Friday Night Fare

We’ve been hosting our ‘Friday Nights’ for a decade or more. Almost every Friday evening of the year, friends and neighbors gather at our house from five to seven to share appetizers and beverages and, mostly, just to “have a good and proper visit” as my great-grandmother used to say about such get-togethers.

Lately, Tucker has added a new dimension to the evenings: he often brings a show-and-tell item from one of his numerous collections. Last night it was a Martin guitar, built in the 1970s. He brought it knowing that singer/songwriter Larry Murante planned to stop by and he wanted a professional’s assessment. Tucker’s research had told him that some Martins made during that period were great and some were really bad. Though he admits to singing and playing “a little,” Tucker said he feels unqualified to make a judgement.

Larry on Friday Night

So… about half-way through the evening we were treated to a Friday Night first – Larry took a look, tuned and tried a chord or two, and then played a part of his newest composition – one written for his wife Karen just a week or so ago while here the Willapa Bay AiR residency program. Fabulous! Magical! Transporting!

What made it even better is that Tucker shared that his all-time favorite folk singers were Peter, Paul and Mary and that when he first heard Larry play, he got that same visceral feeling from Larry’s music. And still does. (High praise and no pressure, Larry.) We couldn’t agree more and, of course, the fact that he wrote “The Ballad of Mrs.Crouch” about our very own resident ghost gives us a connection that goes beyond the musical – at least in my mind!

Larry, One Oysterville Morning

Larry will be doing a House Concert here on March 29^th when he completes his residency. Because of limited seating, attendance is by reservation, but if you are interested, please let us know… As Mrs. Crouch has told me many times, everyone deserves an opportunity to hear Larry up close and personal!