Roadie Report 61 - The Beautiful Fall of 2012 by Camilla McGuinn

September..always in our memory.


Leaving the rural countryside of Ohio after celebrating a dear friend’s wedding in the crisp autumn air, charged the excitement of our short September tour.

The lovely bride.

The joy of a wedding!

After a stop at the “Heart of Ohio” antique mall to add to my collections of Russell Wright dishes and Roger’s collection of transistor radios, we were headed for Chicago for a concert at one of our favorite venues, the lovely Beverly Center.

Our short tour consisted of five concerts in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. Folks at the Beverly Center kept commenting that the next place we were going was a town in Wisconsin they have never been or even knew existed.

Wautoma, an Indian name, is located in the heart of Central Wisconsin, an hour’s drive from Madison. The “McComb/Bruchs Performing Arts Center” was made possible by the generosity of two Wautoma residents. Ina Taylor McComb left over one million dollars to the Wautoma Area School District for the construction of a performing arts center. Her generous gift, along with another donation from the Pearl Bruchs Estate, were combined to build the McComb/Bruchs PAC.

Ina McComb, an avid theater-goer, envisioned a performing arts center which would not only serve the City of Wautoma, but would also be a first class facility available for use by all those living in the Central Wisconsin area, with special encouragement to local area school groups. The day before the concert, a crowd of students filled the theater to hear Roger share how being prepared with his craft, took him to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The night Roger performed, the center welcomed folks from the surrounding area and four different states. Over two thirds of the audience were new to the The McComb/Bruchs Performing Arts Center. But in the audience were five of the thirteen loyal readers of this blog, who encouraged me to write more. God Bless ‘em! The concert was sold out and the audience was an amazing singing group.

Rochester, Minnesota was our next stop, home of my second cousin Zach. It was fun to spend two days in one city. With days away from the concert in Ironwood Michigan, we moseyed our way through the back roads of the pristine Midwest countryside. As I was driving I saw a sign announcing a county fair. The billboard was an old one, but the memories the billboard evoked made me long for the State Fairs I used to go to in Raleigh, North Carolina in the early 60s.

The Mall of America was walking distance from our hotel. After an early meal at the Twin City Grill, Roger and I walked into the center of the mall and our eyes opened in wonder at the twirling carnival rides. The State Fair of my youth was right in front of me. We couldn’t resist. We bought wrist bands so we could ride every ride we wanted, as often as we wanted.

The crowds were pretty sparse but on the upside, there were no long waits to board the rides. As we got in line for the “Fairly Odd Coaster,” two young boys were standing in front of us. The youngest one turned to us and asked if we would ride with them. We were amazed and honored. Once the four of us got buckled into our seats I began asking all the questions I always have about people I meet. Tyler and Noah were from Fargo, North Dakota. They were six and seven years old. I smiled as I thought we’re almost the same age; Roger and I each just have a zero after the six and seven.


The ride was exhilarating! We all wanted to do it again. The four of us scrambled out of the ride, ran around to the entrance and back on board. The boys won the race. This time each of them boarded the car facing each other, leaving the seat next to them empty. We were delightfully humbled when we were told where to sit. After the ride, they introduced us to their father who had been patiently watching his children play with some rather odd looking older children. I asked if I could take their photo and post it on our BLOG. The father insisted we both get in the photo with the boys. When I read the business card he gave me, I was hoping we had passed scrutiny because he was a sheriff in Fargo. I went to sleep that night thanking God for one more chance to enjoy a carnival with childlike excitement and the wonder of Tyler and Noah.

Roger is very faithful about putting up a traditional song on the Folk Den on the first day of each month. Unfortunately, he had forgotten the adapter he needed to record on his studio-in-a-box, Pro-tools, on his computer. The Mall of America has everything even the microphones that connect directly into his computer. After buying a “Blue” USB microphone, he was ready to go with the October song. He chose a song about mining because our tour was taking us to the mining country of the “Upper Peninsula” or “UP” of Michigan. We used our next day off for recording and washing clothes in our hotel on the way to Ironwood, Michigan. Ah… the world of modern conveniences!

The town of Ironwood was originally an iron mining town settled in 1885. It is a small town with a heart for art. The Ironwood Theatre is supported by mostly volunteers. It was a volunteer who lobbied the Board of Directors to bring Roger to town. I think a reporter tells about the concert better than I can. http://www.lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=9&ArticleID=16089
Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera to capture this beautiful auditorium.

Driving the 121 miles to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the clear Fall October sunlight was a treat and colorful. It was the day of our next show in Calumet.

