// -- folks, I tried to send this earlier this week and hit some
// -- weird filters at the World. Should work this time, I hope!
// This digest includes a couple of notes for which there simply
// was no room in the previous digest, and much more.
// I'm really enjoying meeting up with old friends, and hearing
// from friends we had not yet met!
// Enjoy!  [BP]

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

Subject: NN: ex oblivione
    Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 18:06:15 -0400
    From: kenn lippert (klippert@nauticom.net>

kenn lippert; born before your sun burned hot in the sky (well it feels
that way at least) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and have been here
since.  i remember reading the debate on the alt.music.folk newsgroup
whether someone should open an alt.music.nancigriffith, or just make
use of a newly formed mailing list. i have no idea what year that was,
1994?

Found Nanci when my wife, suffering from severe post-partum depression,
randomly called a Christian Missionary Alliance church and ended up
speaking with the pastor for an hour.  He and his wife were our age,
with similarly aged kids, so we started hanging out together, playing
cards and board games.  They were originally from North Carolina and
"talked funny". One night he brought a cassette tape to throw on the
stereo; one side was a forgettable compilation of Nashville
"country/pop" artists, the B side was "One Fair Summer Evening".  Never
heard a voice like that, never heard so much longing, strength, and
hope expressed in so few words, loved the jangling guitar - hooked.

Met Bill, Dawn-Marie, and Amy while vacationing in Florida - realized
then that "all this" was about much more than just the music.

Drove to Columbus for my first Nanci concert - blown away.  Saw her
again here in Pittsburgh for the Flyer tour.  Drove to Nashville, Black
Mountain, and Atlanta to hobnob with the legends of NanciNet at the
Blue Moon and Red Light Cafes.  Saw her at a free outdoor concert at
South Park here in Pittsburgh, got my guitar signed.  Climbed a
mountain in North Carolina, physically and spiritually.  Learned of
Gillian Welch and Kate Campbell from Shawn (eternally grateful buddy,
damn I wish we could jam regularly) and that, as they say, has made all
the difference.

Songs: Far too many to choose, but here are some highlights -

So Long Ago
"My daddy sent me off to Baton Rouge..."

Love at the Five and Dime
"Popcorn and chewing gum rubbed around on the bottom of a leather soled
shoe."

Poet in My Window

If Wishes Were Changes
(I remember singing this to my infant daughter as I rocked her to sleep)

Flyer

Other artists: Kate Campbell is now my number 1, but Nanci has also led
me to Vince Bell (Yo Sarah, nice to hear from you - the observatory is
still waiting for you two if you ever make it up this far north), Kate
Wolf, Gillian Welch, the Kennedys, Sara Hickman.  Kevin Gordon, Cowboy
Junkies, Mountain Soul :) , and a whole universe of music I never even
knew existed.

kenn "-k" lippert

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

Subject: NN: Bio
    Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2004 19:37:42 +0100
    From: "Matt Bloomfield" (mail@mattbloomfield.co.uk>

Name: Matt Bloomfield
Location: Bedfordshire, England
Occupation: IT Support
Vintage: 1976

NN History:
Joined in 1997 I think.  One of, if not the first mailing list I
joined.  Discovered Nanci earlier that year when I heard Speed of the
Sound of Loneliness on the radio.  Bought The Best Of... that weekend
and now have all the albums and thanks to many kind folks on this
list, quite a few unofficial bits too.

5 favourite tracks:  Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
                      The Wing and The Wheel
                      Alabama Soft Spoken Blues
                      Goodnight to a Mother's Dream
                      Beacon Street

Why I love Nanci: Love the honesty of the writing, the music,
                   the way she takes other people's songs and
                   makes them her own.

Live Nanci: The Barbican, Hemel Hempstead (The centre of the
universe) x2, the Albert Hall x3 (I think).

5 others:  Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, John Prine, Tom Russell,
Mary Chapin Carpenter

Nanci was a step in another direction for me when I bought that album.
Apart from a Ronnie Milsap album, I didn't own any 'country' music.
Nanci and NanciNet has taken me on a continuing journey of discovery
that opened my eyes to all sorts of music that I would probably have
never encountered otherwise.  I owe a huge debt for the OVOR albums
and to all the recommendations I've had from this list. I wouldn't be
without it.

