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June 10, 2009
A songwriter returns
to
The Dalles,
a guitar returns to
Texas,
and a blogger confuses one
songwriter with another guitar player.
OK let’s try and get this straight. When I
received notice that Eric Taylor was coming back to the Gorge for
a concert, I was sure that I’ve seen him before. I was so sure,
that in the third question of my original interview I asked Eric
about a really famous song that I thought he had written, that was
covered by a really famous band.
Only problem was, Eric didn’t
write it and yours truly was confusing Eric Taylor with Steve
Young. Young wrote Seven Bridges Road,
and the song was a hit for The Eagles, back in the 80s. And my
ticket stub from October 17, 2002, proves that I saw
Steve in the same place Eric will be later next week. 2002?! No
wonder I was confused, seven years is a long time!
When I realized my goof, I
felt like such a clod. I mean, I suppose it’s like getting a big
interview with, say, Led Zeppelin, and asking the guys, “So, how
did you manage to come up with Freebird?” After some blank stares,
they probably would have said the same thing Eric did – “Well, I
didn’t write that, but I wish I did!”
Well, I’m sure Eric got a
chuckle out of that, but to his credit he knew right away who I
was trying to confuse him with. It just goes to show you that the
top songwriting talent from Texas
must keep tabs on each other and, from time to time, manage to
support each other when they can.
For example, Eric happens to
be a friend of Steve Earle. Earle just released a new album of
Townes Van Zant covers, and Eric said that he talked to Earle
during that process. Eric probably helped out Steve by, oh, I
don’t know, maybe helping to choose material for the album, or
maybe gave advice on where to record, or maybe just got to
reminisce about old times.
And speaking of old times,
we’ll just have to mention 1943. You see, that’s the year that the
Gibson guitar company built an acoustic guitar that by hook and
crook, made it to Texas,
and eventually to Oregon.
After getting so physically beat up through over-use, it recently
had to spend a few months in rehab in White Salmon, of all places,
to get lovingly restored. From Oregon,
it travelled back to Texas,
to, well, you know where this is going – that’s right, Eric
Taylor.
In these interviews I usually
ask folks who they are listening to, and who they like to hang out
with. It always amazes me to the musical connections that can be
made, so now, let’s have some fun with names, all culled from
Eric’s interview. Here’s what I know:
Eric mentions Nanci Griffith,
who will be in Portland
in August. He also mentions Todd Snider, whom I noticed this year
will be at Bonnaroo (the huge mega festival headlining every band
in the world). David Jacobs-Strain, from Oregon,
will be playing this summer in Savannah,
Georgia, of all places. And the reason I
know this is because I had to do some research on a certain folk
singer who will be playing Stevenson,
Wash., in August. More on that later, stay
tuned.
But for now, let’s focus on
next week and learn a little more about Eric Taylor, and maybe,
just maybe, he’ll bring that guitar back to Oregon with a new set
of songs, adding to the musical history the instrument has already
provided.
Eric Taylor will be at
The Dalles Civic Auditorium on Thursday,
June 18, at 7 p.m. Tickets
available at Columbia River
Music.
Read Jim’s interview with Eric Taylor
here:
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