It is now almost the end of October! Fall is in progress; it’s finally cooling down and the leaves are beginning to turn. By the time I write next month’s blog for November, Halloween will have come and gone, Thanksgiving will have come and gone, and a hotly contested election will have come and gone.
That is a LOT of anticipation….and we won’t know how it will all turn out until my next blog.
I suppose I can predict what will happen on Halloween: some folks will spend a LOT of money on cheesy Halloween decorations – and kids will eat a lot of candy. Those things just happen naturally these days without a lot of thought.
I suppose I can also predict what will happen this Thanksgiving: people will eat.
But…. I cannot possibly predict or imagine what the election will bring! Just be sure you VOTE!
No matter what happens, be safe, be happy and we will check in with you at the end of November.
Kool-Aid Man Loves John Denver! Remember the Kool Aid Man?
He would burst through the wall and yell, “Oh Yeah” in a deep voice.
Here’s a clip to remind you of the Kool Aid Man
That was my first thought at one of our recent concerts, when I heard a deep voice in the back of the room (it was dark and I couldn’t see who it was). I could hear him bellowing out, “Oh Yeah!” in between songs. “Ha!” I joked to myself, “The Kool Aid man is at our concert!” He was certainly having a great time, and he sounded like he was having a few drinks of something other than Kool Aid.
I couldn’t see the back of the room. The stage lighting only allowed me to see the first 5 rows of tables and chairs at the front of the stage. The first 5 rows were premium seating for concert goers, the coveted front seats, up close and personal. I had noticed at the beginning of our show that 2 of those seats – front and center – were uncharacteristically empty, and they remained empty as the show progressed. We normally have folks sitting in all of the premium seats, and although I was supposed to be performing songs, I found myself looking down at those empty seats and I began hoping that it was just because they forgot the date of the concert and not some sort of medical emergency that kept them from attending. I sent up a quick prayer and got my mind back to work….many folks DID show up, and they deserved my full attention.
Well, guess who else noticed the empty seats? Oh Yeah…..you guessed it; sometime close to the end of our show, the Kool Aid man made his way from the back of the room to the very first row with no one stopping him. In fact, the girl who was serving drinks quickly placed an adult beverage in front of him as soon as he sat down, as if to welcome him and reward him for his boldness. His age, long blonde hair, jeans and tank top made him look like he got lost on his way to a Guns and Roses Concert.
The Kool Aid Man was not content with stealing a front row seat and playing it…..um…..cool. You might think, having gotten away with his crime, he would sit quietly and try to go unnoticed. NOPE! He proceeded to stand with his arms in the air and bellow out deep and loud! When the other premium seat holders protested, he turned around and bellowed at them. It was distracting to us and intolerable to those around him. The lone security guard made two attempts to remove him, and the Kool Aid Man flatly refused to leave. We were close to the end of the concert, so I suppose security decided not to fight him. In his last act of defiance, the Kool Aid Man decided to break another rule and began videoing himself and the angry people around him with his phone.
After the show, the Kool Aid Man told Jim that he just loves John Denver (we already knew that, he shouted it several times during the show). Then he turned and busted through the wall and disappeared. (Not really, but it wouldn’t have surprised me).
Was this a prank? Did this guy lose a bet and his buddies forced him to humiliate himself at a John Denver Tribute Concert? Will his video be on YouTube someday? Tell me what you think in the comments. it was a different and rare experience for us ….hopefully the last one like that.
It was 7:30am a few weeks ago when I was jolted awake by an ear-piercing, hi pitched noise. I covered my ears and took a moment to remember where I was (a hotel in Pennsylvania) and what had awakened me (the fire alarm)
In the next moments I looked at the time (7:30) I looked at Jim (already up and getting dressed.) Next, I visualized our escape route. I quickly dressed (not easy to do with your fingers in your ears) then we checked our door before opening it (the door was not hot) and dutifully made our way outside (easy, we were on the 1st floor). I smelled smoke…..it smelled like burnt toast.
The procedure in any building is to evacuate when you hear the fire alarm. We know the drill; we have practiced the drill in many places across the country and twice at sea in Alaska. You must evacuate – they will go room-to-room and get everybody out until the fire department arrives. In this case, going outside was the best and only way to escape the painful shrieking of the alarm.
During evacuation, so many thoughts very quickly go through my mind: What do I need? Where do I go? What do I bring? What did I leave behind? On a ship in Alaska, I wonder how cold the water is. If I end up in the ocean, my life preserver will only save me until hypothermia takes over. The time it takes to evacuate is the time I have to think about my situation. Even as I am in the process of taking action, I have those very same moments to contemplate the end of my life and how I might die.
In every situation, when we finally get the “all clear” from the fire department I feel relief. I also feel irritated by the rude awakening, and I also feel more than a little bit silly for letting something like the smell of burnt toast cause me to consider my untimely demise. All in all, I am just plain grateful to live another day.
HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF ALARMS AND CAUSES IN MY 20-PLUS YEARS OF TRAVELING:
Alaska Cruise ship FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: Incinerator fire (aren’t fires supposed to be in incinerators?)