Matt Bloomfield
It's Back:
www.mattbloomfield.co.uk (host is down at the moment).

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

Subject: NN: Bio
    Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2004 14:50:22 +0100
    From: "John Graveling" (kai21@dial.pipex.com>

Prior to a Josh Rouse show last night in Reading, England, a friend (who
has lurked around these parts for years) was saying how the bio strand
had reinvigorated the list. We both commented how just about everything
Nanci has already been discussed, many times over in some cases, but
with a new record in the fall, the action should start again. Anyway he
commented on being surprised I had not contributed to this thread, so as
it's a wet, dreary June afternoon here in the U.K., here goes:

Name: John Graveling

Residence: Slough 20 miles due west of London, via Tynemouth in the
North-East of England where we natives are known as 'Geordies'.

Occupation: Full-Time  High School/Technology College teacher. Part-Time
Football (soccer to you Americans out there) scout for a professional
club, Sheffield United. Part-Time booking agent
(www.jegartistmanagement.com) for a number of American artists some of
whom may well be familiar to you.

Vintage: Very.  Sorry - 1954

Nanci details: I read a review in Q magazine (1986) of "Little Love
Affairs" and thought I must seek this out, as it sounds like my kind of
music. I did and have never regretted it. Went back and bought the
previous 5 albums within a matter of weeks and have bought everything
since.

NNet: Got my first home PC in 1996 and started browsing the internet.
Came across the NN and joined. I have been hooked ever since and have
been fortunate enough to meet a good few of those who do, and have,
contributed here. Each and every one has been a great experience, lovely
people who have had dinner with us in the U.S.A. during our frequent
visits, or shared a drink or a concert.

Favourite Nanci Song: Way too many to mention, but the following will
always have a place in my heart:

1. So Long Ago
2. Fly By Night
3. Grafton Street
4. Cold Hearts, Closed Minds. (As appropriate today for the society we
live in, as it was nearly 20 years ago).
5. It's Too Late (I remember seeing Nanci play this live quite some time
before she eventually recorded it for 'Late Night Grande Hotel' and it
simply gave me the chills).

Nanci Live: They say that the first time is always the best, well it was
at the London Palladium around 87/88 and was Byrd Burton's first tour in
the BMO. I saw about three shows on the tour and have seen every
subsequent tour and about 20 odd shows. I think the only other artists I
have seen this often are Neil Young, Lucinda Williams, Kate Campbell,
Rod Picott and Jeff Finlin.

Favourite others: Well obviously those mentioned above in the live
section, plus Little Feat, John Prine, Joy Lynn White, The Allman
Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, Patty Griffin, Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Jackson Browne, CSN, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Rodney Crowell.

Over and out!!!

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

Subject: NN: Re: Bio
    Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 08:33:04 +1000
    From: "Tony Cox" (tonycox@pacific.net.au>

John Graveling wrote:

>> Nanci Live: They say that the first time is always the best, well it
was
at the London Palladium around 87/88 and was Byrd Burton's first tour in
the BMO. I saw about three shows on the tour and have seen every
subsequent
tour and about 20 odd shows. I think the only other artists I have seen
this
often are Neil Young, Lucinda Williams, Kate Campbell, Rod Picott and
Jeff
Finlin.((

So - you don't get to go out much then, John :-)

Tony

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

Subject: NN: Bio
    Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 04:57:03 +0100
    From: "Leon Stolarski" (leon.stolarski2@ntlworld.com>

Name... Leon Stolarski
Location... Hucknall, Nottingham, England
Occupation... For 25 years (and still) an extremely bored civil servant,

but now also pursuing a long-held passion, selling southern French wine
on the Internet. (No advertising here - but, I can be easily "Googled")!
Vintage... 1961 - married my soul mate Diane in 1985, and we have two
boys, aged 14 and 12.

