End of August, bizarrely beautiful autumnal weather, and a transitional moment for the Carter Family Project. Leigh took the bass in to David Gage’s shop to have the bridge straightened and the fingerboard planed. They gave us a loaner so we now have a Kay bass standing in the corner instead of our usual Epiphone (which actually belongs to John Cleveland but has been stored here for at least five years).
Meanwhile, I recorded a bunch of demos of Louvin Brothers songs and sent them to Charles Puckette so he can practice some harmony parts for our upcoming duet show at Jalopy on September 20.
Then an earthquake hit. I’m from Florida so I don’t know from quakes and was completed confused when it happened. The whole building started shaking and the baby’s playpen started rattling and the toys on the floor started moving around. Leigh was at the bass shop and the baby was asleep. It lasted for maybe ten seconds, but they were long seconds. I didn’t know what was happening. Nothing on any of the usual news outlets. My phone didn’t work suddenly. I went on the roof and looked at Manhattan’s skyline to make sure it hadn’t been a terrorist attack. Then I looked at Facebook. Finally a use for Facebook. I had always thought it was stupid and pointless, but now I see that Facebook is a great way of getting news fast, as it happens.
Leigh made it home safe, no further tremors, the baby is happily eating his dinner, I made a red sauce with Esposito’s sausage, and we’ll try to get back to recording in the next day or two. We have some new guests lined up so keep listening!
