April 15, 2009 - Wednesday
 | Category: Music Shenandoah, along with former singer and buddy, Curtis Wright...who had performed earlier in the night with us... pulled out of Muscle Shoals, Al...after finishing a successful benefit for Billy Ryan. We were on our way to Bunnell, Florida to play the Flagler County Fair. We arrived in Bunnell, Sat, April 11, mid-afternoon and loaded in to do our soundcheck and the wind was blowing around 25-35 mi an hour, non-stop! It was blowing so hard that we had to cut out the toms on the drums..get them out of our mix... because the mics were picking up so much wind noise. In my headphones it sounded like nothing but a giant roar. All of the mics onstage were picking up the wind and making it extremely hard to hear anything else. There is nothing you can do but make the best of it.. and we did. The owner of the sound system told me that I looked familier. He asked if I had ever played around there before. I told him I had many times and years ago, I had played with the artist, Jim Stafford around those parts. He asked me if we played at the Holiday Inn for a week in Sarratoga about 25 years ago. I said yes.. it turns out he was at that gig and was just 17 years old and remembered me. Wow.. I thought.. I am getting old and what a small world it is..indeed. The ride took everyone who was going to the hotel..to the hotel and they somehow left me standing on the stage...leaving me behind..so I had to catch a ride with Penny..one of the staff who was so helpful to us throughout the day and night.. They saw me put my bag in the truck and heard me tell them I was going with them..and not to leave me but I guess they are getting so old..that they can't remember much..past 5 minutes anymore..lol Oh well.. when I got to the hotel..they were still sittin' in the lobby waiting on the room keys. After cleaning up at the hotel..we arrived back at the fairgrounds to find chicken and ribs waiting on us and boy were they good..mmm.. I can still taste em'. We had several hours to kill before the show..and some of us napped , while others watched TV.. Around 6 pm, Penny came to the bus door and asked if we would mind doing a meet and greet for a few folks. Mike McGuire and Jim Seales were sleeping, so Mike Folsom, Jimmy Yeary, myself, Byron and Bart went out and did the deed..shaking hands, signing pics and accepting 6 chocolate roses that were given to us by one nice lady. I never got to sample one..as they were eaten very quickly by other ravenous bandmates. Showtime was at 8 pm and we did a 75 minute set, to a very small but appreciative audience. Curtis Wright sang back-up vocals and played 12 string acoustic guitar with us ..since he was already out with us.. from the night before. It was fun having him and Jimmy singin'. I had heard that attendance to the fair this year had been slow for all four days. I guess this economic downturn is hitting us everywhere it seems. I hate that we didn't have a better turnout, as we were the first national act they had ever had. I hope that will not deter them from pursuing this type of show in the future. After the show, we signed autographs and did the usual..takin' pics, givin' hugs, etc and I got to meet face to face, for the first time..one of my facebook friends, Sherry Bach and her daughter.. We have been friends online for almost a year and I appreciated them coming to the show and saying hi afterwards. I wish we could have had more time to chat but time is limited when we have to get on the road. We appreciated all of the great food and warm hospitality from the good folks at the Flagler County fair. After all the goodbyes were said and the bus was loaded up, we headed back to Alabama and dropped Mcguire and Seales off , before making our way back to Tennessee. We arrived back in Tennessee a little after noon and tho' we were a little tired..it had been a great run and we knew another country music adventure had been had by all.. Down the Road....Stan Munsey |
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