// Can't believe it's almost Christmas. Happy Holidays, y'all!
// Some sad news, and lots of lists.
// Enjoy  [BP]

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Subject: NN: Some sad news
   Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 10:06:41 -0500 (EST)
   From: bpage3@yahoo.com

Hey folks, the following was sent to me by an Austin area NanciNetter. The
visiting hours and funeral occurred last week.

Bill

-------------

Obituary:

(12/16/2002)  Ruelene Fern McPherson was born in Lockney, Texas on November
first, 1929. She moved to Austin, Texas in 1944 and graduated from Austin High
School. She has lived for brief times in Raymondsville, Cuero, Seguin and South
Padre Island, Texas, though Austin has remained her primary residence. She was
an enthusiastic and early grand patron and supporter of the Austin Arts and
Music scene in poetry, jazz and the early years of The Austin Civic Theatre
throughout her years in Austin. Her joy, her presence and her unique (and
sometimes unconventionally political) appreciation of the arts in her family
and community will be missed. Ruelene is survived by her husband, George
Strawser; her three children, Kathye Marlene Jonjak, Robert Michael Griffith
and Nanci Caroline Griffith; by her stepchildren, Jim, Kathy and Bill Strawser;
her grandchildren, Gayla Dawn Hutchison, Christina Griffith, Shane Murphy
Griffith, Kristen Noel Davis, Joshua Dylan Floeter and K. Mikhael Floeter; and
by her great-grandchildren, Sydney Davis, Dakota Chance Floeter and Amber
Maddern. 

>From all of us who loved you Rue Mother Grandmother and Grand in the words of
your favorite songwriters, George and Ira Gershwin: 
   The way you wear your hat 
   The way you sip your tea
   The memory of that 
   No they can't take that away from me. 

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Subject: NN: Guitars (no nanci content)
   Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 09:44:49 EST
   From: GORDON1717@aol.com

Shawn Kimbro writes:

> Stop teasin' and tell, darlin'!!  We'd love to hear
> about Gordon's guitars.....

Shawn,

Don't get me started.

I would first like to state that I am affiliated with Eastman Archtop
Guitars and I'm totally objective and completely unbiased when it comes to
these instruments. (right!) 

We are primarily a manufacturer of hand carved orchestral string instruments
(violin, viola, cello & bass) and as Donate said we started working about 18
months ago on a line of hand carved archtop guitars. We are creating these
instruments using the same methods that have been used in violin making for
centuries. The instruments are completely hand made, the only power tools we
use are a drill press, a band saw and a table saw. 

If you go to the website at eastmanstrings.com you can see the guitars and
read some of the amazing reviews we have received. John Jennings (Mary
Chapin Carpenter's producer/guitarist/bassist) has one of the Uptowns and he
tells me it is his favorite instrument. Shawn probably knows about Dave
Sebring and the Gypsy Hombres down in Nashville. Dave plays our Memphis
model exclusively now and swears that you would have to pry it from his cold
dead hands to get it away from him. If anyone is interested in hearing some
more about this project and 
seeing some pictures of the new guitars that we are introducing at the
Winter Namm show in California next month drop me a line off list at
gordon1717@aol.com and I will send you some info. 

Thanks for this opportunity to spread the word, I'll shut up now.

Gordon

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Subject: NN: Some of Shelly's Blues (My Top Ten)
   Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 12:25:07 -0800 (PST)
   From: Shawn Kimbro (shawn@mountainsoul.net>

Hey folks --

A big THANK YOU to Shelly for tabulating top ten
results this year!!  I can't sing enough of Shelly's
praises for all the work she's done for the NanciNet
over the years.  She has been, and still is one of my
personal heroes.

Here's my list.......

1.  Tony Furtado - American Gypsy
An eclectic blend of blues, jazz, celtic, bluegrass,
old-time, and rock & roll... -- and that's just the
first cut!  Tony blew me away with this album. It's
provided the sound track for my year that could best
be described as the perfect plot for the next David
Lynch film. His take on Mike Nesmith's (The Monkees)
"Some of Shelly's Blues" is better than the Dirt
Band's. 

