Reviews

1) Russ Tarby 9/17/97 (Debut WIXT Ch.9 News Show)
2/25/99 Idle Chatter
2) By Joe DeChick 10/97 Contributing writer for the Syracuse Newspapers club Notes (Performance)
3) By Larry Hoyt 7/23/97 Syracuse New Times "Song writers Shine at Styleens"(Performance)
4) --Charlene Blevins 2/97 Freelance Writer Nashville, TN ("The Rhythm Of Life")
5) By Dan Auston 6/15/95 Observer Dispatch "Nightlife"( "Barely Alive" Volume 1)
6) By Charlene Blevins 4/95 Freelance Writer Nashville, TN (Barley Alive Volume 1)
7) Larry Hoyt 6/97 Syracuse New Times "The Rhythm of life"
8) Mark Bialczak 10/97 Syracuse Newspaper ("Moving South")

3)--Charlene Blevins 2/97 ,Freelance Writer Nashville, TN

97 CD Release Of "The Rhythm Of Life"

I'm a slow learner. It took me six listens to this record to get it. Not that I didn't love it right off the bat; I did. I just didn't GET it - and didn't even know it. Me! A music lover, a music critic, for God's sake. You'd think that living in "Music City USA" would further open my ears to the offering of music as it reveals itself, note by riff by inflective rhythm. Instead, I began to think about sequence, genre, stylistic contrast. The Paul songs and the Billy songs. Paulie's nimble fingers and edge and blues and beatific ballads; Billy's pleading, pleasing pop, exacting tenor and that gorgeous - forgive me - Lanois patois. And Ah! Case and Davidson come together in those great harmonies and, oh, there's one of those articulate leads over that driving rhythm. Those mercurial Monsters... stirring Cerra sax...provocative production...love that B-3 and, well, you get the picture.

. . .Then, one evening, grace and clarity descended upon me and in the quiet and dim, I HEARD it. Intuition and intellect, fear and hope, earth and heaven, creative and receptive. Opposites attract and fuse, make the whole and contain each other, and create motion. Rhythm. Polaric forces, constantly interacting and creating, through their perpetual movement, a balance. Yin and Yang.

. . .I had to laugh at my silly self. Education in the business of music clouding the heart to hear. That's what's wrong with this damn town, anyway: too much business and not enough music. (Open UP your heart!) Here, each anthem is a story, a chapter, a movement in the larger symphony of a life - of two lives, four, ten thousand? - lived and felt. Themes of desire, hope, pain, holding on and letting go, vision and reflection, of taking a stand and celebration and dreams and hope again - always hope - and, if not a call to life, then a by-God honest expression of it. Here, we are given a gift: an eclectic bouquet, the disparity of each melodic lotus transcended by a subtle unity honoring the individual and giving breath to the whole, celebrating the difference and the strength of the Yin, the Yang. Case and Davidson. One and One.
. . .Consider this: "We often think that when we have completed our study of one we know all about two because 'two' is 'one and one.' We forget that we still have to make a study of 'and.'"
. . .Here's our lesson in the blessed 'and.' And bless these boys for being Yin and Yang, which is, after all, The Rhythm of Life

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2)By Joe DeChick 10/97
Contributing Writer

Duo Love Summers In CNY
Club Notes

Some Central New York clubs are seasonal. They are strictly warm-weather, next-to-a-lake places where you wouldn't dream of sipping a tall cool one in mid February. Some bands are seasonal, too, blowing in and out of town like the weather. One of the area's most popular summer-months acts is Case & Davidson.For the eighth year, the Pop-rock duo of Paul Case and Billy Davidson is splitting its time between home bases of Old Forge (May to October) and Islamorada, Fla.( November to April).It was a Florida club owner who suggested Sylvan Beach native Case and North Syracuse native Davidson drop their solo acts and team up.The chemistry has proven just right. "He's the blues guy and I'm the pop dude," Davidson says. "Put together, it works. "During winter, Case & Davidson work exclusively at The Lorelei in the Florida Keys."It's an outdoors gig and we've got it made, actually," says Davidson, who, like Case, sings and plays guitar. "We work three days a week, from 5 to 9 p.m."During summer, the duo labors harder, playing throughout upstate New York. Its primary Salt City home is the Beginning II, on Route 290 East in East Syracuse. "I like what they do and I like how they do it - and they're Loyal guys," says Beginnings II owner Mike Krajacic. "Whenever they play In here, it's just a really great night"Indeed, Case & Davidson fans and groupies crowded the Beginnings II last Thursday. They 'were treated to covers such as Clarence Carter's soulful "Slip Away" and Randy Newman's slyly sexual "You Can Leave Your Hat On."Even more interesting were songs off their new studio album, "The Rhythm of Life," recorded at East Syracuse's Penguin Studio. A live highlight was the albums lead track, the Davidson penned "Don't Say Goodbye."It featured (as on the record) the driving saxophone of Syracusan Paulie Cerra. Cerra, on break from his work with Chicago bluesman Jimmy Johnson, is playing with the duo on selected dates Case & Davidson returns to The Beginning II Thursday, then Aug. 21,Sep. 4 and 18,and Oct 2. The duo plays from 9:30pm. to 130 a.m., and there is no cover charge. Also, the boys of summer 'will team with Mark Macri (another "Rhythm of Life" guest) for one show as a trio, Sept.26 at Gleason's Grill, 317 N. Salina St., in Syracuse.Although it's a bit farther afield, Joel's Steakhouse in Verona will host the duo on Sept. 1 ~ and 20. And Case 'will get to play before a hometown crowd twice more this season: Aug. ~ 10 and 24 at Harpoon Eddie's in Sylvan Beach. Both shows are 2 to 6p.m.

THE SYRACUSE NEWSPAPERS

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Songwriters shine at Styleens -By Larry Hoyt Syracuse New Times 7/23/97

If Syracuse ever lays legitimate claim to being a "music town,"' it will be due in no small measure to extraordinary nights of musical collaboration similar to the July 15 Singer-Songwriter Showcase at Styleens Rhythm Palace. The combination of talents-songwriters Doug Moncrief, Paul Case, Billy Davidson, Mark Macri, Paul Angerosa, Jon Liebing and Jeff Bradbury-presented in the round, .made for a truly memorable night filled with superb vocals and stellar musicianship.

With Styleens air conditioner turned on high, the audience of I50 music lovers sat comfortably-around the songwriters' circle, with a few dozen more fans enjoying the well-amplified tunes as they mulled about in Styleen's open-air courtyard. "This is just great night of music," enthused Soundcheck host WAQX'FM 95X deejay Dave Fricina, who commented on the show along with other attentive club-goers including Johny Vegas, lead singer Keith Calveric and guitarist Mike Shimshack.

One incendiary high-five jam coalesced during Davidson's intoxicating song "Cynthia," with drummer Robbie Spagnoletti sitting in on tambourine and Paul Cerra turning up the heat on alto sax. For sheer vocal passion, it'd be hard to beat Macri's soulful projection on "Die Trying:' with guitarists Case and Angerosa both lighting up the entire night through inspired acoustics leads.

Moncrief's country-ish tune, "Will you be there?," sounded like the Eagles revisited with his talented ensemble of vocalists adding goose-bump harmonies. Bradbury's inspirational 'Lucky Stars" shone as a brilliant ballad, while Liebing delivered a crowd-pleasing rendition of "'Love is not a sexual thing" that outdid the studio track recorded on his recent CD I'm Through Here. "This really sucks:' Liebing said sarcastically "because I can't afford to take these guys on the road with me"'

"Are we having fun yet?" Moncrief asked the appreciative crowd. 'Do you wanna do this again?"' The answers of course, are yes and yes.

