I have made some fast friendships with some of those now more than mature people and even still, while playing locally at area nursing homes and other senior facilities, I meet up with former students who happen to be visiting a parent while I am there.
When I realized in 1976 that I had lost my original enthusiasm for teaching, I also knew that I refused to be one of those teachers who, although, "burned out", continued on for as long as necessary to draw a good retirement.
I have always loved performing both music and comedy for people as I find it extremely rewarding and feel that over the years I have honed my craft enough that even though I am now on the down side of my 70's, I still have something to offer.
I cherish the opportunities that have been afforded me by my wonderful wife and partner, Kim Wilson, who works many hours to keep me booked into various senior centers as it is not only still very rewarding to me, but it is also a way for me to express my thanks to the Chippewa Valley and beyond for allowing me to spend time with all the people I have been accepted by and taken from over the past thirty some years.
when people ask me why I am playing at senior centers, I kiddingly tell them that I am just following my fans, rather than having them attempt to follow me.
I have also been very blessed to have had opportunities to open for some of the biggest names in the music industry, but two stand out best in my memory. The first opportunity I had to be an opening act for someone was for Emmy Lou Harris at the UWEC Field House, lo, those many years ago.
As I said, it was my first, and wouldn't you know, I committed a faux pas that I learned from immediately. My half hour warm up went well. The crowd kept applauding and wanting me to do more; a cardinal sin for an opening act! But I was an ignorant small town guy who didn't know that rule and went back on and did one more novelty tune.
As I went back through the darkness behind the stage, who should I come face to face with, but Emmy Lou! She, being a really classy lady as well as a class act, extended her hand and said: "Thank you. You did very well. The audience really enjoyed you." She could have and most others would have, rebuked me for what I had done.
I recently saw her on The Big Interview with Dan Rather and was struck by how similar her attitudes toward life are with my own. I love her to this day and always will.
Some years ago, (when you get to my age, everything is some years ago), I received a telephone call from Perla Batalla's Midwest booking agent, Andrea Hansen, who explained that she was good friends with a mutual friend, Dr. Judy Sims, of UWEC, and had asked her if she knew anyone that she could consider using as an opening act for Perla, as an Eau Claire stop would fill a gap between performances, and, thankfully, Dr. Sims recommended me.
Perla was performing at The Stone's Throw and would be arriving by rented car with her backup duo nmusicians, around 3 PM, so I wanted to be sure to meet her and do a sound check.
As soon as I met Perla, I was immediately struck by her warmth and openness. I remember her remarking, having just flown in from California, how, on the trip over from Minneapolis, she was just really taken with how green and beautiful western Wisconsin is.
Knowing from my own experience as a road performer, just how monotonous staying in hotels night after night is, I took a chance and asked Perla and Andrea if they would be interested in staying out in the country at my "office" bungalow, as I would love to make them one of my home made pizzas after the show, and they graciously accepted my offer.
Perla's performance, was stunning. It only convinced me further that she was a very warm and open person, not in the least haughty, as many can be. After watching her perform, we came out here in separate vehicles, I think, but this is hazy; Think that I left a bit early to get the pizza stone heated and to get started with the dough for a pizza Margherita.
It was a very special evening for me and after saying good night, I asked what time they would like to be up and that I would make them Popovers for breakfast. Imagine my dismay when months later, when I found out that Perla's husband, Claud Mann, is a world class chef, who at one time hosted the TBS program "Thursday Night: Dinner and a Movie", on which he prepared fascinating recipes during the running of a film. I was a big fan! Had I known, I would never have had the cojones to suggest baking for Perla! (I also found out at her concert at Cedar Avenue Cultural Ccenter that her mother is an incredible cook.)
That was the last I saw of her in person, but she has kept in touch with me both in e mails and she sends me her newest CD's, autographed. During our correspondence I would continually ask when she would be returning to Wisconsin and at one point was negotiating with Big Top Chataqua, but that fell through.
I made certain I was own her mailing list and watched closely for an appearance any where near us. When she released her CD saluting the music of Leonard Cohen, with whom she traveled the world over as one of two back up singers, she again, sent me copy, which I played over and over. I was really taken by "Bird On a Wire" which every time I listened to her sing it, gave me goose bumps.
She let me know that she was appearing with Leonard on The David Letterman Show, and although, most of the time, understandably, the cameras were focused on Mr. Cohen, I did get glimpses of Perla.
Then early this past September I found out that she was scheduled to perform at the Cedar Cultural Center, Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis, and I immediately ordered tickets on line, the kind that you print out so you have a hard copy immediately. Kim, at the time, was in New York City with her sister, Kristi, and our two good friends, Wes McClain and Bill Peisert, taking in Broadway shows, including Kim's all time favorite, Bette Midler, in Hello, Dolly.
The week before Perla's October 5th performance, I went searching the net for a very good Jewish Deli where we could celebrate Leonard Cohen's heritage, but could find nothing close by. So I decided we would try LaFresca, an upscale "Mexican" restaurant whose chef, trained in South American cuisine, as well as French cooking in Paris, and served dishes combining the two cuisines, celebrating Perla's Chicana heritage instead.
we left early so that we could have a leisurely dinner before the 7:30 performance. It wasn't until just after eating a fantastic dinner, while Kim had left for the ladies room, that I suddenly thought about whether we had remembered to bring the tickets!
Kim returned to the table and could tell something was on my mind. I said: "I'm afraid to ask you this: Did you remember the tickets, because I didn't until just now!" Her answer: "What tickets?" Just after she got back from NYC, still burdened with unpacking, etc, we talked about where to put the printouts so that they would be safe and we would remember where they were.
But neither of us did! Senior moment? So we fretted our way to the Cedar Cultural Center, making wrong turns most of the way, fighting parking lot ticket machines, but still managed to be inside by 7:20PM.
I explained to the lady at the ticket table that we had bought tickets online but forgot them. she asked whose name they were under, pulled out a spread sheet, went looking for the "H" section, and said: "Yes, here you are. two tickets purchased back in September." Sighs of relief.
Perla was magnificent, as usual, accompanied by her pianist, Michael Sobie, a very talented musician as well as an occasional harmony voice. What made the entire evening more special was that she took the time between songs to fully explain how and when Leonard had written them.
I was, of course, holding my breath, waiting for "Bird on a Wire" and when she told the audience how she came to first perform it on her own, it became very clear to me why I had considered the song so very outstanding to me.
Leonard was throwing a party and asked her to sing it at the party. Perla immediately rejected the idea as she has so much respect for his works and didn't think she would do it justice. But Leonard insisted that she at least give it some thought.
So a week or so before the party, she decided, just for Leonard, to give it a try, with her husband, Claud, accompanying on guitar.
Perla told us that after a week's practice she realized that she CAN sing it! She told Claud: "You know, I feel like I own this song." Claud's reply: "No, Perla, that song owns you." She sang it and brought tears to this old man's eyes.
It was an evening that no description I would provide would do justice. Kim and I talked about it much of the way home and still the next day.
If you would like to hear her perform, please call the Cedar Avenue Cultural Center, Minneapolis @ (612) 338-2674. Perla told me that if enough people call and ask when she will be returning, the possibility will be much more likely.
No comments:
Post a Comment