Gillian Welch "The Way It Goes"

"Things have gone really downhill for them since my brother-in-law bought the farm."

I was listening to a co-worker chit-chat with a client about his wife's family.  He was cheerily talking about the family's mishaps.

I could tell by the look on the client's face that I should intervene.

"He means it literally."

"Oh," said the client, visibly relieved that no one had actually died.  And more so relieved that my co-worker wouldn't so glibly, flippantly mention a family member's death.

This was when I was living in Virginia, where I actually met quite a few people who had made a purchase of land on which they intended to raise crops.  But no, they were not dead.  They had actually bought a farm.

So I do laugh every time I hear the beginning of this Gillian Welch song:

Becky Johnson bought the farm
Put a needle in her arm
That's the way that it goes
That's the way

I laugh, thinking about my co-worker, cheerily saying something so morbid.  And then I feel bad, because Gillian isn't being literal.  Poor Becky Johnson.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Gillian Welch "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor"

When leaving my house on the Friday morning of the Blizzard, I was kissing my wife and kids goodbye as I do every morning, but I was also explaining to the kids that I would probably be gone overnight, due to the storm.

Before walking about the door, my daughter screamed, "WAIT DADDY!!!"

She disappeared down the hall and moments later re-appeared with a big white ball of fuzz.

"I want you to take this with you, so you have something to remember me by."

Let it be know that the Blizzard Of 2013 is when I knew for certain that my daughter would one day win the Oscar for drama.  And I expect that her acceptance speech will include a mention of her Dad, and the Unicorn pillow she made me take to work.

At the end of the night, I pulled a couple of cushions off the soft chairs from the mvyradio lobby, GM Greg had brought in a blanket and a comforter, and I took the unicorn pillow off the record player, and rested my weary head upon it.  That pile of fluff in the foreground of the On Air studio, was my bed for the night.

I don't know if you've ever had the experience, but it is pretty funny to be the only person at your workplace, and to have your workplace become your home for a day.  I made sure to make myself comfortable, hanging out the next morning in my pajamas.

The only drawback to studio life, was the very, very small coffee pot.  I mean, look at the pot, next to a normal sized mug?!?

Hear the song on Youtube.

David Rawlings Machine "Bells Of Harlem"

Gillian Welch once addressed the issue of the fact that she was usually billed as "Gillian Welch" though she invariably plays with David Rawlings.

Basically she said that the two of them played in a band, and the band's name is "Gillian Welch."

This causes some awkwardness for DJs like me.

A couple of years back, Gillian and David were both on the bill for Newport Folk.

Gillian Welch was on the schedule for Saturday.

David Rawlings was on the schedule for Sunday.

I watched the "Gillian" set, and yes, it featured Gillian and David. That was in preparation for the next day.

I had been asked to introduce the David Rawlings set.

At this point in their career, I don't know that David had ever been on a major bill. So no one was sure what a set by "David Rawlings" would be. Him by himself? A full band?

Moments before I was to go on stage and do the introduction, I was button-holed by the stage manager.

He impressed upon me, multiple times, in no uncertain terms, that I was to introduce the artist as "David Rawlings" and nothing else. This was the artist's request. Introduce him as "David Rawlings." Get it? "David Rawlings." Are we clear?

Yes, I was a clear.

So I got up on stage and I did what I was asked to do. I did my mvyradio pre-amble, promoting the station, and then I said:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, David Rawlings!"

And out of the backstage area, comes David Rawlings. And Gillian Welch.

" . . . Gillian's here too . . ." David told the crowd.

I don't think he meant to say that I forgot her, but I think it might've come off that way to an audience not aware of the whole band name game.

Well, it wasn't the worst intro moment I've ever had. But it was a bit awkward.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Check out mvyradio's Newport Folk coverage, including a live performance from Gillian and David at 4:45pm on Saturday.