// In which a simple question brings NNers out of the woodwork...
// Enjoy...[BP]

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Subject: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 14:23:14 -0400
   From: Rob Remig (rob.remig@psinet.com>

I'm fairly new to NN, so this question may have been raised and discussed
before.  Here's the question: "If you put 100 Nanci Griffith fans in a room,
what would they talk about after they had exhausted the topic of the lady and
her music?" In other words, what do we on NanciNet have in common beyond an
admiration for Nanci and love of her music?  I know we are of different ages,
since I have read posts by teenagers and I'm in my 50's.  We live in many
different states and several countries.  My own religious and political
upbringing was
different from what I read about Nanci's upbringing.  We don't even agree on
what our favorite Nanci CD or song is!  And I have frequently been disappointed
when I gave gone out and bought a new CD recommended by another Netter.  What
is it about Nanci Griffith and her songs/music that has touched your heart and
life that somehow binds us together?  Something that transcends the person or
the song?

Rob in San Antonio

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 16:06:27 EST
   From: Annavedo@aol.com

rob.remig@psinet.com writes:
(( what do we on NanciNet have in common beyond an admiration for Nanci and 
love of her music? >>

My guess is, gentleness;  respect for life and living things;  a caring 
perspective that can at once interpret kindness and be capable of extending 
it.  Perhaps a desire to live a simpler life --- one in which there is a 
return to basic human needs and feelings.

What a great question, Rob in San Antonio....I have wondered the same thing 
myself.  Today, I am in a particulary thoughtful mood.  Christmas morning is 
just over --- gone in a frenzy of ripping and joyous exclamations.  Now comes 
the inevitable (for me) letdown as I contemplate putting away all this 
Christmas "stuff"....and begin to chart a course for the New Year.  I wonder 
what 2000 holds for me?  I know, I know...I should say that I wonder what I 
will choose to do with the year 2000!  May I always remember to show respect 
and concern for my fellow beings, human or otherwise.

*Anne* in Colorado

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    Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
       Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 16:12:26 -0500
       From: Steve Robertson (stever@mindspring.com>

A very good topic, Bob. A straightforward answer will require some
thought, but the subject allows me to make an observation. Pundits in
the press have always opined that the Net (and the proprietary online
services that preceeded it) would foster a sense of community- allowing
people around the world to make new friends and communicate more
effectively. For a long time, I was skeptical of that scenario. After
all, how would you find people who would want to engage in a running
conversation?

Then I found the NanciNet. At that time, there were over 900 subscribers
and a contest was being conducted to award a prize to the 1000th
subscriber. This came closer to qualifying as a "Net Community" than
anything I had seen. Since then, I've found a few more music oriented
lists with that same sense of community.

Maybe there are mailing lists covering some subject other than music
that produce the same results, but I have a feeling that people who
share an affinity for a particular songwriter have a better chance of
becoming a community than those who share an interest in some hobby or
political cause. And the reason could be that your reaction to a
songwriter's words touches nearly every aspect of your personality.

Which brings us back to your original question. What, exactly, are the
personality traits shared by fans of Nanci's writing? Hmmm.....

Hidin' Out in the Georgia Pines-
Wishin' It Would Rain,
Steve Robertson

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 16:30:48 EST
   From: MAUDEENW@aol.com

Rob -- you bring up some very interesting points.  I'll give you my theory, 
FWIW.  I think Nanci fans tend to be liberal in their politics, socially 
conscious, higher intelligent than average, more well-read than probably 80% 
of the population, and more likely than not to enjoy the same types of music. 
 I know that ever since being on the Nanci board on AOL and on this (as well 
as other --Iris DeMent, Emmylou Harris)lists, my music library has grown in 
ways I never would have imagined.  I have been introduced to the music of 
Stacey Earl, Gillian Welch, Maura O'Connell, Tish Hinojosa, Kate Wolf, and 
many others who have become  my favorites -- simply because of 
recommendations of Nanci fans.  

The lyrics Nanci sings, whether it be her own compositions or someone else's, 
seem to touch me in a way few other musicians (other than those mentioned 
above) can.  She consistently inspires me with her music.  

