Last night I went to the 50th anniversary celebration for Bob Sherman’s Woody’s Children. I haven’t been listening for 50 years but perhaps 40. I’m a newcomer. This was something I had to go to. But first, a word about my mental and physical health.
Friday is my day for therapy. It was my first session in three weeks so there was pent up demand. I also had an appointment with my psychiatrist. I had two revelations, both on my own, but both supported by the professionals. The psychiatrist was first. She was running late so I had a lot of time to think. When I can I mentally prep myself for therapy. I think about what’s bothering me. As I did that I realized that I was feeling great. Even when I thought about the issues that have been bringing me down I stayed ebullient. What was this about? When did it start? It started the day before. What happened then? I had a colonoscopy. Why would that make me happy? Some of you are way ahead of me. I was given anesthesia. I brought it up to the psychiatrist. I told her that I was given prop something or other. It’s propofol. When I talked about meds some of my friends had brought up how much they liked it. I had never noticed anything from anesthesia, till this time. But this was so striking that I’m sure it’s the cause. You might have heard of propofol as the drug that Michael Jackson abused. I didn’t know that. I did know how good I felt. The psychiatrist or therapist described it as a mild euphoria. It interfered with the therapy as I couldn’t emotionally connect with the things that were bothering me. But it felt good. I decided that I’m going to have colonoscopy once a week.
The main issue I wanted to discuss with my psychiatrist was my sleepiness. I have trouble staying awake. I had been blaming it on the meds but that’s not a side effect of Prozac. But while talking about the colonoscopy it hit me. The anesthesiologist told me that I had sleep apnea. It didn’t click when she told me but the next day it did. Sleepiness is a side effect of sleep apnea. Even when I sleep I’m not getting enough rest. Bells went off in my head. The psychiatrist concurred. I’m going to have to go to a sleep clinic and get this taken care of. I might end up having to get one of those Darth Vader breathing machines. Do they give you command of the Force? That could be useful.
Before the show I met Dan and his girlfriend Anna for dinner. The show was at Symphony Space and we ate at the Manhattan Diner. Not the most convenient place in the world, It was all the way across the street. We’re talking Broadway, it’s broad, there’s a median. We had to wait for a light and everything. Good thing I’m a trooper. I didn’t make Dan carry me.
This was my first time I met Anna. She didn’t know it but she had to meet my approval. She did. Too bad Dan didn’t. He’s not good enough for her. Sorry Dan. Dan said that if we didn’t argue we’d have nothing to talk about. All we do is say how bad each other’s musical taste is and insult each other. Your basic middle school friendship. Dinner was great. I haven’t spent time with a friend like that in ages.
Let’s see how many people from the bill I can remember. Bob was the host, the performers were: Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, The Chapin Sisters, Christine Lavin, Holly Near, Kim & Reggie Harris, Josh White Jr, Noel Paul Stuckey, David Amram, John McCutcheon, and Doug Mishkin. There was one more not listed on the bill. Bob said that his grandson was on a soccer team and the mother of one his teammates was a folk singer so he decided to give her a shot. Bob lives in Ossining, any guesses who the mom was? I guessed right, it was Dar Williams! That’s a lot of talent in one show. The interview with Dar spoke volumes about the interconnectedness of it all. When Dar was just getting started she got a call from her mother. “I just heard this woman on the radio, Christine Lavin, she writes songs just like yours. It was on a show called Woody’s Children hosted by Bob Sherman. Maybe you can make a career of this.” So Dar sent a cassette, to Bob. Bob played two songs from it. He was the first one to play Dar on the radio. He was also the first one to play Christine on the radio. Bob preserves the old and discovers the new. This brought back memories of last Christmas when Anaïs Mitchell opened for Dar and she spoke about how Dar was her inspiration. Her teen friends called her car the Darmobile, as that was what was always playing. This music has a pass, present, and a future. Bob is part of all of them. One more test. Keep in mind the circumstances, what song did Dar sing? That’s right, her tribute to radio, Are You Out There.
The show had so many highlights. I have always loved Tom Paxton but of late his live shows have lost their magic, they were the same songs with the same patter I’ve heard forever. But last night he did a song I didn’t know and was funny and insightful and all the things I loved about him. John McCutcheon was a revelation on the hammer dulcimer. He did a Woody song, was it Pastures of Plenty? Whatever it was it reimagined the song, the way a cover should. There was a lot of that going on. I should have taken notes. Josh White Jr sang House of the Rising Sun. He told how Woody and Lead Belly sang it with only major chords. His father, Josh White Sr added an A minor and that’s the version we all know. “I’m now going to sing the White version of House of the Rising Sun. Josh is black.
Christine had to do one song and then run to catch a plane. She did, at Bob’s request, Turn this Ship Around, her comment on the Trump presidency. President Trump was not there but he was a big influence on what was said and sung.
I feel terrible that I can’t remember so many things that moved me, What did Kim and Reggie do that was so wonderful, other than simply being Kim and Reggie? David Amram did his usual brilliant jazzification of folk music. We all sang along to If I Had a Hammer We all had a song to sing.
Who was we? I of course knew many people in the audience. I spent time talking to John & Sheila, and Ellen. Dan & Phyliss I saw on the line to go in Mira was there but we didn’t see each other. We were in the comp section so we sat with friends of Bob and of Sonny Ochs. Sorry good friends that I’m totally forgetting.
I’ve been to the 40th, 45th, and 50th anniversary shows. Maybe the 35th too. I’ll be back in 5 years for the next. I’m looking forward to the 100th. Bob’s in good shape, I’m sure he won’t have retired yet.
Today I’m off to see Pesky J. Nixon down in Brooklyn. Then back to Brooklyn on Sunday to see Maria Di Meglio’s Christmas concert. Then a Knick game that night. I have a busy weekend. The Propofol hasn’t worn off yet or maybe Woody’s Children and hanging out with Dan and Anna hasn’t worn off yet. Whatever it is, I’m feeling good.
Wise Madness 