Is This Thing On?

Where'd The Last Two Weeks Go?

2009-10-23T15:19:00.003-05:00

Sorry for being dormant on the blog. We've been busy as all get out, playing the Columbus Society banquet and working on the new demo. Final mixdown tomorrow, and hopefully we can use this puppy to go get some work for Just Friends. I'll try and scare up some photos of the Hershey job and post them later. We had issues with some of the Italian material -- hey, it's been a year -- but David said we looked like The Who with all those lights on the stage, so that's cool.

I just saw that Soupy Sales passed away. Sad news, although I wouldn't have bet a lot on a game of "Live or Dead?" about him. One thing that cracked me up was the quote that, "He had a long and varied career after the show, with stints as a radio host and Broadway star (and, once, an expert witness in a court case that involved pie-throwing)." Man, I'd love to have reported that hearing. I do remember watching the show on 17th Street, in black and white, and him making the stick man out of the letters in the word Jello. What a shame they never kept those shows back then*; the DVD sales would have made his retirement a lot more comfortable.

*After publishing, I started poking around on Youtube and found this.

Prayer Request

2009-10-09T14:22:00.002-05:00

Please remember our drummer, John Wilson, and his family in your prayers. His son Cory passed away yesterday morning at home after a long illness. John and Reita and the whole family have been through a rough time of it, and now that their son is out of pain and at home with the Lord, they can get some rest and hold on to the good memories of their boy. It's a rough way to make saints, but thank God for goodhearted people like the Wilsons. Please pray for them.

Woohoooooo!

2009-10-09T13:59:00.004-05:00

I have a secret. I want to meet the Giant Foods "U-Scan Voice Lady" and kiss her full on the mouth. For years she's been nagging me, "Please place the item in the bag." "Please take the item out of the bag." "No." "You've done it wrong." "Please place the item back in the bag." "Can't you do anything right." "You moron." And then the kicker, "Remember to check for any coupons that may have been printed just for you." Of course, those coupons are usually for something about as useful as carbon paper, so I don't always do what the Voice Lady tells me to. It's my Sixties rebellious nature, I guess.

But today for some reason I decided to do what she said, and the coupon said, "Congratulations! You have won free groceries for a week." That translates to a $100 gift card, which is just all right with me. The customer service girl and some employees standing around got all excited when I cashed it in. Apparently I was the first winner out of the U-Scan, and one of the last ones for this promotion. The U-Scan cashier reminded me that it can be used for gas, too. What a day brightener. Thanks, U-Scan Voice Lady!

I promised you some pancake breakfast pics. Here they are.

Prince Theo the Hungry, finishing his third pancake. Grandma watches approvingly.

One of the better pictures of my little guy Travis. He was rocking the breakfast. Mary and Deven look like they're singing along to Mick Cochran, who was doing some great country songs while we ate.

Like the Carly Simon song says, "I had a dream, there were clowns in my coffee, clowns in my coffee...."

Facebook = Where Did The Last Hour Go?

2009-10-07T15:22:00.009-05:00

After resisting for as long as I could, I joined Facebook. Man, if you like receiving e-mails, this is the deal for you. I am inundated with requests for this and that, making requests for this and that, and getting dozens of itty, bitty, teeny, tiny packets of data about people I care about. Thing is, I think I prefer my big ole sprawling comfortable blog, where a sentence is a sentence and a paragraph is a paragraph.

So, what's been happening? This past weekend was another Minnequa-Valencia doubleheader. The lights were a big hit with the band, and by the end of the night I felt like I was getting the hang of running them. Sunday night we had a great evening at the Valencia. Sid and Pat, the gentlemen who run the dance, seem pleased with how we're doing. We did have one guy who complained that we only did one waltz instead of at least four. I resisted the urge to point out that we did sing Happy Birthday to someone, so technically that was two waltzes, not one. Can't please everybody.

So much happening this past weekend! Friday evening we had Andie, Brian and Theo over for dinner to celebrate Andie's birthday one day early. Joreen made crabcakes that were delicious, and even more remarkable when you consider that she doesn't eat them.

Theo spent the night with us, and the next morning Mary, Joreen and I took the three grandboys to the Tall Cedars pancake breakfast at the Zembo Mosque. It brings back memories of when I was a kid and Mr. Fels, the security guard at Town and Country, used to give Mom tickets for us to go and eat there. Thanks to my brother Billy (also a Happy Birthday this past Monday) for remembering Mr. Fels' name. The boys had a blast. It's fun to watch the young'uns put on the feedbag. The Zembo clowns were there, and tried to traumatize Theo, but it didn't work. I'll post the picture later.

That afternoon, I went to the Little Buffalo Festival and saw The Gliders again. This entry is getting a little too sprawling, so I'll just say they were at least as good as last weekend, with the added bonus of being outdoors on a beautiful early autumn day. Kudos to Bob Martin and the volunteers who made it happen. It was old home week for me, with most of my good friends in attendance. As for seeing The Gliders in the future, to paraphrase their encore, "That may be the last time, I don't know." I hope not.

