Today we salute Marty Stuart, Country Music Hall of Famer, five-time Grammy-winner, and AMA Lifetime Achievement honoree, on his birthday.
As you know, I have been a fan of his since I was about 14 (He was 12.) I have seen him many times in concert.
Enjoy!
We made it to Jefferson City on Friday and the Marty Stuart concert was superlative! Our seats were front and center and we could really see everything. It wasn’t too hot and there was a nice breeze. Marty, Cousin Kenny, Handsome Harry and Chris Scruggs were rockin’. Before the concert we also managed to have a lovely and relaxing lunch at the Les Bourgeois Vineyard in Rocheport on the Missouri River.
Can’t do much better than that.
We spent the night in JC and then we drove to Boonville where we dropped daughter #1 off at a DAR Regent workshop. The OM and I then drove home where I went to a good estate sale at the kind of house I like best–one where someone has lived a long time and has a lot of stuff like my stuff. Best is when I can figure out whose house it was. (I did.) I usually find something. I got some books and a Christmas present.
We picked up Mr. Smith at the kennel, but it was pouring rain and he freaked out, becoming enraged by the windshield wipers. I talked him down from the ledge and we made it home, thankfully, without wrecking the car, and daughter #1 retrieved him after returning from her DAR workshop. He was happy to be back home again and at his post…
I went to Sunday School and church as usual where we had a trombone accompaniment (with piano) to our hymns, It was different, but surprisingly effective. I was also pleased to hear that my old colleague Abram Van Engen, the Stanley Elkin Professor in the Humanities and chair of the English department at my former flyover university, is going to give a talk at church in a couple of weeks about his new book, Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church. He is a fellow admirer of the Puritans. I ordered the book and look forward to reading it.
I watched Red River (1947). Did you? Walter Brennan won three Academy Awards, but he really deserved one for his portrayal of Nadine Groot. A terrific and layered performance. John Wayne is iconic and Montgomery Clift at the beginning of his career was never better.
Anne had a good take on the anti-Christian display and general debauchery at the opening of the Olympics with good links to other comments. “I like telling my 10 & 7 year-olds, “We’re skipping this because those are men dressed up like women” and seeing the look of revulsion on their faces. God’s created order is pretty straightforward to kids.” We’ll try to keep our sense of humor and as usual just turn off the telly, keeping in mind Romans 1:24-25.
Meanwhile we will be girding our loins and staying inside this week as we have this to look forward to…
Jealous of the boy and his fam who are in Hilton Head…
Have a good week! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Unlike the narrator of Moby-Dick, I have no great topic to write about today (see above quote), but only some odds and ends of my small life. But I do love that image of a condor’s quill.
Tomorrow the OM and daughter #1 and I are heading to Jefferson City (woohoo!) to see Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives in concert. While in town we will visit our favorite winery down there and other old haunts. I was pleased to see Marty visiting with Robert Duvall…
Speaking of Red River Valley, Saturday is the National Day of the Cowboy, so you will want to plan accordingly. We will toast my ancestor John Wesley Prowers and watch Red River (1948) which is our tradition.
If I was in Oklahoma City, I would, of course, go to the celebration the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum has planned, but we do what we can.
In other news, maybe you have noticed that there is nothing to watch on TV and, if you do watch–even streaming platforms–you are inundated with ads and more ads. And political ads. So the OM and I are watching (on DVD) the Hillsdale College series on WWII with Victor David Hanson. It is intellectually stimulating and the politics is 85 years old. After watching last night’s episode, we watched Operation Pacific (1951) with John Wayne as a submarine commander in WWII. Not the greatest movie ever, but entertaining and diverting. If I was in a submarine in WWII, I would want the Duke as my commander! (The freckle-faced kid below is Martin Milner of Adam-12 fame.)
Meanwhile here is something good to read about Mothering in today’s world. “Mothering is a fraught profession in the modern world. The stakes are high to do it right. If you’re going to ‘waste your intellect’, as my own mother so kindly put it, you’d better have exceptional children to show for it. Or at least a podcast.”
So learn something new, call your mother (or mother substitute), watch a cowboy movie, and listen to some good music:
Live for the glory of God and the good of others.
We were given a real treat last week when an old friend from my former flyover university offered me her tickets to the Marty Stuart concert at the Sheldon on Friday night. She and her husband are still “not comfortable” with going to venues with a big crowd, so her loss was our gain. We had to show our vax cards and wear a mask, so I’m not sure what the problem was, but whatever. Daughter #1 drove in from JC to go with us and drive. We made it downtown, despite missed exits and closed ramps, and managed not to detour to Illinois. Before the concert started, I sipped my wine so I didn’t have to have my mask up the whole time. It’s like waiting in the bar at the airport, where you don’t have to wear a mask. If you’re drinking, you can’t pass germs, right?
