Day 3 Collierville>Little Rock
There was no real rush for us to get out early as Little Rock is only a few hours away. We took our time getting in some yoga and coffee before breaking down camp. Visiting the Arcade Restaurant, the oldest diner in Memphis, was on the agenda. This restaurant is a visual time warp from the stainless steel trimmed bar to the electric neon signs outside. The menu is creative, the food was delicious, and I would go there again, preferably at a time when I wasn’t so worried about keeping the weight off. We discussed our next move over breakfast and more coffee and decided Sun Records would be the next stop.
Sun was great. Very different from Stax. More raw. More real. The studio is still in operation although the label has been sold twice over now. To stand in that studio, to touch the door handles...... This is special. The energy there was great, and of course we had to let August add to it by kicking a Zig inspired beat on the house drum kit that was used for U2’s Rattle and Hum with our tour guide, Mark, on upright bass in the room where Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Elvis, BB King, and so many other greats recorded some of the greatest music of all time.
As we walked back to the car, Aug’s excitement manifested itself into a sweet thank you to us for taking him there. I was personally just as excited, so to share in this experience with the family was something I’ll never forget.
The ride to Little Rock wasn’t tough. We listened to a few Disgraceland podcasts on Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Marley, and the Grateful Dead. Mind blown. I highly suggest this podcast to any music lover who wants to hear some crazy stories about your favorite rockers.
We arrived mid afternoon to our destination and were greeted by our dear friends, Beth & W. The 40 acres that W’s stepmom lives on are absolutely gorgeous. There are trails cut for 4 wheelers throughout the property that take you up and down hills and across creeks. The deer are plentiful and the Canadian geese playful. You can hear the faint whisper of the creek rushing downstream from the guesthouse where W and Beth are staying. We set up camp across the orchard before joining our hosts for a delicious taco dinner.
After dinner and some catching up, we made our way back to camp to get horizontal. It already become so easy to go to sleep so early and I’m not mad about it.
Day 4 Little Rock (show day)
While Beth worked remotely and Maggie ran a few personal errands, W gave August and I the complete tour of his childhood. We returned to the Creek House to meet back up with Maggie and Beth and prep for the show. It wasn’t long before W’s stepmom, Mickey, joined us along with his sister, a few cousins and friends of the family.
The show went off without a hitch and we went well into the evening sharing stories and laughing with all in attendance. I was touched to hear how special the performance was to some as it was the first time since W’s dad had passed that there was a party at the creek.
Once again, my heart is full as I lay with my family in our camper to rest up for the day to come. I’ve made a lot of bonehead decisions in my life, and I’m sure I’ll make more here shortly, but the decision to start incorporating my tours with family vacation is one of the best decisions we have ever made. The places we go and the people we meet and the music we play have led to a place of great contentment that I have never known before. I’m so glad to be back on the road and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Until then, be good to yourselves and each other.
Peace,
Mike