2.  Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
My most purchased Christmas gift this year -- low key
jazz laced with soul, Norah has a subtle sexiness in
style and an elegant grace that took me completely by
surprise.

3.  The Reeltime Travelers -  Livin' Reeltime, Thinkin' Oldtime
I count these folks as personal friends, but that has
nothing to do with my assertion that this is the best
new old-time band in the country.  Don't believe me,
believe Gillian Welch and Kate Campbell -- they judged
lead singer Martha Scanlan tops in two categories at
the Merlefest songwriting contest this year.  Both
those songs are on this album.  "Little Bird of
Heaven" is my favorite.

4.  Kate Campbell - Monuments
Literate, gothic, cynical, spiritual -- those are just
a few of the many adjectives that spring to mind when
thinking of this CD.  "Joe Louis Furniture" and
"Yellow Guitar" are the cuts that I like best.

5.  Nanci Griffith - Winter Marquee
Well, duh!  Nanci takes off with a great show and a
great live album.  Nanci *is* my aeroplane!

6.  John Hartford - Steam Powered Aerotakes
My deepest personal aspiration is to travel one linear
inch of the unfathomable musical miles John Hartford
walked in this world.  

7.  The Meat Purveyors - All Relationships are Doomed to Fail
Well, a lot of mine did this year  -- but this CD
certainly isn't doomed!  I loved this band when they
first started kicking around Austin in the late '90s. 
I'm glad they're back!  Lead singer JoWalston has been
described as a cross between Hazel Dickens and Squeaky
Frome.  That says a lot about the band's style too;
heart-breakin', ball-bustin' bluegrassy fun!

8.  Michael Sheehy - No Longer My Concern (Beggar's Banquet)
Way below the dark line, a gothic collection of tunes
about sex, drinking, and tragedy - there are nights
when this CD hits me right in the gut -- it hurts, and
I like it.  Try these lines from "Ballad of the Pissed
Apostle" -  "O sweet Jesus what have I gone and done?
While they nailed you to a cross I was out runnin'
round and havin' fun Now lord won't you tell me how I
can ever make amends And I'll never touch another
whore or chase a drink again…"

9.  Maggie Longmire  - Teachers and Travelers
The antithesis of my #8, this album is the production 
of a kindred spirit in a program called "Life
Training."  If you haven't done it yet, do it…..  if
it doesn't change your life and refresh your soul,
I'll double their money back guarantee, and that's a
promise.  Fellow travelers go here:
http://www.kairosfoundation.org/

10.           
This space intentionally left blank......  I'll let
you know when I find something to fill it.  Your
recommendations are sincerely appreciated!  Also, I
have a new address. (grin> Yes, this info is reserved
only for those who've read down this far! You can now
find me in Knoxville's Old City on the 7th floor of
the Sterchi Lofts.  I'm alone and both lovin' and
hating it.  I also want to plug a new event coming up
this Spring in Knoxville called the Top of the Old
City Old-Time Jam that will be outside on the roof-top
overlooking downtown.  If you can't come, at least
roll your windows down and honk your horn when you
drive by on the interstate!

All my best,
-Shawn


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Subject: Re: NN: Some of Shelly's Blues (My Top Ten)
   Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 08:49:43 -0500
   From: Steve Robertson (stever@mindspring.com>

Shawn Kimbro wrote:

> 10.
>
> This space intentionally left blank......  I'll let
> you know when I find something to fill it.  Your
> recommendations are sincerely appreciated!

Most of you are familiar with the organization of independent musicians called
Just Plain Folks. This organization now has about 20,000 members. Every year,
they hand out the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. Any artist can submit an album
for review. A panel of judges listens to all the albums (7,800 this year!) and
chooses ten finalists in each of several genre based categories.