NN History... Joined NN 2 or 3 years back, and made a few posts (maybe
even got controversial, but can't remember why). Since then, have just
lurked. Until now, when I'm probably going to get my money's worth...

Live Nanci... I first saw Nanci on a previous incarnation of the
Jonathan Ross Show, circa May 1988. She sang "I Wish It Would Rain" and
I was immediately drawn to this angel-voiced, toe-tapping "girl", with a

beaming smile and a joyous demeanour (wherever did that go, since she
got all serious about the world?). A few days later, she featured on the

BBC Radio 1 "In Concert" series, with a 1 hour broadcast of her show at
Victoria Palace Theatre, London, on the "Little Love Affairs" tour. I
taped that concert, and have probably listened to it a thousand times
since then. I've since seen Nanci live in concert on every tour since
then (about 8, I think) most of which were very good to brilliant, but
none of them quite matched the joy of hearing that first one on the
radio.

Amazingly, that tape was still in good enough condition to transfer
(very lovingly) to CD, a couple of years ago, and it also has my own
(rudimentary) artwork to go with it. I've threatened this before on NN,
but if anyone would like to start a "weed" (as I think it is termed),
maybe I can be persuaded to run off a couple of copies...To those of you
who
know the bootlegs, it's basically the same concert as "Love Affairs In A

Foreign Town", but without the terrible "scratchy" vinyl sound.
My version also has two extra songs. See
http://www.heenan.net/griffith/bootlegs/index.shtml for the full track
listing.

I know size doesn't matter (my wife can vouch for that!) but my Nanci CD

collection, including official releases and "boots", now measures a
massive 12 inches wide - is that a "record" (ha ha)?! I am also the
proud owner of a signed photo, sent all the way from Nashville, by
Nanci's management company, many years ago. It sits proudly in a frame,
above my bedside table, and my wife has never objected. She too is a
fan. Unfortunately, I have never had the pleasure of meeting Nanci,
despite attending many concerts.

5 favourite Nanci tracks (9 actually - I couldn't choose less)...
    Wing And The Wheel
    Banks Of The Pontchartrain
    I Knew Love
    Gulf Coast Highway (one duet that really works-but only with Mac
McAnally)
    Listen To The Radio
    Going Back To Georgia (the other duet that really works)
    Waiting For Love
    In The Wee Small Hours (beautifully understated vocal)
    Wooden Heart

Why I love Nanci... Well, I loved the Nanci of old, for the reasons I
stated at the beginning. Now for the contoversial bit..... The current
Nanci is still loveable, but it is less easy to do so. She is more
serious, maybe a little world-weary, always promoting too many "causes"
and very definitely spending too much time guesting on other people's
records (and having others guest on hers). I may ruffle more than a few
feathers by saying this, but the "mutual back-slapping" can wear a bit
thin. I love virtually every genre of music, and Nanci does passable
versions of many of them, but the sooner she stops trying to be a diva
and gets back to being a good old "folkie" (sung "straight", without the

twang) the better, as far as I am concerned. I long for the upright
bass, dobro, high string, pedal steel, banjo, mandolin, Philip Donnelly
(nobody else) electric guitar and the pure folk/bluegrass vocal style
that used to be the hallmark of the Nanci Griffith of old. Or am I
asking for something that can never be repeated? I know that Nanci has
had a battle or two with cancer, and for coming back from that, she has
my greatest admiration. And she now seems to be in good health again,
and the voice is definitely back to it's best. I know you can never turn

back the clock, and a but I for one would love to see her take a "new"
direction and go back to her roots. I'm not saying Nanci hasn't made
some really good music in recent years - otherwise, I wouldn't keep
buying the albums - but it would be such a thrill to hear her singing
once again about those ordinary, but nonetheless larger than life
characters that she used to do, rather than so many songs about
"issues". I hope my forthright, but heartfelt, views haven't hurt too
many feelings, but (from reading posts on the NN, over the years) I
don't think I am totally alone.


If anyone has laboured this far, 5 other favourites...

