O, for a beaker full of the warm South, full of the true

Less than 2 months until the amazing Steamboat Springs Band Reunion in Myrtle Beach. My uncle has spent the last few months taking the tape from recordings in the mid '70s during their hey-day and  digitizing them, such as the above recording.


I'm excited about this reunion for many reasons. It's a vacation, it's family reunion, it's Summertime in the South. 

But beyond that, I feel like it's a window into my father's life. A window into my family as a whole, actually, since the success my dad had with this band was kind of a family affair. That's when my parents met. Through my maternal aunt. On my dad's side, it brought out parental fear from my grandparents (which I suppose all parents have when their children are in the arts-- how will they eat???-- hahaha). That conflict seemed to bond them or define their relationships. It got my aunt and uncle involved. And if I understand the stories correctly, it seems as though, somewhere at the height of it all, it brought the whole family together. And I think they all felt proud and part of something. At least, that's how it goes in my head. 

But considering that my dad is my best friend, it's weird to think that I never met my best friend as a young man. I can see him in my mind. But I'd like to have met him.

And now it feels like I can.