Nothin' But Flowers (And Bluegrass!)

I had the most interesting experience over the weekend. The episode of bringing my son together with Jim Morrison kind of kicked it off. The rest of the weekend I just kind of spent poking around in my musical attic and remembering joyfully all the good stuff I used to listen to, and kind of amused at how eventually it all makes sense.

Part of my musical flingfest has to do with the fact that in a couple of weeks a number of us will be heading to Florida for the wedding of a very good friend. This is a wonderful couple of people. I've known the bride for just over 20 years now. She was there when my babies came into the world and for at least one of the ones that got away during one of my miscarriages. The day before my daughter was born she walked and walked and walked with me around the block because I knew something was up (now we call that, "labor"). She got up in the middle of the night and brought my son to the hospital when my daughter was about to be born. On the flip side, I kept her company through a hernia surgery or two and at least one of those laser eye thingies: I even got to gawk as they sliced and lifted up a little piece of her eye and put it back. We both lost our mothers in the last few years. We've certainly had our ups and downs -- for most of the time we've known each other to this point, we had been in-laws, and had entertained a few family dramas sandwiched in among the lilies -- but it is a privilege and a joy to have the chance to be there with her while she takes the biggest step of her life so far, marrying a smart, funny, creative wonderful man we all like more every minute.

So needless to say there's a lot of celebrating going on in the midst of taxes and worrying about the economy and all that stuff. In times like these it's critical to be able to laugh, to embrace the journey and say, "Feh, damn the rest of it. THIS is what matters."

That might be what put the little spring in my step on Sunday morning, when I decided I needed desperately to track down some Talking Heads. (I know...Doors....Talking Heads....what next??) Which, I did. My niece had played this tune, Nothing But Flowers, on her Pittsburgh radio show and for some reason I woke up with it in my head yesterday morning. It's impossible to restrain yourself when you hear it, you just have to wiggle at least a little. So it led me to wonder, if there are bluegrass versions of Doors tunes, I'm sure there are bluegrass versions of Talking Heads tunes.

I didn't find a purely Bluegrass Byrne tune, but, I learned that David Byrne is one of the headliners at the formidable TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL in June.

How crazy serendipitous and cool is that, and so lovely to see that other people see music the way I do. Byrne will be joined by Elvis Costello at THE premiere "green" bluegrass festival in the country, celebrating the summer solstice. It's on my bucket list.

To honor Byrne, and flowers, and crazy welcome springs in steps, here's Moonshine Still with their rendition of Nothin' But Flowers. Gives me a reason to pull out my mando again, it does, and if that doesn't work, I'll throw my hands up and dance.

You got it. You got it.