In the "Best Roots Music Song" category, only one songwriter managed to get two
songs in the top ten finalists. That songwriter is Matt Jordan of the brother
duo Bailey Jester. Needless to say, the album containing these songs- "Above
the Misery Line"- also made it into the top ten finalists in the "Best Roots
Music Album" category. They're going up against such well known names as Mark
Erelli and Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer.

The Bailey Jester guys live pretty close to me, and recently they asked me if
there was a decent place to put on a show in my little hometown. We arranged
for a nice space at no charge, got articles in all the local papers, publicized
the show thru e-mail, etc. We begged- we pleaded!

The show turned out to be on the same night that the University of Georgia
played for the SEC football championship. We had a grand total of ten paying
customers. So don't make me beg you to go to the MP3.com page for Bailey Jester
and find out why they were chosen as a top ten indie. They need to sell some
albums!

http://www.baileyjester.com/

http://www.mp3.com/Bailey_Jester

http://www.justplainfolks.org/

Happy Holidays!
Steve Robertson

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Subject: NN: my top ten
   Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 20:05:36 EST
   From: ConorMG@aol.com

The ten best of the year for me were:

Alison Krauss and Union Station  Live  So perfect and honest that I'm moved
every time I hear her.  I don't think anyone living compares.

Allison Moorer  Miss Fortune  Great rock voice and exciting choice of song.

Dixie Chicks  Home   At first not as distinctive as their previous two, but
soon you're captivated, and it seems a maturer album than those.

Eilis Kennedy  Time to Sail  Pure voiced Irish singer doing favourites like
'Who Knows Where the Time Goes', 'Canadee-i-o' and 'Lord Franklin'.

Dick Gaughan   Prentice Piece  My favourite male singer, always interesting, a
pleasure and, I think, a privilege to hear.

Patty Griffin  1000 Kisses  A thrilling singer and writer.

Eva Cassidy  Imagine   I'm no expert but she seems incomparably the best singer
of her kind of recent decades.

Caitlin Cary  When You Weren't Looking   Apart from two songs, a very
satisfying album by ex-Whiskeytown singer who resembles Kim Richey to my ear.

Kris Delmhorst  Five Stories   A smoky voice and enjoyable songs.  I've
listened to this more than to Norah Jones, good though she is.

Tift Merritt   Bramble Rose  A lighter singer who has grown on me.

I haven't heard the new Lee Ann Womack, Kelly Willis or Kim Richey (only seen
once in a shop, and for a prohibitive £17) properly,  but I suspect they'd
replace the last three above.

My discoveries of the year were:

Hootie and the Blowfish  Cracked Rear View  Wonderfully melodious lightish rock
with good words, a favourite of Nanci's. 

Thea Gilmore  Rules for Jokers   Exciting new talent with a variety of
adventurous, powerful and subtle songs.

Patty Griffin  Flaming Red  Two outrageously strong rock songs and a clutch of
softer ones sung brilliantly.

Loudon Wainwright  I'd forgotten what a masterly writer, singer and performer
he is.  He's had me screeching with laughter lately.

Little Johnny England  The most exciting English folk rock band since the
Oysterband.

Gretchen Peters  Gretchen Peters  It hit me in April what an outstanding album
this is, and I've played it twice a week ever since.  If I'd believed Tony Cox,
who wrote a splendid review of it on 24 Feb 01, I'd have had an extra year of
pleasure. On such slender threads life's chances swing.

Happy Christmas everyone, and thanks for all the entertainment.  Not a happy
year, but let's try to write more to each other in 2003.  Things like this list
are a bastion against death, war, terrorism, stupidity, ignorance and hate. 