The promoter knew we would need a meal at 2pm which included a protein and broccoli. He arranged for a table at Carmelitas. Even at 2pm on a Saturday, the restaurant was packed. We told the hostess the secret name and were immediately escorted to a quiet booth. The restaurant boasts of Southwestern cuisine - "Food With An Attitude!” I have a rule - if Chili Rellenos are on the menu, I must taste them. In the 70s I worked in Puerto Vallarta for a month. Maria, the cook, made Rellenos that have never been equaled…until Carmelitas! If it had not been the day of a concert - our menu is very strict on those days - I would have ordered everything Mexican on the menu. I think I will have to ask Andrea, Roger’s agent, to book us back there so we can have an extra day in Calumet, just so I can eat!

The Calumet Theatre is also a volunteer supported non-profit organization. It opened in 1900 because the community treasury had prospered with the help of the copper mining industry. Walking on a stage that has hosted Sarah Bernhardt, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Lon Chaney Sr. and scores of other artist who had desired to travel many miles to grace a stage, is always an honor for Roger.

The Calumet Theatre

I always like to research a town before we go to it. I was a little concerned because the 2010 census recorded the population of Calumet as 798. The theater holds over 700 people. I emailed my contact there and asked if all the babies were coming too. He replied that there were people in the woods. Whew…that set me at ease.

The people in “the woods’” came from all around. In fact, as we were loading out of the hotel the day after the concert, we enjoyed some wonderful conversations with those “wood people’” who came to town just to see Roger’s concert.

Sundays are always great days to head home after some wonderful theater experiences. We decided to take the long way home through the entire state of Michigan. The trees in upper area of Michigan were turning to an amazing palette of colors. Driving by Lake Superior was a first for me. The lake is so immense, it’s hard to grasp that it is really just a lake. I had to put my feet in it.

Lake Superior..where I put my toes!





The next story will be backwards. I’m going to tell you how we found “Creeque Alley last December in St. Thomas on an cruise of the Caribbean. Thank you for your patience.

McGuinn and McGuire still getting higher!

Farewell Dear Special Lady by Camilla McGuinn

We usually turn the telephones off after 5pm, an old habit of mine. Sad news always comes to me in the dark hours. Tonight, I went for a walk before turning off the phones. The evening summer air was refreshing after the hot summer day. Neighbors were watering their lawns, the trees were gently moving with the light breeze.

Dorothy McGuinn was diligent to keep a daily record of her life. I asked her during our last visit if she would trust us with her journals. She said yes as long as she got credit if I used them to write a story;she was always the consummate publicist. I tucked a few of the journals in my bag to read during the airplane ride from Tucson. Tonight my plan was to fall asleep while finishing her diary from 1955. The daily life of this special woman was fascinating. I couldn't decide if my fascination was because I knew her, or because each page is a glimpse of history.

Just as I turned on my reading light the phone rang. I didn’t want to pick up the receiver. The sun had set, there were only shadows lurking outside my window. I knew why the phone was ringing. Brian, Roger’s younger brother and devoted son to Dorothy, whispered a quiet “Hi.” “Brian, are you okay? “ I asked. I knew what was coming. “I am, but mom’s not. She’s gone.” His voice cracked slightly.

Roger was in his studio listening to music with headphones. He hadn’t heard the ring of the telephone. The walk to his studio was a long one.

For the past couple of days, the life of a 45 year old Dorothy McGuinn sprang from the words of her journal into my heart. We had just returned home from celebrating her 102nd birthday on July 28th in Tucson. Roger and his grandson James spent two days by her bedside playing guitar and singing. Her eyes lit up when they played her favorite songs.

Old friends and family called throughout the day to wish her happy birthday. She couldn’t hear them well, so I often relayed the good wishes. One caller, the granddaughter of one of her Chicago friends told me that Dorothy was a bridesmaid in her grandmother’s wedding. When our conversation was over, I asked Dorothy if she was a wild girl in Chicago with her friend. She told me how there were four of them that went out every night. “Single women on the town?” I teased. “Oh no! We all had dates.” She quietly spoke with just a bit of distain in her voice at my thinking she would go out alone. It just wasn’t done in 1936.

Dorothy was a thoroughly modern woman. Born in 1910, educated at Northwestern University, married while in college against her parent’s wishes, divorced a short time later and declared she was never going to marry again. Then she met Jim McGuinn.

Jim was the whirlwind that swept her off her feet. When she called her friend and said that Jim had asked her to marry him, the friend replied,” Go for it! You will have a ball!” The ball continued for a long time. They were a team in writing a book, in business and in life.

Their first son was a surprise. They called him James Joseph McGuinn III. Their second son, Brian, was a much wanted child. They were living in Tarrytown, NY and their house had a wonderful backyard – just the right place for children to play. When Brian was born, Dorothy declared to Jim, “We must take care of this little one.” It was Brian who ended up lovingly taking care of her.

This morning, a nurse emailed me and told me that Dorothy had been waiting for her birthday so she could see Roger one last time. Dorothy’s intestinal fortitude was so strong that we were sure we would be spending Thanksgiving with her. We told her we would see her then as we left her room. But her body was tired and she wanted to join the love of her life, Jim.

