Open Thank You Letter.....to ALL my musician friends
The night of the Bill Buckner World Series Game (1986, Game 6 for you non- Red Sox people) While the Buckner error was fatal, the baseball coach in me was almost more horrified by the Bob Stanley wild pitch that preceded it (not a good sign when, years later, the teammates are still debating if it was a passed ball), and so all night I tossed and turned, thinking “Buckner!”.....NO, Stanley!!!....no, Buckner.....no, definitely Stanley...or was it Gedman?” When it came time to head over to the Dove's Nest (5 AM), I was as exhausted as I was frustrated. Opening waitress that morning was none other than Margaret Wasserman....who was biggest booster on recent Kickstarter campaign btw....and I turned to her in my grief and said “ Mahgret!....Buckner...Stanley....Stanley....Buckner”.....”Forget it” , she said, “It's gonna rain....if it rains 2 days, we pitch Hurst again, and they can't hit him”. “When did you get so tough?”, I wondered....but, of course, it only rained ONE day, we pitched Hurst on short rest, he came out (leading) after 5 innings or so....and the rest is history...not happy history......................................................................well, now I've found some closure.........for the past few nights, I've been falling asleep listening to final mixes of my new album “Party Up In Heaven”, and thinking “Isn't Emily Duff (sax) the most wonderful thing on this record?....no, wait...that would be Wally Greaney (harp)....no, Emily...no, definitely Wally...but wait, what about the keyboards (Paul Provost)?....No, stupid, the best thing on this album is the rhythm section (Jopey Fitzpatrick and Matt McMannamon).....but what about the Harp Girls?....and Rae Griffiths, sassing me on “Evrything I do”....and Devin, who did his best work EVER!!...........no I think it's definitely Emily........no Wally......no, wait..what about Nick Borges' trumpet on Drownin'!!..no, Emily...........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
When I wake up, I think of all my other musical friends who I didn't get onto this record, and how awesome THEY all are...and Karen Traub gently telling me to do one more take...and Danny Bernini coaching the Harp Girls!....and I think of Trevor Sewell and Cassandra, whose songs were so incredible that I BEGGED to cover them........and all the people who put up hard -earned $$ on Kickstarter....and I know it sounds corny, but I ain't never seen no parting of the Red Sea, or guys getting carried around in a whale, but I'm pretty sure I HAVE experienced a couple miracles....thanx for hanging in through that convoluted story
Wildcat O'Halloran has just completed his 10th CD PARTY UP IN HEAVEN...release parties Feb. 14th at producer Karen's Shutesbury AC, and Feb. 23rd at Wildcat's weekly Northampton Blues jam (4-8...most of the CD musicians will be there!)