Beth Nielsen Chapman - An amazing woman, who possesses the gift of
turning personal tragedy into wonderful songs of sadness and pain, hope
and joy. I suppose it's of no small significance that, this week, I saw
her perform one of the most magical and memorable gigs I have ever seen,

in a small, intimate venue in Nottingham. And I got to meet her
afterwards! Needless to say, that will stay with me for the rest of my
life, and the photo for which she posed with me will take pride of place

in my house. And the new album "Look" is the best thing she's ever done
- in fact, I'm not sure she's ever released a duff record.

Wilco - How this band haven't conquered the world is beyond me. The
genius that is Jeff Tweedy has blossomed from the "alt. country" rock of

Uncle Tupelo and the first few Wilco albums into the fresh and
innovative, weird and beautiful, and just dying-to-be-heard "YHF" and "A

Ghost Is Born". But I guess that the very essence of Wilco (and reason
for their lack of world reknown) is that they shun commerciality, in
favour of doing their own thing - and, in the process, sticking up two
fingers at the record companies who only seem to want "radio friendly"
music. And, they are a great live band, too.

Brian Wilson/Beach Boys - I grew up listening to my elder brother's
records, which included "Surf's Up" and "Holland" (funnily enough,
containing precious little vocal content by Brian Wilson, but many of
the songs were his). And then I went back to their earlier stuff and
fell in love with just about everything they did in the 60's and early
70's. Unfortunately, the "Beach Boys" are now just a pitiful
cabaret/medley band, a vehicle for Mike Love's over-inflated ego. Dennis

and Carl have sadly passed away, and Al Jardine has had the sense to
leave poor old Mike to his own devices. But Brian is back, doing amazing

live shows, with an awesomely talented band. And I can't wait for the
release of "Smile" - the live rendition, earlier this year really
whetted the appetite. 50 quid a ticket (80-odd dollars in U.S speak) is
a lot of money to see a gig, but it's a small price to pay (twice) to
see the greatest legend - living or dead - of the pop era.

Jackson Browne - I discovered the music of JB very late - about 6 years
ago. It was around the time my father died, and "Fountain Of Sorrow"
just hit a chord with me. Despite the title, it's not really a sad song,

more a sentimental/optimistic one (to me at least). And so many of
Jackson's songs have the most amazing lyrics, coupled with achingly
beautiful melodies, again based largely on his own experiences in life -

someone else whose personal losses have been channeled into great
songwriting. And another great live performer!

Bruce Springsteen - Despite the fact that his recent output would put
most other rock artists to shame, for me, his best albums were the first

five - and they contained enough classic songs to put The Boss into the
all-time greats category (of any musical era). From the innocence of
"Asbury Park" and "The Wild, The Innocent.....", through the opera that
is "Born To Run", to the 'darkness' of "Darkness....." and a bit of
everything on "The River", nobody ever released 5 albums in a row of
such awe-inspiring rock and roll music. And I saw Bruce and the E-Street

Band perform five times, in the early to mid 80's, and there is no-one
to touch him for sheer energy and charisma on stage.

Leon "Still A Nanci Fan" Stolarski

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

Subject: NN: Kasey Chambers
    Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 15:03:44 +1000
    From: "Barry Medway" (bmedway@austarnet.com.au>

Nice to see KC appear in the "other favourites" part of  your
re-applications. Her latest set   Wayward Angel" I think is
her  best.  All self penned with awesome lyrics. Current fans
will be impressed, strangers should become aquainted.

Barry

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

Subject: NN: Re: Dream om
    Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2004 15:48:30 -0400
    From: "J.W. Patterson" (jwpatt00@uky.edu>

As many of you will remember, we used to talk about the people on
this list meeting for one of her concerts. Let"s make it happen.

J. W. Patterson

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

Subject: NN: (re) Application
    Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 21:34:27 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
    From: Tom Gill (tgill@igc.org>

Howdy,

This seems like a good time and opportunity to re-introduce myself to
the
group.