We are now a little numb. I cried yesterday when I was telling Roger about the vibrancy I felt from her journal. It was as if I was being prepared for today.

Grief takes a different road with every passing. This grief will be different for all of us- Roger, Brian, Patrick, Henry, James, Ciaron, Callie, her extended family, her loyal friends and me.

More about Dorothy McGuinn- http://rogermcguinn.blogspot.com/2005/07/special-lady-by-camilla-mcguinn.html

Wedding photo-Dorothy is stage left.

Roadie Report 60 - UK & NL - October & November 2011 - by Camilla McGuinn

When I was six years old, the days crawled and crawled from one birthday to another. Every day was an adventure. Just learning the intricacies of living consumed daily emotional ups-and-downs. Sense memories were imbedded into the recesses of my mind. At that precious time, one year was merely a sixth of my existence.

Now, one year is one sixtieth of my life. The years no longer crawl; they are rocketed from birthday to birthday. I am blessed that the years are still filled with adventures. Sense memories often spring forth with vivid recollections of moments past. A few memories are traumatic but most are all so sweet.

The sweet memories include the night Roger and I toasted the Eiffel Tower from the palatial suite Capitol Records parked us in; to the night we slept in our van in a Howard Johnson’s parking lot wedged between two eighteen wheelers.

The champagne night in Paris was exciting even though the next day we were feeling a little woozy while we sought out the Louver and its Mona Lisa. The memory of the cold night nestled between the trucks in our sleeping bags with ski toboggans on our heads, gloves on our hands and our noses freezing brings the same smile as the exciting Parisian night.

A group of friends insisted that I come up with an idea on how to celebrate my 60th birthday in October 2011. I didn’t think it was a priority because we were going to be on a concert tour in Europe and the United Kingdom. Asking our friends’ to fly to Ghent Belgium on October 22nd just to light a birthday cake seemed outrageous to me, so I came up with a plan – not as outrageous but still an adventure.

We would all take the train from Orlando to New York City, and then do something I had always wanted to do - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge after a scrumptious dinner prepared in the River Café in Brooklyn.

Amtrak is not the Orient Express, but Roger and I have figured out how to enjoy the trip. We get a compartment and order all of our meals in suite. There were five of us on the train. We were meeting Theresa in New York City. Pat had been on the train with us before, but Laraine and Phil were experiencing their first train sleep over.

The dining cars on Amtrak have tables which seat only four people. Roger was very happy staying in our compartment. Antoinette, our compartment steward, promised to make sure he ate a proper dinner. When I returned from dinner in the dining car, Roger was sheepishly eating ice cream that Antoinette insisted he have. Yep, she took good care of him.

Amtrak’s Silver Meteor #98 pulled into Penn station around noon. The luggage porter knew exactly where to find us a taxi to take us to the Hilton. Patrick, Roger’s son, was meeting us for dinner at The Grand Central Train Station Oyster Bar at 6pm. (Phil still can’t get over how much we like train stations!)

There was time to explore before the evening meal. Not far from our hotel is the “Church of Apple.” The name I give to all Apple computer stores because Apple devotees are religious about their products. Our group included four devotees. I giggled as I watched them and everyone else reverently walk through the store. I was a Blackberry person and devoted to the Windows PC world. I did try an Apple computer once. I smiled when Roger accidentally stepped on it, destroying the hard drive, after I had thoughtlessly laid it on the floor by the bed. That accident opened the door for me to go back to a wonderful Toshiba PC. As for the Blackberry - Roger had a plan. We were going to take an iPhone to the UK and Europe. We would buy a prepaid SIM card and not worry about all those nasty charges that pop up when you take a US cell phone across the pond. Roger was sure that constantly using the iPhone for email would convert me…darn...he was right!

The day after teasing my friends about their devotion to APPLE, I opened the door of our hotel room to pick up the newspaper. The headline declared the death of Steve Jobs. He was a visionary who will be missed, even by me.

The official birthday celebration dinner was scheduled for the next evening. Timing the sunset over the Manhattan skyline meant we had to have an early dinner at the River Café in Brooklyn. Our gang of six was the first to enter the restaurant door. The cocktail lounge overflowed with our small group while we waited for the dinner service to begin. There was another couple seated nearby. I felt we might have been a bit too loud, so I engaged them in conversation.

The concierge of their hotel suggested they have dinner here before they boarded the Queen Mary 2 bound to Southampton the next day. Roger and I were going on the same ship! As usual we were working our way across the Atlantic. Roger was scheduled to give two lectures on “How Folk Music Took Him to the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame.”

The maitre’d led us to our table and a bottle of Dom Perignon was waiting. Bill and Linda, friends from Ohio, had arranged the treat. We ordered the Chef’s menu, watched the sunset and then the fireworks began. Our waiter told us that our champagne friends had ordered the fireworks just for my birthday celebration! We knew he was teasing, but I thanked Bill anyway.



