a legacy

collection of t. north

there's this thing about americana music:  it endures.  last night, i had the pleasure of witnessing two brilliant musicians, born of two brilliant musicians:  bobby bare jr, and justin townes earle.  when they played, there was a distinct feeling of looking through a foggy window at the past.  i was witnessing the reality of the cyclical nature of life, how  patterns  repeat themselves like tried and true songwriter's formula, to become what we call a legacy.  in justin townes earle's song, "mama's eyes", he speaks of just that notion.  "...I am my father's son.  I've never known when to shut up.  I ain't fooling no one..."  as children of our parents, we take the good with the bad, but really, we try to take the positive influences and brilliant breakthroughs and run.  we struggle to break the vicious cycles inherent in our genetic makeup, which could mean all sorts of things: alcoholism, depression, co-dependency, drug abuse, anxiety...we all seem to have our own unique, inherent "cross to bear", an unexpected gift from our dear ma & pa.  As the child of an artist, i know that my drive to make art is as strong as the pull of gravity.  As the child of a mother and father who came from a family of alcoholics, i know that the genetic urge is equally strong and so every day i'm not saddled up to the bar is a miracle.  so it goes... when my great uncle earl explains how he got to the ripe old age of 93 and outlived all of his siblings and friends, i hear true wisdom, "one day at a time. take the good with the bad.  take it as it comes."

steve earle performing fort worth blues by townes van zandt

justin townes earle performing mama's eyes 

bobby bare and bobby bare jr. performing together 

bobby bare jr. performing rock n roll halloween