-Larry Hoyt

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3) By DAN AUSTIN
Special to the Observer-Dispatch

Nightlife
Case & Davidson release
"Cover album"

..While Case' & Davidson can't take credit for composing any of the songs on their new CD release "Barely Alive," they can be commended for creating an album that is truer to the spirit and essence of the entertaining duo than perhaps anything the two have previously recorded. "A lot of people said, 'We like your originals, but how about a tape of the live show, of what you do?"' explains Billy Davidson, offering up one half of the explanation for the new CD of covers following so closely last summer's original CD release "Earth Songs." The other half of the story, according to Davidson, is that he and partner Paul Case are well on their way to recording yet another original album, potentially due out next summer. "Barely Alive," was recorded during three nights of live performances this past February and March at The Lorelei, the Florida Keys club on the island of Islamorada that has become Case & Davidson's winter home for several years. Recorded and mixed by Central New York native and current Miami studio operator Robyn Fear, the 15 songs make up something of a "greatest hits" collection from the two acoustic artists, who together are musical masters at finding their own inspiringly identifiable sound from sources as diverse as B.B. King and Timbuk 3.Opening with the Subdudes' "Bye Bye," John Hiatt's "Real Fine Love," and a reggae version of Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good," the album moves easily through selections from Stephen Stills, Lyle Lovett, Robbie Robertson, Aaron Neville and others. before coming to a raucous close with a six-minute-plus version of Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken." Joining Case & Davidson on the album are saxophonist Willie Williams and harp-man Jimmy Lozar, along with Robbie Spagnoletti and Jimmy Fricano, a.k.a. "The Rhythm Monsters," whose prerecorded drum and bass arrangements ware well-known to area audiences as well as those in Florida .The collection is strong and substantial, but the apparent ease of recording a live project such as this did not come without work and worries. "Part of me was saying, 'it won't sound good live,' and part of me was saying 'it won't capture the ~ recalls Davidson. "But all that was put to rest. It really did turn out the way we wanted." Perhaps the most important element of the album is the essence it captures. Maybe it's nothing more than the ocean breeze that was sure to be blowing when the microphones were turned on, but however it happened, when sifting and listening to this collection one can't help but feel the perpetual party atmosphere of the Keys. It's the same spirit that Case & Davidson consistently bring home with them to Central New York every summer, only now they've brought it back on CD.

"Barely Alive," will be available at every Case & Davidson show this summer, including this Sunday night with Jon Liebing and Mark Macri sitting in at Cavallo's in New Hartford. There is no admission charge.

Dan Austin's column, covering clubs and music in area clubs, appears Fridays. Materials can be sent to:

Nightlife, Living Dept.,Observer-Dispatch, 221, Oriskany, NY 13501.

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4)Charlene Blevins, freelance writer
On the release of

"Barely Alive" vol. 1

The original title of this record was supposed to be "Take Cover." Then one day while we were trying to figure out how to explain that the rhythm section is actually recorded live in the studio by the Rhythm Monsters, and is played back on A-DAT during Paul & Billy's live performances, Paul said, "Hey, it's like we're 'barely alive'..." The laughter subsided but the name stuck, After all, it's that very brand of twisted humor that is so much a part of Case & Davidson 'live.'

Their music is described as "adult contemporary alternative." I call it Americana: rock, blues, pop, folk. Current pop covers worthy of their remarkable interpretive energy. Classic oldies that speak to them, that mean something: The Good Stuff That they do covers Ls no mystery; that they do them so well, with a spirit that honors the writer and the song itself is a source of joy to all who are fortunate enough to find themselves wherever they make their magic.

Individually, these boys are blessed with talent Billy's voice is a true, great, bell-clear tenor. It's one of those voices you want to climb up on, lay back and let it carry you into the ethers where a choir of angels is surely singing along, Paul's talent with the six string is just as ethereal. Sometimes his nimble fingers dig so far down into a groove you think he's never going to get out; that he's got to drop a note in this breathless picking pace. But he continues on with grace and agility and suddenly you find yourself back at verse and you wish you could go where he is. This is why Case & Davidson pack them in at the Lorelei, and at clubs 2,000 miles north; not only do they feel these songs when they perform them, they make you feel them too. Good news came in the early stages of mixing this. "Char, " said Billy on the phone one night, breathless, I imagine, from a heart-pumping mixing session, "add 'Volume One' to the cover. So, wherever you are, put this on the stereo and turn it up really loud. Imagine you are under an indigo sky, stars popping out to greet you. A deep orange glow hugs the horizon, The sea surrounds and comforts you and a gentle breeze whispers across your sun-baked body. Do you feel barely alive?

Songs Included On "Barely Alive" Volume 1

1. Bye Bye (John Magnie) 1991 Almo Music Corp./Lick Skillet Music ASCAP (3:21)
2. Real Fine Love (John Hiatt) 1990 Lillybilly Pub., (Adm. by Bug Music} BMI (4:20)
3.Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry) 1958 Isalee Music, BMI (5:06)
4.Shaky Ground (J.Bowen, E. Haze, A. Boyd) 1974 Jobetto Music Co., Inc. (4:28)
5.I Ain't ever satisfied (Steve Earle) 1987 Gold Mine Music, Inc., (3:55)
6.Fair Game (Stephen Stills) 1977 Gold Hill Music, Inc., ASCAP (4:28)
1. If I Had A Boat (Lyle Lovett) Micheel H. Golden, Inc./Lyle Lovett, ASCAP (3:30)
8. The Weight (J. R. Robertson) Dwarf Music, BMI (6:06)
9.Sweet home Chicago (Johnson) BMI (4:05)
10. Not Fade away (Petty/Hardin) 1957 Wren Music, BMI (5:08)
11. The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King) Power Force/Careers Music, BMI (4:38)
12. This Ole Cowboy (Toy Caldwell) 1974 AJK Music, BMI (6:18)
13. Yellow Moon (Aaron Neville, Joel Neville) Neville Music/Apache Red
Music, (Adm. by Irving Music) (4:42)
14. The Future's so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades(Patrick McDonald, 1986 Mabadadi Music, BMI (3:00)
15. Dixie Chicken (George/Martin) 1973 Naked Snake Music, ASCAP (6:54)

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Channel 9 Embraces Local Music --Russ Tarby

When WIXT-Channel 9's late-night news producer Bob Pearce traveled down to the Florida Keys last winter, he heard a talented duo playing rock'n'roll, sounding like an entire band. To Pearce's surprise, the two guitarists turned out to be Central New Yorkers: Paul Case and Billy Davidson.

"I went a thousand miles to discover two guys who've been playing for years in my own back yard," Pearce said. "I'd kind of grown weary of the rock scene here, but Case and Davidson renewed my faith in music."

The revival was so strong that Pearce set out to establish a regular feature on Syracuse-area recording artists, and it debuted Sept. 11 on Channel 9's 11 p.m. news show. Hosted by reporter Stephanie Nazzaro, the first "Central New York Music Scene" feature--now airing every Thursday night--focused on Case and Davidson. They were videotaped during a recording session at Jamesville's Lakewood Studio.

Encouraged by Case and Davidson's professionalism, Pearce took a closer look at the Syracuse scene and was amazed by the abundance of quality compact discs recorded by local artists. "Now I truly believe that there's enough happening locally to sustain this kind of feature," the producer said. "We'll be focusing on artists who have a CD out, so our viewers can participate by going out and buying the record, or by going out to see them play live."

In addition to presenting a biographical sketch and short interview with the musicians, the WIXT feature will inform viewers where they can find the CDs and where the act will be performing. Upcoming "Central New York Music Scene" subjects include Syracuse songwriter Jeff Bradbury playing music from his CD Inspiration on the 11 p.m. Sept. 18 broadcast and Liverpool tunesmith Danny Holmes performing songs from his CD Cool Beans on Sept. 25. Artists who would like to be considered by Channel 9 should send a CD and promo package to Bob Pearce, WIXT-TV, 5904 Bridge St., East Syracuse 13057.

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"The Rhythm of Life" by Larry Hoyt Syracuse New Times 6/97

On the 12-song CD The Rhythm of Life, Paul Case and Billy Davidson capture a variety of life's rhythms, from the murmur of "Before It's Too Late" to the introspective "Say Good Things About Me" to the funky strut of "Stereo" to the gentle but sensuous reggae groove of the disc's superlative title track.