Now Just Friends is girding up our respective girdables for The Big One, the Italian-American Society Columbus Day banquet on Sunday. Of course, what's an October without some obstacle to overcome? I'm dealing with a head cold right now. Hopefully it will pass in time for me to be able to sing Sunday. We're working in a couple new Italian numbers at the last minute: Eh Cumpari, a novelty song that you might remember hearing as a kid, sung by Julius LaRosa; and another Sixties/Italian hybrid, Nights in White Satin with some Italian lyrics. If all goes well, we'll have some audio or video record of it to share in the future. If not, que sera sera, or whatever.

GM = Idiots

2009-09-30T17:17:00.002-05:00

First look at this, then look at this. I haven't been this depressed since The Spot closed. I've been driving a Saturn for 16 years, never even looked at another vehicle. Back in 1993, after our Toyota Tercel was totaled in a terrible -- what's another word for "wreck" that starts with "T"? -- anyway, I was thrilled to be able to buy a car built in America that was of such high quality that it sold itself. Of course, General Motors, being the morons that they are, eventually found a way to screw it up. Well, whatever I end up buying, you can bet it won't say "General Motors" anywhere on it. Goobers. I suppose Saturn's going to have to update their website. "We're optimistic about the future" doesn't seem to have much of a ring to it.

Big Doings This Weekend

2009-09-28T21:14:00.007-05:00

Just Friends played at the Hersheypark Amphitheatre, closing out the official season of the park. Despite (or because of) the rainy weather in the afternoon, we had decent crowds who were very enthusiastic. I love it when they sing along -- especially if I'm about to blank on the lyrics. I can't memorize for spit but I can read lips pretty well.

Thanks to the mighty Mrs. Kelly you can now see us in action. Go to http://www.justfriendsband.com/ and check out the Youtube videos. They all turned out well for an unattended camera using "through the air" sound. I especially love Vince's Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano. No, you don't know what he's saying, but so what? Actually, the lyrics are quite humorous, about an immigrant from Naples who wants to be Americanized; that's what the references to rock and roll, baseball and Camel cigarettes are about. It's one of my favorites that we're doing these days, and Vince just tears it up.

We finished at 7:15. At 8:30 we arrived at the reception for the wedding of Stephanie and Zachary. They were very gracious in welcoming us even though we were about five and a half hours late (and I was wearing a bowling shirt). We missed most of the cool stuff like the vows and the toasts and the dances, but we did get to hear Steve sing "Sweet Caroline," so it was still all good. Best wishes to the newlyweds. You never know what the future holds, but may theirs be full of promise and hope, and surprises. Look at my first wife and me; we're still rocking after all these years.

The band continues to work on its promo package, recording a demo at Log Cabin Studios on Sunday. I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's impossible to record all the music and most of the vocal tracks for seven songs in three and a half hours, but Vince doesn't know it's impossible, so we keep doing it. Thanks again (I should make a macro for this sentence, I have to type it so often!) to my little brother David. He does all things well, including engineering a recording session in a garage.

Finally, as if all that wasn't enough, Sunday night I attended The Gliders show at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center. They opened for Adam Marsland, an artist from Los Angeles, who was also pretty good, but The Gliders were the best. I miss those songs and they've never sounded better. I mean it, the performances were spot-on and done with real love. I get a kick out of Bobby Martin, who sounds so much like Phil Lesh and is too humble to believe me when I tell him that. Mike Sgrignoli is one of the most powerful drummers I've ever heard, and these songs were made for his harmonies. Eric Zimmerman has less hair than he did back in the day but his songs are still compelling, original and honest, and don't sound dated in the least after all these years. And my friend Bill, with the Marilyn Monroe Strat and the spiffy Mesa amplifier, was hitting everything he aimed at. Such tone. Okay, I'm raving, but if you were at the show you know what I mean.

For a Sunday night in the Burg, the band drew a nice crowd of musicians and music lovers. For a little while it was like being in a city with a real music scene. The venue is beautiful and comfortable, just what Harrisburg needs more of, although they still need to do something about the sound mix. Marsland was probably singing in English, but I couldn't swear to it.

The Gliders will be performing at the Little Buffalo Arts Festival on October 3rd at 2:30 p.m. Unless you're doing something that can't wait, you should do yourself a favor and go see them. I hope we'll have other chances to see them, but this is a sure thing. Hey, there's no cover! That should make every cheap central Pennsylvanian's heart skip a beat. (Five bucks to hear a band? Sheeesh!) For more info on the festival, go here. To hear The Gliders tunes, go here.

Lights, Camera, Action, Run Away

2009-09-18T08:19:00.004-05:00

It took me a while to upload this for whatever reason, but here's the lights I talked about the other day. Thanks again to David for the help. The way he describes it, we can add on more lights, and more lights, and more lights, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! -- uh, sorry.

Last night Just Friends had a great rehearsal, working on the Italian stuff. I'm having a ball singing the Louis Prima tunes especially, although they're a challenge vocally. Just a Gigolo is a hoot, and Buona Sera is also fun. Funiculi, Funicula is coming along, with Enzo acting as my Italian coach. We're going to have a blast.

