So Saturday night Jan. 24 was a night to remember. It was the CD release show for "You Don't Have To Like Them Both," the duo CD that Peter Cooper and I have just released. But that's not why it was a night to remember. Well it's ONE reason...
But here's another, and here's what's going to stick in MY head: I got to meet Tom T. Hall and sing a song of his and have him declare it "really fine." Oh lord. I can die happy.
Tom and his wife Dixie were at the Station Inn here in Nashville that night because Peter Cooper had invited them. You see, Peter is the music writer for the Tennessean newspaper (it's his tiny little side gig besides playing in a duo with me.... oh, and he's also a Vanderbilt professor.... the man is busier than anyone I know).... and over the years Peter has gotten to know Mr. Hall, and written about him a bit, and has recorded a song of his, and we've done several Tom T. songs live, etc etc...
So the first set of the night was just the new record, top to bottom, 12 songs. And starting at 9 pm, we let 'er rip, with this band: Dave Roe (upright bass), Pete Finney (pedal steel), Paul Griffith (drums), Tim Carroll (guitar), and Jen Gunderman (keys, accordion). It was sooooo great to bring these songs back to life after having had such a good time recording them back in August.
When we finished the last song of the set (a version of Todd Snider's "Yesterdays and Used to Be's"), Peter leaned over and said, "You wanna do 'I Flew Over Our House Last Night'...? Tom T. is here and he probably won't stay for the second set." So, with shaking nerves, we did that song, one I consider just about the finest country song ever written. Seriously. It's perfect. Last Train Home recorded it on the "Live at IOTA" DVD, and Peter and I have sung it a long time together, so i thought we could get through it without screwing it up....
and we DID! (get through it, not screw it up)....At the end of the set, we took a break, and I saw Tom T. walking my way... i got nervous... He stopped in front of me and stuck out his hand: "Young man, I just wanted to introdcue myself and say thank you for playing my song." Oh boy, how about that....???We had a nice chat.. he told me how he'd come to write that.... on a plane over Kentucky, returning to Nashville from a gig (he was on a bill with Connie Smith, was was on the plane too)... He said: "I looked down, and we were passing right over my ex-wife's house. I took a piece of paper out and wrote down 'I flew over our house last night.'"
Tom T's bandmate, sitting in the seat next to him asked: "What's that you're writing?" and Tom said, "I flew over our house tonight... trying to start a song." And nearly 40 years later, there I am, singing it and hearing the story about the song straight from the man who wrote it....Only in Nashville.The rest of the night was great too... lots of friends, fellow musicians, etc... and we had a blast.... I got to wear my sparkly suit... and I can't imagine having a better time....
(Ann Soyers who booked us and worked the door, and Kurt Storey who did sound both deserve big shout outs here... THANK YOU BOTH!!)
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A fine time was had by all.
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