The Folk Show Folk Show was an incredible evening of music and laughter with three of the folk community's finest. Vance Gilbert dazzled us with his sparkling red shoes and his warm wit and soulful tones. Vance's voice carries with such strength that I believe he could have done a whole show without a mic. And then, there's his heart...Vance Gilbert has a heart so big, none of us want for care. He's a true friend to many according to Cliff Eberhardt another shining star of The Folk Show Folk Show.

Cliff dedicated "The Long Road", a song he recorded with Richie Havens, to Vance who he said took him under his wing when he learned that Cliff's dad died. I sat next to Cliff on the stage. It was nearly impossible to sit still during his guitar breaks. He's a real guitar master. He rocked on the title track from "The High Above and the Down Below" singing with a soulful blues appeal, “Don’t waste your time on nursery rhymes, try living while you’re here." Cliff has a real appreciation for the here and now after surviving a near fatal accident a few years ago that kept him sidelined. We heard a sample from Catie Curtis's new album she just recently recorded in Nashville. She's going to call it "The Sweet Life". She says this album is going to be much more upbeat and will feel a little more like summer, while "Long Night Moon" had a dark winter feel to it.

I've been a fan of Catie's since the first time I saw her at a Women's Festival at a ski area many years ago. She blew me away then and she continues to blow me away with her conviction, heart and truth.

It was great seeing old friends. Folks from the Monadnock Folklore Society, Peterborough Folk Music Society along with other familiar faces from other shows I've been to filled the rows for this Earth Day concert.

Oh, speaking of Earth Day: Cliff called his friend John Gorka on his cell phone while on stage to have him sing "Branching Out", a John Gorka tune:

When I grow up I want to be a tree
Want to make my home with the birds and the bees
And the squirrels, they can count on me
When I grow up to be a tree

I'll let my joints get stiff, put my feet in the ground
Take the winters off and settle down
Keep my clothes till they turn brown
When I grow up, I'm gonna settle down

CHORUS:
I'm gonna reach, I'm gonna reach
I'm gonna reach, reach for the sky
I'm gonna reach, I'm gonna reach
I'm gonna reach, till I know why

When the spring comes by I'm gonna get real green
If the dogs come by I'm gonna get real mean
On windy days, I'll bend and lean
When I grow up I'm gonna get real green

(BRIDGE)
If I should fall in storm or slumber
Please don't turn me into lumber
I'd rather be a Louisville slugger
Swinging for the seats...

The cell phone didn't work so well, but nobody cared. We had John Gorka on the phone and got to chime in to sing, "Reach, I'm gonna reach, I'm gonna reach for the sky..."

Thanks to Cliff, Catie and Vance for a stellar evening at The Colonial Theater and for your support for folk music at New Hampshire Public Radio. For more information about the artists or to pick up a cd to add to your music library, visit their websites or check their calendars and catch a show!
www.vancegilbert.com; www.catiecurtis.com; www.cliffeberhardt.net