On this song, Case, Davidson and their heartbeat rhythm section "The Rhythm Monsters" (drummer Robbie Spagnoletti and bassist Jimmy Fricano) work a magical Caribbean feel, similar to one that helped propel Orleans, another band with upstate New York roots, into the national spotlight in the Seventies. C&D's more recent mix of Caribbean rhythms and pop rock-adorned with seamless harmonies and soulful sax from Paul Cerra and piano and organ support from Li'I Georgia Rossi- proves nearly irresistible, propelled by the breezy marimba of Steve Mellow and the syncopated percussion of Julius Williams. The positive message of Case’s lyrics likewise deserve praise "Open up, don't you hide/ Open the door, let a friend inside/ Open up, and lose your strife/ You can find your heart in the rhythm of life"

The disc boasts several other highlights among them the easy going feel of their cover of "Jolie Louise" Daniel Lanois cautionary tale of love and regret , and the livelier pop-rock bounce of the opening track, Davidson’s 'Don't Say Goodbye:, In that tune' Davidson's clear tonal voice sings a lovers plea for forgiveness and understanding: "I know we've had our ups and downs/ But we can go another round/ We've been so long together/ There's no storm that we can't weather:' Studio guest Jon Liebing contributes an expressive electric lead guitar break on the invigorating "Did You Think It Would Be Easy:' while multitalented recording engineer Steve Feldman lays down some six-string tracks on the Feldman-produced "Here on the Edge" (dig the spacey into). The disc's other II tracks were produced by Case & Davidson at Feldman's Penguin Studio in East Syracuse from September 1995 to September 1996. Having recently migrated north from their annual winter retreat to the Florida Keys, Case & Davidson will play numerous Central New York gigs over the summer months. They can be contacted through their Web site (http://www.caseanddavidson.com) or by phone (315-454-9618) or e-mail @noclues225@aol.com or mail to(P0. Box 778, Old Forge 13420).

by Larry Hoyt Syracuse New Times 6/97

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Music Notes By Mark Bialczak Syracuse Newspaper 10/3/97

Case & Davidson move on south

Fans of Central New York folk- rock mainstays Case & Davidson don't have too much time left before the duo heads south for its annual winter pilgrimage to the Florida Keys.
Paul Case and Billy Davidson perform songs from their new disc "The Rhythm of Life", and more at 9 p.m. today at The Good Life in Camden, 9p.m. Saturday 1st at The Crow's Nest in Seneca Lake,and next weekend at Daiker's Inn in Old Forge. Then they're off for the warmth and winter's worth of gigs at the Lorelei in Islamorada, Florida.
The good news is- especially for fans who don't go down for a fix of heat and Case &.Davidson during the winter - the duo is working on another new disc at Ron DeRollo's Lakewood Studio in Jamesville.
Among the Central New York all-star cast to appear on the new one are bunch of C&D regular cohorts: Jon Liebing on guitar, Mark Doyle on bass, Rob Spagnoletti on drums, Bill Barry on Hammond B-3 organ, Andy Rudy on keyboards and Julius Williams on percussion.

By Mark Bialczak Syracuse Newspaper 10/3/97

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2/25/99 Idle Chatter Syracuse New Times

Recent Regional Rock Releases

Case and Davidson are busy playin' up a storm down in the Florida Keys, the way they do every winter, but they've left a 17-song set on CD for their many fans here in snowy Central New York. The new album, Barely Alive Volume II, "Take Cover" (CD Records), features the dual guitar work of Paul Case and Billy Davidson along with The Rhythm Monsters and the Without-a-Paddle Horns. Tunes include Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On," and Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin.'" "These cover songs are songs we wish we wrote," Case and Davidson write in the CD liner notes, "and if we did, we'd be dancin' naked in Tahiti and not struggling to find executive producers to help finance our recording habit!" Contact their Web site www.CaseandDavidson.com, call their hot line at 454-9618, or write them at P.O. Box 1932, Islamorada, Florida Keys 33036. They'll be there through April.

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Concert/Tour Schedule, / Biography / Info on Venues / The Florida Keys / Current Projects / Lyrics / Favorite Sites / Ordering/Mailing List / Photos for the fridge / Discography / Merchandise / Can we talk? / News ,Blues & Reviews / Flyfishing / The Adirondacks / Songlist /Home Sweet Home/

Copyright 1998 All rights reserved
Created by Billy Davidson

Last revised: June 27, 2001

Case and Davidson’s “West Tour Journal” Volume I-VIII

The Case and Davidson 1999 Summer Journal (1st installment)

5/12/99

This is the 1st installment of a “Journal” that I conceived when we, I.E. “Case and Davidson” decided to take this western journey. This might be very boring for you, which I understand completely. It’s more for myself “my very first journal” then for any other reason. This trip didn’t make much sense right from the start “No Gigs”, makes no sense financially “Even less $”, but makes all the sense when it comes to doing things the way we’ve being doing, living our lives during these last 9 years. A tour of these United States of America makes all the sense in the world when we could rest on our laurels “Asses” and cash in. A challenge has always the better route. It worked on our European tour and our Jamaican tour as well. My bright idea is to buy a RV (Recreation Vehicle) so I don’t have to be without my little family any more as I travel. After many months of study with trips to many South Florida RV centers I first discover, as I always do, that I’m not qualified for a loan. It seems the banks are still leery of hippie musicians who happen to be fortunate to afford this humongus 28-ft. Allegro Bay. After our final show on Monday it becomes apparent we are not only not ready to leave Tuesday Morning (Iguana Grabbers Hangover) that a RV might not be in the picture. Finally we leave Wednesday morning at 4 AM to Tampa for one last crack at the RV before we have to be in Nashville. Amazingly enough this place called “Lazy Days RV Supercenter” puts the deal together and we’re on a 700-mile trek that afternoon. With our 1st stop in northern Tennessee at what turns out to be this beautiful house located on the side of a cliff that looks out over a vista of many miles of mountain ranges. The only problem is we have to be there the next day at 4:00 p.m. Luckily we arrive on time (They are an hour behind, central time) and everything works out fine. This gig was booked because our friend and Sax Player Willie Williams (Diamonds in the sand) was best man at this wedding, These folks had us play a small party the night before the wedding and the following day for the actual wedding. Everything went off without a “Hitch” and we left after the weekend. 5/15/99 The trip is becomes more intriguing just after this first week as we head through The Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Even though we’ve been through them many time before they remind me of the Adirondack Mountains that I’ve come to love. We spend 2 days with family in Starr, SC near Anderson at a house tucked in the forest. Natalie loves to walk in the woods and we stroll down to a stream and take our shoes off and walk the sandy banks. Our next stop will head to more familiar places we’ve been to before in the Low Country of the South Carolina. I’ve taken a few photos on my trusty K-1000 but I’ve got to buy one of those Digital Cameras so I can post them with this Journal.

5/16/99

We arrive in Beaufort, SC on Wednesday afternoon and immediately proceed to Hunting Island State Park to set up camp. Hunting Island has been used for many major motion pictures locations like Forest Gump, GI Jane, and Prince of Tides. It’s a barrier island along the Atlantic coast with long stretches of beaches, Lush vegetation, Streams, Marches, etc. The shrimping season is in full scale as I see many Shrimp boats out in the Ocean. We’ve met many shrimpers through the years and hope to see them over the weekend at the gigs we’re scheduled at) Just delete this if it bores u..Billy 6/1/99 The Case and Davidson 1999 Summer Journal (2nd installment) 1 It’s hard to describe to you how crazy our lives are, but let me put it this way. We leave the keys and there’s a big going away party. We arrive in SC to a welcome party and a few days later there’s a going away party. We arrive in our home town of old forge to a welcome party and this whole next month every gig is a welcome back party and then at the end of the month our going away out west party. You’d be amazed at the amount of alcohol we consume. It scares the hell out of me how we can keep this pace up. But like the song “The secret of life” that Gretchen Peters (Souvenirs) wrote: The secret of life is getting up early, The secret of life is staying out late The secret of life is try not to hurry But don’t wait, no don’t wait I know deep down that we’ll settle down a bit once Natalie goes to school and we spend most of the year down in the keys. 2 Our stay in SC was again a great time. The people of the “Low Country” have really taken a shine to us and so have we. We met Ken Hughes 7 years ago through a Charleston gig we did that referred us to his bar, “The Johnson Creek Tavern”. We play there on the weekends and play at Fripp Island on Sunday Afternoon. The Fripp Island Beach Club is a great gig. You face the pool with the Atlantic Ocean at your back. The best part is you're standing 10 feet away from the bar. 3

The trip back to NY went without a hitch. Paul’s dog Kalie slashed her wrist on a broken bottle that gave us all a scare, Paul had to cancel our Thursday gig at Beginnings II. I ended up playing solo while Paul checked on the dog. Seems it not as bad as we feared and she’s mending just fine. Memorial Day at Daiker’s Inn is a tradition that goes back even before Paul and I hooked up 9 years ago. Located on Fourth Lake in the beautiful Adirondack Park it packs ‘em in from people all over the state from Buffalo, New Jersey, Syracuse, Utica, to Rochester. It’s sad that some people can turn into instant assh…. When they drink. We’ve had to deal with a few through the years but on Saturday night this belligerent idiot almost knocked down our speakers. Then he groped one of our fans. That was all Paul needed to see and he made a few comments to this guy. The next thing we knew a bottle came flying at Paul, luckily hitting and exploding on his guitar and not hurting him. I wish I could say the same thing about the idiot. Paul had 7 guys trying to keep him away from this dumb ass, but he did get 1 good lick in and bloodied the guy’s mouth with one solid punch. There’s never a dull moment in the Case and Davidson Saga.

