Fall check in

It's been the summer of adventures in music - from the 40th reunion shows with Valdy & the Hometown Band (SO fun.... SO loud!), to the new High Bar Gang album (with a show at our all time favourite concert stage in the world at Butchart Gardens), to lots of solo shows, festivals, and travels. Even fitting in a family reunion with siblings and cousins in Boulder Colorado - (LOVE the prairie dogs! ....AND the family!) 

Julia and Kirby Barber and I did our first trio show together at the Mission Folk Festival and at the very first rehearsal, hearing Kirby's exceptional bass playing and the 3 part gal vocals, that was IT - I was done! I'm now ruined for ever wanting to play solo again! It's so great, I'm taking them with me to Nashville for a week to showcase at the Americana Music Conference. Not only is their contribution to my music stellar, but they both have that adventurous spirit of wanting to experience as many places and activities as possible. So travelling with them is a delight. 

Julia just returned from Haida Gwaii, recording and shooting videos for the lovely Haida artist - Terry-Lynn Williams-Davidson - along with Claire Lawrence and Bill Henderson. Wow - I love the circle of life! I actually saw the Collectors in 1967 in San Francisco, and then of course, fellow Hometown Band member Claire produced many of my early albums, and Bill and I have been in UHF together for over 25 years. So even beyond the how cool it was for Julia to have that adventure, the fact that she's was working with these folks who have been such a big part of my musical life is remarkable and wonderful. She's also just finishing up the artwork on Barney Bentall's new Cariboo Express album, while being the music editor on a Netflix Series and working at Roundhouse Radio. Busy girl! 

This month's adventures include playing Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco with the High Bar Gang. This is our 3rd trip there and I can't even describe how great it is to play on my home turf - the very park and city where I heard so many bands of the 60's - including Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Collectors, The Turtles, Country Joe & The Fish, The Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Pink Floyd, Phil Ochs, Steppenwolf, Cream, The Who, CSNY, and even the Beatles (twice!)! So almost 50 years later, to return to the scene of it all is an indescribable feeling. Son Mike and granddaughter Abigail are coming down from Oregon to attend HSB as well which means a visit with his adoptive mum - always a special treat.

Okay - enough with the news, sheesh! I'll try keeping a list of the "Deep Thoughts" I've been meaning to share with you for next time. Note, I have been trying to get this off to you for so long that I can't bear to take the time to have someone else proof-read it, so please forgive any typos or sloppy grammar.  

Hope to see you out there, and be kind to one another!

Happy Trails!

Shari