MMF3

original artwork to be auctioned

Verlon Thompson and Guy Clark

From Radical to Traditional

I was watching Guy Clark and I asked my grandson, Josh, how old he thought Clark was. “Pretty old” he replied. So, I said to Josh, “I think he's about sixty nine.” “That's what I think, too” he replied while staring directly at me. Now, for those of you who know my age you know that sixty nine is not too far removed from my age. I had to caution Josh that discretion is the better part of valor and that he should consider his words more carefully.

Other than that Guy Clark exhibited the desirable traits required by a Master Musician. Guy is one of those Texas Troubadours that have a unique ability to tell a story in prose and put it to music. Unlike some of his compatriots he comes from an educated and literate family and was exposed to the arts and literature at an early age. His ability to turn a phrase is what makes him one of the greats. Singing of Ernest Hemingway in his song, “Hemingway's Whiskey” he says that “if it was bad enough for him it is bad enough for me.” The music is simply an accompaniment to the prose. It is a tradition as old as history itself and he continues it quite well. One can tell the advancing years are taking their toll but the story continues.

As time came for Clark to take the stage a large number of the crowd approached the stage, bringing chairs and blankets and I was reminded of the way crowds would once sit at the feet of a Master to glean whatever pleasure and understanding they had to offer. When Clark sang I watched the crowd and noted that it consisted of gray heads and many sang along with his songs. It was a sanguine and reverent crowd that was unlike the crowds at the stage for the closing acts of each night.

Clark was accompanied by his sidekick, Verlon Thompon, of whom I had never heard but who is a prolific songwriter and guitarist in his own right. He brought us a set of his songs that evinced a picture as a song should while Guy Clark sat and listened, smoking a few cigarettes while he enjoyed his friend's songs. It was a good time. As I age I am more aware of the small pleasures of life and getting to listen to Guy Clark in person was one of those. The opportunity may not rise again but I will be eager to repeat it if it does.

The other award of our festival is for Music Educator of the Year and this year's recipient of the award was Pauline House. I have had the pleasure of knowing Ms. House for several years and know that she is richly deserving of this award. She has given selflessly to the teaching of music and of the use of her musical abilities. Her contribution to the musical education of many of our youth is mostly unknown but well founded. Her erudition extends not only to the arts, which she promotes endlessly, but to many other areas as well. I can attest that she is a pleasurable conversationalist and shows an interest in her community that could well be emulated by others. It was a very well deserved commendation. I think that Ms. House could be a good example of what a contributing member of a community should be.

This edition of the festival seemed to come off quite well and I would venture that the attendance was one of the largest ever if not the actual largest. There was quite a variety of performers some of which suited my tastes and a couple that did not. I want to point out that just because a performer does not suit my tastes does not mean they are not good. I believe I can say that every performer that was very talented and performed their style of music with great craftsmanship. I will delve into the individual performances a little more in follow up column but space will not permit that here.

The closing act was Steve Earle and the Dukes and Duchesses. I started following Steve Earle again a year or two ago and was quite surprised to find that things had changed quite a bit since “Copperhead Road” which was a song me and quite a few others remembered from 1989. He was incarcerated for a bit after that and when he came out began to reframe his life and his music. Mr. Earle is not a native Texan but grew up a lot in Texas under the influence of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clarke. His reverence for them is evident in his troubadour style. His telling of the story is of his own style and he is a prolific writer, actor and performer in his own right. To the great credit of the festival's president, Tiffany Bourne, and the board of directors Steve Earle said that the Master Musician's Festival was the first date he accepted for this year. He went on to say that the reason for that was that MMF was going to honor Guy Clarke, his mentor. It just goes to show that the relationships that are bonded in youth carry their influence over into middle age and beyond. No doubt there will be those for whom Steve Earle will hold the same place of reverence. It is just this kind of reputation that the Master Musician's Festival has developed and nurtured with loving care and will serve it in good stead in the future.

I'm going to have to alter my seating plan for the future though. I find that I am becoming a bit set in my ways and desirous of my comfort. My usual plan has been to put down stakes at front row, center and maintain that position through rain or sweltering heat. Neither of those are factors in my reconsideration though. Rather it is my aversion to being in the middle of rowdy, exuberant crowds. I find that astonishing since I have in the past been eager to be a part of that crowd. For Mr. Earle's performance I was unable to see the stage from my seat which was no longer on the front row and the tumult was loud enough, enhanced by assisted hearing devices, that I couldn't hear the music. I retreated. Front row is a great place but next year I think comfort and acoustics will win the day because the rowdy and exuberant crowds are a natural and necessary part of live music.

That is my take on this year's installment of the Master Musician's Festival. I will have more in the form of a review of the performers, some of which I found I liked quite a lot. These festivals allow artists to develop and perform their craft and also showcase some of the best music the country has to offer.