Music is a puppeteer pulling my strings, making me laugh, cry, sing, dance. There are songs that whisk me into the past, songs that soothe my fears, songs that lift my spirits, songs that inspire me, encourage me, give me hope.
I'm just a feather blown this way and that by the melodies and words.
Saturday night I was lucky enough to have two singer/songwriter/musicians in my house who have written the kind of songs that reach into me, wrap themselves around my soul and become a part of me.
Shake Russell's songs have been a part of me since the '70's when I heard Deep in the West
Regretfully, I've only just discovered Michael Hearne, although he's been busy writing and performing those soul-stirring songs almost just as long, it seems.
There's just something extra special about listening to their music in our own home, surrounded by friends and family who feel the same way about their music. After listening to the Shake Russell Trio in the comfort of our living room last year, how could we resist doing it again? Michael joining them this year was a sweet surprise.
And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Day Is Done
THE Shake Russell, singing in MY living room!
Michael Hearne and Doug Floyd
Mike Roberts
Shake and Michael
Mike, Michael, Shake and Doug
Sitting on the front row, just two feet from the band, is amazing – but it limits you on photos. Thank goodness many of our guests brought their own cameras and have shared their photos with me.
One guest, Lexie, went a step further, playing around with the photos on picjoke.com (I had never even heard of it!) This is just one example, but it's my favorite…
Isn't this amazing? Thank you, Lexie!
Long Hollow 
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