New Orleans

Keeping with the music theme, I have to say that the blues and jazz music in New Orleans was superb.  Just walking down Bourbon Street, we were blasted from every direction and I wanted to stop and listen to them all!  So, we settled on a band that was playing a mix of classic blues and rock with a lot of Eagles songs mixed in.  With a nice cool glass of Chardonnay, we rested our tired feet and enjoyed the music until they took a break, then we moved on down the street.

The next stop was at a famous jazz bar, the Maison Bourbon dedicated to the Preservation of Jazz.  The music was typical New Orleans jazz with a stand up bass guitar and horns.  These guys were PRO!!  What a treat to listen to them before moving on.

The last stop of the night was a blues club, where Rooster, a New Orleans native, entertained us with his bawdy blues songs. 

We stayed until the show ended, then very tiredly, headed back to our hotel room.  I have to say that New Orleans is all about the food, the liquor, the music and "magic"!  The music is the best you'll find anywhere.

I'll change the subject just a little and say that the next day, we visited all the Voodoo shops we could find, walked the Market Square and took a walking Haunted New Orleans tour.  The food and drinks at Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville Restaurant" were AWESOME!  As Jimmy Perot used to say, "We had a very large time".   Can't wait to do it all again.....New Orleans, the home of the Blues, Jazz and Magic!!

Reunion

Brownwood Reunion Celebration was an amazing "reunion" this year and I felt so fortunate to have the wonderful opportunity to be a part of it.  It was a personal reunion for me with many awesome friends, after being in Colorado for the past year.  Blackbird band was outrageously good and it was gratifying to get to watch them perform and feel such pride for a group that continues to survive no matter what comes along.  
From the first strumming of the guitar to the final stanza of "Freebird", the performance was stellar!!  They had the crowd on their feet and screaming for more by the end of their show.  Here's hoping Blackbird continues to fly high for a long time to come!!

The next performers, from Abilene, Three Shades of Blue, also put on a good show and by the time Rick Springfield took the stage, the audience was primed and ready.  There are no adequate words to describe his part of the show.  He was simply amazing and interacted with his audience in a way that everyone felt they were up on the stage with him.
The next night, Brenda Kay, backed by Three Shades of Blue, started the evening off on a mellow note.  She has such a sweet voice.  Then the Mark Powell band brought things up a notch and prepared the crowd for Wade Bowen to take the stage.  And, it rained.....and the people stayed through the entire show, resigned to getting drenched and enjoying the music.
It was truly a weekend of music, friends and good times that will always be memorable for me, but especially Blackbird's performance.  Outstanding!!!