~Maudeen 
http://maudeen.tripod.com/1999travels/index.html
Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! 
You, too? Thought I was the only one." C.S. Lewis 

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 16:39:59 EST
   From: ELZROSE@aol.com

Hello Rob,

This is my first time to reply to a post on the net.  You ask . . .

What is it about Nanci Griffith and her songs/music that has touched your 
heart and life that somehow binds us together?  Something that transcends the 
person or the song?

For myself, Nanci's affect is hard to articulate.  Borrowing from Roberta 
Flack's Killing Me Softly lyric "Singing my life with his words," I can 
somewhat convey how Miss Nanci (as she is affectionately referred to at my 
home) has touch me.  In my case, I was not even consciously aware of many of 
my feelings or thoughts until I heard her, so sweetly and yet somehow with 
such honest bravado, sing exactly that which happened to be residing in my 
soul.  Some of it was living meekly, some joyously, and some of it festering 
with the potential of eruption.  Outlets that she provided when I first heard 
her sing Hard Life and subsequent playing and replaying and replaying of the 
song allowed for some of that festering to heal.  So many other songs have 
profoundly touched me.  It would appear to be a therapy session if I 
continued to admit anymore such connections.  [After all, I am actually a 
fairly well adjusted individual : ) }  

So to lighten the tone of my response, let me simply say, that my connection 
with Nanci Griffith and her wonderful music is simply that: I feel connected. 
 Also, I am ever in her debt for introducing me to so many other talents 
through her Other Voices CDs, especially Kate Wolf.

May everyone on the NanciNet have a happy, prosperous, new year and may it be 
filled with good music!

Elizabeth Rose
San Antonio, Texas

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 14:02:43 -0800
   From: Ron Crain (ron@arken.net>

Simple answer Rob,  You're reading it right now!  Some NNer's have
complained in the past about non-Nanci topics, but this list shows
dynamically what happens at terminal Nanci-ness (g>.  Stay tuned for a
wealth of information.  
Ron Crain
http://www.arken.net

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    Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
       Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 17:14:05 -0600
       From: Ed Maier (eddie@flash.net>

Rob Remig wrote:
> 
> If you put 100 Nanci Griffith fans in a room, what would they talk 
> about after they had exhausted the topic of the lady and her music?" 

Shiner Bock, tube tops, and barbecue.

Ed
--

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 00:08:14 GMT
   From: "barbara costas" (moogirl51@hotmail.com>

Exhausted the topic!?  After years of listening to Nanci, I don't know that 
it's possible!  Every twist and turn of her lyrics and melodies tend to 
amaze me, even after hearing the same songs over and over.  They are 
something that I hear in new ways all the time.  I remember vacationing in 
Hilton Head last summer and walking to the beach with Flyer on my walkman 
and hearing 'stared up at the faces in the mountain just a year ago/ 
laughing in the spirit of America/ singing in the snow...' and we all know 
how it goes from there, but I had to stop and just breathe.  I looked up at 
the Spanish moss and the listened for the sound of the sea, pelicans above 
my head, bent grass between my toes...

I think that Nanci gives us the moments of reflection that are hard to find 
in this 'age of communication', to borrow from her again.  I think she gives 
us time outside of ouselves that then gives us greater insights into 
ourselves.  It's a rare talent, and in this season of thankfulness and 
thoughtfulness, I am going to spend the next few minutes thinking about how 
grateful I am that she is out there making music and writing words for me to 
hear.

So that's my sorta long-winded and I hope none-too-personal answer to your 
question, Rob in San Antonio.  It's a good one!

Barb in southern Ohio, where we finally had some snow!

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   Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
      Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 20:58:29 -0500
      From: kenn lippert (lippert@fyi.net>

I have been reading a book (for the past six months or so, cheez why 
am I such a  slow reader?) entitled "Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy" 
by Robert Jourdain.  It begins with the physiology of hearing and our 
perception of sound and then moves into how we hear and process 
melody, rhythm, harmony, etc.  I highly recommend it.  I haven't 
gotten to the "ecstasy" part of the book yet, that is, why music can 
have such power over us, and why some music reaches us while other 
does not,  so I cannot quote from an authoritative source, but I have 
my own ideas.