Now I have to get back to work. This afternoon I'm leaving for St. Catherine's parish retreat, being Mr. Music for it. I hope I remember how to do this; I used to do it in my sleep. (I might be doing that again!) Anyway, for a limited time only, anyone reading this blog gets their intentions prayed for this weekend. It's a full-service kind of a blog. Just do me a favor and return the favor. I'll post back next week when I'm all holy and stuff.

Have Your People Call Our People

2009-09-16T04:35:00.006-05:00

Having spent 39 years learning how to play the guitar, I have now taken up a new instrument: the briefcase. Much of my time this week has been spent trying to book dates for Just Friends for 2010, and I'm acquiring a whole nother set of skills. Tough economic conditions have rippled down to the clubs and other venues we traditionally played, and competition from other smaller (and cheaper) bands is fierce. Looking at the band schedule may give you the impression we are slowing down. In fact, we are working on establishing new contacts, improving our promotional material and preparing to produce new audio and video to give an accurate representation of the quality and artistry that goes into a Just Friends performance.

We have heard through the grapevine that there are those who feel Just Friends was all but washed up and left for dead after the recent personnel changes. This is an inaccurate representation. In response, I would just ask that you give us a listen. Watch and hear us in action, and then decide. We are tighter, more focused and happier on stage than we have been in a long, long time. Happy players make happy dancers, and happy dancers fill venues.

Be patient while we build our schedule, which looks a little thin right now. We're excited and hopeful that 2010 is going to be a great year for Just Friends, despite the challenges and minor setbacks we're facing. There is a place for experienced, professional musicians in this area, and we are going to find it, or make it ourselves. Stay tuned, and thanks for your support.

Yesterday the UPS man brought my new light controller and some accessories to spiff up our stage lights. Getting gear delivered is always a day brightener.* My little brother David is going to come over today and show me how to not blow them up. "Dip switch"? Como se dice "dip switch"?

(*So help me, I didn't see that pun until after I published this!)

R.I.P. Cheryl Haviland, 1954-2009

2009-09-09T07:46:00.006-05:00

I received a phone call last evening that Cheryl Haviland passed away on Monday. She was living in the Middletown Home and had suffered from too many medical problems to recount. At the end, her liver failed and she could not qualify for a transplant due to the likelihood of rejection.

Other than relatives, I have known Cheryl longer than I've known anyone else. Here is the proof.

This is kindergarten graduation at St. Francis of Assisi on Market Street in Harrisburg. I guess the year is 1959 or '60. I am second from the left, and Cheryl is on the far right (I think). We are singing "Harrigan." Over the years this story came up between us again and again, but I don't believe she ever saw this picture. Until my Dad made scrapbooks for us one Christmas, I don't think I had ever seen it either.

Cheryl had a rough go in life, battling multiple medical conditions and carrying crosses so heavy I used to call her "Ms. Job." When she would call me, I would sometimes say, "Now what?" There wasn't much I could do for her except listen and occasionally get a laugh out of her. When she would get depressed and talk about the end being near (years ago) I would ask her to make sure and tell me where she buried all the Krugerrands she had bought with her stateworker's salary. I still remember her laughing at that.

Cheryl was a poet and loved to sing, almost as much as she hated having her picture taken. Somewhere buried in this archeological dig of an office is a photo she gave me of herself. She made sure I knew what a great personal sacrifice that was for her. It was frustrating to me that underneath the kidding aspect of that exchange was her embarrassment at her physical appearance. At least where she is now, she'll no longer have to be convinced of her beauty.

I'll miss her. Her funeral is Saturday, 12:00 noon at Seven Sorrows. I was scheduled to play the Sisters' 100th Anniversary Mass in Danville, but I called Sr. Madonna and explained that Cheryl had left a request in her arrangements that I serve as a pallbearer, and I can't say no to that. I've said it before: I wish there was an easier way to make saints. Anyway, Cheryl's in the Choir now, big time, and I know she's singing her heart out.

Minnequa and Valencia

2009-09-01T08:53:00.003-05:00

No, those are not two names from cashiers' ID tags at the Giant store. They are the last two venues where Just Friends performed. The Minnequa Social Club in Shippensburg is becoming our home away from home, and we played there on the 22nd. The crowd was a good size considering it's prime vacation time, and the folks there responded enthusiastically to us. Since it's a private club, you'll have to take my word for it, but we do well there, and we're returning on October 3rd. We broke out an old country favorite -- well, from the eighties; in country years, I still think of it as new -- Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis, which segued into (all rise, remove your cowboy hats for the Anthem) Sweet Home, Alabama. The dancers loved it. The people who work there are great, especially Brandy, the world's sweetest waitress. The second we go on break, she instantly appears to take drink orders from the band. I wish she worked everywhere we do.

Sunday, August 30th, we broke out the tuxedos and sparkly dresses -- in a gender appropriate manner, of course -- for the Valencia ballroom and the New Singles Dance, hosted by Sid Miller and Pat Connor. The Valencia is an old, classic ballroom/theatre from the turn of the last century, lovingly restored, a very elegant place. We had a fantastic time, breaking out no less than five new tunes: Drift Away, At Last, Walking on Sunshine, Oye Como Va (a real crowd pleaser and the answer to a prior request to learn a cha-cha) and, for the last tune, a surprise to everyone in the band including me, Love Hurts. We were doing Amazed and Vince said, "We need four more minutes," and it just fit. Kudos to Jim and Mark for falling right into it, and to all the band. Not to pat ourselves on the back, but our sound is coming together, and there's smiles all over the stage. It's good, and it's going to get better. The vocal mind meld continues to improve as all the J's work on our harmonies. Vince's sax is starting to growl, which makes us all grin.

