Sitting here today nearing another birthday I find myself reflecting on things from my past. This story begins in the late 80's when I got my first guitar. A couple of years later my best friend Rob Oxford got a bass, which soon was followed by an acoustic guitar. Right there the foundation was laid for the band. We started playing on parking lots around Rosiclare, just us and our acoustics. Soon David Conley had joined us. Then this little kid we called Opie (Billy Irby) was following us around and became our bassist by default. Greta Williams(Smith) asked us to be her backing band That didn't last long, but we were a band.
Through the years the band came to include Jimmy Belford, Angie Gray(Stevens), John Belford, and John Oakes. Through the ups and downs of the band, the exit and entrances of different musicians, I still felt that sense of brotherhood or family. We haven't been an active band in years and I would still feel that. The flip side I would feel anxiety about having to play, trying to schedule practices, figuring out schedules and what not. The management of the "business" side really got the best of me. I don't think I realized that until the band "broke up", then it dawned on me I wasn't going to have to make numerous calls that week. That was just part of it, and I done it with no qualms. I was single without kids so I had the time. All this is just a back story, not meaning to bore you with it.
For years I didn't really like going watching local bands play at festivals or bars. Nothing against the bands, there were some great ones out there. I just would always get that feeling that me and my band should be up there. Then a couple of months ago back in June I was at the Superman Festival in Metropolis, Illinois (real place for those who doesn't know). There were two bands there that evening, one was a band named Leonard the Band the other Lew Jetton and 61 South. I could wait to see Lew and his band, I had never seen them live, but knew who great they were. I wandered down to the other side of the festival to see Leonard the Band. They're a four piece setting up in a tent that amplified the oppressive heat even more. Watching them, reminded me of the days of setting up on the other end from where the "big"band was playing. Seeing them fight the heat and keeping everything in tune, all thing that I had went through with my band, then it dawned on me. I was watching this band(who by the way were great, not really my type of music, but they did it great!), and I didn't miss it. I actually sat back and enjoyed them without thinking, "Man I wish we were playing". Later on I watched Lew Jetton and 61 South, same feeling, Lew is a local legend who I am was very happy to finally see live.
Every now and again through the years I would get asked about the band, and I always would say, maybe someday we will play again. I went to see Jimmy's band "Stateside Outlaws" play for the E-town Heritage Festival. His mother asked if I missed it, and I think I shocked her when I said, "Not really". I don't think it has anything with being maturing, I still love music. I am married now with three kids who want to hear there Dad's band. Someday maybe it will happen, but truthfully I don't see it happening anytime soon, and I'm just fine with it. Times change, people change, trends change, everything changes, except the past. Mostly the past is filled with great memories with a handful of bad, but the past is the past for a reason, you can't go back and you can't no matter how you try, recreate it. I find myself completely satisfied with my life, could it be easier, but I would not change it for anything.
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