We had fourth row seats, so we had a great view of Marty and the Fabulous Superlatives, who were as always, superlative.
Marty and Handsome Harry Stinson have aged a bit like the rest of us, but they put on quite a show and the crowd was truly on fire. I have been a fan of Marty for 50 years (he’s been touring since he was 12) and we have seen Marty in concert four or five times (at least). This was the best ever. It was a super fun time.
On Saturday we went to a couple of estate sales and out to lunch and then embarked on a search in the basement for some vintage dresses for Katie to try on when she visits at Thanksgiving. Then we had our first fire of the season and listened to some LPs we purchased at the estate sale for 50 cents each.
We also FaceTimed with daughter #2 and Katie who has an ear infection and a runny nose but rallied and only disconnected us once. She can say, “Hi, Mam!” and kiss the screen. Brilliant.
On Sunday the boy dropped the wee twins off before church because he had to open his store and daughter #3 had to go to a craft show where she had a booth.
We had a little play time before heading to church where I was pleased to see them resist their depraved natures and behave. I had to laugh at Lottie, who exclaimed when a member of our newcomer class said hello, “I’m Lottie. L-O-T-T-I-E! With two “T’s!” After church we came home and ate bagels and creme cheese.
(“I just love this arctic seal.”)
(Reading the literally best book ever, “Cars and Trucks and Things that Go”)
In other news, this was interesting.
And I like this old prayer for the unconverted by Newman Hall (1816-1902) which Tim Challies shared:
We pray for those who do not pray!
Who waste away salvation’s day;
For those we love who love not Thee—
Our grief, their danger, pitying see.Those for whom many tears are shed
And blessings breathed upon their head,
The children of thy people save
From godless life and hopeless grave.Hear fathers, mothers, as they pray
For sons, for daughters, far away—
Brother for brother, friend for friend—
Hear all our prayers that upward blend.We pray for those who long have heard
But still neglect Thy gracious Word;
Soften the hearts obdurate made
By calls unheeded; vows delayed.Release the drunkard from his chain,
Bare those beguiled by pleasure vain,
Set free the slaves of lust, and bring
Back to their home the wandering.The hopeless cheer; guide those who doubt;
Restore the lost; cast no one out;
For all that are far off we pray,
Since we were once far off as they.
And this meme with Captain Holt is funny:
Have a good week!
Friday at last! We have had a rainy (but cooler) week here in flyover country with trees down and unfortunately quite a bit of flooding.
Weather does spice up our sad, isolated lives though. We have so few diversions, don’t we?
Today is the birthday of Steve Martin (born August 14, 1945) –American actor, comedian, author, filmmaker, and musician. I recently watched All of Me (1984) directed by Carl Reiner. It is pretty silly stuff, but I enjoyed it and there are several scenes that are masterfully done where Martin contends with his own body, which has been partially taken over by the Lily Tomlin character’s soul.
The OM was not amused, but when is he?
Sunday is the birthday of T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia (August 16, 1888 – May 19, 1935). Besides becoming famous for his role in the Arab Revolt, he was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer.
Well, I am happy to raise a toast to Steve and T.E.
They kind of resemble each other, don’t they?
And I’ll raise another glass to the wee babes who are going back to school!
And to Marty Stuart who will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame!
There’s always something to celebrate! Have a good weekend.
“Grace is the celebration of life, relentlessly hounding all the non-celebrants in the world. It is a floating, cosmic bash shouting its way through the streets of the universe, flinging the sweetness of its cassations to every window, pounding at every door in a hilarity beyond all liking and happening, until the prodigals come out at last and dance, and the elder brothers finally take their fingers out of their ears.” –Robert Farrar Capon, Episcopal priest, Between Noon and Three: Romance, Law and the Outrage of Grace
It is the last day of July. Baseball has (kind of) started and I can’t say I care much. But here’s a throwback from 1966 when our Big Brother was in 9th grade and played on the CODASCO “C” team.
They look so young. Our BB is in the front row, third from the right. His best friend is next to him in the middle of the row. He has at least 7 inches to grow! His other friend Mike is directly behind him (obscured) and had about a foot to grow! Such babes. Our brother played third base.
I remember going to see several Cardinals games at the old Busch Stadium with all three of those boys. It was always so much fun to be around them! Though pushing 70 now (!), they are still nice boys.
Well, besides looking nostalgically backwards, I have been reading more Lovejoy.
“Cheerful adversity is vaguely entertaining, but even friends steer clear of doom.”
