Closing the Mountain Stage curtain. . .for now.

I completed my internship with Mountain Stage this month. If you don't know what Mountain Stage is, I'm disappointed but not surprised. It's kind of West Virginia's best-kept secret. Visit MountainStage.org and see if your public radio station carries it. Or you can listen to last week's episode online now, so there's no excuses.

The best part about my internship is that I was, and will always be, a fan of the show. It was always amazing, everything about it. The way the crew worked as a family. The way they seemed to genuinely miss talking to eachother in the down months. The jokes they throw at each other. The way it truly is a family. And believe me, one of the greatest honors of my entire life is having Bob Thompson, house pianist, write "Welcome to the Mountain Stage Family" in my 20th Anniversary book.

So I'm using this blog to express my gratitude and to brag a little. Not because I'm proud of myself, but because I'm proud of the fact that I experienced some truly unique events that not just anyone will have the opportunity to experience. Granted, most of the people I worked with have been doing this for 20 years or more, so their stories are WAY more unique than mine. Andy was there the first time John Denver ever played "Country Roads," Larry wrote 7 poems for Rolling Stone as a spoof and got a check for $10 when they printed a couple of them. Ramblin' Jack Elliot came over to Linda's house for dinner and stayed for 5 days.

So, as they come to mind, here are the Mountain Stage memories that were truly unique.

* Drinking Stewarts Root Beer with Jimmy Webb- Of course it wasn't just me and Jimmie Webb (Witchita Lineman, McArthur Park) hanging out downstairs with Francis at the main mixing console. But we were the only two simultaneously enjoying a frosty Stewarts beverage and Sylvie Lewis' set. I'll never know which one of us was more enthralled with her at the moment, but looking back I realize the moment was bigger than her four songs. I was sitting next to one of the most legendary songwriters in history and we were both enjoying ourselves thanks to another fantastic songwriter.

*Chuck Prophet gives me a gallon of windshield de-icer- Chuck is a hell of a performer and I remember during his soundcheck with the MS houseband, he was teaching them one of his songs and he says "Its the 'Don't Worry Baby' changes. . .you know that Beach Boys song?"
I knew the Beach Boys song, and I was just glad to know what he was talking about.
But Chuck had came to do MS in his totally disorganized van by himself. So I helped him load his gear back into his van. This must've been April because he found a gallon jug of Windshield "de-icer" and tossed it onto the loading dock. "I won't be needing this anymore." Now keep in mind that I didn't keep this as memoribilia. I kept it because the stuff is handy to have and I would totally save it till next winter. Ok, maybe I kept it just to tell my friends "You see that miraculous pink substance that's magically removing the ice from my windshield right now? Yeah, I got that from Chuck Prophet. Yep, THE Chuck Prophet." (I have to mention that I also took Jimmie Webb's handwritten set-list off the piano after the show was over that night.)

*I gave Joe Craven a complimentary MS hat- Joe Craven came to do MS in Shepardstown, WV with Allison Browne and her band. He's been with David Grissman's Quartet for 15 years or something and he was one of the most amicable performers I had the pleasure of meeting. He sat next to me while I did the timing cues for the other acts and he was really enjoying himself. After the show I was helping with the merchandise and Joe came to check out his stuff. He asked for a hat and, DUH, what better form of advertising? Yes, Mr. Craven, you CAN have a Mountain Stage hat. He was obviously grateful! He was genuinely happy to be getting a free MS hat! That was when I decided I definately needed to shake this man's hand. Now my only regret is that I didn't try to get a couple quotes from him for the Old School Freight Train feature I'm writing for Folkwax.com. He played percussion on their CD and boy it would've looked great if I had a quote from him about these young boys who are baring the "Dawg" torch.

*Playing "What'd I Say" with the Mammals- No, not onstage, during the show. We were in the Keith Alby memorial auditorium ( I think) at Ohio University. I walked upstairs after eating lunch and I realized I was on stage, completely alone. My heart began racing so I jolted over to the piano and started playing that incredible blues riff that Ray Charles wrote spontaneously one night to fill his time obligation at a dance. And of course I don't play the piano anything like Ray Charles, and I should'nt have even been playing the same piano that Bob Thompson was going to play later that evening. But as I was jamming, in walked the Mammals, a "rad trad" band from NY, and their drummer ripped his sticks out of his bag and plopped onto the drum throne and started pecking the ride cymbal just like on the single version of "What'd I Say"! And of course I got so excited that I screwed up and everyone laughed. But they were all smiles and so was I. I guess, technically, I jammed with the Mammals. (Jay Ungar's daughter, Ruth, is in this band, as is Pete Seeger's nephew, can't remember his name.)

*Riding the elevator with Loudon Wainwrith III- It was hard on my nerves to interview a man with more albums than I have years alive on earth. I was nervous, and I wouldn't say it was my best interview, but I think I did well, considering I've lived 1/3 of the life he has. He's a pro afterall. He signed my CD "Adam, Great talking about me!" and as he handed it back to me, he said "We should really talk about you the next time!" So, after having done my best to be a professional and competent 23 year old journalist, I finished my interview and retired to my room for some Miller High Life and a few saftey procedures before bed. I woke up the next morning a little early so I headed downstairs for some outrageously overpriced Starbucks (D.C. Starbucks is even MORE pricey). As the elevator doors opened, there stood the Loud-one, looking me straight in the face. I tried not to laugh, or act like an idiot, but man, I just knew he was thinking "Not you again!" Of course I made small talk about his next tour stop on the way down, but I made sure to avoid him at all costs in the restaurant because he was nice enough to talk to me and act like he enjoyed it, so I at least owe him his privacy.

There are plenty more, but most of them could be considered incriminating, so I'll leave just the tamest of the stories. Seriously, though, I had an amazing experience at Mountain Stage and I hope that my career with them is not over. I really believe in the future of that show and I want more than anything to be a part of it. It really is a family, and they take their family very seriously, so it would be a great honor and priviledge to be associated with the legacy as a professional.
Thanks for the memories-past and future.
DS