Considering the uncertain patch we hit in July, it's eight weeks later and we're forging ahead with renewed confidence. Music isn't always easy, but when it's good, it's almost the most fun you can have. Stay tuned for more developments. Our next performance will be at the Hersheypark Amphitheatre on Saturday, September 26th.

There is also a new, finally functioning e-mail address for Just Friends business and communication: jkelly@justfriendsband.com It only took three calls to PA Online's tech support, and we managed to get it working before my cell phone battery died, so we'll call that a success. Use that address as an alternate contact for me, or if you have any friends who are getting married, or even look like they're thinking about getting married. That doesn't sound too needy, does it? Too bad; right now, we all just want to play.

Just Friends at Knoebel's and other news

2009-08-20T11:15:00.003-05:00

Day job and other commitments have kept me hopping since last Wednesday, so this is the first chance I've had to post. Just Friends, with special guest Dave Kelly (relation), traveled to Knoebel's Aug. 12th for another successful performance. Perfect weather and a good on-stage energy set the tone for two really great shows. For the final performance, just as we hit the stage a truly nasty storm blew up. We began to tear down and give up, but then Vince's "the show must go on" circuitry kicked in. We cobbled together some mics and monitors and entertained a small but enthusiastic crowd sitting underneath the overhang in the back of the amphitheatre. Of note: I went out into the audience on Sweet Caroline and carried on with the audience a while. John Wilson and Jim Wallish continue to blend in on vocals, and our harmonies are good and getting better. My little brother, of course, tore it up like he always does.

The next day, we went down to see the aforementioned Little Brother and his band Leghorn at the Fuzzy Few in Hummelstown. They sounded awesome as usual. I especially enjoyed David's cover of the country song/inspirational pep talk "Don't Blink." Good advice and a good tune. Opening for Leghorn was Shawn Oliveira's band, Six Degrees South. They sounded really good. I recently met one of the guitar players, Dave Gang, who does a great job on guitar setups and repairs, according to my brother. Also, their lead singer, Jeff Seyfried, is someone I've met before, but only when we're both wearing suits. He's an attorney, and has an excellent voice. When he told me he's only been singing a little while, I just didn't believe him.

In other music news, the Durable Goods Version 2 or 3 played a benefit in Camp Hill last Saturday to raise funds for the Starzl Foundation in memory of Carol Carroll, Lee Carroll's wife who passed away this past year. It was a success, raising over $6,000 for this worthy cause. Charlie, Joreen, myself and a new drummer, Eric Lohr, played an early set for a small but enthusiastic (sensing a pattern here?) crowd early in the day.

There was much excitement all day long, some from the great musical performances and some from Charlie and I trying to get sound to come out of the cobbled-together PA in some kind of coherent fashion. A group of high school kids played after us, doing some Doors covers and other tunes. They were really good for their age. Of course, my personal local favorites these days, F-Dr., put on an even better performance than they did at the ABC in June. Keep an eye on these guys. If the wind is right and they get the break they deserve, they'll be playing Bonnaroo by next year. They're really that good. Of course, Krypton City closed out the night, and they played well, even if you couldn't hear it so good down the street. It was a learning experience, to be sure. I've learned that there's nothing like a sound guy who knows what he's doing.

There are some pretty heavy crosses being carried by some folks we know. Don't forget to pray for them. I once got some great advice from a good friend of a good friend who lost a loved one. He said, "Love your people. Tell them you love them." I can't be reminded of that often enough.

Better Late Than Never

2009-08-10T20:06:00.009-05:00

Sunday afternoon, the Just Friends Band had the privilege of playing for the most patient audience I've ever seen.

Due to "technical difficulties" which included a squirrel's nest in the distribution box

and a wiring job straight out of a Goofy cartoon, our 1:00 performance started promptly at 2:30. Thanks to all of you gentle readers who waited around for the show and were so supportive with your applause and compliments. Thanks also to Larry Mummert and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon for inviting us to play and being so appreciative. The Muscular Dystrophy Association has been a fixture in all of our lives, and I'm sure some of you, like me, have memories of watching Jerry Lewis as the summer winds down. Hopefully, there will come a time when kids will wonder what "MDA" stood for. Kudos also to WHP 580, to the owners of the classic cars who aided in the fundraising, and to Boscov's, who hopefully got that little ground and neutral wire thing worked out eventually.

Most of all, a heartfelt thanks to Riley Johnson, who opened for us again this year. Especially touching was his dedication of the song "Friends" to Andy Guest, who recently passed away from complications due to ALS. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Watching that young man perform is God's memo to me that says, "Now, what was it you were complaining about?"

