Fly My Away

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“NEXT TO THE WORD OF GOD, THE NOBLE ART OF MUSIC
IS THE GREATEST TREASURE IN THE WORLD.”
Martin Luther
One of the greatest things in my life was taking my music to another level. Most may have never heard me or have seen me perform. I had the good fortune to be accepted into a group of people that accepted my music and treated me as another practitioner of an art that reaches millions of people.
The fact that I am writing this right now is that the Western Music Association Festival is on in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was an event that I lived for every year. What hurts so much is that due to my health I cannot make the 11 hour drive (or train trip) down there and back.
I was the original Vice President of the WMA – Kansas Chapter since Ray Amerine and Johnny Western organized it. I retired last year because I just could not keep up with the things I felt I should do as chapter officer. But this does not still mean my heart is not there.
My CD was produced by Jim Farrell of Jim Farrell Studios and the back up was the guys from the Diamond W Wranglers. This is so gratifying that Jim could take this old singer and make something to be proud of. But what is better yet is the friendship. Just like all other members of the WMA there is a real sense of family and to keep the genre of Western Music and Cowboy Poetry alive and growing.
I am not able to take the stage anymore and my voice is hurt by the C-pap that I use to sleep with.  But my friends in the WMA still act as though I an ready to jump up and sing a song.
If you listen to the news it is so easy to become angry and resentful over what is going on in today’s world. It was always a great relief to be together and listen to each other perform. The highlights for me beyond the around the clock jamming, was the youngsters. There is a whole crop of kids that have grown up and new ones coming behind them. It gives me no end of satisfaction that years ago a young performer was walking around shy with her guitar and hanging out at the edge of a jam session. After 3 rounds I said to her to get in here, it is your turn. That girl has won several awards for best female, entertainer, and many others in the association and others. In fact she will be on RFD TV Nov. 12 at the Pro Cowboy Entertainers award show wining her award. Krystin Harris was 14 at the time. She is 21 now and has performed in Europe twice and all over the country.
This is a mixed week for me since so many friends are up for awards and I cannot be there to share with them. They know I am there in spirit. In the mean time I still have to get the book manuscript revisions in and work on getting healthy again.
No matter how bad one feels it is always humbling to set in a doctors lobby and see how many have it worse than I do. Music, work, and sharing with you makes for a good life. Just limited.
‘Gimme the beat boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your cowboy song and drift away’

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