Name:  Tom Gill
Location:  Exiled to West Texas from Northern California since 1995: in
Lubbock
since then but moving to El Paso next month.  Any Nanci Netters down El
Paso
way?
Occupation:  Professional Earth/environmental scientist/ professor,
(very)
amateur songwriter, (volunteer) human rights activist
Vintage:  1961

NG History:  Back when I was in grad school at UC Davis about 15 years
ago and
slightly involved in the local music scene, I occasionally heard Nanci's
name
from many friends and colleagues, but never heard her music.  Then one
weekend
while I was at my parents' house, I was sitting around watching VH-1
(they had
cable, I didn't) when this absolutely captivating video to a song titled
"I
Don't Want To Talk About Love" came on. I was taken by the video, song,
and
singer and completely hooked even before I knew it was Nanci singing it.
I've
been a big fan ever since, especially of her songwriting.

It strikes me that Nanci's foray onto VH-1 may have been brief, but it
sure
seems to been the "hook" that landed a LOT of long-time Nanci fans.

NN History:  I have been around for at least 10 years, don't post very
often.

Current favorites:  Hard to say, it changes weekly.  I CAN say that
unlike many
NanciNetters, I much prefer Nanci's later work ("Storms" and subsequent
albums)
to her first six albums: I often prefer other singers' covers of Nanci's
songs
(such as Suzy Bogguss), and often prefer Nanci's versions of other's
songs
(OVOR was instantly upon its release my favorite, and is still my
preferred
Nanci CD).

Other Favorite Artists:  Al Stewart, Jimmy Buffett, Jackson Browne, Mark
Knopfler, Johnny Clegg, Yes, Alan Parsons, Little River Band, Kasey
Chambers,
Flaco Jimenez, The Flatlanders, Rodney Crowell, Bruce Springsteen, Mary
Chapin
Carpenter, Peter Gabriel, U2, and many others.

Live Nanci:  Several times, most recently with The Crickets in Lubbock
about
five years ago.

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

Subject: NN: I want to play!!!
    Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 21:56:50 -0500
    From: "Lorrie Chase" (lchase@webshoppe.net>

OHHH( I want to play too!!!

Name: Lorrie Harris Chase

Location: Dadeville, Alabama (beautiful Lake Martin).  Grew up here,
moved
out West, came back after divorce to get another degree, met my hubby of
9
years and stayed home to raise these children!

Occupation: Muralist/expectant mother (at 36???  I have no idea, so
don't
ask me)

Vintage: 1968

NN history: I think I joined about 1995 (Ferg was about to get
married???)
Could not tell you how I found out about NN.... 2.5 kids later, I"m
lucky to
remember how to use the computer

Fav Nanci: Just a few:  Goodnight to a Mothers Dream, Can't love wrong,
Wish
it would rain (love to sing this in the shower???), listen to the
Radio...
PIMW is my Favorite album... Really, love all the music except OVOR II
only
a couple there I liked...

Never met her, did see the top of her head from a Port-A-Toilet at a
concert, but I"ve already told you that story...

Live Performances:  Telluride, Co. x 2, Atlanta, Ga. x1, Birmingham, Al.
x 1

Other Artist that I adore:  Vince Bell, Cate Cambell, James Taylor
(since I
was 8), Gillian Welch, John Prine, Haggard, Jones,  NEW: Nora Jones, 5
for
fighting (suprises me too).  blah blah blah....

Met a few of you in Atlanta what seems like forever ago...
Even when it's quite, I like this place....

Lorrie Chase

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

Subject: NN: Re: The Bio Thing
    Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 23:36:23 -0700 (PDT)
    From: Shawn Kimbro (shawn@mountainsoul.net>

Okay, I'm in:

I grew up a poor black girl in Southern Alabama. I
lived happily through my teen years in a tarpaper
shanty beside the railroad tracks.  When the stamps
ran out,  Mama would feed me ketchup soup and light
bread.   We were too poor to buy aspirin so, when I
got those headaches, Mama would feed me Midol hidden
in government cheese.  After that, she'd put the vinyl
version of "There's a Light Beyond These Woods" on the
console stereo until I fell asleep. You know, "Alabama
Soft Spoken Blues" changed my life.