The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge surprised Roger the most. He used to live in Greenwich Village and never had any desire to walk in Brooklyn after dark! He wasn’t sure if was safe but the bridge was filled with folks walking, biking and enjoying the city lights and the crisp October air. I couldn’t decide if the experience mirrored the family atmosphere of Walt Disney World or the excitement felt while strolling the streets of Paris.

The next morning we all hugged goodbye before we loaded our luggage into various cars.

Roger and I were headed back to Brooklyn to board the majestic Queen Mary 2. There is no better way to ‘ferry across’ the Atlantic Ocean. The guitars would be safe and we would be relaxed for the first concert in London’s lovely Cadogan Hall.

My fantasy plan for the perfect “birthday tour” was to wake up Scotland on the day. The train traveling north on the English East Coast is one of our favorite train adventures. One problem, I forgot to send Roger’s agent, Nick Peel, that memo. He put together a wonderful Netherlands tour with one date in Belgium. Even though I didn’t see some of my favorite cities - Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen – the cities we did see now echo as beautiful in the recesses of my memories.

I always prefer touring the UK and Europe via train, but this schedule wasn’t working because the connections were too tight for someone who couldn’t translate the language written on the train signs very easily. Nick didn’t understand why I thought driving in a small country would be so difficult. My reluctance was established by previous driving difficulties. We had a tour years ago which involved driving to Denmark from Brussels. The wonderful folks of Denmark all speak English because as they told us, “We are a small country. We can’t expect people to learn our language, so we learn theirs.” The one thing that they didn’t do was write the signs for gas stations and parking meters in English. There were a few alarming situations. We weren’t sure how to pay the tolls, park the car or even how to get gas in a self serve station. We survived those moments of feeling totally stupid but I decided that when possible, all future tours would be traveled by train and taxis in countries where we couldn’t read and translate the language.

The other problem we were concerned with was credit cards. European credit cards contain a computer chip and use a PIN, American credit cards don’t. We weren’t sure we would be able to purchase gas. Hotels don’t have a problem with American credit cards, but small vendors aren’t comfortable without a PIN.

Unfortunately, the train logistics just weren’t working, so I capitulated and rented a car to tour the Continent. We took the Eurostar to Brussels and spent a wonderful evening in the Conrad Hilton, thanks to Hilton frequent guest hotel points. Staying at all those freeway Hampton Inns really paid off by supplying a wonderful room in downtown Brussels.

On two previous tours we’d rented cars in Europe and even with a GPS, we always got lost in Brussels. One time I asked a policeman, “ Ou est la gare?” He replied with a yell and hand signals pointing us to the corner, “ A droite!” I was so excited! I spoke French and understood what I heard. Well almost. We did turn right…right into a shopping mall. The marble floors of the Mall gave us a hint that we shouldn’t proceed. Gare du Norde was the second right.

To make things less complicated this time, I decided to rent a car from an airport rental location on the city’s fringe. Taking a wild taxi ride to the airport from the hotel proved to be very dangerous and expensive. The driver talked on two cell phones simultaneously while going extremely fast. The charge was 90 Euros for less than 10 miles of travel! When we returned the car, the car rental agent encouraged us to take the train directly to the Eurostar station. It was a much better choice. Two Sunday First Class tickets cost 15 Euros. Safe and comfortable!

Our first drive of the 2011 European tour was 81 miles from Brussels to Heerlen, Holland where I found a castle to spend the night - Hotel Kasteel Terworm. Time is limited when doing ‘one night stands.’ We try to experience as much as possible in a very short time. After checking in and watching a hail storm from the turret of our room, we ate lunch. Later we were picked up by Remco, the MOJO tour manager who would be with us for all our Netherlands concerts.

Nick understands that Roger just wants to play theaters and the folks at MOJO had just the right venues. Not only did they supply a road manager, they also supplied a sound engineer, a lighting technician, a guitar technician and trucks that carried the equipment, including the plants I always insist upon. I don’t like to see Roger sitting in a ‘black hole’ on stage. The plants, enhanced by lovely lighting, soften the visual experience and create an intimate setting. He often feels like the audience is in his garden.

After the first concert, I began feeling like a princess and a little bored. All of my usual tasks were being done by four different people. Wait a minute – four men were filling my normal positions! I think I’ll give myself a raise!




We did have to leave our crew to drive to the Ghent, Belgium concert because it wasn’t a MOJO promoted show. Ghent is the beautiful city where we officially celebrated all 60 years of sprightliness.

We had a wonderful lunch prior to Roger’s concert. Our favorite way to celebrate special occasions is doing what Roger loves – performing in a lovely theater.

Roger only performs two days in a row. His voice stays clear when not stressed with days and days of concerts. That rule also gives us a little extra time to enjoy our adventures. The next morning we drove 136 miles to Amsterdam and had time to have a relaxing lunch with our friend Renee.

