Dearest Friends, as we near the very end of our 2024 Christmas tour, we wish you all the very Merriest Christmas! Once again, we’ve been blessed with good health and good weather throughout the tour! We did encounter some of the white stuff, but that is to be expected (and sometimes wished for) this time of year.
To be able to tour our beautiful Nation and sing the very best music is a gift that we will never take for granted. We continue to appreciate the very talented John Denver for his legacy of music that is forever relevant in time. In other words, John’s message is the same for our generation and generations to come: take care of the earth and each other.
We are already preparing our 2025 shows! If we missed you this year we hope we will see you in 2025. Until then, keep the prayers and the email coming!
Love, from all of us to all of you… (From left) Anne Curry, Jim Curry, Larry Ruckman, Tom Williams and Christopher Wills.
What was your worst kitchen accident? My worst kitchen accident happened in my mid 20s – baking pecan pie for the annual family gathering. Everyone in my family was assigned to bring their specialty to Thanksgiving dinner at Mom and Dad’s house, and my specialty was pecan pie.
I look forward to making pecan pie, and I only do it once a year. Pecan pie is limited to Thanksgiving time, in the season when pecans are being harvested and we aren’t counting calories. I follow the exact recipe on the back of the Karo corn syrup bottle and I used to pride myself on my home-made crust – which my Grandma raved over how light and flaky it was (of course, she taught me, sooooo……)
This one particular night before Thanksgiving, after working a long shift all day, I picked up the ingredients from the store and made my way home. After dinner, I prepared the crust, mixed up the filling and I loaded my pie shell with said filling. It was getting late, and I was tired….. but all I had left to do was stay up another hour until the pie was finished baking.
Now, If you have made pecan pie yourself, you will know that the filling is pure sticky liquid (sugar, Karo syrup, eggs and vanilla) with pecans floating on the top. The liquid pie is placed on a cookie sheet, then both are placed in the preheated oven. The cookie sheet catches any drips from the pie that might happen during the cooking process, and it also helps to remove a hot pie safely once it’s done cooking. Pro tip (and ultimate irony): I cover my cookie sheet with aluminum foil to make cleanup a breeze.
As I was lowering my liquid pie into the oven, it suddenly slid forward on the aluminum-foil covered cookie sheet until it hit the edge – and before I could stop it – the entire contents of liquid pie poured out into my preheated oven. What a mess!! The syrupy, sugary filling immediately started to hiss and burn on the bottom of the hot oven, the grills were covered with sticky goo and pecans. The liquid syrup poured into the bottom vents of the oven (where does that go?) and smoke began billowing into the kitchen.
I don’t exactly remember what happened after. I think there was some crying….
I do remember, my darling husband Jim came to my rescue and did most of the cleanup and none of the crying.
Nothing was salvaged. The stores were closed for Thanksgiving Day (remember when they did that?) so no pecan pie for Thanksgiving that year. All in all, a distant memory and a lesson learned. Now it’s time to make another pecan pie for this year, WISH ME LUCK! And…….HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
What was YOUR worst cooking disaster? Share in the comment section below:
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?
Find us on Facebook and see our latest tour dates here.
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…….
"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."