After listening a couple thousand times and kicking
the Midol habit, I hired a plastic surgeon, changed my
sex and skin color, and moved to Eastern Tennessee.
After the long adjustment period I got a job at Krispy
Kreme, passed the Gateway credit check, and bought a
computer.  When I found the NanciNet I knew I was
home.  That was in 1995.  The years since have not
been kind, but somehow I survived.  Here's where I am
now:

LOCATION:  Knoxville, TN
OCCUPATION:  Medical administrator, business owner,
unlikely entrepreneur, occasional songwriter,
succesful street corner busker.
STATUS:  Engaged to gorgeous lady who I met on the
NanciNet and convinced to move from Capitol Hill to
Tennessee.  (Wow, Enzyte!)
FAVORITE NANCI SONGS:  Alabama Soft Spoken Blues,
There's a Light Beyond These Woods,  I Remember Joe,
Once in a Very Blue Moon, anything from OVOR I.
CURRENT MISSION:  To convince the world that George W.
Bush is the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler.
OTHER MISSION:  To collect as many nude photos of
NanciNetters as possible.

-Shawn
http://www.mountainsoul.net

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

Subject: NN: Re-up application
    Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:04:54 -0400
    From: ChocChippy@aol.com

Name: Kathleen Warnock
Location: NYC
Occupation: Editor/Playwright/journalist
Vintage: 1960 (same day as Frank Lloyd Wright)

NN History:
My sister, who works for Sony, couldn't get rid of her James McMurtry
tickets
some years ago...he was opening for Nanci at Town Hall. Thought she was
great...but she didn't "take" until a PBS special around the time of
Flyer.

Found this list, probably going on 10 years ago(!) and have never found
it to
be anything other than a joy.

I have met members of the NanciNet over the years, including a whole
gaggle of
'em who attended the taping of the Sessions at 54 show with Richard
Thompson
(which we got tipped off about via this list, thankyewverymuch!) Met
Mark
Ferguson, contributed money to either an honorarium or a lot of
margaritas for
him when he passed on the list ownership to its current esteemed
overseer, I
can't remember...

Some NanciNetters have also supported me in my public readings as a
writer and
playwright (thankyewverymuch). I have plays coming up in Seattle, London
and
Tampa this summer. Email me for info. End of plug. Oh, and I write for
ROCKRGRL. Now, end of plug.

I've seen Nanci live several times: at the Garden State Arts Center with
the
Chieftains and the infamous Ashley MacIsaac; at the Corning Museum of
Glass
with Vance Gilbert and Tom Rush, at the Hammerstein Theater with the
Crickets &
Hootie. I may be one of the few people who has seen both Nanci and Joan
Jett
cover 'Love is All Around' in their live sets.

I own a copy of the now-withdrawn disco remixes.

I've taken part in several CD/tape exchanges, and am usually the person
who
vote for several of the artists/CDs that have only one vote in the
annual poll.
(But Hedwig and the Angry Inch got TWO the year I voted for it!

Today's top five:
    Time of Inconvenience
    Gulf Coast Highway
    Late Night Grand Hotel
    This Heart
    Across the Great Divide

Five others I like:
    Joan Jett and the Blackhearts!!!!!!!!!
    Melissa Ferrick
    Meghan Cary
    Dolly
    The Muffs

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

Subject: NN: Nanci's duet with Jimmy Buffett
    Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:20:00 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
    From: Tom Gill (tgill@igc.org>

For those of you who haven't heard yet, Nanci duets with Jimmy Buffett
on
Buffett's new album. They sing "Someone I Used To Love," the Bruce
Cockburn
song.

- Tom Gill
   tgill@igc.org

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

Subject: NN:bio
    From: "Karen MAKIN"
    Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:09:48 +0100

Hi
I don't post much- tend to follow the news, rather than make it but this

sounds fun!

Name: Karen Makin
Location: Oswaldtwistle (yes there is such a place!) Lancashire U.K.
(via Liverpool)
Vintage: 1965
Occupation: Senior Radiographer

NN History

Joined in about 2000 I think.  Discovered Nanci in about 1985 after my
dad
bought  'Storms'. Thought it unremarkable at first, then really
listened and
loved her voice.  Got hold of OFSE and LOTTB after that and  have been
collecting ever since.  Been to see Nanci ssooo many times. Really
looking
forward to seeing her in Manchester in October. Anyone  else going?
(silly
question!)