Our physical bodies are composed of many parts; layer upon layer of 
hierarchy and organization.  From relatively simple organs like lungs 
and kidneys, to complex orchestras of inter-dependent units like our 
hearts and brains.  Yet at the bottom of the hierarchy is the cell. 
Each and every one of us has the same varieties of cells in our 
bodies and each of those cells follow the same basic blueprint laid 
down long, long ago in a luke-warm sea.  The amazing diversity of 
people we see around us all spring from the same basic structure - we 
are all just variations on a theme.  We share a humanity that 
includes our distant past, our tumultuous present, and an infinite 
future.  All of us on this "old round world" share that same biology. 
But walk through any music store, drift in any bar with a band 
playing, or attend any of a million concerts and it becomes quite 
clear that we do not all share the same musical DNA.  I am not 
claiming a biological basis for our musical tastes, just an analogous 
one.  But whereas the entire human population shares a common 
cellular structure formed by a shared evolution, our musical 
identities are split into distinct "species" on this world.  And I 
don't have to state how infrequently cross-species breeding occurs, 
just try and date someone with musical tastes perpendicular to your 
own.

So here we are, distinct populations living together, usually 
completely blind to the various species living around us.  But now 
and again we discover a community of our own species - perhaps at a 
concert, perhaps in a band, perhaps online, and we feel a 
connectedness that is almost primal.  Somewhere inside each of us; in 
our "soul" or "spirit" or more banally, "personality", we share a 
common cellular structure.  The cells are not muscle or blood cells, 
they are the cells that make us what we are apart from our biology. 
We feel a kinship with this community because we are kin.  Outwardly, 
we are very different, old, young, travelers, homebodies, Southerners 
and Yankees, tall, short, red hair, blonde hair, no hair, punk, and 
three-piece suit, players, workers, and observers; but we all share 
some bit of ethereal DNA that make us family.  We may have other bits 
of DNA in that cell that lead us in other directions, Mahler for 
some, Grateful Dead for others, Jackson Browne or B.B. King, but we 
all have that one allele of Nanciness.  And I believe, for what ever 
reason, that that Nanci allele interacts with the rest of our genome 
to make us socially conscious,  sensitive, empathetic, and caring. 
Yea, and we like a good acoustic guitar sound too.

Going back and reading this, I see I never really answered the 
question.  Well congratulations to you for reading this far anyway. 
Must be the flu bug infecting my brain.  Sorry for the ramble.  Good 
question though.

kenn "cochlea" lippert

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   Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
      Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 21:49:48 -0600
      From: "Virginia" (ginrose@midsouth.rr.com>

Kenn, you couldn't have said it better.

Have you ever broken a thermometer, and seen the bits and pieces of mercury
find each other and meld into one? It's like "Terminator Two" when frozen by
liquid nitrogen, broken into millions of pieces, it reformed into one again.
We as the NanciNet, through the miracle of the internet, have been able to
find each other who share something common.

What is it? Is it a politican conciousness? Is it a love for acoustic music?
I don't know. Nanci's genious for saying it just right and touching our
hearts and souls has formed us into one.

Ever baked bread? It takes fat, salt, liquid ( milk or water), maybe eggs,
and flour ( that can be wheat, oat, rye, or something else). But to rise, it
has to have yeast -- a living organism. Nanci is our yeast.

I hope everyone of us has had a joyous holiday, and look forward to many
more to come.

Hugs,
Gin

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     Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
        Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 16:39:28 -0500
        From: Steve Robertson (stever@mindspring.com>

kenn lippert wrote:
> 
> Somewhere inside each of us; in
> our "soul" or "spirit" or more banally, "personality", we share a
> common cellular structure.

Hey Kenn-

Are you trying to tell us that our mitochondria are NanciFans, and they
just invented us to work the CD player? ;-)

Still Hidin' Out,
Steve Robertson

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 22:15:02 EST
   From: SierraSkyz@aol.com

rob.remig@psinet.com writes:

(( what do we on NanciNet have in common >>


Having been lucky enough to meet NanciNetters at several events and watching 
the posts for the last  three years, I would venture a guess that we all 
share some of the characteristics which make us identify so strongly with 
Nanci and her music .  