(Gold By Gemini)
I also searched high and low for my copy of Knowing God, having read about the passing of J.I. Packer last week. I have yet to find by book, but I have read a lot about Packer and listened to an interesting interview with Packer and John Piper. Packer was an evangelical and a lifelong Anglican, someone with whom I can identify. He spent the first half of his life in England and the second half in Canada but was perhaps most popular in the United States. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential theological popularizers of the twentieth century. Like the Puritans he loved, Packer believed that the Christian faith is based on clear thinking while at the same time engaging the heart. According to Justin Taylor, he saw himself as “a voice that called people back to old paths of truth and wisdom.” His entire life was spent resisting the idea that “the newer is the truer, only what is recent is decent, every shift of ground is a step forward, and every latest word must be hailed as the last word on its subject.”
Knowing God was given to me in 1976 as a Christmas present by a young man at Williams College who was in a Bible study I attended. He was a little older than everyone because he had taken a year or two off to travel in Africa. He was certainly not your typical Williams student. He was the first person outside my family who recognized that I was perhaps spiritually deeper than the flakey chick most people saw. I’m not sure what became of Joe, but I’m pretty sure he was headed to divinity school. It is good to be reminded of such people–the ones who encourage and nudge you along the way.
Here’s some more pandemic musing which I found interesting.
And a poem by Stanley Kunitz:
End of Summer
An agitation of the air,
A perturbation of the light
Admonished me the unloved year
Would turn on its hinge that night.
I stood in the disenchanted field
Amid the stubble and the stones,
Amazed, while a small worm lisped to me
The song of my marrow-bones.
Blue poured into summer blue,
A hawk broke from his cloudless tower,
The roof of the silo blazed, and I knew
That part of my life was over.
Already the iron door of the north
Clangs open: birds, leaves, snows
Order their populations forth,
And a cruel wind blows.
Well, the fall term has started at my flyover institute, so we are really cooking now. Phew. Fall is here and the temperatures have finally dropped accordingly. The Cards clinched a play-off spot over the weekend and word is that Mike Matheny may be the new manager of the Kansas City Royals. Hmmm. I may have to start liking the Royals.
My quiet weekend turned very exciting when I found out that our friend Gary and his band, Colonel Ford, was opening for Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives at the Sheldon on Sunday night! Gary had extra tickets so I got to go and daughter #1 drove in from mid-MO on Sunday to accompany Becky and me. I took a long nap on Sunday afternoon so that I could stay up after my bedtime.
Colonel Ford did themselves proud…
…and Marty, along with Professor Scruggs, Cousin Kenny and Handsome Harry Stinson, were, of course, superlative…
We did not get to hang out in the Green Room–it was a school night after all–but it was a pleasure to see Marty again. He always puts on quite a show. And it was fun to get out and about for the first time in months!
P.S. I’m thinking young Marty had a real DN vibe going, right?
*Marty Stuart
Well, it’s that time of year again when the old Halloween pictures come out, much to the chagrin of some people. Here is a picture of daughter #1 (age 5) and the boy (not quite 3) in 1989. Daughter #1 is (yet again) a witch, wearing the costume my mother made for her a few years earlier. The boy is (of course) a super hero. He is happily wearing his sister’s leotard and tights and her old white snow boots, which he loved and wore frequently–and why not? They were the next best thing to cowboy boots. He is also wearing the Batman kerchief (as a cape) that he wore every day to school that year. Yes, the boy always displayed a unique personal style.
P.S. I also want to let you faithful readers know that the concert I went to on Friday night was possibly the best ever.
I have seen Dylan, Springsteen, Sting, Haggard, Knopfler, Lyle Lovett (several times), and Guster (to name a few), but Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives were awesome. It didn’t hurt that I was sitting in the fourth row of a smaller venue. But it was wonderful. Great musicians all, they were in fine voice and having fun. Priceless.
And earlier that evening the Cardinals beat the Braves!
My ship has come in. An email from a co-worker came around asking if anyone wanted 4 free tickets to see Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives on Friday night. I jumped. No one else probably knew who Marty is.
BUT YAHOO.
He’s been touring since he was twelve years old, and I’ve been a fan almost that long. For awhile Johnny Cash was his father-in-law. How cool is that?
Besides being a country music star and famous musician, Marty is a renowned collector of artifacts that represent the history and cultural heritage of country music. As such, he donated a treasure trove to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. “The costumes, the guitars, the set lists, the manuscripts that the Country Music Hall of Fame couldn’t get to out in the hinterlands, I simply bought and stored,” he said. “I still see it as American culture-and our culture, as country musicians.” A collector and a generous one. My hero.
Rock on, brother! I can’t wait to see you on Friday.
Here’s Marty on David Letterman’s show…Watch the whole thing and notice who the drummer is–Harry Stinson!
dual personalities 