Top 5 (at this moment in time)
TALBTWMM (saddest song I ever heard - my brother and I argue about that
all
the time)
Love at the 5 and Dime (sweetest love song I ever heard)
Cold Heart Closed Mind
Going Back to Georgia
These Days in an Open Book

Nanci's songs mean a lot to me when things are tough especially.  This
year's
not been good so far so Nanci gets played even more than usual.  Even
the sad
songs lift me up.

Other favourites:
Guy Clark
Townes Van Zandt
Steve Earle
Emmylou Harris
Kim Richey
Matraca Berg (the fact she doesn't have a recording contract is a
crime!)
Trish Murphy

I guess you could say I like singer/songwriters I suppose

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

Subject: Nanci Credentials: For your approval
    Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 14:14:46 -0700
    From: "Young, Greg" (Greg.Young@ucsfmedctr.org>

Name: Greg, to sometimes, the Y-Man
Location: Left Coast - SF, in daily peril of falling over the edge
Occupation: This time in life? Hospital Admin
             Prior Lives?  Actor- director, would be writer/ journalist,
short
haul truck driver, typewriter mechanic...gives a clue how long I've been
in the
labor pool...academic research and teaching, agitator, p pizza jerker,
factory
worker

Vintage: 1951

Status: Married, 1 child, Both Wife and child have sung professionally.
Which
leaves me the all important third harmony part

NN History: A friend from Seattle who knew I was very keen on Nanci kept
sending me updates on her whereabouts and goings on that were uncannily
fresh
and unfailingly candid. About 6-7 years go I finally asked for her
source...and
the rest is history. I mostly lurk, sometimes post, usually read the
journal
(only) and love to
offer or receive stories and encouragement from the folks who form this
online
community

First Nanci Experience:
         Vancouver Folk Festival summer of 1984. Record heat, but one of
the
best festivals ever.  Did not know of Ms. G or her music at the time,
and I
was more or less persuaded through the subtle insistency of crowd
locomotion to
hear her set. Probably on Saturday afternoon.  I couldn't see her, as I
was a
distance from the stage - only the top of the hugely, laughably
duck-billed
asian straw hat that she was wearing. I'd say by the end of the first
song I
sensed was a newborn fan. By the end of the second - a devotee. By the
end of
the set I was feeling like a musical genius for having 'discovered' this
great
but little known artist...(Sorry - but that is either precisely how ego
sometimes trumps reason even when faced with perhaps 10,000 very good
counter-arguments to the exclusivity of my taste and appreciation.
Either that
- or it's a testament to the kind of intimacy Nanci creates in her
music). And
just to cement the deal, while I was walking back toward the communal
watering
spigot and concession area with a half pound or so of dust in my mouth
and a
sun baked thirst of the rawest and unkindest kind - who should march
past under
the escort of festival staff? Let's just say the hat was a dead
giveaway.
Sensing maybe the chance of a lifetime to buttonhook the artist who had
just
inspired me, I blurted out with undue lameitude "Great Set...and great
hat. Is
it hot under there?" Oh what decisive wit - a weather joke, no less.
But Nanci
did not disappoint with her rejoinder...'Yes, thanks' she said. . .and
then
cheerily - 'but I'll bet I have two beers drained before you find the
end of
this line..."
And no doubt, she was right.

