The Deep River Blues and FaceBook City
My agent is very wise. When he had me start my blog, I asked, “What is a blog?”
He said, “Trust me. A blog will teach you how to write. You will learn more from your readers than you teach them.” This turned out to be true.
He let me dabble in the blog a little over a year. One day he said, ‘You need to start a FaceBook page.”
I asked, “What is a FaceBook page?” (At first I called it My Face.)
“Son, it is the finest networking tool you will ever see. You will learn more from your FaceBook friends than you’ll ever teach them.”
He was right again. This FaceBook crowd runs deep.
Every day on FaceBook I post a song of the day. Today was Doc Watson’s ‘Deep River Blues.’ The next thing I know a new friend of mine, a gentleman named Cliff Searcy, posted a video of Doc from the 60s. It was good enough to bring tears.
Every time I post the ‘Song of the Day’ folks like Cliff or Otis or Carmen, or Gary Thompson or Kenny Baker (and many others) respond with some insight. I learn something every time.
Today I was able to return the favor. Gary had looked all over the world for the song ‘Going Back to the Country.’ His band learned it somewhere in their travels. They were not sure of the source, and wanted to credit it correctly. Believe me this cat knows bluegrass, and he had tried every source imaginable.
I heard that on my lunch break one day, and lo and behold I knew the tune. It was written by an old friend of mine, Glen Laney, and on the Knoxville Grass ‘Darby’s Castle’ LP in 1978. I am sad to tell you Glen passed away some years ago, and was gone way too early. Before he died Blue Highway did a benefit concert for him in Knoxville. It’s the bluegrass way.
I’m gonna send Gary the song today so he can check and see if he has the words right. As artists, (though I am only a part-time one) we are both against too much burning. But on the other hand, this had been out of print for years. I knew Glen well, and I am sure this is what he would want to do.
Gary promised to acknowledge Glen from the stage whenever his band played it. He is true bluegrass, and I have no doubt he will do just that. The thought of Glen’s music going on past his death, and me having facilitated any small part of that made this old Doc’s week.
As a Doctor, you spend your whole life tethered to about a hundred mile radius. That’s O.K. I knew what I signed up for. Besides, I am homebody and wasn’t meant for a life on the road. But at the same time I like to get to know new people. I used to have to wait for a band to come through Harvey County to meet new music people. Now FaceBook brings them right to my study.
So today, I want to recognize all my new FaceBook friends. Like Doc Watson’s ‘Deep River Blues,’ they also are a river that runs deep, and I am proud to know them.
And by the way, I’m glad my agent and I have already agreed on our contract. If he finds out how prophetic he’s been he might want to up his percentage. I’m gonna hold him to it. After all, a hundred here and a hundred there; pretty soon you’re talking real money.
Dr. B
This entry was posted on May 21, 2009 at 6:56 am and is filed under bluegrass related blogs, Writing. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: bluegrass music, Writing
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Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
May 21, 2009 at 7:50 am
I have a Facebook page. I have NO idea how to use it. I’ll stick to blogging, I think.
May 21, 2009 at 8:00 am
chili,
It is always good to hear from you, regardless of the format. When I go on my tour of the NorthEast, the chilis and the English Professor and Irene are my highest priority.
Dr. B
May 21, 2009 at 8:02 am
Hey Doc ,
That pride is a two way street ! We’re all tickled and proud to be your pal. You have a great love for , and knowledge of, the music and people.
One of the Very Good Guys , that’s our “Doc” !
Best Wishes,
Kenny Baker
May 21, 2009 at 8:19 am
Kenny,
So good to hear from you. My full time contract as a Doc expires in 2010. In 2011, I am going to semi-retire one more step and go part time. (I still can’t give up the Doc gig; too attached to my people) My wife and I want take three or four weeks a year to see the world before we get too old to go.
I hope my book will be a vehicle to get me around and jam with folks, so save one for me, someday I’m gonna get there.
Dr. B
May 21, 2009 at 8:46 am
You know you’ll be very welcome Doc !
May 21, 2009 at 8:50 am
Play hard Kenny. See you out on the bluegrass road. -Dr. B