I know through the years that we might have mentioned Jon Liebing to you either through conversation or Album credit. He’s been playing with us on the 3 major holiday’s, gigs and many others since the beginning. I’ve known Jon now for close to 15 years, Paul even longer. He’s an extremely talented solo artist, singer songwriter. You might have heard me sing some of his songs, (Dancing on a snowflake, and Unbelievably Ugly) 9 years ago when Paul and I did our first few gigs together at Daiker’s Inn, Jon started play the grand piano from across the bar. We had him roll the piano over and stick a mike on it and the rest is history. He’s been playing with us ever since. We have this chemistry that I so grateful that we can share. This Memorial Day was no different. 5 In closing we’d like to dedicate this Memorial Day to our friend, Jovial. He was tragically killed in a car accident recently. He was a decorated Vietnam War hero and will be sorely missed on this Memorial Day weekend. Billy 7/14/98

Case and Davidson Summer West Tour Journal (Installment III)

For all the folks that haven’t read the early installments check it out on our web site. http://www.CaseAndDavidson.com. Once again if this bores you this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds…. Quite a bit has happened since my last installment. Things have been quite busy making preparations for the trip. I haven’t had a moment of time until now, 5 weeks later to sit down and actually collect my thoughts an compose this third installment of our journal. As it turns out Cynthia and Julie (Our wives) have decided to write a journal as well so I’ll be including there observations as well. 1 Over the past summer Paul had to have hernia surgery and during that time we hired a friend Martin Bissell to help with the lifting. Marty is also a musician himself (Singer) and added 3rd part harmonies to our show all during our Keys season and traveled to NY as well. As fate would have it just before we left the Keys he met this fine woman that he couldn’t live without who lives on Big Pine Key. As time went on it became obvious that his heart wasn’t into a long journey of being away from his girl and so after a few weeks before the west tour he headed back down to the Keys and we wish him well. 2 Highlights of the NY June gigs were:

a) Songwriters Night at Styleens Rhythm Palace with fellow songwriters Doug Moncrief, Jeff Bradbury, Mark Macri, and Paul Anderossa with a special guest appearance by our Producer, drummer and friend Robbie Spagnoletti. Paul also unveiled some new songs that are sure to be slated for our next record.

b) Every Sunday at Paul’s hometown of Sylvan Beach at Harpoon Eddies, a great restaurant and watering hole located on the east shore of Onieda Lake with sunsets that rival the Keys and special guest appearances by Singer songwriter Jamie Notarthomas, Sax man Paulie Cerra, Keyboardist’s Mark Macri and Bill Barry.

c) 4th of July weekend at Daiker’s Inn in our NY hometown of Old Forge where I celebrated y 43rd (Ouch!) Birthday, with our friend Jon Liebing.

d) The Syracuse Updowntowners Party in the plaza where we played in front of thousands of hometown fans.

e) Recorded at New House Studio’s with Jeff Bradbury, Doug Moncrief, Robbie Spagnoletti, Mark Macri, and Andy Rudy. We recorded a new song of Jeff’s and a song that Paul and I collaborated on entitled ‘Ordinary Man” with contributions by Doug and Mark.

3) The first part of our journey is to hook up with our friends Jim and Laurie in Gurnee, Illinois. We were taken to downtown Chicago and had a 5 star dinner (not to mention my 1st martini) at the famous Lawry’s Restaurant. Chicago is a great city but make sure you have a tour guide because they drive 80mph and that’s just in downtown!

4) After a wonderful time with our friends we depart for our first gig of the tour at Clearwater Harbor, Waupaca, Wisconsin. We arrive and are immediately taken care of by our host Pat Mehen , the proprietor of this establishment. Pat and wife Mimi have been coming to the Keys even longer than our 10 years. They saw us play at the Lorelei many times and always offered a place for us to play if we ever came their way. Actually most of our gigs this summer have been booked along the same matter with people we’ve met along the way offering us a place to play and a place to stay. We’ve booked three nights, Thursday, Friday and Sunday afternoon. All of which go over wonderfully, especially on Sunday where they had us set up on a pontoon platform on the water, facing the bar and restaurant.

5) On that Saturday 7/10 we travel across the state of Wisconsin from east to west about 4 hours to play a private party aboard an 85 foot, 2 story cruise ship called “The Song of The St. Croix”. Once again we met our new friend Matt in the Keys. He puts on this golf tournament/charity/Celebration of Life get together were about 150 people pool their money, have a great time together playing golf and partying on this cruise ship and all the proceeds go to charity. The St. Croix is a river that meets the Mississippi in a town called Prescott, Wisconsin. Located right at the border of, Minnesota and Wisconsin the two rivers meet and as they flow one half of the river runs Mississippi brown while the other runs St Croix blue. A few days later we returned to Prescott and played a great outdoor gig on the patio of a restaurant/bar called RC’s.

6) We head towards the northern border of Minnesota to the quaint little town of Grand Marias. Our friends Bobby and Gayle invite us up for a couple of days and Thursday we play a private party for some of their friends. The average age at the party was 70 years old but these folks know how to party and we turn them all on to our favorite bottle of Yeagermiester. We drive up to the Minnesota/Canadian border and take a hike to Pigeon Falls, and then Grand Portage National Park.

7) On Sunday the 18th we head to Fairmont, Minnesota and play a pig roast at Tommy’s on 15. Paul and I have been known to party but these folks bring a whole new meaning of the word. Needless to say as I write this last passage as I’m traveling through South Dakota I have one dozy of a hangover. Were headed to some of most exciting part of our trip to Yellowstone, The Badlands, Deadwood, and The Black Hills. I’ll keep you posted… Billy 7/19/99

Case and Davidson Summer West Tour Journal (Installment IV)

Good Morning Mr. Phelps, For all the folks that haven’t read the earlier installments, check it out on our web site. http://www.CaseAndDavidson.com. Once again if this bores you this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds…. Good luck Jim. I’m finding that if I don’t keep up with this journal it starts to get overwhelming with all the things that are happening let alone my 43-year memory. My thanks to my wife Cynthia (who is keeping a journal of her own for Natalie) for refreshing this fogged brain. By the way, for all of you that are wondering who Mr. Phelps is, you’re to young to remember the original intro to‘ Mission Impossible”

7/28/99

1) Badlands We coincide the next leg of the trip so that when we awake we are just a few miles from the Badlands. For all of you that have never been to Badlands National Park it really is a must see. Taking the scenic route SR240 there are many places to stop along the way to view surreal moonlike vistas of banded layers of sediment. 1999 marks the 60th anniversary of the park where the Lakota Sioux, used to make their home.

