Hey Pinky!
Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. Wow, you should go to Joshua Tree sometime. I was in LA a couple of times but never made it out there, and I would still like to go. My trip to Waycross was fantastic. I actually drove down there with a Facebook friend who I picked up in Atlanta. She spent about a year or two living in Joshua Tree, and it changed her life, but then she is a huge Gram fan. I love his music, and he was a very sad character, but a really interesting musician and wonderful songwriter. I've seen a couple of movies about his life, and in one documentary about him, there is a significant amount of time spent dealing with his Keith Richards friendship. It is very sad that he died so young and before he could really come to maturity in his creative endeavors. I love the EmmyLou duets. Theirs was a magical musical chemistry that only happens occasionally, but when you hear it, you are mesmerized. I picked up a copy of "Twenty Thousand Roads," and it is my next read when I finish my current one. Waycross is a tiny little town, and I could certainly understand how someone could feel the need to get out and see the world after growing up there. The festival was awesome and really laid back. You might consider going next year. I thought I might be surrounded by a bunch of hippie freaks, but most of the people there were around my age (40-50-ish), and there were lots of children. The musical performances were very good, and for me, the highlight was Saturday night when Dr. Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys played and then Jim Lauderdale. After Jim was Ian Dunlop, who I met later, and he is a very interesting and engaging person. The whole experience was so great, and it was my first time venturing out to this kind of event since I got my little buddy. I was worried about having an issue and told my friend about it so she wouldn't think I was rude if I suddenly had to bolt. It turned out she was very familiar with our issues because her brother has a pouch due to Crohn's. Small world, huh? So I felt very safe and didn't have to worry about a thing. Overall, a great experience, and maybe I'll see you there next year!