I had one other concern about this tour. Roger’s concerts are a mixture of songs and stories. Would the audience be offended with the stories all told in English? We shortened the stories and I kept reminding him to speak a wee bit slower. He gets excited about a story and the words spill out in rapid succession. The audience didn’t seem to mind. The beauty of Europeans is they not only learn several languages, they use them. In the states, we study languages, but seldom have the opportunity to put them into practice, though Spanish is a language we can now put into daily use, especially in Florida.

I’m always surprised to see fans coming to every show on a tour. One couple from Germany decided to use Roger’s tour as their vacation. Hanni brought us marzipan and daily enthusiasm. I always enjoyed seeing the couple at the shows. In Rotterdam, I kept looking for them before the concert, during the intermission and after the concert, but they weren’t around. Later, she emailed and told me that on the way to the concert her husband had fallen and was injured. He is okay now. We hope to see them next time we’re in Europe.

The Netherland driving experience was delightful. All of the silly concerns quickly dissipated once we began navigating the well constructed highways. Even buying the only extra tank of gas we needed to complete the whole tour was an easy task. Our longest drive was the interesting 200 miles from the last concert in Leeuwarden back to Brussels to catch the Eurostar to London.

We arrived at the St. Pancras train station at tea time. The St. Pancras station is also home to the beautiful St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. I made reservations. The building was first opened as the Midland Grand Hotel in 1873. The high ceilings and beautiful furnishings made us feel like we were sleeping in a castle.

The next morning, with our BritRail passes in hand, we boarded the train to begin the final leg of the concert tour.We were delighted to find the best coach on all the UK trains is the "Quiet Coach." We were usually the only people on the entire compartment because no cell phones are allowed. We don't really want to talk on the cell phone, email is a much better way of communication for our business. Concerts were in Leeds, Gateshead, Worcester, Poole, Milton Keynes and finally Abedare in Wales.

CMP Entertainment has been Roger’s UK promoter since 1986. The managing director, Chas Cole, has two children - James and Camilla. We always smile at that coincidence.

Tilo was our CMP representative for the tour. After our last date in Abedare, he drove us to Southampton to board the Queen Mary 2. Tilo is into gadgets as much as Roger, so he trustingly put our destination into his GPS. As the terrain changed and the roads got smaller, Roger and I quietly kept looking at each other with knowing smiles. We have been on the same type of roads in the States - back roads you will only see if the GPS routes you the shortest way, not the fastest. Halfway through the trip, Tilo quietly mentioned that this was probably not the best way or the quickest. Then we could both laugh out loud. Driving through the English countryside was a delightful way to say goodbye to England - especially since we had allotted extra time.

Boarding the Queen Mary 2 was like coming home. The minute we walked into our stateroom on the grand ship our days changed from precision time lines to total relaxation. Roger did give two lectures and a Q & A, but the lectures are a treat for him.

He loves using the media of video and photos to tell his story. He even shows the first airplane ticket he used on his trip to Los Angeles to play his first professional gig with the Limelighters in 1960. His concerts are the sound tracks to his lectures. The ship is like a small town filled with happy neighbors. To cap the whole experience, there is a delightful crew that anticipates the needs of their guests.

On November 17, the Statue of Liberty appeared in the morning mist. The early morning disembarkation at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal gave us plenty of time to board Amtrak’s Silver Meteor #97 to Orlando. When we got to our compartment, there was Antoinette! She was going to care of us all the way home!

Roadie Report 59- July- September 2011 by Camilla McGuinn

July 2011

The downtown in Mobile, Alabama is easy to navigate on foot. Skyscrapers have been gently nestled next to historical renovations in this 300 year old port city. There are several hotels, but the Hampton Inn and Suites was perfect for us and the van. By arriving a day early we were able to enjoy walking the streets and a delicious dinner at the Café Royal on Royal St.

The historic Saenger Theater was erected in 1927 and has been beautifully restored. This European-style stage has been graced by thousands of performers throughout its many years and on July 23, 2011 Roger was honored to be singing, telling stories and playing his guitars and banjo on that stage.

Our next stop was Tucson, Arizona for two very important occasions. Roger’s mother, Dorothy, was going to celebrate her 101st birthday and Roger was performing at the Fox Tucson Theater. We had hoped that Dorothy would be up to going to the theater, but she is very comfortable staying home.

We did have a gathering at her house. Celebrating 101 years is an amazing moment, but there was another highlight in the evening. James McGuinn, Roger’s grandson, walked in wearing a shirt we’d had custom made for Roger in 1978. I sent the boys, James and Ciaron, a large box of Rock and Roll memorabilia the year before. The shirt, embroidered with the Thunderbyrd album cover on the back, was in the box.

As the evening progressed, a few guitars came out. We were delighted to hear James playing. He hadn’t had lessons yet, but we are sure the music legacy is continuing. I drafted James to be Roger’s guitar tech for the concert on July 30.