2) Crazy Horse Monument After spending a few hours driving through the park we head towards our destination, Deadwood, South Dakota. Before we reach there we make a side trip to The Wall Drug Store, Mount Rushmore, and The Crazy Horse Monument. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned the fact that 22 years ago Cindy and I took a trip in a 1972 Datsun with 300.00 cash and rode across the country to meet her great Aunt Ester and Uncle Arvid (God rest their souls) who lived in Deadwood. Every night in Deadwood they re-enact the trial of Jack McCall, the man who shot Wild Bill Hickock. They somehow got the troupe to include me on the jury. It was a great time and something that I will never forget. I thank them for that fond memory. Arvid used to work at The Black Hills Gold Mine, the same land that General Custer tried to defend so long ago. I’m amazed at the progress that has been made on the Crazy Horse Monument. Just to give you an idea what a monumental task this monument will be when it is finished, the 9 story face, (Completed last year) alone is larger than all of Mount Rushmore. It is also totally privately funded. When finished this monument (The largest sculpture in the world) will represent all North American Indian Tribes, portraying the famous Indian Crazy Horse astride his stallion, pointing to the battle grounds where all Indian men lost there lives trying to defend their lands. Cindy tells me that when sculptor and artist Korczak Ziolkowski was enlisted by the Indians to create the monument he wrote a poem that I’ll try to dig up for you to read. The letters will be sculpted 3 foot high for all to read.

3) Deadwood and Devils Tower After leaving Crazy Horse we head to the Black Hills and Deadwood SD. Deadwood now has legalized gambling and I’m not knocking gambling, but it seems to have lost it’s charm. My best example would be when we went to the laundry there were these 3 old ladies and a few old men, and a few hygienically challenged drifters all probably using there laundry quarters to drop into very hungry one armed bandits, and that was just the Laundromat! Actually that was the most fun I ever had doing the laundry but you get my point. We leave 1 day early so we can stop and see Devil’s Tower on our way to Jackson Hole. You might remember if you watched “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” the scene on top of the tower where the alien’s first communicated with the Earthlings. For those who haven’t imagine a volcanic mountain with it’s neck filled with lava that cools and becomes dormant, the elements and about a zillion years erode all of the mountain leaving a 865 foot cone of hardened lava. I hope I got a great picture of an approaching thunderstorm with a Lightning bolt just above it. By the way there were about a dozen people climbing the Tower as well in case you feel you might want a challenge.

4) Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park In order to get to Jackson Hole we chose the next morning to cut through the East and then South Gate through Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Heading through Yellowstone we immediately encounter the devastation of the Great 1988 fire that consumed 2/3rds of the trees. It was also amazing to discover how fast the forest in regenerating in such a short 10 years. More on Yellowstone coming. The Grand Tetons, named by early explorers (Loose interpretation would be “Big Tits”) rise to over 13,000 ft and the snow capped summits can easily be seen over a 100 miles away.

5) Jackson Hole, Wyoming We’re scheduled to appear at The Stagecoach Saloon this weekend but show up 2 days early and meet up with our friends Larry, Leslie, and Lauren from Fripp Island SC. The next day we head to Teton Village where this weekend the Red Nation Dancers are having the 10th annual Indian Arts and Dance Festival. We arrive a bit to late for the 1pm show and decide to take a mountain tram up one of the Tetons, which name escapes me. Once at the summit we walk over to some snow still there and throw a few snowballs, which I hadn’t done in close to 10 years, Thank God! For a fee the adventuresome can take a tandem paragliding trip down the mountain and avoid the tram ride back. Once we’re safely back down we proceed to get lunch and a few beers at the famous Mangy Moose Restaurant and Bar and await the festival. The Indian dancers we’re just incredible and because it wasn’t a full-fledged Pow Wow they were very informative. I was wiping the tears more than once watching the graceful steps of the dancers being led by Drummer/Singers chanting songs that went along with there particular dance. Though they were all wonderful, without a doubt the Hoop Dancer stole the show.

6) Drunk again! Needless to say I started having too much fun and forgot to consider the altitude, and when I drank my first Jeagermiester it was all over. They tell me the first nights gig was good but I can hardly remember it and buy the next morning I paid dearly for it. A little bit of advice: When you quickly enter high altitudes. A) Make sure you keep in mind that your brain is being starved of oxygen B) You can also become quickly dehydrated C) Alcohol can even intensify your dehydration D) The effects of alcohol become exaggerated E) You can’t remember shit the next day!! The next night turned out to be much more memorable!

7) Back to Yellowstone The whole lot of us head back towards Yellowstone the next afternoon, set up camp that night, and prepare for a full day bus trip of the park in the morning. The plan is to take this bus trip and explore the northern portion of the park. Not only are we fortunate that our bus driver/tour guide is knowledgeable but my wife Cindy and our friend Leslie both used to work at the park years before so we’re in good hands. As we head toward Mammoth Hot Springs we make brief stops along the way including mountain cliff winding roads, white water rapids and fishing streams. (I could see Paul’s mouth start to water!) We saw tall waterfalls and cascading rivers. More wildlife than I’ve ever seen in one day including: Bison, Elk, Paul saw a Grizzly Bear, White pelican which I usually see in my winter home in the Keys, Swans, Moose, Raven, Osprey, and the beloved Bald Eagle. There is so many different geological differences including Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Sage brush laden plains, Rolling hills, Freshwater lakes, Mud and hot pots, Geysers, and Hot Springs. You name it , It’s there. Our trips starts at 7:00am and ends around 5:00 PM and we head back to a steak dinner at the RV and discuss the highlights of our day. Tomorrow Paul and I split up and take a long overdue vacation where he is going to spend fishing at Yellowstone and then on to Glacier National Park. I head towards Old Faithful and on to visit fellow Rhythm Monster Jimmy Fricano in Carson City, Nevada.

8) Carson City, Nevada and my first bad brake On our last morning at Yellowstone we enjoy Old Faithful and take many pictures of the famed geyser and relax at The Old Faithful Inn where Cindy used to work 20 years ago. Not many folks realize that Yellowstone was the first US National Park, and because the politicians of the time couldn’t journey there, the photographers and writers of the time convinced them. We head out of the west entrance of the park, take a side trip to the West Yellowstone IMAX Theater and see “Alaska” and then continue another 450 miles until I finally crash around midnight with the knowledge that the next days trip should take about 5 more hours. Crossing the mountain passes of Idaho to the salt flats of the Nevada desert and Sierra Mountains we head through Reno to see my old friend, Jimmy Fricano and his family. I notice a funny sound coming down the last 6% downgrade and soon discover that my right front brake is squeaking more than I did when I used to try to sing while smoking tobacco! I locate a nearby RV service center that assures me that my front brakes are shot, and it will probably cost a lot more money than I can afford. They could never be more correct. Oh well, I have to look at it this way. We could have broken down hundreds of miles away from anywhere. I could have been sitting on the side of the road thumbing a ride to the next town. Instead I’m here with some good friends eating shrimp and drinking Lowenbrau. Thank god for credit cards! The good news is that the RV will be repaired by the next day so we stay with the Fricano’s one extra evening and have a great dinner and conversation. The next morning we leave for San Francisco and see my Cousin Kathy, (Kate) who’s lived there many years and will be our guide for the next few days.

Case and Davidson Summer West Tour Journal (Installment V)

10/6/99

Made up my mind, gonna make a new start,
Going to California with an aching, in my heart

Excerpt from “Goin’ to California” from Led Zeppelin

1) Lake Tahoe We awaken the next morning and cross through Lake Tahoe towards Donner Pass. With an average depth of close to a thousand feet and water practically distilled, this “Lake in the Sky” is surrounded by 4 thousand foot cliffs with some of the most beautiful homes tucked among resort hotels, Ski resorts, and many available outdoor recreations. I wish we had more time to explore. Must be a wild time during ski season.

2) Donner Pass 89 people tried to navigate through this pass of The Sierra Nevada Mountains when a severe winter stranded them without food leaving the surviving 47 to resort to cannibalism. (Yuck!!!)

3) San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge We approach San Francisco and over the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge to our first Bay Area fog so common to this City. We find our RV Park located right next door to the famed Candlestick Park, home of The San Francisco 49ers-football team and The San Francisco Giants, reportedly there last baseball season in this stadium.

4) I left my Heart in… (You know where!!!!) We jump on 101 towards the heart of downtown to pick up my cousin Kathi. The first thing that comes to my mind as we enter downtown are the car chase scenes from the movie “Bullet”? with Steve McQueen. One of the best chase scenes ever filmed. As we pass the electric buses and the cross-town trolley’s (Can you hear the Rice-a Roni theme?), I can see why there have been so many songs written about this city. If you know me, you know that I’m not all that fond of big cities, but there’s something about this town that is very appealing.

