23 years ago, I was 20. I’d just lost the battle for my brother to the institution of the state psych hospital. I had cancer and could not save him. I was newly and quickly married to a man 26 years my senior and his 8 year old daughter without her Mom. I thought I could help. I could barley stand the pain in my body, but thought I’d try the best I could to do with her what hadn’t been done for me. Seemed the best choice for the time I had. I was still durable. I had Dylan, The Doors, Simon and Garfunkel, Ray Charles, Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, Lightning Hopkins, and a radio station called KPIG with some old time clever DJs. Ramblin Roar was hosting a set. It was time for me to do my domestic duties of house cleaning. I was alone. I couldn’t smile for myself. All I could do was try to feel connected to a young world I didn’t understand. I was scrubbing the toilet when from the speaker I heard something that stunned me. I felt it in my veins, beyond the cancer. Better than anything I’d ever known. This music wasn’t rock n roll it wasn’t folk it wasn’t the Blues. It was like classical on fire in the soil of the land and my guts. Then Dave’s voice came through like roots for the spaces between. I stopped what I was doing and layed down on the cold hard clay floor. The song went on and the rendition was LIVE. In those 10 minutes I do believe my life was saved. I went straight down to the record store on Pacific St in Santa Cruz and bought every Dave Alvin record they sold. Thank you for sharing yourself. I am determined to carry on and share the meaning of the music, loud and light or soft and heavy. I’ll be there, reaching out to the kid younger than me. And that’s how we all keep on rolling. Thanks for sharing, Dave and Family.
I love Dave Alvin add this song makes me happy and brings tears to my eyes reminds me so much of my great state of Texas and no matter what version you’re here he just keeps making them better I don’t know what else to say God bless Texas and Dave Alvin
I got a free recording of a live show in Denver, it was on internet archive. It's a little hard to navigate but there are some great live shows there...not an ad, just fact. He did Wanda and Dwayne on the same show.....lots of great tunes on there, at The Soiled Dove I think.