Interstate 10 has long stretches of desert. The one advantage is that in parts of Texas the speed limit is 85mph on the highways that have long sightlines. We were headed to Austin for a concert but we scheduled our driving time to arrive in Fredericksburg in time to explore the small German settlement nestled in the Hill Country of West Texas. The town boasts of a variety of good restaurants, but we always walk from the Hampton Inn to the Navajo Grill. Some places are just like going home.

After a few days rest in Orlando, we hit the road again. A concert in Bartlett, TN at the lovely Performing Arts Center gave us a chance to explore a part of Tennessee we had never seen. In September we headed north to some of our favorite venues in Albany, Syracuse, Bay Shore, and South Orange,NJ.

While we were traveling from city to city, Roger’s International Booking Agent, Nick Peel was working on the paper work for a December concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We needed to get a work permit from the Argentinian Embassy in New York City. Fortunately we had a few days to get to the Grand Theater in Frankfort, KY. I made a reservation at our favorite hotel, the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor, and arranged to meet with an official at the embassy for a fast track procedure.

I am an optimist and thought if we got to the embassy as soon as it opened, our passports would be stamped and we could be on our way to John and MaryAnn’s house in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Well optimism doesn’t hold water with bureaucracy. No matter how I worded my request the answer was always the same. ”Come back at 4:30pm.”

It was early, so we spent the morning sitting in the embassy enjoying the art work. At 11am, I checked one more time with the official gate keeper. ”Come back at 4:30pm.” We had checked out of the hotel, but we did not want to join rush hour traffic, so I called Michael, the concierge, and asked if he could arrange a miracle since the hotel was booked full. He found us a last minute cancellation.

Now all we had to do was amuse ourselves until 4:30pm. One of our favorite restaurants wasn’t too far away. Our stomachs began making noises; our feet began walking to Café Fiorello at 1900 Broadway.

I found this Italian restaurant one Thanksgiving when Pat, Theresa and I were cold and thirsty after watching the Macy’s parade. That day we sat at the antipasto bar and didn’t move until we were to meet Roger and the rest of our friends for Thanksgiving supper at 7pm. That is the Thanksgiving I will always remember as having had two feasts.

Roger and I arrived at the Café just as the doors were opening for lunch. We settled on our favorite stools at the antipasto bar and chatted away with the server. There was no rush, so we ordered slowly and when we weren’t ordering something, the server would surprise us with a tidbit to taste. The restaurant filled quickly and I noticed the maitre d’ was in a bit of a flutter about someone. As the lunch crowd left, and we were still enjoying the ambience,conversation with other folks sitting at the bar and the slow stream of food, I saw three people move from the back room to the table right behind us.

I knew I recognized the man, but I couldn’t place him. I told Roger that the man behind us is famous and I think his name is Roger too. I received one of those knowing smiles and was offered some more champagne. My husband never turned around to look, so I was left racking my brain by myself. Roger who?

The threesome left and then shortly afterward, a man came to our section calling for Roger. I turned and recognized Gary Louris from the Jayhawks. The Jayhawks recorded the bonus tracks for “Live From Mars” with Roger in 1996. I said, “Here’s Roger.” Gary was stunned and immediately came over. “Roger McGuinn! Wow, this is amazing, I was looking for Roger Daltrey. I was told he was over here.” So THAT was the Roger I couldn’t place! The dude from THE WHO! The re-union with Gary was very sweet. We hadn’t seen him in years.

After almost five hours of watching the world go by at Café Fiorello, Roger and I slowly walked back through the bustling crowds on the sidewalks of New York to the Argentinian Embassy. Our passports were stamped! We were going to Buenos Aires in December.

Well you never know what a day may bring forth!

Next adventure - A train ride, a ship ride, a birthday and a drive through Europe!

The Roadie Report 58- June 2011 by Camilla

June 2011

We were one hundred miles from home on Interstate 75, when I hollered to Roger from the driver’s seat, “Did you remember your hat?” I couldn’t recall packing it in the van. He immediately ended his telephone conversation with his mother and I took the first exit. I was ready to drive back home, but Roger was sure we could get one in Chicago, our next concert stop.

Arriving in the Southside of Chicago after 5pm made it too late to go into the city to find a hat store. At that point, the warm summer air helped us make the decision for Roger to go hatless at the Beverly Center concert. The concert was wonderful and it was the first venue where “CCD” was sold, but I really missed seeing Roger walk out on stage with his feathered fedora slightly cocked on his head. We had to get a hat!

Early the next morning, we were standing at the door of the Hats Plus store on Irving Park Road. The inventory in the store is amazing. I wanted to try on all the hats, but Roger knew exactly what he wanted and the salesman knew exactly where to find it. Within minutes we were walking out with a black fedora, a summer hat I insisted on and a really sturdy hat box. We were ready for the 175 mile drive to Green Lake, WI for a concert in the evening at the Thrasher opera House.