5) Nob Hill We pick up our expert tour guide/cousin in Nob Hill, a hilltop area of Hotels and apartments with Gothic Grace Cathedral, Huntington Park and The California Masonic Memorial Temple at it’s crest. We learn later that we have excellent parking Karma.

6) Twin Peaks We head towards Twin Peaks, a 910 foot summit that offers a 360 degree panoramic view of the city. To bad the fog completely blocked out the view that morning so we’ll have to try it another time. We pass through the Haight/Ashbury District were much of the hippie movement started and the Dead used to hang. It hasn’t changed for over 30 years. Tie dye heaven!

7) We motor to The Great Highway Cliff House and Sutro Baths and have a light lunch at Louie’s and stare out at Alcatraz Island where the Birdman, Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly used to reside. The sun is beginning to peak out and a Sailboat regatta begins to appear in the bay.

8) Our next destination we pass through Ocean vistas of The Presidio, Past Robin Williams house, and over the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge and on to Mill Valley and The Panoramic Highway of Mount Tamalpais State Park. Tamalpais offers a fantastic view of Sausalito, Fisherman’s Wharf, Oakland and San Francisco. Golden Gate Bridge is everything that it’s cracked up to be and more. I don’t know what it is that’s so romantic about a bridge but take my word, it’s true. Connecting San Francisco with Marin County, and Painted it’s distinctive international orange, it is one of the longest single-span bridges in the world. I learn a little more about the noted conservationist John Muir and explore Mount Tamalpais State Park and the famous redwood groves and Sequoia trees that he noted in his “Reflections” that later were organized and published for the entire world to read. On our way back we stop for a cool one at The Mountain Home Inn and drive through Sausalito and Fisherman’s Wharf and make preparations for the next days journey. Sausalito (Meaning Little Willow), is a cross between bohemian and marine influences. It’s recipe would be 2 parts hippies, 4 parts beatniks, 1 part sailors, 3 parts artists, Jack Kerouac (Did I spell his name right?) and Lenny Bruce, add Pacific cold sea water, mix well and there you are!

9) Fisherman’s Wharf The next morning we head through China Town (A City within a city where more Chinese People live than any other place in the world outside of China), to Pier 39 and the Famous Fisherman’s Wharf. Located on the north shore this picturesque boardwalk offers many restaurants, shops, and imports. We stop at one of the many fresh seafood markets and have a crab cocktail and sourdough treat. On our way to Ghiradelli Square we stop to see the sea lions frolicking and sunning beside the pier. Ghiradelli Chocolate Company and the surrounding bakeries, international restaurants, and specialty shop comprise this area. Just add street performers, mimes, human statues, and musicians and you’ll get the picture. Later we cruise down to Pier 23 where the locals hang out and the trappings of commercialism are stripped away. Kind of like the difference between Key West and our beloved Islamorada. We stop for a few saxophone licks from a local band playing at Lou’s Blues Club at the Embarcadero until it’s dusk and call it a day.

10) Monday starts at Golden Gate Park and the children’s playground (Natalie was in carousel heaven), Japanese Tea Garden with bridges, walks, flora, bonsai’s, waterfalls, and Pagodas. Back to Haight/Ashbury for some souvenir shopping and a late lunch.

11) San Francisco has only one drawback-, Tiss hard to leave …Rudyard Kipling On our final day we decide to take Natalie to the exploritorium at The Palace of fine Arts. The palace was built in 1915 for the Panama- Pacific exposition and is the last remaining structure of that era. If you can imagine Roman Architecture with huge columns and a rotunda with a lagoon where ducks and swans can be found and 1000 seat theater you’d almost be there. Truly an amazing place to see. Later we auto to some places where I can snap some photos including “The 5 Painted Lady’s and down at the marina for a good shot of Alcatraz Laguna Beach and The Pacific coast Highway

We decide the next morning instead of taking the direct route south to Laguna Beach, a side trip along the coast would break it up. We head to the Monterey Peninsula to Route one, along narrow winding cliffs beside the Pacific. (I gotta be nuts driving this route in a RV). We pass through places I’ve only heard about like:

1) Carmel and Pebble Beach (Both art and golfing city),

2) Point Lobos State Reserve (Where Sea Lions Grey Whales and Harbor Seals can be found)

3) Big Sur (Where the Hippies, Beatniks and Surfers used to hang in the summers)

4) San Simeon (Home of the Newspaper Publisher and his famous daughter Patti Hearst and The Hearst Castle) Stay tuned for installment Vl ….Billy

Case and Davidson’s West Tour Journal (Installment VI) 8/8/99

Laguna Beach

The next few days have been spent relaxing with our friends Joe, Britta, and their 2 year old Aaron at their beautiful cliff house in the Laguna Beach area. After a few weeks off from music it was inspiring to sit at Joe’s grand piano and stare out at this glorious view of southern California. I’m scheduled to play a party here Saturday and I’m coming up with songs I’ve nearly forgotten I know. Laguna Beach is located about 40 miles south of LA. The nice thing about Laguna is you can’t tell you’re that close to a metropolitan area. The downtown planners did their homework when they designed this place. Sure helps when practically everybody here is rich! With steep rising hills rising from the coast this resort community offers park and beach access and a multitude of arts and crafts shops including The Sawdust Arts Festival which we attended. If we had worked it out a little sooner I’m sure we could have picked up a few gigs here including Joe’s favorite haunt, The Laguna Beach Brewing Company. Who knows, Maybe next year!

Grand Canyon 8/9/99

On Sunday we arise early to make time for our long and much anticipated journey to the Grand Canyon. Once we get out of the cities we cross through The Mojave Desert and arrive that evening. Paul and Julie are supposed to us this evening but it’s too late to check if they checked in. 209,00 miles and Capot! I’m awoken around 11:00 P.M. to Paul and Julie knocking on my door both looking haggard and close to tears. The equipment truck caught on fire. As they were approaching the park about 4 miles from the entrance (40 miles to our campsite) Julie smelled smoke and when Paul pulled over there were flames coming out from underneath. Kalie the Miracle Dog In the mayhem that followed with Paul pulling the engine cover off while Julie fetched water and cutting the canoe attached on the roof off, Kalie (Their golden retriever) frightened buy the fire took off in the desert. In the next few hours before dark while trying to reach a tow-truck they wandered for hours in search of their beloved dog. Finally after the tow truck arrived and waited another hour they had to make the painful decision to take the truck to the garage and set up tent and try to look for her in the morning. As I lay in my bed after hearing the news I couldn’t stop thinking about Kalie’s circumstance. In the desert with wolves and coyote’s and god knows what else. Finally after rolling around in bed for what seemed hours I decided to find Paul and head back to the place where she was left. Armed with flashlights and warm clothes we took the hour drive through the pitch-black night of the Grand Canyon Desert. With all kinds of thoughts that we might end up finding, I prey to god that she’s all right. When we arrived Paul started heading south as I headed north. Because it was so dark we decided to stick on the road until daylight. As we got about a few miles from each other, yelling at the top of our lungs, I saw one of the largest meteorites (Shooting Stars) I have ever seen. It stretched across the evening northern sky and seeming to suspend in space until it finally burned out. A few minutes later I thought I heard a yelp which made me more concerned (thinking it was Coyotes) but then soon after in the far distance I heard a Bark. I ‘m pretty sure its Kalie’s and head back south to Paul and when we’re close enough he confirms that he heard her as well. Still no sign of her though. When she took off she had her leash on. Maybe she was caught on it. We decided to light the lantern we brought with us and as I was about to pull the car around I saw a movement to the left and behind me. In seconds Paul and I are on our hands and knees hugging a very freighted but relieved dog. I wish I could say that we were sure we’d find her but when we finally did, I have to admit there was quite a few tears and Thank Gods! That went down, not to mention a very happy Mom who anxiously awaited our arrival. And now the bottom line The folks at the Grand Canyon Station aren’t equipped to do the work. Not only are they not able to do the electrical work from the fire but they correctly diagnose the transmission is gone as well! Thank god for Triple-A Plus. We have it towed 80 miles to Flagstaff. More $$$ on the truck later.