Favorite Concert:
         An outdoor festival outside of Grass Valley, California. It was
twilight when she took the stage, summertime; she was gorgeous, seemed
happy,
in good voice and had Mark O'Connor and Jerry Douglass on stage with
her, among
others. I think that may have been the first time or place I heard Maura
O'Connell as well. My memory could have slipped a cog, though, on that
score.
         Other favorite concerts. Great American Music Hall with solo
guitar
accompaniment maybe twice circa 1986-88.  Got a second opportunity to
talk with
NG, as I was admitted to the venue early on the 1st occasion, owing to
loose
ties with booking agent who I will not embarrass by mentioning. Did I
manage to
overcome my earlier lack of verbal ingenuity and ineptitude? Not really.
I
think I maybe managed to sputter a few more or less polished homilies in
the
couple of minutes it took her to finish the cigarette lit off the match
I was
so deftly able to offer her - and she then had the good sense to ask me
a few
gentle questions so that I didn't  walk away from the encounter feeling
like a
complete bumpkin. At which point she politely excused herself. I can
report (as
the NN audience requires) that for this occasion she was wearing a long
black
skirt, white silk blouse with a ruffled open collar, tall black boots
and some
kind of a bolo tie around her neck. Ohh my, I was a love sick puppy for
days .
. .
         Most recent live event- Golden Gate Park Labor Day weekend a
couple of
years back. She was with members of BMO near the conclusion of  a very
long
tour. She was in good form, if more rehearsed or mechanical than in
other
concerts. It seemed obvious the tour had drained much of the spontaneity
from
her, the other band members their music and stage interplay. It also
seemed
obvious that that the long, arduous tour was a way of taking charge of
some of
the challenges that had come along in her life. For my part, having
mostly
resigned from the
list of the preternaturally smitten (now in the ranks of the ever loyal)
I left
the chatting-up of Nanci this time to a couple of 4 or five year old
girls who
were stalking the autograph line with their moms. Nanci seemed delighted
to
meet some members of the next generation of her fan base - or maybe the
next
generation of singer-songwriters. And they had no trouble talking with
her at
all.

Favorite Songs (the order changes regularly according to my mood)
                 Love at the 5 and Dime
                 Listen to the Radio
                 It's a Hard Life
                 Ghost in the Music
                 Light Beyond the Woods
                 Gulf Coast Highway
                 Trouble in the Fields
                 Great Divide
                 Spin on a Red Brick Floor


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Subject: NN: Guess it's my turn..
    From: David Grant (david@grantguerrero.com>
    Date: Jun 29, 2004 2:03 AM

OK, I'm seeing a LOT of old familiar names here, so I guess I should
take my turn.

Name: David Grant
Place: Austin, TX for 18 years now. Houston, TX for 18 years before
that.
Vintage: 1968
Profession:  Photographer

Marital status: Since I don't live in Massachusettes or Canada, you'd
have to call me domestically-partnered.  We are indeed living in a
time of inconvenience.

Nanci history: Heard her through some friends when I moved to Austin.
By the late '80s I had obsessively collected every Nanci-related item
I could get my hands on.

NanciNet:  I didn't actually subscribe to the NanciNet -- when Mark
Ferguson started the list in 1994, he started with three e-mail
addresses.  I was one of the three.  Victor Hwang, are you still out
there somewhere?

Nanci live:  I don't actually know how many times I've seen Nanci
live.  A bunch.  Most memorable were the nights of the filming of the
OTHER VOICES OTHER ROOMS video at the Paramount Theatre, when she had
about 40 or 50 guest musicians on stage at various times.  The
concert was filmed over two nights, and on the third night Nanci and
the Blue Moon Orchestra played at La Zona Rosa for over three hours
(the third night was filmed, too, but none of it was included on the
video).

Favorite Nanci:

Songs (in alphabetical order):
Cradle of the Interstate
Fragile
If I Were a Child
It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go
Late Night Grade Hotel
Love's Found a Shoulder
Roll, You Colorado
So Long Ago
These Days in an Open Book
Time of Inconvenience
Year Down In New Orleans

Album:
Storms or Flyer, depends on my mood

Favorite Nanci trivia:
Where once stood the famous Woolworth's at 6th and Congress, there
now stands a Starbucks.  Oh, and a 20-something story building on top
of it.

Answer to my most-frequently-asked question about Nanci's music:
The song Nanci sings at the end of the ONE FAIR SUMMER EVENING video
is called "Wichita Falls Waltz."  It was written my Mike Williams,
who produced Nanci's first album.  She sings harmony vocals for his
version on his 1977 album.

David

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