Despite the snafus, it was great to see so many of our old friends and family as well as some new fans. Shout-outs go to my Dad, Dave Weyl, Dave Gang, Jeff Seyfried, Alex Harden and Ryan, my little brother and his lovely wife Kathy, Parker and Renna, Nino and Heather, Jack, Gio, Tara and little Gio, Sean, and all our friends from St. Catherine's. Thanks for your patience and support. Also, the MVP award goes to our drummer, John Wilson, without whose help the guys from the mall would probably still be looking at that wiring and scratching their heads. Honorable mention goes to Brian Juran, who at one point just started slashing cables open with a knife and said, "The show must go on!"

If you were there and I forgot to mention you, don't be offended. After all, I couldn't even remember that "Tequila" is in G. Go ahead and giggle. I deserve it.

Telegram from Busyashelltown

2009-08-05T22:58:00.005-05:00

Back from vacation stop Beautiful weather great bed and breakfast stop Jinny and Zane's granddaughter is wicked cute will post photos later stop Returned to huge stack of work and stuff to do stop Played gig with Roger and Chris at Midtown Art Center a nice venue which hopefully will do well enough so they can actually hire musicians stop Played Dead songs at open mic last night with Bill Nork and Joreen at Gullifty's to celebrate Garcia stop Getting ready to play the MDA benefit with Just Friends at Colonial Park on Sunday at 1:00 for one hour stop I'm tired and I want to go to bed so now I'll stop

Here's something you don't see every day....

2009-07-26T09:43:00.000-05:00

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/meet-the-real-life-invisible-man.html

Just Friends in the Summertime

2009-07-26T07:56:00.004-05:00

Summer shows at picnics can be a risky proposition for bands. You have to keep tarpaulins handy in case the weather kicks up, as it has been doing recently. It's great when the venue has a pavilion that can accommodate the band and the audience, which is why we're glad we played for the Progress Home Association at Serb Park on Eisenhower Blvd. yesterday. The grounds are spacious, so all 200 guests had room to sit and listen, or hang out at the bar area, or just roam around and enjoy the day.

The band had plenty of room to move around, and we did a lot of that, as did the dancers. We were well received and we all had a lot of fun, and that's about all you can ask for. Well, you can ask for good monitor levels, and we had those, too, once we got John Wilson's drive-thru microphone on a leash. Thanks to Brian Juran, our sound man and his problem solving skills, John's debut on harmony vocals was a success. Solos are good, but harmony is the best. Pictures of the band and some of the audience can be seen here.

This week the Kellys are on vacation in Vermont. Saturday, August 8th, we are playing for the New Singles at the Valencia Ballroom in York. For our local fans, plan to join us at the Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraiser in the Boscov's Colonial Park parking lot on Sunday, August 9, at 1:00 p.m. This is an annual event for us, and besides helping raise funds for a worthy cause we get to gawk at the classic cars on display. Odds are, if you're of the same vintage as me, the first car you ever owned will be there, although it will make you grind your teeth that you didn't keep it and fix it up. This is a family friendly event, with no charge for admission, but free will donations to the MDA are accepted and appreciated. See you then.

In Other Music News....

2009-07-25T13:10:00.006-05:00

In addition to Just Friends, Joreen and I have been known to go hang with our fellow wizards, other local musicians. We have a side project called The Durable Goods, and that band played on July 19th at Camp Reily for the Historical Society of Dauphin County. It's a slightly different approach musically than Just Friends, but it's a lot of fun.

Special thanks to the Historical Society, especially Kathryn McCorkle and Tom Gacki and all the committee members, for the opportunity to play for this worthy cause. The theme of the event was the 4oth anniversary of Woodstock, and we learned a whole lot of songs from that era for the occasion, which explains why some of them got a little shaky in spots. From the beautiful tie dyes to the vintage VW microbuses to the twirling dancers, the atmosphere was great, smoke-free and not muddy at all, but great. The setting, the food and the audience were all wonderful. These folks put on a great event, and whatever they do next year, we hope we can be involved in some way.

Thanks also to Brian Juran and his assistant, Digital Dave, of PaProSound for good sound under difficult circumstances. As good as the soundboard recording is, the sound through the air that day was even clearer and sweeter.

My heartfelt thanks to my good friends Tom Vogelsong, Charlie Ruhl and Alex Harden for their hard work in preparing for this, our first actual gig together. Tom literally faced an uphill battle, leaning into his kit to keep from sliding off the back of the flatbed, and still played like the pro that he is. Charlie, not that long out of the hospital, gets the Rock and Roll Trooper Award for this month hands down. One tough hombre, that Charlie is. Alex gets double thanks, not only for his fine job on the bass, but for salvaging a listenable recording of the day when our video camera decided to put a nasty 60 cycle hum in the audio, rendering it useless. Of course, thanks to my lovely enabler wife, Joreen, who really makes everything such a joy, and just tore up on Somebody to Love.

Last but not least, thanks to Ed and Grace for attending and sitting in and making the harmonies shine, Terry Keating for grace under pressure during Lovelight, and for taking my guitar and stepping up when I handed it to him at the end of Deal. Thanks also to Karen Gray and all our other friends, new and old, who shared the day with us. Peace, love and frisbees indeed.

Music is the best. Music played with and for friends who share a passion for the songs is the best of the best.

Welcome, Friends of Just Friends!