Grand Canyon 8/7-10

There’s no sense in worrying about the truck for now, and seeing that were here, let’s check this place out. For years you had to deal with every rubberneck driver in the world and parking is a fiasco, not to mention the air pollution. That’s why the park service decided that after this year, after you arrive the only way you can explore will be by natural gas powered shuttle. Grand Canyon is close to 300 miles long and 10 miles wide and a mile deep and seeing that we have a 2 year old (On a leash by the way) we’ve decided to see the easier accessible areas. You can still hike or take a mule trip down the canyon trails (Bring lots of water and expect to stay the night), or take a Colorado River raft trip. It’s amazing how many ways you can kill yourself here. So many areas with no guardrails and one little slip and oops! You don’t hear about it for obvious reasons but every year the canyon claims a few yahoo’s who don’t respect where they are. We take a short drive and then walk along the South Rim to our first stop at Kolb’s Studio, once a photography studio built in 1904! It’s easy to see why Grand Canyon is one of the world’s greatest spectacles. With multicolored layers of rock and sediment that take you on a geological trip to the Earth’s past up to 2 billion years ago. That’s a 2 with 9 zeros after it. That’s 2,000,000,000 years ago! You getting my point. I read about the adventures of John Wesley Powell, a one armed Major who in the late 1800’s led the first expedition with a party of nine men through the Canyon and came out the other side with only six. Back then it must have been like taking a journey to Mars. There were no tour guides with rubber rafts back then. The next few days are spent taking pictures from every conceivable angle at the many observation points located along the rim. We take Natalie on an evening hayride in the Kaibab National Forest with some real life cowboy dudes and barbecue. A trip to the IMAX Theater to see The Grand Canyon it all in its grandeur on a 7-story video screen. The film takes you on a history of the Canyon and to places it would take years to explore or would be impossible to reach. And finally on the 3rd day as we make our way out of the park we stop at The Watchtower, built in 1932 of mortar and stone, it’s a re-creation of what I can only describe as a castle tower. From it’s summit you have a panoramic view of the canyon that stretches far into the Navaho Nation. Flagstaff, AZ We head 80 miles south to Flagstaff to find out the status of the truck (So far 1000.00 estimate just to fix the wiring so we can bring it to the transmission shop), and then we head to 30 miles south of Flagstaff to the unique town of Sedona, AZ.

Sedona, AZ 8/11-16

I’ve heard many things about Sedona and have been directed to this place by more than one person. We take the scenic route of Oak Creek Canyon Drive (SR89A) and as we descend notice the dramatic contrast of the desert behind and the change in vegetation and colored rock formations that lay ahead. Sedona is situated among the red rocks of Oak Creek Canyon with monoliths, mountains, and buttes surrounded by green forests and lush vegetation. Oak Creek runs down the middle of this oasis in the desert. For all of you new age and spiritual healers it’s been known to have vortex’s and electromagnetic energy fields. These fields are thought to inspire, energize and relax. Although I myself might allow a little credence to this somewhat skeptical view There was no doubt that after I set up camp and I took a little walk down to Oak Creek and then took off my shoes and lay down amongst the smooth rocks of the relatively warm creek I got a little closer to heaven. I know that one day I have to re-visit this special place so if any of you have any gig connections even near here let us know.

Truck Update

The days pass slowly without much to report except it looks like it’s gonna take longer to fix the truck then anticipated. We finally are forced to make the decision to cancel our weekend gig at Black Hawk Station. After a week of desert sun and Oak Creek Baptisms the truck is finally done. (3125.00 ouch! Thank god for Am Ex!)

We head southeast through The Navaho Hopi Reservation, Moab, Utah and Arches National Park. Navaho Hopi Nations We drive through the Painted Desert and the Hopi and Navaho Reservations

I’m reminded of my friend David Goodman’s sad song “Navaho” David, I hope I remembered your words correctly:

Navaho, Navaho, Where did your people go
Down trails of tears, that echoes your name
Oh what we didn’t know, They came here years ago
To stand in New Mexico, Fills me with shame

Excerpt from Navaho (Written by David Goodman 1990 Amuseink Music All rights reserved)

As we head north through the littered beer bottled highways of I-89 and I-160 past particle boarded souvenir shanty’s that sell jewelry and rugs along the roadside I wonder how much longer these people will survive out here in this barren land. Probably longer than we will I suspect.

Moab, Utah

We arrive in Moab at dark and set up camp and then quickly fall asleep after a 300-mile plus trek. The next morning as we pass through Moab I wish we could have spent more time in this town that overlooks the Colorado River. It was a favorite haunt of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch and an inspiration to many Zane Grey Novels as well as John Wayne Western films. Moab is also the starting point for many cool places to see besides Arches including Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park. You can go white water rafting, skiing, Canoeing, and either go by air, hike, jeep or mountain bike. Maybe next time!

Arches National Park 8/18/99

I had never heard of Arches until Cindy and Paul brought it to my attention. Located 5 miles north of Moab the park contain the largest number of natural stone arches in the country if not the world. There are over 2000 of these sandstone arches as well as The Petrified Sand Dunes and Red Rock Canyons. As we pass the canyon walls I’m reminded of viewing the Miami City Skyline and no sooner do I make that observation than we approach our first viewing point appropriately called The Park Avenue Viewpoint. My next observation is three tall monoliths that at least to me remind me of three old ladies. As I mention this to Cindy she informs me that these are called Three gossips. Looks like I’m batting a thousand so far! Next is to Balanced Rock. If you can imagine a 1000-ton scoop of ice cream sitting precariously atop a cylinder arch you’d be there. And finally on to The Windows Section. We’re not talking the 95 or 98 version either. We take the 1.5-mile trail to Double Arch and as we approach I’m amazed at how large this rock formation really is. Imagine a mountain with one side almost completely caved out with a large picture window to the left of the cave. You can climb up this hollowed out cave and peer through the mountain to the other side. Incredible! We decide when we get back that it’s getting to hot (Noon at 103 degrees, but it’s a dry heat!) And so we regrettably exit the park before getting to see it all. Next time. Now it’s on to Colorado

Case and Davidson Summer West Tour Journal (Final Installment VII)

This is the final installment of The Case and Davidson Summer West Tour. There were many ups and downs to our journey, figuratively and literally. I’ve said this before about our treks back and forth from the Keys and it applies well now. The best part about leaving home, is coming back home.

Frisco, Breckenridge and Kremmling Colorado 8/19-21

Kremmling is a small town located about 45 minutes north of Breckenridge. The best way I can describe it is: Miami is to Islamorada as Denver is to Kremmling. It’s interesting how we got this gig in the first place. One night over the past season in the keys as we were making final schedule decisions for the trip we realized we needed some gigs in Colorado to break up the trip from California back to Put In Bay, Ohio. So Paul started informing the folks who were listening to us that night and wouldn’t you know it but these people came up and said they owned a bar in Kremmling and would love to have us. Who needs booking agents anyway? (If you’re reading this David Rezak this doesn’t include you.) It turns out that we played Friday night in the bar, which has a nice vibe and frendly people and the next afternoon out on the patio. Of course Tim and Kim, our hosts bought a special bottle of Jeagermiester for the occasion (Does everybody think we’re alcoholics? Don’t answer that!) And we proceeded to have a great time. It was about as close to being at home as it could get. I also got a chance to see one of my childhood friends Gary Bertolo who lives in Englewood outside of Denver who made the 2-hour trip to visit.

8/22-24

The trip that started what seems like years ago but turns out to be since May today breaks the 10,000-mile mark. We decide to put as many miles behind us as possible. The next three days we cross through the last of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, The plains and cornfields of Nebraska and spend the night in the State Capitol of Nebraska, Lincoln. The next day through rolling hills and farmlands of Iowa, through the near tornadic thunderstorms of Illinois and finally spend the night in Joliet, Illinois. The home town of our good friend Jimmy Lozar “(Keys fishing guide and Harmonica player).

