To our old and new friends -- including dancing wait staff, boogying booking buddies and amused family members -- I want to thank you all for your continued support of Becky and the Swinging Bards.
We enter 2020 with gigs booked from January through December. Whee! Over the next year, we expect to round out our schedule with private parties, an occasional new venue and adhoc civic event (email me for details!). Indeed: in 2019, along with playing our musical home base at Main Streets Market and Cafe, we brought the Bardy Party to an array of celebrations - from supporting our fabulous MA Representative Kate Hogan at her annual Old Fashioned Country Pie Fundraiser to serenading the streets at Concord's Annual Sizzling Sidewalk Sale. Audience members traveled to see us from other states, sent over an occasional beverage, and (once) dropped a 100 dollar bill in the tip bucket.
Whoever you are: thank you for ringing my bell.
Along with the year of festivities, life threw sadness and challenges in our direction. Well-loved audience members passed away last summer. Ann, may you dance forever to "Proud Mary." Your seeds of love still grow in my garden. And Armand, we think of you every time we play, "Go Ask Alice." BSB misses you both. Drummer Zip injured his shoulder in the Great Pet-Related Kitchen Incident and we gratefully welcomed semi-regular Gary Barbati, who filled in while Zip mended. We didn't (as they say) skip a beat. Thank you, Gary!
Our friends Ed, Barry and Terry descended on the band, bringing their musician-y selves into the mix - adding passionate vocals, sax/flute/keys and original songs. I pinch myself regularly knowing we have such talented friends. They never have to ask to sit in - we leave the Barddoor wide open for them.
On this last day of 2019, I look back on this paid hobby in wonder. Never did I ever envision -- more than 40 years ago -- that I'd still be at it, working with such talented and hilarious musicians, earning a paycheck, and regularly shushing the keyboard player. Not sure what I thought I'd be doing. Maybe rocking in a chair rather than in front of a microphone (see what I did there?).
To our audience members: Thank you for listening. For dancing. For joining us the first, second or tenth time (that means you, Blair!). No matter our political, social or religious views, we come together over the sweet sounds of humanity that unite us all.
Please join us in 2020! Make next decade roar!
