IBMA Guitar Workshop

True to mommy fashion, I arrived at this year's IBMA guitar workshop the minute it started: I'd hastily raced with a stroller, guitar, and diaper bag through the Convention Center. I arrived just as guitar legends Jim Hurst, Kenny Smith, and Robert Bowlin were introducing themselves to the crowd.

Shelly Burleson had said she'd happily hold Cora while I was on stage, but I couldn't find her when I arrived. So I tapped a busy-looking Amanda Smith on the shoulder and said, "Can you watch my baby until Shelly gets here?" She agreed, and I hopped on stage (sweating and puffing).

You'd think I'd be nervous to sit next to these guys and play. Heck, I'd been learning their solos years ago. But I think I was just glad that I made it to the show, and I was excited to play. There's nothing like childbearing to make you appreciate a good jam with amazing players (and to get your mind off yourself). Thanks, John Laswell, for asking me to join the jam; and thanks to Jim, Kenny, and Robert for being such inspiring guitarists and people. All three of these men are such creative minds. It was an honor to sit beside them today.

Alas, Cora made it into Shelly's arms, and I found them smiling in the hallway.

Thanks Shelly Burleson, for babysitting my angel! 

me, Jim Hurst, Kenny Smith, Robert Bowlin

Norm Sliter of Blueberry Bluegrass Festival (Alberta, Canada)

May I see some ID, please?

Andy and his money-collection hat

Asleep in her crib, or asleep at a downtown festival--anything goes

Last night, Cora was turned away from a music venue. The audacity!

For our girls' night out, Cora and I had ventured to 12th & Porter. There was an afternoon festival going on at the downtown Nashville venue, and our good friend and Hit & Run's longtime banjo player, Andy Thorn was performing with Emmitt-Nershi, along with the Travelin' McCourys.

Bouncers: "Sorry, she's not 21, you gotta go."
Me: "She's not going to drink. Really. I'll breastfeed her."
Bouncers: "It's our rules. You gotta go."

I finagled my way in with a little sweet-talking and a promise of only coming to see Andy and keeping headphones on Cora. And hang, we did.

I chatted with my friend, Nancy Cardwell, and Andy had asked to wear her money-collection hat on-stage. "Only if you announce the IBMA raffle to the crowd," she said. "OK," said Andy.

Andy left the hat on the table. We texted him: "Do you want the hat?" We watched him check his phone between songs. "Nah!" with a grin.

Lots of people walked up and admired Cora. One couple had left their baby for the first time, and they hovered around me, only wanting to talk about the baby.

Cora dozed in the sling throughout all of this. But in the middle of Andy's set, she awoke and started to fuss. I picked up her diaper bag: sopping wet. I smelled it--beer? No, thank goodness...just soda. I won't be taking the little C-Biscuit here anytime soon. It was still a fun girls' night out, though.