As we’ve noted, each of these re-published newsletters bespeaks a week that happened more than thirteen years ago, in which time a number of these performers have left the world of music—- or left the world altogether. We sadly have to include the singular genius David Olney among the latter group, who actually shuffled off his mortal coil onstage, in the middle of a performance at 2020’s 30A Songwriters Festival in Santa Rosa Beach FL.
It’s not unusual to hear an artist declare their own wish to go out in that fashion— nobody can say for sure that it was Dave’s preference. His gruff, barking lyrics and defanged snarl notwithstanding, he’d settled into a sort of great uncle’s way of serving up his literate stories, in mid-tempo melody and focused prose. According to reports, he handled his exit in typical form: following a quiet apology, he simply nodded off, neither dropping his guitar nor losing his seat on the stool. We remember his Moonlight appearances with great respect, and regret his passing. Spectacle was never high on Olney’s list of objectives— it’s ironic that his final set was one that no act would want to follow.
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September 8, 2010
Friends of the Moonlight--
We've stood rather quietly out of the way these last coupla weeks, so you could make the transition from dead summer, to the fresh regimentation brought on by the start of a new school year. Whether you have little scholars in the household or not, the weekly rhythms take on a different cadence... everybody's up a bit earlier, young moms are suddenly unavailable for big chunks of the day, traffic slows behind lumbering yellow buses... and the days are noticeably shorter. Takes a while to adjust... so we offer you just TWO SHOWS this weekend, before we hit the ground running at mid-month--->
Friday the 10th-- DAVID OLNEY, with Sergio Webb, $10
It's hard to overestimate the respect that this man gets from his peers, largely because he still tours like a new kid scratching for a foothold.... this after no less than twenty classic albums over a span of four decades. Even his earliest songs bear the unique trademarks of those on his latest disc, "Dutchman's Curve"--- a fictional panoply of unique characters and situations, compellingly drawn across the landscape of stories that spring endlessly from Dave's view of a changing world.
Abetted by his long-time sideman Sergio Webb-- an absolute two-legged orchestra-- Olney ups the literacy quotient of an evening through the unpredictable inclusion of short readings from his own published books and poems, as well as those of others. Still polishing the legacy of his late-'70s Nashville cult band The X-Rays, he hits it full steam when it's called for... the man can rock, so be ready.
www.davidolney.com
David Olney, September 10 2010, 26 present
Sergio Webb and David Olney
Saturday the 11th--- JENNINGS AND KELLER, $12
A classy duo indeed, forged from two lifetimes of disparate musical experience--- Laurie has trod the boards as a Shakespearean actress and theater fixture, and owned a very highly-regarded folk venue for many years in her adopted state of Florida. Dana's resume includes a startling list of well-known artists who have asked him to contribute his special brand of guitar, pedal steel, and dobro to their projects, both on record and in lengthy tours.
Coming from these two directions, they've literally seen it all, and they know how to whittle it down to the best--- applying their fine-tuned sense of songcraft to a satisfying list of originals, and a few delightful covers that are particularly well-suited to their abilities.
www.jenningsandkeller.com
Laurie Jennings and Dana Keller, September 11 2010, 11 present
EIGHT STRAIGHT NIGHTS NEXT WEEK--- WE WORKIN' HARD FOR YA!
Tuesday 14th-- THE JOHNNIE NINETY-NINE BAND, all the way from Vancouver BC... do you know how far away that IS?
Wednesday 15th-- SHANE HINES, and KENDRA SUTTON with Stu McNair, call it pop/rock/blues, and probably some horn-playin'...
Thursday 16th-- KRISTY WHITE CD RELEASE, a truly gifted girl delivers her jazz/gospel masterpiece--- Anthony Williams on keyboard
Friday 17th-- GRANT PEEPLES, with Audrey Auld, an outspoken FL Panhandle songslinger, and a very solid Australian/Americana hybrid
Saturday 18th- QUEST FOR GLORY TOUR-- BESS ROGERS, LELIA BROUSSARD, ALLISON WEISS, a new-folk estrogen tsunami
Sunday 19th-- KRISTA DETOR, try her website, we are at a loss for words--- she's about twelve times better than you can possibly imagine
Monday 20th-- OPEN MIC NIGHT, the second installment for September... always surprising, and only five bucks!
Tuesday 21st-- THE SOUTHERN TRAIL TOUR, four very intriguing Dixie-based performers, burnin' up the road together--
And we'll go ahead and mention it---
Friday the 24th-- DOLORES HYDOCK with Flying Jenny-- "The Red-Headed Woman Meets Dr. Death" and other tales of feisty Western gals
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First of all, Keith, I cannot possibly express how much I miss the Moonlight. There was nothing like it before and never will be again. Your comments on Dave Olney were on the money. He was special. You might be interested to know that he died while on the same stage with my ex-fiancee, Amy Rigby. She had always looked up to him while living in Nashville, and was happy to share the stage with him. You will recall that Amy performed twice at the Moonlight and told me it was the best venue ever! I will leave with a famous Olney quote: "When I want time to myself, I book a gig in Nashville!"