Whenever I have seen live performances of multiple folk acts in venues such 
as Kerrville, I am  struck by how much community exists onstage.  Spotlights 
shared, campfires shared, a spirit of unity exists in the folk music world.  
I learned long ago to read the CD inserts to see who wrote the song, and who 
is playing and singing along so I can discover new artists.  There seems to 
be a dynamic blending in the folk scene which must certainly follow  musical 
tradition where people pass music and techniques around like a great apple 
pie recipe.

Nanci has endeared herself to us with her personal qualities, which we can 
all claim to find in some form in ourselves.  Her stage presence and kindness 
is well known, thanks to all of your concert reviews and the lovely 
experiences the Schrull family has shared with her.  I have seen the erudite, 
the witty, the troubled, the feisty, the soulful and the insightful writings 
of people in this newsgroup.  I know that some of you are extrordinarily 
generous with your time and resources to others.  Who else would show the 
kind of vulnerability we see in Nanci ?  Who else would show her strength?  
Look in the archives.  Better yet, look in the mirror.  

In addition to her personality, we can also claim to share some of her 
interests and concerns.  Of course the topic of music in general will be 
enough for a medium desert island stay, but the range is as great as the 
distance from a bluebonnet to a blue moon.

 I'd be blessed to be stranded with a roomful of NanciNuts.  Someone bring a 
guitar, please?

Deb "What's this I've been hearing about White Tokay?"  Meyer

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 08:58:00 EST
   From: Catelaw@aol.com

Rob wrote:  Here's the question: "If you put 100 Nanci 
>Griffith fans in a room, what would they talk about after they had 
>exhausted the topic of the lady and her music?

I think Kenn's "Nanci Allele" theory combined with Reid's "Nancicentric 
Universe"  theory from days of yore pretty well sums it up.

But as always, the Angel says it best, "Here's to all the dreamers, may our 
open hearts find rest..."

Nanci's music and the tangential reach of her music (in my case Kate Wolf, 
Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Iris DeMent, and 
on and on) provide a place to dream and place to rest my all-too-open, 
oft-weary heart.  The Nancinet serves as a background chorus, occasionally 
discordant and shrieking, sometimes boring, sometimes totally off point, but 
sometimes so beautifully poetic and poignant that it brings a perfection of 
dreaming or expression (see Shawn's poem, Bright Morning Stars or Vicki 
Stein's musing on a single mom's Christmas Eve) that touch the soul in a 
human way I haven't readily found elsewhere.  It is filled with characters 
from what could surely be an epic novel with viewpoints and sketches I never 
thought of that send me off on wondrous journeys and detours, both real and 
imagined. 

So I guess if we got tired of talking about Nanci and her music (which is 
taking awhile, such a changeling lass she is) we'd inevitably discuss shoes, 
ships and sealing wax.  Or as Ed Maier so succinctly put it, Shiner Bock, 
tube tops, and barbecue.  Or meteorites.  Or dust storms.  Or what to do when 
the sign says "Watch For Wind Gusts" when there's no visible vegetation or 
anything else to indicate blowing wind.  Or football. (g>  Or I Know You 
Rider (bg>.  Lung transplants, moonpies, capos, the best route from Grants 
Pass, Oregon to Pacheco Pass, California...

God bless all of you dreamers...may the wings and the wheels of 2000 take you 
wherever you want to go.