2009-07-25T12:35:00.005-05:00

To all the long-time readers of this blog, looks like we're going to be having company. Joreen has just assumed the duties of webmistress (anybody else get an image of Nancy Sinatra boots and a riding crop?) for the newly spiffed-up Just Friends band website and has placed a link there to this page. In the past I've posted stories and pictures from Just Friends shows, but I've gotten out of the habit. I'll try to start that up again now. There's lots going on in the band. As our soundman Brian says, "Once in a while you've got to stir the soup." I'll go into details later, but for now, I've got to go get ready to play the Progress Home Association picnic at Serb Park. The PHA has had us do their Christmas party and picnic for several years now, and I'm looking forward to seeing them up and dancing. They're a pretty lively crowd.

Getting Good Reception

2009-07-12T09:57:00.004-05:00

Wedding reception, that is. Just Friends played at the Lebanon Country Club yesterday, with yet another variation in the line-up. Our drummer, John Wilson, was out of town attending his own son's wedding in Long Island, so his predecessor, Craig Rankin, graciously stepped up and did a great job. He drove up from the Lancaster area the night before and we had a quick rehearsal on the obligatos; for the rest, we just wung it. Again, Gio was unavailable, so I took the center mic again and my little brother Davey stepped up, and we rocked the Haverstick and Frederick families like crazy. To be fair, the band has a history with the Haverstick family. We played the bride's sister's wedding five years ago -- this is the family whose traditional family song is Ring of Fire, gotta love that -- and they were very receptive and enthusiastic, to say the least. By the time we got to "Shout," they were tuned up and as wired as can be. Yes, they did the "gator dance." Nothing like the sight of guys in tuxes laying on the floor on their back and flailing around to renew your faith in the power of live music. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Frederick, and best wishes for a long and happy marriage. May there be many Ring of Fire dances in your lives for years to come.

Thanks to the hard work of everyone in the band, we left everyone very satisfied and happy. That's good, because we'll see many of the same folks in November when we do another wedding at the same location for one of the bridesmaids from yesterday. Special thanks to Dave for playing the cocktail hour with me on guitar. I went through my old charts and we just smoothed our way through it. I was as nervous about doing that as I was about anything, but turns out the hardest part was setting up outside, then inside, then outside again. "They Can't Take That Away From Me" is now firmly stuck in my head, and that's a good thing. Another highlight: the bride and groom from five years ago were in attendance, and they requested their first dance song, "My Baby Just Cares For Me." That was muy cool. If we keep playing for this family, we can do a whole set just of their past first dances.

Also, I have to give credit to the staff of the Lebanon Country Club, under the capable leadership of Boris Gradina. He organized and executed an amazingly smooth wedding reception, placing a lot of people in a rather small space, dealing with the weather and many people's expectations, and he did it with such style and poise that he even had time to be a bit of a wise guy. "You want to know where to set up? I'm just a guy who golfs here." Thanks to Boris for all his help, for putting us at ease, and for keeping me guessing whether he was serious or not.

Next week, Saturday at the Minnequa with Just Friends, and then Sunday is the Durable Goods extravaganza at Camp Reily. If any of you gentle readers are interested in attending, please contact me by cell phone or e-mail. This is going to be a blast. After all these years of doing gigs the same way with the same lineup to the point of falling into a routine, all this variety is really keeping me on my toes musically, and that's another good thing.

For Better, For Worse, For A Really Long Time

2009-07-09T08:26:00.006-05:00

Thirty-three years ago today at about this time, Joreen and I were beginning a really nasty argument. No, of course I don't remember what about. Maybe she does. Go ask her. Her parents weren't entirely sure we were going to go through with it, I'm told. But since all the arrangements were in place, we decided what the heck, let's go ahead and get married.

Thinking back on it, the cost/benefit ratio has turned out to be pretty favorable. I've seen weddings over the years, especially as a member of Just Friends, where I'm sure the cost of the bridal party's shoes was higher than the whole tab for our reception. We were the last marriage held in the old Sacred Heart church, which had been severely damaged in the '72 flood. The parish had graciously put up some decorations for us, not just to make it more festive but to cover the cracks in the wall behind the altar. We don't have a fancy wedding album to look at, but we're still looking at each other, and we're still wearing the rings, and that's a good thing.

Rita Howell, my mother-in-law, was very active in church business and had made many priest friends. That's how a really nervous, long-haired, extremely skinny kid in a $50 suit (I refused to go through with this in somebody else's clothes) came to be face to face with Fathers Sawdy, Gross, Brubaker, Fee and Rigoli, who laid a mighty smackdown of a blessing on us, apparently. It's still holding.

Most of my friends and family have heard this story, but it's appropriate to tell today. My mother-in-law was not exactly thrilled about my wife's choice in a partner for life. Her wedding dress was half-black and half-white, not because she had mixed emotions about the marriage, as I always claimed, but because she waited till the last minute to go buy one, just to make sure I was going to go through with it, and the choices at Peck's were slim.

Fast forward to July 9, 1977. Joreen and I were celebrating our first anniversary, and in the course of conversation she said, "Well, Mom was wrong about you." I asked her, "What do you mean?" She said, "When we were planning to get married, Mom said it wouldn't last six months.'" That was all I needed to hear. I picked up the phone, called my mother-in-law and said, "Mom, what's wrong?" She was confused. I said, "It looks like you were actually wrong about something!" She was still confused. I said, "I hear you gave this marriage six months, and I'm still here." We had a great laugh about it, I ribbed her a little more, and I thought that was it.

