ON THE ROAD WITH THE EVERHARTS
“It’s always kind of fun,” said Bob Everhart,
who plays guitar and harmonica for the Bob & Sheila
Smithsonian Duo. “To talk about our travels, our gigs, our ups, our
downs, our in betweens. Fellow performers immediately relate to our
‘gig from hell’ cause most of us have experienced them. Our travels
have been sensible in Florida, and contrary to our musician friend
Charley Groth in Largo, every day is not a sunny day. We’ve experienced
a lot of cloudiness and even rain. That leads me to a gig we thought
would just be something to pass the time, collect the money, and travel
on. Didn’t turn out that way at all. We had arranged quite a long
time in advance to perform our ‘Traveling Museum of Music” for the
Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater, which is about five miles from
our musician friend Charley Groth’s house in Largo. Did he show up for
the performance, no, and was it a gig from hell. NO!”
who plays guitar and harmonica for the Bob & Sheila
Smithsonian Duo. “To talk about our travels, our gigs, our ups, our
downs, our in betweens. Fellow performers immediately relate to our
‘gig from hell’ cause most of us have experienced them. Our travels
have been sensible in Florida, and contrary to our musician friend
Charley Groth in Largo, every day is not a sunny day. We’ve experienced
a lot of cloudiness and even rain. That leads me to a gig we thought
would just be something to pass the time, collect the money, and travel
on. Didn’t turn out that way at all. We had arranged quite a long
time in advance to perform our ‘Traveling Museum of Music” for the
Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater, which is about five miles from
our musician friend Charley Groth’s house in Largo. Did he show up for
the performance, no, and was it a gig from hell. NO!”
“This wasn’t our biggest paying gig,” Sheila added,
“but it was well worth our time and trouble. First off, the Moccasin
Lake Nature Park is an exceptional learning center. Bobbie Lhea loved
it. We got there early to make sure we had a place to park our camper,
and then we went on the tour. It’s a magnificent ‘learning experience,’
especially about the wildlife of Florida. Had a nice afternoon rest,
and then set up for the evening concert. The staff that we talked to
wasn’t all that enthusiastic about attendance, could be six could be
sixty. So we sort of toned down our enthusiasm. We set up in their
very lovely wood-decor nature center, seats were set up for sixty.
Showtime 7pm. By 6:30 we were already sure we’d have maybe the six they
predicted. Then about ten minutes before seven, a whole slew of people
came in, enough to fill all 60 chairs, and then some. Bob and I were so
impressed when the nature center director introduced us, and then asked
the audience how many were there for the first time, and about 40 hands
went up, which astounded him, and made us feel absolute.”
“but it was well worth our time and trouble. First off, the Moccasin
Lake Nature Park is an exceptional learning center. Bobbie Lhea loved
it. We got there early to make sure we had a place to park our camper,
and then we went on the tour. It’s a magnificent ‘learning experience,’
especially about the wildlife of Florida. Had a nice afternoon rest,
and then set up for the evening concert. The staff that we talked to
wasn’t all that enthusiastic about attendance, could be six could be
sixty. So we sort of toned down our enthusiasm. We set up in their
very lovely wood-decor nature center, seats were set up for sixty.
Showtime 7pm. By 6:30 we were already sure we’d have maybe the six they
predicted. Then about ten minutes before seven, a whole slew of people
came in, enough to fill all 60 chairs, and then some. Bob and I were so
impressed when the nature center director introduced us, and then asked
the audience how many were there for the first time, and about 40 hands
went up, which astounded him, and made us feel absolute.”
“I couldn’t hardly keep up with CD sales,” Bobbie Lhea
added. “It was so surprising to see so many people interested in old
time music. I think it’s the way Mom and Dad do ‘Down In The Valley.’
So many folks said they hadn’t heard the songs Mom and Dad did for a
very very long time. some even said they remember their mother singing
the same songs to them when they were just children.”
added. “It was so surprising to see so many people interested in old
time music. I think it’s the way Mom and Dad do ‘Down In The Valley.’
So many folks said they hadn’t heard the songs Mom and Dad did for a
very very long time. some even said they remember their mother singing
the same songs to them when they were just children.”
“After we were done,” Bob added, “the Director wanted
to know when we could come back. We aren’t really planning another trip
back to Florida for awhile, since we are already booking California for
this year, but I told him we would contact him at our earliest
decision. It sure was a nice concert, and we had a great time. We’re
going right back to Frog Creek now, we were just there a few weeks ago,
but we don’t mind, they like our music too, and we will be doing our
old-time back-porch Gospel show for them on Sunday.”
to know when we could come back. We aren’t really planning another trip
back to Florida for awhile, since we are already booking California for
this year, but I told him we would contact him at our earliest
decision. It sure was a nice concert, and we had a great time. We’re
going right back to Frog Creek now, we were just there a few weeks ago,
but we don’t mind, they like our music too, and we will be doing our
old-time back-porch Gospel show for them on Sunday.”
“Dad stopped at the Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and we sure
got a bargain.” Bobbie added. “They have lots of items with coupons
to get lower prices, and of course dad had a fist full of them. Anyway,
their new item is char-broiled chicken breast, which we all had, and I
have to say it is delicious. And I must have had an entire potato with
my meal it was so huge. The cost of eating there is so low, we even had
drinks, so I was happy, so was Mom, and Dad was ecstatic.”
got a bargain.” Bobbie added. “They have lots of items with coupons
to get lower prices, and of course dad had a fist full of them. Anyway,
their new item is char-broiled chicken breast, which we all had, and I
have to say it is delicious. And I must have had an entire potato with
my meal it was so huge. The cost of eating there is so low, we even had
drinks, so I was happy, so was Mom, and Dad was ecstatic.”