I do enjoy hearing the stories folks tell me at my “lemonade stand” aka the merchandise table. There were two particular stories in Green Lake that I fondly remember.

A very happy lady told me how reading this BLOG inspired her and her husband to take the weekend off and travel like Roger and Camilla. They were loving their adventure and were thrilled to have it topped off with a Roger McGuinn concert.

After the concert another lady approached me with a touch of desperation in her voice. Her husband told her that he had to have a hat like Roger’s. I was so excited to be able to tell her where to go in Chicago for that exact hat! Forgetting to pack the hat was no longer a major “oops.” Having an easy answer to her question made the hatless concert all worthwhile.

We were smiling during the drive home on the back roads of the pristine Wisconsin countryside.

When we got home, we didn’t take the hat from the van because we had just a few days before a drive to the Folly Theater in Kansas City, Missouri.

The route we chose to Kansas City was through Alabama instead of Interstate 75 through Nashville. Once we reached Missouri, the devastation of tornados made us feel like we were driving through a war zone. The pictures in the press just didn’t capture the extent of the horror that a tornado leaves behind. I will never hear the word tornado again without a shudder going through my bones.

We stayed in a very picturesque part of Kansas City. Sometimes, Courtyards are situated just in the right places. Our hotel choice is always predicated on the parking situation since our van needs an 8 foot vertical clearance. Everything we needed was in walking distance including a wonderful day of show meal at Fogo de Chao . It is a Brazilian steakhouse and since our concert year was going to end in South America, it seemed very fitting.

Tomorrow, I'll write about the drive west in July 2011.

Roadie Report 57- A Whirlwind - by Camilla McGuinn

Photo by Camilla

To all 13 of my dear and faithful readers...I apologize for being absent for such a long time. The year 2011 was exciting and hectic! We worked from Tahiti, England, the Netherlands, Argentina, the Caribbean and of course on the roads of the USA. I barely had time to do the laundry. Right now we are in Richmond, Virginia and when we get home I will be writing about those adventures. In the meantime, here is a letter we received about a St Patrick's Day celebration. It touched our hearts and gave Roger encouragement that his love of folk music is also appreciated by others.

Roger,

I thought you might like this story. Saturday on Saint Patty's Day, Linda and I went to a nice pub here in Doylestown, Pa. We arrived around 7pm and things were going pretty good, still not quite at the peak it would hit after 9pm. Anyway, I know the folks who run the bar well, and the bartender (Kevin) was putting cds of Irish music on in the background. I brought a cd with me that I had made up, it features some of your best Celtic and Whaling songs. I got Kevin to pop it in. The 1st track is Molly Malone and it drew some attention from the patrons. The next track is Let The Bullgine Run, well this really got the crowd clapping and stomping. To make a long story short, we went through Welcome Paddy Home, Paddy West, Polly Von, John, John and many more, people were asking who were the musicians, and I was spreading the word about the former founder of The Byrds who records a free song a month for the Folk Den on his website. I'm sure you'll be getting some new visitors this week. The best was when The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry was playing, there's an older gentleman who was born in Inverness sitting at the bar. I've known him for years, a lovely man indeed, who happens to be the top car mechanic at a local Porsche-Audi dealership. Everyone calls him Scotty, well Scotty had tears in his eyes as he listened to The Great Silkie. He and I talked a bit about it afterwards, he explained how he had grown up listening to the song, and that your version was one of the finest he had ever heard. This week I made Scotty a copy of the song along with others and I'll be giving it to him tomorrow night.

So, just an example of how your music affects people and can make a great Saint Patrick's Day even better!

Thanks!

Jack


Ah..just give me a moment to rest.

Ask Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone Updates Roger's projects!

Roadie Report 56 - The New "CCD" and Early In The Spring 2011 - by Camilla McGuinn

From the window of my office, I felt my face light up with anticipation as I studied the UPS delivery man unloading the boxes of CDs. The “CCD,” Roger’s moniker for the 23 songs of the sea CD, is ready to go to mcguinn.com, CDBaby.com and maybe Amazon.com. Roger has autographed the first copies which will be sold at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago on June 3, 2011.

Creating the packaging for a CD project is as much fun as the recording. The sea songs recorded for this package reflect the golden age of sail, when wooden ships commanded the waves. History is often missed while singing lyrics to a beat, so we added a bit of historical research to the 8-panel package. All the photos are memories of our travels except the cover. It is the Argonaut, the painting hanging over Roger’s studio desk. The other five photos: 1) Roger looking out a window in Denmark during lunch on a cloudy day, 2) a sailing ship at the museum on the wharf in San Francisco, 3) the ocean swells taken from the Crystal Symphony balcony, 4) a sunset taken on the Crystal Serenity, and 5) a sailing ship’s mast photographed during the spring adventures I’m now writing about.

