september 30, 2016

“The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.”
~ Henry Miller

You’ve not met Larry Adams yet. I’ve known him for as long as I can remember because he’s from up around Cannel City. He was my art teacher in High School. All four years I refused to take typing and other elective courses just so I could take his art classes. He was overseer of the yearbook staff my Senior year (on which I was a photographer). But what was most formative for me as a teenager was that he let me be in his band(s). Adams, as he is simply known, is an excellent musician. He especially loved Waylon Jennings. He plays a Waylon tele, adopted his fashion style, and has that same cool demeanor Waylon, and Willie, and the boys had. Adams had all that style and talent long before Waylon became popular, however. I’m not sure how many people remember that about him. Adams was one of the most important figures in my raising, which I doubt he’s aware of, and even if he was, he’d play it down because he’s a pretty humble man. I ran into Adams on my way out of Pickin’ In the Park. I had someone get his attention, so when he turned around it was like the paparazzi had arrived. Pretty funny stuff. We didn’t speak. We didn’t have to. I shot, he smiled and tipped his hat to me. That was all that needed doing. Today, I learned that one of our old bass players, and his former teaching colleague, Gary Holbrook, died. We didn’t play but a few gigs together. They neither one made a fuss over my gender, and that’s good people right there. I owe Adams a debt of thanks for teaching me so much, and I hope that Gary’s playing a great tune right now. I’m grateful for all of it.

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