thick pink sauce, sipping cool water and talking about what a fun day we're having. He asks for some Starburst candies from the concession stand and I give in. I know he's spent a whole lot of energy today and maybe a little sugar is ok...

He opens his brightly colored candy stack and there are about 12 gooey cubes, individually wrapped. He tells me he wants to give some to the kids he was playing with in the pool and I watch as he offers them a treat. They smile and say thanks. Julian looks around and sees other kids and runs to them with an offer of candy. He goes around the entire pool, giving some to the teenage lifeguards, the Hispanic family at their table, the pre pubescent girls in tiny two piece swim suits, the toddlers in the kiddie pool. The whole time he has a big smile on his face. He comes back with one candy left, sits down to unwrap it and pops it into his little happy mouth.

I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight squeeze. "That was so great, Julian," I say. "Doesn't it feel good to share with everyone?"

"Yeah," he says with a sugar coated smile. "It makes my brain feel good."

Number 44

Spend time in the Amazon with indigenous people, learning, growing, expanding...