Cate, fresh from the Texas Hill Country, back in Atlanta

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Subject: RE: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 10:50:54 -0500
   From: "Panchyshyn,Roman" (panchysr@oclc.org>

rob.remig@psinet.com writes:
(( what do we on NanciNet have in common beyond an admiration for Nanci and 
love of her music? >>

If I had to put my two cents in, I think it's that we all enjoy "music" in
general and that we like talking with folks that are "different" from us (I
hate to use the word diverse, it's too politically correct). If I had to
talk to someone like myself every day I'd get bored pretty quick. For me,
that's one of the great things about this list, we don't just discuss
Nanci's music but all sorts of topics. Sort of like sitting in a tavern on a
winter's night by the fireplace, sipping a few brews with friends.
Also, my belated Christmas wishes to everyone on this list. 
Roman P

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Subject: Re: NN: What Do We Have In Common?
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 16:56:01 EST
   From: VickiStein@aol.com

This is an interesting thought to ponder.  The ideas expressed and musings 
that you all offer are very touching.  I enjoy what I read on the NanciNet 
for many reasons, but most importantly, I feel that everyone adds a new 
flavor to the soup...so many diverse (sorry, Roman, you used my first choice, 
"different," so I have to assume the politically correct stance and select a 
"different" word...) attitudes and opinions come through, and they're all 
wonderful, sometimes silly, sometimes annoying (I know I can be...), and 
valid, from each person's perspective.  This is an intelligent, eclectic 
group.  Personalities evolve, some of us are matter of fact, scientific; some 
are wonderful and winsome story tellers; some so knowledgeable about music it 
just amazes me; some are philosophical;  some offer psychological 
perspective; and some of us are emotive ~ sometimes effusively so ....  Some 
people appear spiritually motivated and enjoy many things, and I've wondered 
how do you make the time to learn so much about music and life and career and 
balance it all?!! (I want some of that "magic," which goes way beyond, in my 
humble opinion, the stuff outlined in a Stephen Covey or John Gray book, 
although I am no way undermining the good things that these two have shared 
with millions.)  I thoroughly enjoy the diversity in writing styles and the 
perspectives you all share.  There have been many times when I have signed on 
and read a post that has so much meaning it moves me  from a funk into a 
fantastic feeling, and I am truly grateful for that gift.

Perhaps the commonality, though, is born from the fact that Nanci takes the 
simple truths and emotions in life and poetically expresses them so honestly 
that we can't help but realize the beauty in all things.  For me, Nanci helps 
me confront my expectations, helps me evaluate my motivations.  I strive to 
keep my actions towards others as pure of heart as possible (being one of 
those apples that have fallen far from the tree, introspection is a 
necessity), and Nanci's words are a catalyst for that.   She relays the yin 
and yang of hurt and resilience so well:

"I'm shattered as the broken glass
 Around the wreck out on the tracks
 You had the very heart of me in your hands with honesty
 You rolled it up within your sleeve like a beacon
 Then you left in out in the cold and rain
 I've picked it up and brought it home again."

I'd like to offer one more example, although trivial, if I may, as I was 
thinking of this earlier.  Sometimes, I even take Nanci's lyrics out of 
context to make a point to myself.  I'm home this week, off work for the 
holiday, and my desire is to make my daughter's time off from school special, 
like what I remember when I was a kid.  Last night, she had a friend stay 
over, we played Scrabble, we did tye-dye tee-shirts, I fed them a grand 
breakfast (cooked in the way I don't have time to when I work) and today, I 
took them sledding.  I "had" this perfect vision in my head...they'd come 
home to old fashioned hot chocolate, slow cooking over the stove with the 
unsweetened bars and sugar and milk....topped with marshmallows.  You know, 
something to warm those little lips and tongues that invariably get "stuck" 
to the chain link fence at the park when they try to catch snowflakes or 
something...well, of course, being eleven, they're too old to go around 
kissing fences, but...they get back to my house, and I ladle the concoction 
into big Christmas mugs, and you know what?  They both said it was "too 
chocolatey, mom..."  (Darn those pre-made cocoa packets!  They ruin our 
homespun fantasies!) And  I'm thinking, dang  I wanted this to be perfect!  
And then I'm singing I'm an "old fool drowned in my fountain of youth."    
And then I'm thinking  I wanted this to be MY version of perfect, unlocked 
from deep within MY memory!  And finally, I'm thinking, the day is still 
perfect to them, in their own minds ~ the cocoa is inconsequential.  And then 
I'm laughing to myself about tripping up on my expectations.  How small, how 
silly, but how funny and special it was that Nanci's song came into mind 
during this thought process.  

