Adieu Steamboat

It is so hard to say goodbye. This whole past week was like stepping onto a magic carpet. Jason Strange (of the legendary Steaknite in Waring, TX) picked me up and we drove to Dallas to meet the Celebrity Coach, with Blake and Angie Olson and the intrepid Music Foggers who drove to meet the bus from DC to Tupelo. Eddie was the steadying hand on the wheel.

We were whisked off through the flatlands to start the climb up the Rocky Mountains. Pit stopping in Denver overnight gave us all a chance to catch our breath. Next stop Steamboat, and the bus was put in position as the green room for the MusicFest tent. We got a shuttle to our condo, and dug in.

The first night, we attended the Musician Welcome party, and saw lots of friends, promoter John Dickson among them. The rest of the time was both a blur, and somewhat well documented, thank goodness. We tried to overcome altitude sickness with the recommended water, but switched to the somewhat more effective booze...or at least, we didn't seem to care that much about it after the alcohol content was ramped up. Artists came and went, we cooked, we drank, we wrote, we went on forays. And we had an amazing time.

We met the bus right after filming the Gondola Concert Series™ with Brandon Jenkins, and we pulled out for the overnight drive to Dallas, where Jason and I drove south to Austin, after noting that it was exactly a week to the hour.

Thanks to all: John and Robin Dickson and the great crew of folks they assemble for MusicFest at Steamboat Springs. Thanks to the Steamboat Resort people. A huge thanks to the artists, and a heartfelt thanks to Blake Olson and Celebrity Coaches for letting us tag along, hijack the back suite for our production, and especially for believing in us.

-Jessie

The Trishas "I'm on Empty"

You know, we spend a good deal of time talking about which video we should put up next. And on Friday, our last day in Steamboat, I saw Kelley Mickwee and Savannah Welch doing some skiing. They were appropriately attired, though it was SOOOOO cold, I don't know if that is really possible. I have been attending MusicFest for seven years, and I don't think it was ever colder! This was the day of the outdoor stage, with Doug Moreland and Jack Ingram performing. I hope they could feel their fingers. I'm just saying. We didn't hang around, because we were hooking up with Brandon Jenkins to film the Gondola Concert Series™. But before I left the area, I told Savannah that we were double dipping into The Trishas videos that we shot in the condo. Her reaction was self effacing. It is almost like they don't know how good they are. The fact that they are not complacent, and that they have grown more every time we see them, makes me think they will continue to do so. Fly high, ladies!

-Jessie

Chris Knight "Heart of Stone"

OK, OK, so the lineup for MusicFest at Steamboat Springs is mostly Texas Red Dirt. There are a few exceptions, but they have to be a good fit, both into the family atmosphere that surrounds the artists here, and of course the sonics. I am not sure what precipitated John Dickson inviting Kentuckian Chris Knight a few years back. And then continuing these last few years, as he has been accepted into the MusicFest fold.

Chris used to be one of our most requested artists at X Country. He tells the unvarnished truth. He draws portraits of people, places and ways, though they may not be pretty. I remember seeing him years ago, might have been when his second CD came out and he was showcasing for a bunch of us radio types. Someone asked him what was "the body count" for that new album.

Chris Knight brought sideman Chris Clark with him to our condo for this recording. And he rendered unto us pain, heartbreak, stark tales of life...and he gave us fever.

-Jessie