Getting on the road for a tour is always the most stressful part of touring. We have learned to leave the house under the watchful eyes of some very special people in the late afternoon, prior to the first day we need to drive at least 400 miles. If we leave the house by 1pm, we are usually somewhere wonderful by dinner.
Beautiful Jekyll Island, Georgia has become a favorite first stop. The sandy white beaches, the pristine park environment graced with the unusual modern Hampton Inn which will drive its guest to the local restaurants, beckons us to stay almost every trip when the route begins on Interstate 95.

It isn’t wise for us to drive the van north of Interstate 40 during the months of cold snowy storms. We celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary with the first 2011 concert on April 1st in Vienna Virginia. The weather was warm when we left Florida. I forgot to pack a coat. The cold Virginia air didn’t let me forget about my absent mindedness. Roger assured me there would be a coat for me in a nearby store. What we didn’t count on was the stores were ready for a new season. Summer clothes were hanging on the racks where coats had once spent the winter. It was in the boy’s department of a sporting goods store where I found a hoodie warm enough to keep the chill away.

Monmouth University’s invitation to perform a concert followed by a lecture on a separate day always delights us, it‘s a favorite stop! After the lecture, the students join Roger playing “Mr. Tambourine Man” along with a few other BYRDS hits. Their intense excitement is a real treat to watch.






With four days before the next concert in Natick, Massachusetts, we meandered our way up Interstate 95 until we came to Mystic, Connecticut. After an early dinner, I captured the last photo I needed for “CCD.” Sailing ships docked a short distance from the restaurant were the perfect images to grace the back cover.





Temperature was rising under the bright blue sky during the drive to Williamstown, Massachusetts for a concert at the lovely Sterling Francine Clark Art Institute.
The beautiful college town, surrounded by Berkshire County, can only be reached by scenic country roads. An owner of our lodging, a Swedish Sea Captain’s wife, voiced her great pleasure when she heard “Mr. Tambourine Man” was staying at their Inn. We even got a room with a view.




We quickly navigated home to Florida from Williamstown. The recording, along with the packaging design of “CCD,” required a few more tweaks. After several very productive days, our wheels hit the road again up Interstate 95 to Old Saybrook, Connecticut but our timing was a bit off. The Easter holiday traffic snarls tortured me into gripping the steering wheel all the way from New York City’s George Washington Bridge to Saybrook. All the tension immediately left me the moment we walked into the lovely Saybrook Point Inn & Spa.



The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is wondrous, much like the actress herself. Miss Hepburn made Old Saybrook her home. The theater is a fitting tribute to one of our favorite thespians. Before the evening finished, I was emailing Andrea, Roger’s agent, requesting her to please book Roger here again with time for us to explore the picturesque town of Old Saybrook.

A few years ago a gentleman emailed asking if he could produce a DVD about Roger. Audience members often want to buy a recording of Roger’s concert stories. The opportunity for filming an evening of song and stories was just what we needed. The filming of a concert is now in the can or if you’re being technical, on several hard drives. We just need to finish the editing. Beverly, Massachusetts, the home of Paul Erickson the DVD producer, is on the way to Rockport, Massachusettes the town of our next concert. Paul, with Al Mercuro, has been very diligent arranging interviews with some fascinating people. It was a touching, yet humbling experience watching those interviews for the first time. Hopefully the DVD will be ready by the end of this year.




May Day at the newly restored Oneonta Theater in New York, sharing the marquis and stage with John Sebastian was a great way to begin the month. Roger and John have been friends since the early 60s in Greenwich Village. Back in the 60s everyone was in awe of John because he grew up in the Village. Just added to his cool!




In 2006, Jim Dickson, the original BYRDS manager, sent me a note asking me if I would write about some of his history for the McGuinn BLOG. My knees wobbled just thinking about writing Jim’s memoirs, the Byrds’ godfather. I barely knew Jim but as the writing progressed with email notes from him, I met a new friend. On May 3, Roger’s son Patrick, who is also the stepson of Jim’s former business partner, the late Eddie Tickner, told us Jim had passed away quietly in his apartment in California. In his lifetime, Jim’s ear for music influenced many, including the five young musicians he guided into musical history. His legacy will live on and on. Jim’s story is written in Roadie Reports 14, 15 and 39.

Traveling to Woodbridge, New Jersey; Bethel, New York and Ramapo College were stops on the tour before we headed to Hopkins, Minnesota followed by Iowa City, Iowa. Historical theaters are Roger’s favorite venues to sing his songs and tell the stories about his ‘back pages.’

After the Memorial Day Holiday, we will pack the van with copies of “CCD,” four instruments and maybe even a coat. Our journey’s first stop will be south side of Chicago, the part of town where Roger purchased his first 12-string acoustic guitar. The name Rickenbacker was unknown to him back then.