Once again John, all Americans send their thoughts to your country as Australia reacts to the bombing in Bali. Many Aussies were lost, these are crazy times.
Please pass on the Jerry Douglas site that I sent you to Paul, and explain me to him a little. Although I vent at the Canberra Times board I am not the warmonger that I appear to be. I just believe in self defense. Tell Paul that he can listen online and learn a whole bunch about the Dobro from the best. I have been lucky enough to have met with Jerry 3 times this year and he really is a down to Earth musician. Have Paul go to www.jerrydouglas.com, and the message board therein, as Phil from Finley does, and he will find a thriving Dobro community, a Bluegrass community, where they will answer any questions you might have. And Jerry himself stops by often. As for hearing Jerry live online, explaining the Dobro and playing, go here, wait for the page to fully load, and hit the "Listen" button;
http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2002/10/20021011_b_main.asp
John, in these trying times I take a break and go to the songs that make a difference with me. One song, which I will mail to you, is one of the best Roots-American music songs ever recorded. "John Deere Tractor", written by Lawrence Hammond and performed brilliantly by Larry Sparks. It is a song for the ages. The song is about a young man who grew up in the hills, way out in the country, yet had a yearning to go to the 'Big City' to see what was there for him. Things quickly get real as he realizes that his Momma's warnings that the big city can be rough on a man soon prove to be right. Larry Sparks sings this song to life like no other could;
This is a song you will learn and sing and play behind once you hear it;
John Deere Tractor
"Hey Mama, here's a letter from your son,
Well, I think my city days are done, Mom,
And it ain't been three weeks since I came,
Hey Mama, I do remember what you said,
'Say your prayers before you go to bed, son,
And remember city women ain't the same',
I'm like a John Deere Tractor,
In a half acre field,
Tryin' to plow a furrow,
Where the soil is made of steel,
How I wish I was home, Mom,
Where the blue grass is growin,'
And the sweet country girls don't complain,
Mama, so much perfume I thought I'd drown,
And the Lord didn't seem to be nowhere around,
I fell like a flower from the vine,
She was pretty, Lord knows,
I thought she would bring me joy,
She laughed, she called me 'country boy,'
And, after she had been so kind,
I'm like a John Deere Tractor,
In a half acre field,
Tryin' to plow a furrow,
Where the soil is made of steel,
How I wish I was home, Mom,
Where the blue grass is growin,'
And the firelight shimmers and shines,"
Derek Halsey
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