Midwest hotel TORNADO SIREN! CAUSE: No tornado, but we made a lot of friends in the stairwell.
Symphony Christmas Concert FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: The entire audience and all performers were evacuated from the building and into the snow during our performance. There was no fire, a vendor was roasting chestnuts in the lobby. Which set off the smoke alarm.
Alaska Cruise ship FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: Dang incinerator again
Midwest hotel FIRE ALARM! CAUSE: No fire, someone smoking in their room.
I saved a news article I wanted to share with all of you, but, time passed…. I lost the article, and I found it again, then I realized that I had forgotten where it came from. So, with apologies and appreciation to the (unknown) news source, here is a true story What is My Coffee? written by Pam Kearney:
I suppose my coffee is entertaining. My goal as a performer is to make people feel good by performing heartfelt music. John Denver music makes it sooo easy for me to make good coffee!
Tell me in the comments – WHAT IS YOUR COFFEE?
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As the hot months quickly approach, I think back on some of the awesome summer concerts we have done in the past. This picture is from Dana Point, California in 2017. Dana Point is right next to the ocean, so the scene was picturesque from every angle!
But, as all summer concerts tend to be…IT WAS HOT!! Some people do okay out in the sun, I am not one of those people.
When attending an outdoor concert, most people don’t realize that by the time they start showing up for the concert, the musicians and the sound people have already been out in the heat for hours – setting up our gear and sound checking. By the time the afternoon is cooling, and the crowd is arriving ……the performers are like wet rags, trying to get up the gumption to smile and play after standing up all afternoon hugging the walls for the only available shade!
I remember a HOT show in Apple Valley, California (the closest I’ve ever come to passing out from heat) a HOT show in Indiana (with a bonus hornet’s nest behind the drummer) a HOT show in Arizona (we all got sunburned…not prepared). I remember shows so hot I couldn’t touch the microphone and shows so hot we had to hang tablecloths for makeshift shade so our instruments wouldn’t melt.
But then, the fun begins! We get back on stage as the afternoon cools down and we play!!
So, with all of the HOT show memories in mind, I am very pleased to say that we are doing ZERO outdoor concerts this summer! All Jim Curry summer shows are in indoor, AIR-CONDITIONED comfort!! Bonus: NO MOSQUITOES!
Check out our website home page for details:
July 5 – Pinetop, Arizona at the Hon Dah Casino
July 13 – Rancho Cucamonga, California at the Lewis Family Playhouse
August 3 – Franklin, North Carolina at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
August 7 – Berlin, Ohio at the Amish Country Theater
August 10 – LaCrosse, Wisconsin at the Weber Center for the Arts
August 13 – St. Cloud, Minnesota at the Paramount Center for the Arts
August 18 – Oakmont, Pennsylvania – at the Oak Theatre
August 21 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – at the World Café
August 23 – Boonsboro, Maryland – at the Vanish Hall Brewery
September 11 thru 15 – Laughlin, Nevada at Don Laughlin’s Resort and Casino
I learned this song in Girl Scouts. It’s called “Johnny Appleseed,” and it meant nothing to me at the time, just a fun little tune.
Fast forward (very fast) almost 50 years and this song and the lore of Johnny Appleseed means a whole lot more. Feelings and experiences have happened over those years that have made a simple song and a simple idea turn into something so deep and profound – it’s hard to put into words (but here I am blogging, lol, so I’ll do my best).
Let me start with the concept of sharing, but with one little change…let’s use an onion seed instead of an apple seed (bear with me, I don’t eat apples every day, but I do eat onions or onion salt or onion powder nearly every day). Johnny shared his apple seeds, and I’ve been sharing onions…..special onions called Egyptian walking onions. I entered the onion-sharing world when I met Ray Eicher, aka the onion man. Ray loved John Denver music and came to our concerts whenever he could. When he learned about my love for gardening, Ray promptly gave me some walking onions and told me that he had been sharing these unique onions all over the East coast and as far West as Nevada.
My adopted onions plants thrived in California, and so I’ve shared them with friends in Florida, Alabama and a new generation of gardeners (my son and his friends) in Idaho. The plant is perennial, and every part of the walking onion plant is edible. The onions are called walking onions because they grow new onions at the very top of their stalk. The new onions eventually become too heavy for the stalk, then the stalk falls over and the new onions root themselves to the ground wherever they fall…one step away (walking) from the parent plant.
Sadly, I just got an email from the onion man’s wife Adele. Ray has passed away, but I proudly keep the gift he gave to me and have shared it with others who will continue to share with many more.
The Lord is good to me. He has given me friends that share their gifts, talents and time with me. Step by Step, I do my best to pass along whatever I can. Together we plant the seeds that become the spice of life.
I don’t believe there is or has been any group that cares about the earth MORE than John Denver Fans!! Now, I don’t want to start any arguments (lol) but in my opinion, the number of people inspired to be aware of the environment by John Denver is much larger and far-reaching than any other individual, corporation or non-profit.