So, I suppose, for people who believe that we learn from our experiences, and 
for those of us who believe in the importance of working through the feelings 
of what we experience, Nanci's words and music are beacons, not to be rolled 
up within our sleeves, but to be considered and cherished for enlightenment.  
And sometimes the enlightenment doesn't come to us until we are ready for it, 
which may be years after the first time we've heard a song....

Peace, and may you all have a wonderful holiday.

Vicki

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Subject: NN: What we all have in common
   Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 17:01:15 -0500
   From: "Mark L. Schaad" (mls235@bluemarble.net>

You really stirred up a dust devil there. I think Nanci's state of
consciousness has a lot to do with it. Her stories tell of very similar
experiences. Later for that....   Mark

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     Subject: NN: musical temperaments
        Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 18:28:10 -0500
        From: "Kristina Plath" (flyer23@angelfire.com>

>There are common assumptions about the personalities of musicians
>according to their instruments of choice:  keyboardists tend to be the
>intellectuals, lead guitarists the show-offs, drummers are the ones who
>drive cars into motel swimming pools, 

Cellists tend to be the creative geniuses, uh-huh, uh-huh, I see exactly where
you're coming from.  

Happy Boxing Day and early Kwanzaa, ya'll.  

Flyer- I'll walk along the Delaware cuz it's snowin' here in Delhi...

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   Subject: Re: NN: musical temperaments
      Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 17:39:41 -0500
      From: "Donate von Bredow-Gardner" (dvbgardner@genelogic.com>

Kristina Plath wrote:

> Cellists tend to be the creative geniuses, uh-huh, uh-huh, I see 
> exactly where you're coming from.......

So then what kind of a person is someone who plays keyboard, guitar, violin,
cello, harmonica, piano, bass, recorder, tin whistle, a little bit of some
other instruments, and who sings sacred, classical, Celtic, folk and blues and
writes all kinds of music, including children's songs? 
---- A show-off, creative, intellectual, spirited, contemplative, silly,
jamming............ weirdo?  I'm feeling schizophrenia coming on..... HELP! :)

Donate "not playing all of the above at the same time, though......" von
Bredow-Gardner

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Subject: Re: NN: musical temperaments
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 18:08:18 EST
   From: VickiStein@aol.com
dvbgardner@genelogic.com writes:

>I'm feeling schizophrenia coming on..... HELP! :) >>

Oh my, no...I'd say an Angel with an attitude!  You're one of those people 
who clearly amazes me with all of the things you find the time to do!  If it 
means schizophrenia, then I will be at the ward to greet you, begging for 
insight!

Peace of Mind,

Vicki

_________________________________________________________________


   Subject: NN: Re: Tish and Taos
      Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 23:04:38 -0800
      From: George Golob (geogo@earthlink.net>

Just got back from another magical musical Christmas in Taos, New 
Mexico with Tish Hinojosa.  It's been an annual tradition for Tish and 
her family and band to spend the Holidays at the Thunderbird Lodge in 
Taos Ski Valley, where she performs three or more times during 
Christmas Week.
This year I made it to two of the shows.  The first, on December 22, 
was for dancing and Tish and the band did plenty of Western Swing, 
Polkas, and slow tunes, too (Belt-buckle-polishers, she calls em)
The second was a special Christmas Eve show with a children's talent 
show mc'd by Tish's son Adam, a Christmas Carol singalong, as well as a 
few of Tish's favorite Christmas tunes that she has recorded. They also 
did a concert on the 20th but I missed that one.
These shows are a magic time.  Tish's old friends from Taos gather from 
all over.  Everybody mingles with everybody and has a wonderful time.
This year I got to meet my long-time e-mail pal and fellow Nanci-netter 
Jenn Fletcher and her mother Sandy there.  After this first trip, they 
said Christmas at Taos will be a tradition for them too!!
Tish had her usual wonderful sidemen, Marvin Dykhuiis and Chip Dolan, 
as well as a drummer and bass player..I'm embarrassed that I can't 
remember their names (Help me, Jenn!) A special treat was Amy Farris, a 
young fiddler from Austin. She played on all of Tish's songs and 
performed one of her own, which she said Sara Hickman has recorded, and 
a couple of Rockabilly Tunes, Wanda Jackson's "Let's Have a Party" and 
"Riot in Cell Block 9". She also draws beautiful cards and 
illustrations.  She's building a web site at amyfarris.com. 
I always try to encourage people to come to these shows. I'm really 
glad Jenn and Sandy got to see them this year. Hope y'all think about 
it next year. Happy New Year.
George Golob