Conor

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Subject: NN: NN Top Ten
   Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 21:37:53 -0600
   From: "Hank Van Slyke" (chevelle@pnx.com>

1.  Steve Earle -- Jerusalem
2.  Stephen Bruton -- Spirit World
3.  Alison Krauss & Union Station -- Live
4.  Nanci Griffith -- Winter Marquee
5.  Flatlanders -- Now Again
6.  Willie Nelson & Friends -- Stars & Guitars
7.  Bruce Springsteen -- The Rising
8.  Mark Knopfler -- The Ragpicker's Dream
9.  Will Kimbrough -- Home Away
10.  Omar & The Howlers -- Big Delta

If there were a category for compilations, I'd put two in there. The first is a
CD sold at Chuy's restaurants in Austin, "Texas Guitar Slingers".  Track #9,
"Belly of the Beast", is such a strong one that when I was riding with my
brother John and that song got to the end, he asked if we could replay it at
twice the volume.  ;-)  Lots of great guitar work on this CD.

The second is KGSR Broadcasts Vol. 10.  hoo wee.

Merry Christmas, all-a-y'all !

Hank "making some presents for Christmas" Van Slyke


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Subject: NN: My Best of 2002
   Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 00:35:33 -0500
   From: "davidtsteere" (davidtsteere@yahoo.com>

Here's my ten cents plus, Shelly.  Thanks for the compiling...

david

****************

I'm surprised how many have said they bought few new CD's this year. 
Some have implied it hasn't been a very strong year musically. 2002 did seem to
start slowly. But.once underway, what a rush of great new music! It's been
terribly difficult to winnow the list down to ten. But, I'll stick by the
letter, at least, of Shelly's rules.

10 Best (NEW)

Nanci Griffith. WINTER MARQUEE (CD & DVD). Rounder.  Really sterling
performances from beginning to end and beautifully recorded. The DVD is even
greater, perhaps, in spite of the trimming of some of the talk between songs.
GOOD NIGHT, NEW YORK is such a heartbreaker. Nanci manages to never slip into
auto-pilot, no matter how many times she records or performs her work.

Kate Campbell. MONUMENTS. Large River Music.  One of our best
singer/songwriters is back with an amazing collection of beautiful yet serious
songs. Few even try these days to tackle serious subjects-the late Dave Carter
a notable exception-and fewer succeed with such musical sweetness. The lyrics
to STRANGENESS OF THE DAY just have to be heard to be believed. That Kate could
make song out of them! I also just acquired and heard Kate's other 2002
release, TWANG ON A WIRE. Although wonderful, not as impressive as MONUMENTS in
which Kate's own writing shines so strongly:  
   When I'm singing in this microphone
   My voice comes out over there.
   Somehow my words are carried 
   By electrons through the air. 
   Marconi did the math work, 
   And we've got it all on tape; 
   But I'll never cease to wonder
   At the strangeness of the day.

Patty Griffin. 1000 KISSES. ATO Records. How can anyone resist Patty's voice
and literary songwriting? This great record makes one curse at the fates who've
kept Patty's last release unreleased. I wonder if that unreleased wonder might
contain a studio performance of TOP OF THE WORLD-which she sang so memorably on
Austin City Limits. Patty makes the listener really care.  
   Be careful how you bend me
   Be careful where you send me
   Careful how you end me
   Be careful with me.

Patty Loveless. BLUEGRASS AND WHITE SNOW. Epic. A Christmas album from the
class act of mainstream (and alt-) country was a long time coming and well
worth waiting for. Slowly paced and deeply affecting, bluegrassy performances
of some old chestnuts and newer work by Patty and Emory.

Kelly Willis. EASY. Rykodisc. Easier said than done, I'm sure. By far Kelly's
best album yet. More acoustic, more sincere, with deeper songwriting and
Kelly's amazingly round, sweet tones.

Eva Cassidy. IMAGINE. Blix Street. The well must be about dry, but what deep,
sweet, natural spring waters Eva's performances have flowed from. I never
expected another riveting performance of WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES to put
beside Sandy's original and Nanci's loving tribute. I never expected such
original performances of the very old standards, TENNESSEE WALTZ and DANNY BOY.
Of course, Eva always did exceed all expectations.

