Woody's 5-day birthday party was most excellent. Performers we saw this year (in 3 days of 5) included David Amram and his son, Adam; headliner Jimmy Lafave, the Red Dirt Rangers; the Burns Sisters; Bob Childers; Mary Reynolds; Dan Conoscenti; Randy Crouch; Kevin So; Tracy Grammar; Susan Shore, Terry "Buffalo Ware; Michael Fracasso; Darcy Deavile; Bill Miller; Rob McNurlin; Don Morris; Ellis Paul; Joel and Jamaica Rafael; Sarah Lee and Johnny, The G Babes, Folk Uke, Steppin' In It; Christopher Williams; and Peter Yarrow and his daughter, Bethany. (Peter announced that Mary's had the bone marrow transplant on a 95% match--Mary said 95% is close enough for Folk Music--and she's doing well.) There were many more performers, but that's enough names to numb the mind for now.

The pancake breakfast was excellent. It's 'out back' in the beer garden area at Lou's Rocky Road Tavern. The area holds maybe a hundred audience (200 were there), and all the best performers were there. Mary Jo (Woody's sister, Arlo's aunt) is the gracious hostess of the breakfast, but also of the entire festival, and she is such a sweet, kind, and generous person. Her life hasn't been all roses, but she, herself, is a rare and beautiful rose.

Venues in town include the Crystal Theater (on 'normal' days, where local folks catch the latest movies). It's a wonderful, AIR-CONDITIONED, small-town Art Deco temple; the Brick Street Cafe, and Lou's (both also air-conditioned). At 6:00 eveyone heads for the Pastures of Plenty, with a big outdoor stage, vendors, etc. On Friday, a rainstorm went through at 6 p.m. and it was deliciously cool that evening. Saturday, no such luck, but once the sun goes down (about 9 p.m.), it becomes more pleasant. In the meantime you sweat and enjoy the music anyway.

All venues are FREE, with abundant opportunities to donate to the HD cause (and win great things in raffles, etc.). The most striking thing about this festival, and everyone--performers, attendees, etc, say this--is the feeling. It's the closest feeling to the Church I've ever felt. The love is palpable, there are no strangers here. There aren't fences between us; the "other side of the sign" is what we all see in Okemah.

This was the first year that Arlo wasn't there. He wasn't intending to be a scheduled performer this year, but was going to sit in with others. But they announced from the stages that he had become ill on the day he was was supposed to fly in, and couldn't be there at all. The Guthrie "kids" kept us informed, and said he was doing fine, and it wasn't a long-term thing, but it just kept him from Okemah this year. Sarah Lee did a great job of saying what Arlo would have said if he were there, and at Jimmy Lafave's request, she sang the "other side of the sign" verse in the traditional closing "This Land Is Your Land" sing-along with EVERYONE on stage on Saturday night.

This was the 8th annual Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, and we strongly encourage you to brave the heat and catch it some year. We met people there from all over the country, all over the continent, and all over the world who said it's the best folk festival there is.

Again, Happy Birthday, Woody!--Jay and Shelley

Wishing you all peace on Woodys BD month...

Sounds like the folks at Woodyfest had a great time.

Belated happy birthday to the greatest song writer that ever lived!

Thanks, Shelley! It sounds like it was a really wonderful time! One of these years, I'm gonna make it there! I think I need to buy one of those little electric fans you can clip onto your clothing to make it through the Okemah weather--a fan's fan!

Woody's Legacy
Guthrie family and folk artists reunite for annual festival.
http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ ... 7fdc875c91

Thanks Shel

Happy Birthday Woodrow. As in someone's previous post, in another forum, I too, am inspired by the genious of Woody. I love his songs, and art-work. At one time in my life, I had memorized about 30 Woody Guthrie tunes. Easy to play on guitar, and every song tells a story.

Good shit!!!


I don't frequent the site as often as the old days. I do remember some people leaving with the promise of never coming back. Seems like a broken record when they do come back, only to stir the shit. People have worked hard on this site to keep it's integrity...

Like my Dad used to tell me, if you haven't got anything good to say, say nothing at all.... ( I may of been in another world that day )???

Complaints should be kept, to oneself.... Don't mean to repeat myself, but there are folks that pour they're heart and soul into this site, and that should be respected....


Can't we all just get along???? That's a question for the Taliban, and we all know the answer.


Brain Freeze
Rb

Hey, RB, I respect your opinion & agree with what you're saying. There's always another side, however. I now have come to regret the unnecessary remark at this topic that triggered all of this. Nobody's perfect. The post at the Tech Support board, & the objectionable post at this topic, predate Arnie's post at the Tech board RE: how complaints should be handled. It's there in writing, & I'll certainly abide by that from now on, as we all should.

I'm presently active at about 6 message boards,& have been active at about 6 others over the years. This is the only board that I frequent that doesn't have a "Rules for Posting" forum at the top for reference. Sure, 99% of these rules are common sense. We're left to interpret the gray areas in that 1%. I didn't see anything wrong with posting a complaint to the Tech board, where the caption says "Got a question about things here at Arlonet?" Well, I had a question about Arlonet. I'd never publicly air a complaint at an unoffical fans site, but at the official site of a famous singer who uses the site for economic gain, I saw nothing wrong with it, as all businesses must answer to the public. It's something I've done at Bob Dylan's (now defunct) message boards & it was no big deal.

I also note that this is the only site I've seen with a "Controversial" board, where moderators are to move---not remove!---discussions that get "heated." So that tells me that a little bickering is expected by the folks that run this place. When I came here in '01, this place had a reputation for bickering, & it came by it honestly, way before I even owned a computer.

Do I stir the shit? Well, I've always been one to speak out when I thought something was wrong. If I don't like the answer I got, then I grab somebody's leg & I don't let go. If my buddy gets into a fight in a bar, I hit the other guy over the head with the nearest bottle & take names later. If that's stirring the shit, then I guess I stir the shit. But I consider these qualities virtues.

Anyways, it was a brain cramp by me that started this. Let he who has never had a brain cramp of his own cast the first stone. The moderators here are doing a nice job & I'll abide by Arnie's rules in the future. Peace.