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   Subject: Re: NN: Re: Tish and Taos
      Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 08:48:05 -0500
      From: kenn lippert (lippert@fyi.net>

But wasn't she distracted by the "hum".

When Y2K brings everything down, will Taos suffer from the humbug?

kenn "paranormal" lippert

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Subject: RE: NN: Merry Christmas
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 19:00:14 -0500
   From: "Donate von Bredow-Gardner" (dvbgardner@genelogic.com>

VickiStein@aol.com wrote:

"....... If you rejoice in who you are, who you love and those who love you. 
We shared gifts, we sang, we had a Christmas dinner, .........It's all what you
make of it.  ....... We created new acapella versions of "O Holy Night" (always
saw that as a solo) and "Winter Wonderland."  .....May the Joy of Life and the
Spirit be With You All,"

What a wonderful description of your Christmas Eve, Vicki.  You are so
absolutely right about the true meaning of Christmas.  The reflecting,
the singing, the gathering of loved ones.......  When we grew up as
children, my parents made Christmas so magical for us that the gift
exchange was truly secondary.  We grew up on a forestry estate in
Bavaria and believed in all the myths of what can happen on Christmas
Eve - including the fact that all animals would speak the same language
and understand us humans.  In Germany, Christmas Eve (or Holy Eve) is
the big magic day.  Santa didn't come through our chimneys (St. Nicholas
would visit on December 6 to announce the arrival of the Christ Child
soon to come).  We also didn't put up the tree until Christmas Eve.  Up
until then, there would be advent decorations throughout the house and
we would sit around the wreath every night and sing Advent songs.  On
the morning of Dec 24th, the forest rangers would come to our house with
a truckload full of trees and my parents would pick two trees for the
house and then send the rest of the trees out to all the people in the
village.  Soon after the trees were delivered, we children (there were
nine of us) were banned from the house.  Some adults would take us out
on a horse-sleigh ride in the afternoon and as far as I can remember,
on  those afternoons the snow was glistening and sparkling brighter than
it would on any other day.  When we came back in the early evening, we
got dressed up in our fancy clothes and have a Christmas supper.  The
house had completely changed.  The main sitting rooms and dining room
were all blocked off and off limits to us.  Through the frosted glass of
the huge double doors we could see small lights flickering and shadows
moving about.  We knew it was our mother, in cahouts with Christ
Child.   Finally, the doors would open, a little bell ringing, and there
was my mother in a long evening gown, singing "Oh come, all ye children"
in her beautiful soprano, inviting us into the Christmas room.  Every
table and chest had been moved into that room and lined up along the
walls, each dedicated to gifts for us children and the adults, including
the staff; the tables were covered with white and silver linens to hide
the treasures underneath.  But we didn't pay much attention to the
tables..... it was the huge tree, lit with dozens of candles, and the
large nativity scene that drew us into the room in awe.  We gathered
around the tree and sang our Christmas songs,  reciting self-made poems
or playing a little piece on our recorders; my oldest brother would read
the gospel and then we sang "Silent Night".   I cannot describe the
magic of these moments, a room filled with young and old, the smell of
the fresh cut pine and the wax candles, all of us just mesmerized by the
wonders of Christ's birth.  And then my mother would ask my father to
uncover the tables, starting with the first table for the youngest child
and ending with the table for the oldest person in the room.  The rest
you can imagine...... the gift part of Christmas brings with it the same
cries of joy and thank yous and hugs and sharing everywhere in the
world, whether it is on Holy Night or on Christmas morning.
When I first came to the United States and experienced the Chrismas
morning/Santa tradition, I wrote home about the differences -- one was
the comparison of opening your gifts in your pyjamas and morning breath
versus the festive celebration we had back home.  Another was getting
used to electric candles on the tree.  We decided to keep up both
traditions for our children here in the States.  And my daughters tell
me that there's nothing quite so exciting as going to sleep on Christmas
Eve, with the anticipation of the Christmas morning, sugar plums and
all.........  I will never ever be able to create magical Christmas' for
my kids the way my parents did it for us -- these are different times,
our family is small and we are poor but rich in love and laughter.   So,
we extend our family each year and invite all our friends and neighbors,
caroling, reading the gospel and lighting the candles on our tree, each
candle dedicated to give thanks for our blessings, to pray for peace,
hope and love and anything our guests want to dedicate the candles to.
It's but a small way to try and recreate the true meaning of Christmas
in a room full of people, without the distraction of the gifts and all
the other inevitable but ,oh, so wonderful stuff that comes with
gift-giving, etc.
I love sharing my memories of Christmas, as you can tell.  It is exactly
as Vicki said....... all that matters is that we are surrounded with
love and allow our hearts to take in the wonders of this magical
season.  My Christmas won't be over until January 6th -- so our tree
will stay up and the candles will be lit and Christmas songs sung every
night until then.   I wish I could invite all my new NanciNet friends to
join us.  May this be a blessed season for all of you and may we all
still be around next year to share our thoughts again.   And may your
marriage be blessed, Hank!  What a wonderful day you picked to propose
to the love of your life!
Donate "refusing to take the decoration down until the very last
possible moment" von Bredow-Gardner