The next day we break the 11,000-mile mark and arrive at Cedar Point, a huge amusement park located a few miles from Put-In-Bay on the southwest shore of Lake Erie. Cedar Point We take Natalie on every conceivable ride imaginable for her age. I was never big on rides when I was younger and when I got old enough I was to cool to ride '‘em. It’s nice to get a second chance to experience you childhood. I guess for all you parents out there you’ve known that all along. Cedar point is buy far the largest amusement park I n the northeast. It has every roller coaster ride imaginable. I have never seen more located all in one park. Still, after 5 or 6 hours we’re bushed and head back to home base and get a good nights sleep for tomorrows trip to

The Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Only an hour from Cedar Point, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located on the shores of Lake Erie. Its light blue steel beam skeleton bends and curves in every conceivable direction. Its awesome display of architecture and at least 90% of its skin is glass making it a very worthy hall for which it stands. I hope I’m not sounding too much like the Pledge of Allegiance here so let me just say: “They Done Good!!!”, “Real Good !!”

Starting from the ground floor they had:

John Lennons Collar less Beatles outfit from the ‘66 Shea Stadium Tour, his famous British issue spectacles, The original Hand written lyrics to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and In My Life and Beautiful Boy, Postcards to his son Julian with John imaginative (Pardon the pun) sketches, His Gibson Guitar, his high school report card (except for English most were blistering comments from the teachers who said he needed a serious change in attitude or he would never make anything of himself,

Jim Morrison’s cub scout uniform, his report card, A beautiful love letter he wrote to his mother at 11 years old, His first Poem,

Jimmy Hendrix’s leather jacket (He must have been tiny), His Stratocaster Guitar, Handwritten Lyric’s to Purple Haze

Southern California: Eagles Glenn Frey’s first guitar his parents bought (A perfect condition ¾ size brown sunburst Gibson, Handwritten song lyrics to Heartache Tonight, Memorabilia from Glen Parson and The Flying Borrito Brothers, Old rare photo old Jackson Browne and JD Souther from the Eagles Desperado photo sessions,

Led Zeppelin: John Paul Jones Piano used on Stairway to Heaven, Jimmy Pages double neck Guitar, John Bonhams drum set.

Many Mick Jagger and Keith Richards costumes from to many tours to list,

A beautiful pearl inlayed 1953 Martin Acoustic Guitar owned by Johnny Cash Old Hank Williams, Woody Guthry, and Pete Seeger photos and handwritten lyrics

The Who’s Roger Daltry’s famous fringed leather suede outfit, One of Keith Moons Tom Toms, Pete Townsends guitar

The Allman Brothers: Duane’s Curly Maple 57 Gibson Les Paul that he played on Clapton’s Layla record, Greg’s Hammond organ, Berry Oakley’s Bass guitar

Neil Young’s Rust never sleeps oversized Stage Amps, Handwritten concert set list and show scheme

Tom Petty’s Alice in Wonderland Top Hat from the “Don’t come around here no more” video.

Parts of Otis Redding’s plane wreckage and a western Union telegram to his wife a short time before his crash

A place devoted to the songwriting process with Jackson Browne’s original notes, lyrics, tape recorder and demo’s of how a song is born and narration of the creative process it goes through to becoming a finished piece of music.

The vest that Grace Slick wore at Woodstock (Not ’99 folks were talking ’69)

Postcards from Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle leading to the formation of Simon and Garfunkle, Many of Simons handwritten lyric’s,

Michelle Phillips (Mamas and the Papas for you youngins) Japanese style Dress that she wore in ’67 on The Ed Sullivan Show,

Stings synchronicity tour costume with the Police,

Alice Coopers Bondage outfit from The Billion Dollar Babies tour (I attended),

David Bowies Spider from Mars outfit,

Many different segments devoted to area, era, style and artifacts such as handwritten lyrics, guitars, costumes from music from: British Invasion, Gospel, Soul, San Francisco, NY City, Motown, Rap, Swing, And artist’s such as: Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Cream, Eric Clapton, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Moody Blues, Bob Dylan

A whole section was devoted to Elvis that included: His many jump suit outfits that he wore through the Vegas years, rare photos including one in his underwear, one getting a buzz cut during bootcamp, and a photo of him and Richard Nixon during the war against drugs campaign (How ironic) , his original army uniform, A television that he shot (He used to like to shot at TVs) with A 57 magnum, his many badges including an FBI and Memphis police badge. They also had many films including one of all the inductees since even before the hall had been built including some rare film footage. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a definite must see especially for you New Yorkers who could drive there in a less than day. You don’t have to be a musician either. Just a listener and appreciate would do.

Put-In-Bay, Ohio and The Roundhouse 8/29

This is probably going to be the toughest passage of this journal as I’m parked here waiting for the ferryboat to bring me back to the mainline from Put-in-Bay. In order to start this story you have to go back to last year when we took a trip to see the Syracuse Orangeman football play the Michigan Wolverines. For all you non-football fans two years ago Michigan was the National Champion and Syracuse is our Alma Mater. Our friend Larry Johnson is a huge Blue fan and for years when we’re in South Carolina we always watch his Wolverines and our Orangeman. When it was announced that these two teams were to play each other Larry took the initiative and purchased tickets for us. We needed a way to go so we enlisted our friend Greg Collis to pilot us with his beloved Mooney airplane. After Syracuse clobbered Michigan it was decided to go to a place called Put-in bay, Ohio. Put-in-Bay is an island about the size of Key West and is located off the south west shore of Lake Erie between Cleveland and Toledo and one of Larry favorite haunts when he lived up north. The best way to describe it is a northern version of Key West. Restaurants, Bars, Art Galleries, gift shops and plenty of places for live music. Our favorite bar we hung out at was a place called The Roundhouse. When we decided on the western tour we started calling the Roundhouse management, sending CD’s, and even got some people who new them personally to put the good word in. I can’t tell you how many times we called but lets just say that after 3 months we finally pined them down for the last weekend of the tour. Now here comes the tough part. When we arrived we were immediately asked if we were able to hold a crowd. In our collective 50 years of experience and 10 years together I can’t remember a time when someone actually doubted our ability before we even played a note. I can tell you that we have basically “Seen it all” and so we shrugged it off and figured our music would do the talking. Looking out in the audience I noticed some fans that traveled as far as far as South Carolina and others from Syracuse. I’d say it started about half full and by the end of the first set we had a descent crowd with good response so we figured we were on our way to another good night. Boy were we wrong! Immediately after we walked off stage we were informed by management and I Quote “If you guys don’t start picking it up your gonna lose these people”. I have to say we’ve been insulted way worse than this. (I wonder if these people have an idea that we have feelings too) So we held our breath and proceeded to do what we always do. We are what we are, Accept us for what we are, You can never be something you ain’t. Cowboy Up!!! We finished the night, which I felt went well. We didn’t get 10 encores or a record deal, but if felt we held our own, we didn’t suck, and most of the folks stayed until the end. Maybe tomorrow would be different. Wrong Again!! The next morning Paul was informed that we were being bumped up to the earlier shift and they had booked another band for the evening. I got word from Julie soon after. I could hardly believe this and immediately got to Paul to get the word. Like a bad nightmare it was all true. He was told and I quote again “You guys are good and don’t change a thing but you just don’t have enough oomph for this bar. What is Oomph anyway? The guy playing before us was playing “My ding a ling” Is that oomph? If so like John Lennon said; “‘You can count me out!” You can only take so much humiliation. We still have a little pride in what we do. That’s what ultimately brought us to our decision. We informed them that we didn’t want any part of their grand scheme and we were “Outta here!!” as soon as we get our equipment packed. All of a sudden they got really apologetic and tried to make us change our minds and stay. At that point it was, to little, too late. I have one more moronic quote that I still have no idea means about why we didn’t “Fit In” “It’s like wearing high heels in a basketball game” There’s got to be a song lyric in there somewhere… The worst part about making this decision was the fact that we had fans and friends who traveled many miles to come and see us and we weren’t there. For that we offer our sincere apologies and hope you understand. After we packed up (The fastest load out in History) and settled up for the night before, we got the hell out there and never looked back. Boy it’s gonna be good to get back home where we’re appreciated!!! I’m gonna pretend this never happened.

Epilogue: Sorry this couldn’t have been a happier final episode of our 8-week journey. It seems so miniscule compared to our 10 some odd years of good times together. But just like all trials in life, to paraphrase my partner among others:

You have to pick yourself up, Brush yourself off,
Put one foot in front of another, Move on.

No regrets…..

Or like our buddy Cliff used to say: “Arrrrahhhh…. Another day above ground!!!!”

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