Doug's visit

We've been trying to hook up more as of late.  Doug Moore and had been meeting in Rome, GA ~ a half way point for the two of us.  My eye has been messed up the past few weeks so Doug made the trip down to Gadsden to visit me.  We had some graphic design work for marketing material to discuss, but we made plenty of time to just hang.

Later in the afternoon, Doug followed me home so we could play guitar.  It has been over 25 years since we last played together.  We swapped a few songs and reminisced when we first met on the Gadsden State Junior College campus in '78.  Doug started coming to Christian Brothers Coffeehouse after our initial meeting and we soon became buddies.  We knew back then that we'd be friends for life.  Unfortunately, like many old friendships, we haven't taken the time like friends should to get together.  We have been starting to rectify that lately.  We are getting older and crustier, but our friendship hasn't changed a bit down through the decades.

While my old friend was checking out one of my guitars I asked him to play his version of Grace Darling (Strawbs).  I have always loved how he performs it ~ he really made it his own.  I actually prefer hearing Doug sing it over the original version.  He sounds good.  I wanted him to just keep singing but he had to get back home.

Maybe I can get him to come down and play at Vineyard on a First Friday sometime in the near future.  That would be fun.  Anyway, he's on his way back to his home in Georgia as I write this.  It is always good seeing him, so good hearing him sing those old songs.

Thirty years ago young Doug asked a young me to tour Europe with him.  He said we'd take our guitars and travel the roads like minstrels from town to town ~ sing for our supper.  I never took him up on his offer and oh how I wish that I had.  It's the one great regret of mine.