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Subject: NN: Nanci questions
   Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 21:13:00 EST
   From: Blueye2323@aol.com

Ok...This is probably a stupid ass question or (s) BUT...1.  Does Nanci 
interact with fans?....what about musician fans?  2. Does she have email?  3. 
 How is her health?  I heard she was sick from a folk "insider" a year or so 
back...but I just saw her headlined in my city for a concert which suprised 
me bacause I heard she wouldn't be touring much longer....maybe it was false 
info that I got, but I did, as a folk musician myself, want to shake her hand 
and tell her that I enjoy her stuff.  
I can't wait for the concert....it will be the FIRST Nanci concert for me....

jt

www.mp3.com/jentobey

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   Subject: Re: NN: Nanci questions
      Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 04:24:53 GMT
      From: jalvo@mbay.net (John Alvord)

On Mon, 27 Dec 1999 21:13:00 EST, Blueye2323@aol.com wrote:

>Ok...This is probably a stupid ass question or (s) BUT...1.  Does Nanci 
>interact with fans?
Not here. In the last five years there has been one possible post,
posted on AOL, all in caps and somewhat nasty. Some time later, there
was a possible memo jointly crafted with Bub Schull which would have
explained the MacIssac situation... she decided at the last minute not
to issue it... and there was a generic statement about the facts being
made known in the (indefinite) future.

>....what about musician fans?
She has musician friends... just look at the guests on her albums.

> 2. Does she have email?  
Unknown.

>3. How is her health?  
In the past three years she has been treated for breast cancer and
thyroid cancer. Both seem to be in remission. My own friend of a
friend contact spoke of Hodgkins. [Add your own argument about the
dangers of a lifelong smoking habit.]

> I heard she was sick from a folk "insider" a year or so 
>back...but I just saw her headlined in my city for a concert which suprised 
>me bacause I heard she wouldn't be touring much longer
She has been talking about stopping touring since at least 1991. Come
and see Nanci in her last tour!

>....maybe it was false 
>info that I got, but I did, as a folk musician myself, want to shake her hand 
>and tell her that I enjoy her stuff.  
Some people that tried that got totally stiffed. I believe she is
extremely shy and expresses it perfectly. On the other hand, there was
a concert last year with a meet and greet with fans, so maybe that is
changing.

>I can't wait for the concert....it will be the FIRST Nanci concert for me....
Nanci is a consumate musician and performer... you will not be
disappointed there.

john alvord


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