‘Lectric Silver and Still Slidin’ Along
Yesterday was one of those days when your people make you feel a bit younger. One of my office staff young’uns told me my hair wasn’t gray but electric silver. Come Monday I’m gonna nominate her for “Employee of the Month.”
We spent the day at the Darin and Brooke Aldridge Music festival. Here’s the address: 5799 Coot Williams Rd. • Cherryville NC 28021. It’s the destination of the day for music lovers in North Carolina, the Eastern Seaboard, and parts unknown.
The festival opened with a golf tournament yesterday. Darin and Brooke teamed up with me and Munro the Stockbroker, a veteran of the old J.C. Goosie Space Coast mini-tour. Trust me, he can still play. It was a pretty day with a slight breeze; when the chill knocked off around 11:00 we dug up some game in our souls and found a bit of magic. Much fun.
I’ve got two sets at the festival today. It’s out in the country but you can’t miss it. Our GPS lady had no trouble at all, She’s French, and quite cosmopolitan, but got into the hot music, chili, coffee like she’d been hanging out with us all her life. Bluegrass ain’t nothing but a big family reunion. Y’all come join us.
There’ll be some great bands out there today, and I’m gonna play too. What I lack in talent I’ll make up for in enthusiasm. You won’t know the difference unless you’re an expert. You can’t miss me either; I’m the doc with one green and one blue eye, the world’s only physician bluegrass fiction writer; the old pro bubble tester and semi-serious mandolinist. Deep down inside I’m still the same kid who showed up at Sandhills and said I wanted to be a doctor ’cause I was good with books and wanted to help people.
They looked at me and said, “They all say that. Are you for real?”
If I interviewed today I’d say the same thing. I haven’t changed at all. As my daughter says, “Daddy, some things never change and you’re one of ’em.” My hair might be ‘lectric silver but I’m still sliding along the same old way.
Here’s some websites to check out: www.darinandbrookealdridge.com and also www.catawbavalleymusicrevival.com
Y’all come shake and howdy.
Dr. B
Tags: bluegrass festival
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Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
April 2, 2011 at 5:37 am
Dr. B.–sounds like a great time! If I still lived in NC I’d be there! (miss it every day!) And I hope you don’t mind me sayin’ this but….rock that electric silver hair!
April 2, 2011 at 6:49 am
KC (reminds me of The Sunshine Band),
We’ll send one out to ya anyway kid. (excused absence) Have a good’un. Yeah the old folks at home are gonna rock on.
Dr. B
April 2, 2011 at 5:40 am
Hi Ole ‘Lectric Silver, A great day had by all yesterday. See you out at Coot Williams. Looking forward to the pickin’.
April 2, 2011 at 6:51 am
Irene,
Yesterday folks from as far away as New Hampshire and Mississippi told me they had a great time,so I count opening day as a huge success.
Dr. B
April 2, 2011 at 4:02 pm
hey Dr.B
sounds like ya have some fun!
maybe some day we will get ya play,at one of them festival
oh and thanks for leaving a comment on my blog!
take care
April 3, 2011 at 6:13 am
Jel,
We had a ball. Some nice work over there on your blog friend.
Dr. B
April 2, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Hope you had a good time and wowed the crowd…
April 3, 2011 at 6:14 am
Cindy,
You know, I think my playing reassures more than it wows. Sometimes I hear “Isn’t it sweet they let the old people play too?” That’s the bluegrass way.
Dr. B
April 3, 2011 at 9:04 am
The great thing about getting older is that we decide who we are and what we want out of life..and then we don’t have to change at all…so don’t change! Great post.
April 3, 2011 at 9:40 am
C.D.H.
Ain’t that the truth! You get comfortable in your own skin as you go along.
Dr. B