July 9, 1978, about nine at night, Joreen's Mom called. "Is John mad at me?" Now it was Joreen's turn to be puzzled. Rita said, "Oh, I just thought maybe I'd be hearing from him today, that's all. Nothing important." So of course I called her back and laid into her again for being wrong about me. This began a tradition that lasted until July of 1992. Every year I would call her and come up with a variation like, in 1981, "Well, Mom, maybe it was six years, not six months, and I might still leave her, you never know." One of the last anniversary calls I made, I said to her, "Mom, I'll let you in on a secret. I really was ready to leave her after six months, but I stuck around just to tick you off."

My mother-in-law passed away suddenly in 1993, four years after her husband, Andy. She was far from perfect, but I loved her dearly. She and my father-in-law were supportive of us in many, many ways. It got to the point where I wasn't too crazy about mother-in-law jokes, because she was exactly the opposite of every nasty stereotype. We would sit sometimes and have a beer and she'd tell me stories. She was fiercely proud of Joreen's singing and playing, and she was always disappointed that Joreen never got into a working band. I like to think she might have had a hand in the Just Friends Band coming together.

Right now, I'm sitting at the same kitchen table where she sat. Joreen is in the seat her father always occupied. We're older, and yes, turning into our parents. Trust me, I'm still getting a great deal.

The Music Never Stopped

2009-07-06T08:21:00.008-05:00

Get comfortable. This is a long entry. There's been a lot going on.

This past weekend has been a guitar extravaganza. Friday afternoon, I played with the Jury of Five at the American Music Festival in Harrisburg, filling in for their guitar player, Al. We rehearsed about four times and put on a great set. Mike, Mark, Scott and my brother Steve were very supportive and good to work with. We had some laughs, played some tunes and rocked the crowd, so you can't ask for more. Joreen filmed the show and it's in "post-production" I guess. For a little taste of what it was like, go here. Thanks to all our friends and familly who showed up, and to Judge David Weyl who stayed for the whole show. He and I have worked together for a long time and we've talked about my musical sideline, but this is the first time he saw me play, and he enjoyed the performance.

Friday evening, the Durable Goods took over our living room for a "rehearsal" that turned into a bona fide party. Company showed up bringing food and drinks and it was kind of strange. We were a bit loud -- well, okay, we were bone splintering, face melting loud -- so nobody came into the living room, but I'm told we sounded great outside. Folks congregated in the kitchen and downstairs, and occasionally we would hear disembodied applause. We had a ball.

Thanks to Alex for coming over to help set up inside instead of out due to a threatened storm that never arrived, and for the tasty southwest salad; to the aforementioned Mike Miller and his lovely wife Dottie, for coming and bringing mac and cheese and cake (no, not in the same dish, smart-aleck); to the Rollers and their wings, Alex's friends Mark and Robin; Bill Nork and his pizza, I believe; Stevie and Patty and whatever they brought; Mark Knarr and the best tasting pork barbecue I've had in a long time; Terry Keating and whatever he brought, and for spreading the word about the get-together; the lovely and talented Karen Gray; our manager Sean Sanderson; and a special shout-out to our long-time friends Rick and Irene Woodard who went out of their way to contact me and get over here. I was so pumped to play that after we turned off the amps, I broke out the acoustics. Terry and I accompanied Irene in a Peter, Paul and Mary singalong (featuring "the V-8 vocal stylings of Irene Woodard"). We had a ball, and thanks to anybody else who was here not mentioned above for attending and filling the pot luck table with goodies. It's been too long since we've had a Fourth of July party, and it was worth the wait.

One dark cloud on the evening was that our rhythm guitar player, Charlie Ruhl, is on the DL, having burst his appendix for no good reason last week. He's had a rough time of it, but is recuperating and I hope is out of the hospital by now. He intends to be back in action by the main event, the fundraiser on the 19th.

Then Saturday, Just Friends did our annual performance at Hotel Hershey for the fireworks party on the patio. There was a huge crowd on the newly renovated patio, and again our friends and family turned out. Special thanks to my brother David who performed with us. Gio was unavailable for the show, so I moved into the middle slot and we pulled it off in style, hitting the end of God Bless the USA just as the finale ended. I love when that happens.

The big surprise was when Ron and Maria Reedy showed up. They were late, unfortunately, due to bad information in the Go section of the paper which said we started at nine in the Iberian lounge. The Reedys had moved to Florida and have since returned to the 'burg, so we caught up on kids, grandkids and the like. Another surprise: another workers' comp judge, Judge Frances Williamson, came up and complimented us, while ribbing me by saying, "I thought you were in a nice, conservative band." I didn't know he was there, but it was great to see him. One of the best things about Just Friends is that I'm proud when judges and lawyers I work for see us perform. We are a top notch professional outfit, just like Commonwealth Reporting, and that consistency is something I'm grateful for.

