ON THE ROAD WITH THE EVERHARTS
Anita, Iowa…..”Wow, it’s been a long road this
winter, four months in Florida, lots of playing our old-time music, lots
of new people to meet and visit with at the venues, some adventures and
lovely experiences, and then back ‘on the road again.’ We had to lay
over an extra day just south of St. Louis, as they got hit with a foot
of snow, but two days later they were clear and we smuggled our way back
into the sunny, but still cold, land of rural enchantment, Iowa.”
winter, four months in Florida, lots of playing our old-time music, lots
of new people to meet and visit with at the venues, some adventures and
lovely experiences, and then back ‘on the road again.’ We had to lay
over an extra day just south of St. Louis, as they got hit with a foot
of snow, but two days later they were clear and we smuggled our way back
into the sunny, but still cold, land of rural enchantment, Iowa.”
Bob & Sheila Everhart are Smithsoniain Institution
recording artists, and have just finished their tour to Florida,
performing their ‘Traveling Museum of Music.” Contrary to at least one
of the local ‘jazz’ musicians who said “There is absolutely no market
for your old-time music here in Florida. I’ve lived and performed here
most of my musical life, and I cannot provide one name of one person
that could help you find any work in Florida performing your old music.”
recording artists, and have just finished their tour to Florida,
performing their ‘Traveling Museum of Music.” Contrary to at least one
of the local ‘jazz’ musicians who said “There is absolutely no market
for your old-time music here in Florida. I’ve lived and performed here
most of my musical life, and I cannot provide one name of one person
that could help you find any work in Florida performing your old music.”
“It was very dismaying to hear this kind of report,”
Bob said, “but as it turned out, the ‘jazz’ man was a little off
course. We performed (everyone of them for pay) 22 times in 16 weeks,
and had enough time out to take an 8-day cruise to Jamaica and the
Cayman Islands. I would recommend that if anyone who plays old-time
music wants to take a tour to Florida, I’d highly recommend it, but
don’t expect much help from the local musicians there, and plan far
ahead to get some of the better paying jobs.”
Bob said, “but as it turned out, the ‘jazz’ man was a little off
course. We performed (everyone of them for pay) 22 times in 16 weeks,
and had enough time out to take an 8-day cruise to Jamaica and the
Cayman Islands. I would recommend that if anyone who plays old-time
music wants to take a tour to Florida, I’d highly recommend it, but
don’t expect much help from the local musicians there, and plan far
ahead to get some of the better paying jobs.”
“Driving the Interstate back home was remarkable,”
Sheila added. “We saw a ton of semi-trucks in the ditch on both sides
of St. Louis, and as we meandered back to Iowa, it seemed to warm up in
the daytime, but got pretty cool at night. That meant extra blankets.”
Sheila added. “We saw a ton of semi-trucks in the ditch on both sides
of St. Louis, and as we meandered back to Iowa, it seemed to warm up in
the daytime, but got pretty cool at night. That meant extra blankets.”
“Dad finally broke down and did it,” Bobbie Lhea, Bob
& Sheila’s daughter, said. “McDonalds was handy, right off the
Interstate, and though they were still on the breakfast menu, dad used
this as an excuse to have a budget lunch. He still did pretty good with
a $20 bill. He had two burritos, a hash-brown, and a huge cup of
McDonald’s coffe. “I like McDonald’s coffee,” Bob piped up. “Be quiet
dad, I’m trying to say what we had for a budget lunch” Bobbie
continued. “Mom had a McGrill (it’s a kind of sausage and egg sandwich I
think) a hash-brown and a cup of coffee. I had a couple of cinnamon
rolls (there’s a name for them, I forget), and an iced coffee which is
more milk than anything. As it turned out, it was a pretty good budget
lunch.”
& Sheila’s daughter, said. “McDonalds was handy, right off the
Interstate, and though they were still on the breakfast menu, dad used
this as an excuse to have a budget lunch. He still did pretty good with
a $20 bill. He had two burritos, a hash-brown, and a huge cup of
McDonald’s coffe. “I like McDonald’s coffee,” Bob piped up. “Be quiet
dad, I’m trying to say what we had for a budget lunch” Bobbie
continued. “Mom had a McGrill (it’s a kind of sausage and egg sandwich I
think) a hash-brown and a cup of coffee. I had a couple of cinnamon
rolls (there’s a name for them, I forget), and an iced coffee which is
more milk than anything. As it turned out, it was a pretty good budget
lunch.”
“We got home before Easter,” Bob added, “and kind of
caught up on messages, etc., but the most important holiday of the year
for us, is Easter, which is today. This is the day, at least for us,
that ‘guarantees’ we have someone to speak on our behalf to God. That
someone is of course Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His rising from
the dead to sit at the side of God, and we know, deep in our hearts,
deep in our conscious minds, deep in our being, that He will speak on
our behalf when the time is right. Happy Easter everyone…..which
lasts all year.”
caught up on messages, etc., but the most important holiday of the year
for us, is Easter, which is today. This is the day, at least for us,
that ‘guarantees’ we have someone to speak on our behalf to God. That
someone is of course Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His rising from
the dead to sit at the side of God, and we know, deep in our hearts,
deep in our conscious minds, deep in our being, that He will speak on
our behalf when the time is right. Happy Easter everyone…..which
lasts all year.”