John Denver saw the earth as our mother. He encouraged us to honor mother earth, made us aware of the many things threatening our environment, and he challenged us to do something, no matter how small, to change it for the better….and that’s what we did.
Let’s celebrate Earth Day and John Denver by listing the things he did to help the environment, or a song he wrote to raise awareness. List just one thing in the comment section and we will see how long we can make the list!
Listen to “Earth Day Every Day”. I especially love the beautiful beginning to this song:
During our recent visit to the Manatee Park in Ft. Meyers, Florida, I was reminded that sometimes humans help animals without planning to. I’m not talking about rescues or programs, just plain old human activities that benefit animals without even trying.
I’ll explain: The power plant in Ft. Meyers was developed for humans. The plant discharges heated water into the canal that leads to the open ocean. Somewhere in time, Manatees discovered that the warm water in the canals helped them survive if the water in the ocean became too cold for them to thrive during the winter.
Granted, most of the time humans exploit animals, and it would be easy for me to list the many ways that humans impact animal life in a negative way…….but the story of the power plant and the Manatee Park in Ft. Meyers is the perfect example of animals using humans as a tool for survival.
Another example from my own experience, is from when Jim and I worked on cruise ships. We noticed that birds were flying right outside our cabin window while we were out at sea. Our rooms were very high at the top and at the bow (front) of the ship. The birds would cruise along right beside us, looking down. Then they would swoop down to the ocean and scoop up the flying fish that were skimming out of the ship’s way. The birds were using the ship as a tool to catch fish.
That’s just two that come to mind. Let me know if you have observed a way that animals have benefited from unintentional human activity…….
Randy Sparks passed away this past February 11, 2024, at the age of 90.
Randy was a colorful and influential person in the Folk Music Industry. He was also very personable and approachable, and he LOVED to tell stories.
One of the stories he told us (and many others over the years) was the story in which he credits himself as the person who gave John Denver his stage name.
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was performing at Randy’s club Ledbetters, when Randy commented his name wouldn’t fit on a marquee. Randy suggested that John take the last name of Denver (Randy had written and recorded a song called “Denver” and he said the sheet music was laying there so he suggested that). John resisted. He very adamantly wanted to keep his family name, but he finally and reluctantly went with Randy’s suggestion.
The John Denver connection with Randy Sparks continued with John Denver recording other songs of Randy’s, including “Today” and “Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio” on multi-platinum albums.
Blogs are supposed to be short – so this is my own abbreviated version of a very long and detailed story that Randy told me and Jim. Randy was a wonderful storyteller, he greatly influenced Folk Music history and many aspiring singer/songwriters…learn more on Wikipedia and The New Christy Minstrel website.
Rest in Peace: Lloyd Arrington Sparks (July 29, 1933 – February 11, 2024)
Don’t panic! I am still singing harmony and playing backup in Jim Curry’s John Denver Tribute Show!
What I meant to say is that I have taken on a new responsibility in our shows,
Here’s why:
Many of you already know that our wonderful flautist and business partner, Diane Ireland, just retired and is managing her arthritis more comfortably at home rather than in a bouncy van. What many of you DON’T know is that Diane, in addition to playing the flute during our shows, also pushed the button that started the videos we show during each song.
This button-pushing job sounds easy…heck…what could be hard about pushing a button?
Let me tell you that what Diane did flawlessly for so many years comes off a little less polished when I’m in charge! I must REMEMBER to push the button at the beginning of the song or I will mess up the timing of the images. For instance, when we are singing about eagles, we want to see eagles! When the dolphin jumps out of the water and spins, it should be at the exact moment the music swells……if he’s late, it’s MY fault.
The button must be pushed when the song begins, not two seconds before or after. IF I FORGET…….. I can’t skip ahead or fast-forward. If I forget to push the button at the beginning of a song, the video will lag behind. The eagles will be late, the horses will be late and the dolphin…….well, he will be jumping out of the water and giving me a dirty look!
One of My Many Tasks on Stage: Making Jim Laugh!
This is a LOT of pressure! Let me tell you that in the history of doing our shows for the past 25 years, I have learned how to perform every single song in every single show by NOT PUSHING A BUTTON AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY SONG!! Let me also tell you that I have other things to think about and other buttons to push (mute button, tuner button, etc), not to mention remembering lyrics and chords and smiling and not falling down and all the other important stuff!
As old dogs go, I’m pretty much out of tricks. I think the saying goes that old dogs CAN learn new tricks, but it takes them longer to learn.
Soooooo….. Here’s to learning, and here’s to my new button-pushing future!
"It was an amazing evening. We have had many different performers at our conferences; The Beach Boys, Tony Bennett, Three Dog Night, America. Jim Curry ranks among these acts. I would book Jim and his band again in a heartbeat."
Daniel Young Corporate Function, Keystone, CO
"I have to tell you I don't know when we've enjoyed a show as much as we enjoyed yours. It just swept us away and we did not want it to end! You are all so gifted. And the music of John Denver speaks for itself. It touches the heart."