Then Sunday, Just Friends with special guest Dave Kelly played the Singles Dance at the Holiday Inn New Cumberland. Joreen missed the first set due to playing Mass, so again we had to think on our feet, and once again we pulled it off. The dancers hit the floor and pretty much packed it all night long. Thanks to Sid for booking us and all the dancers, even the ones who requested songs we didn't know.

Now, today, I think I'll just go do my day job. Transcribing, sitting down, with nothing around my neck and no gear to move: sounds sweet.

Summer skies

2009-07-02T22:14:00.003-05:00

Last night we were playing at the Rainbow Hills Swim Club as a storm was approaching. The sky before us was blue, bright and mottled with clouds. Behind us were clouds black enough to scare small children and those who have seen storms before. Fortunately, we finished the gig and loaded up before the gear got wet, although we got soaked pretty much to the bone finishing up. That's your summer weather for you: storms and sunshine.

Cool Web Site

2009-06-30T16:37:00.002-05:00

Someone on the Dead digest posted a link to this. I haven't had time to poke around much, but it looks interesting.

http://www.damnfineday.com/

Always looking for new or unjustly neglected tunes, and this looks like it's right up my alley.

Recapping my Gig Hog schedule this week:

Wednesday evening, Rainbow Hills Swim Club with Just Friends, 6:00to 9:00, open to the public, $6.00.

Friday afternoon, 2:00, American Music Fest, Riverfront Stage with Jury of Five, 2:00 to 3:00.

Friday evening, open rehearsal (I think Keating's calling it a "lawn concert") at my house, Durable Goods. Join us before 7:00, bring a lawn chair and provisions. Outdoors, weather permitting. Let's see if we can make the cops come!

Saturday evening, Hotel Hershey with Just Friends, the fireworks party on the patio. Get there before dark, and best of luck parking.

Sunday evening, Singles Dance with Just Friends at the New Cumberland Holiday Inn.

Durable Goods on the Third, Just Friends on the Fourth

2009-06-26T06:00:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, the Durable Goods are preparing to play at Camp Reily on Sunday, July 19th, to benefit the Dauphin County Historical Society. For those who can't make that show, we will offer a sneak preview/rough draft at our house on Friday, July 3rd. Think of it as a rehearsal with an audience. There may be a rough spot musically here and there, but it's not like you'll need to ask for your money back.

If you don't have anything to do that evening, pack up your folding chairs and come over to our place. Bring some beer if you're planning on getting thirsty. Hey, get me one while you're up. If you bring a little potluck to snack on and share, that would be cool. If you bring friends (and if they bring friends), bring provisions accordingly. Park on Greenwood Blvd.

Joreen and I will be down at the Music Fest in the afternoon for my guest appearance with the Jury of Five , so don't expect a lot of hosting from us, but if you're willing to be self-reliant, please come hang with us. Make some chip dip, say a quick prayer for decent weather so we can play out on the porch, and join us. I'd like to start playing no later than 7:00 so we can get a couple good sets in. The PA will be turned off around 9:30 so we don't tick off the neighbors, although I plan on inviting some of them as well.

Saturday, July 4th, Just Friends will perform again at the Hotel Hershey for the fireworks display, this year on the newly renovated patio. They've spent a gajillion bucks on this project, and hopefully they've put some outlets where we can get to them. We will be performing the Patriotic Medley, arrangement by Joreen Kelly, as we have since 2003. Come ooh and ahh with us, and don't plan on getting home in a hurry. The fireworks are impressive; so is the traffic jam afterwards. This is another opportunity to come see us without joining a VFW or throwing a wedding reception, so we hope to see you there.

Everybody in the Pool

2009-06-26T05:46:00.002-05:00

Just Friends was scheduled to play in Lykens at the gazebo on Wednesday, July 1st. That job was unfortunately cancelled, but we just picked up something that could be even more fun. Wednesday, July 1, Rainbow Hills Swim Club is having a Family Night Pool Party from 6:00 to 9:30, featuring the music of Just Friends for your dancing and splashing pleasure. (No running, or you'll get The Bench.) Admission is $6.00 for non-members. Here's the link. Put St. Joseph in the window and hope for a nice, hot, sunny summer day. It's a rare opportunity to see us in a setting open to the public, and we'll be breaking out some new material. Vince threatened to make the dress code Speedos and black ties, but I'm sure I can get a preliminary injunction on that one.

Do The Walk of Life

2009-06-25T15:14:00.002-05:00

I should have posted this earlier, but tomorrow night, Friday, June 26, Hemlock Hollow featuring Roger and Chris Wilkinson and yours truly on bass will be playing at the Relay For Life fundraising event, held at Susquehanna Township High School, 3500 Elmerton Avenue. We are performing from 10:00 to 11:00. I spoke to someone at the American Cancer Society's 800 number and was told that members of the public are welcome (he said no pets or alcohol, so keep Sparky's six pack in the car). You don't need to register unless you're going to walk in the event, but there will be opportunities to donate to this worthy cause if you are so moved.

I've played with the Wilkinsons in the past, and it's a pretty good looking setlist. We'll be breaking out "Wild World" by the Artist Formerly Known as Cat, and some other cool tunes. Anyone who shows up and wants to help load my bass rig back into my house is welcome to join me for post-gig refreshments.