Very Girls. ELSEWHERE BOUND. Recovery Recordings. A weird and wonderful duo
from Belgium/Netherlands. Songwriting as odd as it is catchy. And such great
harmonies!

Dixie Chicks. HOME. Open Wide/Monument/Columbia. I've resisted all previous
attempts to be seduced by this "act" of the moment. Too many teenage girls in
their audiences, too much makeup and too-young attire, too many interviews of
surprisingly little substance, too much of Natalie overdoing it. But...this
album is great, fun, and filled with alluring music making. Even Natalie's very
odd mimicking of Patty's voice when she performs Patty Griffin songs is really
a pleasure at the end.

Kate Rusby. 10. Pure Records. Who knew a new Kate Rusby for 2002? What a lovely
surprise! Fans of HOURGLASS or SLEEPLESS take note. This is only available in
the UK-at least for now. 15 songs: 2 brand new, 7 newly recorded versions, 4
re-masters, and 2 live recordings.

Allison Moorer. MISS FORTUNE. Universal South. . (Special Edition from the U.K.
includes great extra, live-ish cut, "Bully Jones"). Having seen Allison live at
the Ram's Head in Annapolis, I was definitely ready for this. What a great
singer Allison is! Nanci comes to mind with the mention of the Blue Moon Tap
Room in YESSIRREE. DYING BREED has got to go down as one of one's deep memory
songs. She takes us all to wonderful places, even if YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM
HERE.  
   I can't live on bread and water
   You heard the one about the farmer's daughter
   She just needs a little atmosphere
   You don't pick your occupation
   I didn't ask for this frustration
   I need a life and a nice cold beer
   But you can't get there from here

Honorable Mention

Eliza Gilkyson. LOST AND FOUND. Red House Records.

Cindy Kalmenson. WITNESS. Big Gack Records.

Thomas, Rosie. WHEN WE WERE SMALL. Sub Pop Records.

Savory, Tanya. WHERE WE LIVE. Philo/Rounder.

Camille Te Nahu. CAMILLE TE NAHU. CTN. Kasey Chamber's harmony singer has a
wonderful album of covers of her own. Her version of Bonnie Raitt's famous and
wonderful I CAN'T MAKE YOU LOVE ME is enough to make you melt.

Dillon, Cara. CARA DILLON. Rough Trade.

Christine Kane. RAIN AND MUD AND WILD AND GREEN. Big Fat Music.

Caitlin Cary. WHILE YOU WEREN'T LOOKING. Yep Roc Records.

Alison Krauss & Union State. LIVE. Rounder.

Joan Osborne. HOW SWEET IT IS. Womanly Hips/Compendia

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike. NO SUMMER STORM. Rebel/Bell Buckle Records.

GOING DRIFTLESS: A TRIBUTE TO GREG BROWN. Red House Records.

Odds and Ends

Raitt, Bonnie. SILVER LINING. Capitol. Half the album (six cuts) is
spectacular. "Wounded Heart" is as lovely as songs get.

Kimmie Rhodes. LOVE ME LIKE A SONG. Still way too far from her original "West
Texas Heaven"-in fact almost none of this cd sounds regional and Texan. A
shame. Still too much embracing of new agey subjects and lyrics. However-and
it's a big "however"-the duets are marvelous: two with Willie Nelson, one with
Emmylou Harris, one with Benmont Tench, and one with Emmylou and Beth Nielsen
Chapman.

Heather Myles. SWEET TALK AND GOOD LIES. Rounder. What a frustrating album this
is. Heather is so much the better singer than the songwriter. As admirable as
she is for going the opposite of the Shania route and staying rough, there is
little excuse for the incredible corniness of the writing and instrumentals.
However, the difficulty comes with three great performances: Heather's own
"Never Had a Broken Heart (sweet and touching and jaunty)," Jimmy Webb's "By
the Time I Get to Phoenix (simple and straight and great here!)" and the old
standard "Cry Me A River" which Heather turns into a wonderfully bluesy country
song. Perhaps she should follow the Toni Price route and go with more standards
and other people's songs. You figure it out.

>From my 2001 "best list:" Lynn Miles' UNRAVEL (True North Records) & Kasey
Chambers' BARRICADES & BRICKWALLS (EMI Australia).


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Subject: NN: Top Ten List
   Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 15:10:21 -0500
   From: "Kim Diorio" (Diorio15@msn.com>

In no particular order, here are my choices for 2002:

The Flatlanders - Now Again
Alejandro Escovedo - By the Hand of the Father
Nanci Griffith - Winter Marquee
Josh Rouse - Under Cold Blue Stars
Caitlin Cary - While You Weren't Looking
Darden Smith - Sunflower
Todd Snider - New Connection
Buddy Miller - Midnight and Lonesome
Jackson Browne - The Naked Ride Home
Townes VanZandt - A Gentle Evening With Townes VanZandt


Reissues/Compilations:

Alejandro Escovedo - Gravity
Alejandro Escovedo - Thirteen Years
Bruce Cockburn - Anything, Anytime, Anywhere
Dave Carter with Tracy Grammer - When I Go
Going Driftless - An Artist's Tribute to Greg Brown


Honorable Mention:

Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
Tift Merritt - Bramble Rose
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Eliza Gilkyson - Lost and Found
Nerissa and Katryna Nields - Love and China
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle be Unbroken, Vol. III
Indigo Girls - Become You
Ellis Paul - The Speed of Trees
Linda Thompson - Fashionably Late

Haven't had a chance to play yet:

Tracy Chapman - Let it Rain
David Gray - A New Day at Midnight
Bob Dylan - Live 1975
Kate Campbell - Monuments



Happy Holidays -
Kim

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Subject: NN: Schedule
   Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 20:26:40 -0500
   From: "Michael Harrison" (miketeked@hotmail.com>

Is it strange that Nanci has no upcoming concerts scheduled?
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Subject: RE: Schedule
   Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 10:08:37 -0500 (EST)
   From: Gates John F Civ 355 TRS/BAO (John.Gates@dm.af.mil>

     Nanci is on a one-year sabbatical that began in October. Here in Tucson we
were VERY, VERY fortunate to have a concert last Thursday. She was in town for
her brother Robert's birthday, and had graciously agreed to sing at Crowder
Hall on the University of Arizona campus. It was a small venue, a sold out
crowd of 600. Nanci had only half of the Blue Moon Orchestra with her, adding
to the intimate feel. She brought Robert out on stage and led the crowd in
singing "Happy Birthday" to him. She sand some old favorites as well as some
songs from Winter Marquee. I can die happy now, since I have heard "Love at the
Five and Dime" and "Gulf Coast Highway" live again. Her final song was a
stunning a capella rendering of "Road to Aberdeen". There was not a cough, a
rustle, a cel phone or a pin drop to be heard throughout the hall. It was
magic. We have heard a lot on the net about how tense Nanci has seemed at some
concerts. The sabbatical is working wonders already. This time she looked so
happy and relaxed, even though her mother had passed away only a few days
before. She spoke much of her mother, regaling us with funny stories, and it
was like being included in a circle of family or close friends. I was
especially happy to take a friend who introduced me to Nanci's music 14 years
ago. He had never been to a Nanci Griffith concert and was as enthralled by her
charm and stage presence as the rest of us. 
    For a more thorough detailing of the concert go to www.azstarnet.com
(http://www.azstarnet.com/> , the local newspaper online, and look up the Nanci
Griffith concert. The article with an angelic photo of Nanci was in last Friday
or Saturday's Accent section. Tucson received a wonderful Christmas present
from Nanci, and by the sustained applause and whistles, the crowd let Nanci and
the Blue Moon Orchestra know how much we appreciate it. 


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