22nd annual elvis birthday bash hosted by art fein, fonda theatre/music box, hollywood, jan. 2008

here's a little slide show...if you were there but don't see your pic, pls don't feel left out! 60% of our pix came out too blurry to even print bc of the artificial smoke & lighting... mom made my shirt & people came up offering her dough to make THEM shirts. she could be "ramona of bakersfield," like manuel or nudie, but so far, mom says "no." but i hope she felt flattered!! :)
it was tremendous to be part of this show. pamela de barres said i was "such a joy." i left stage to kudos from skip edwards AND gene taylor... that alone, well, my lord: what could be better? i gave away & sold all my cds (the one i sold, the kind man INSISTED on buying) & got cds from rip masters & danny dean. phil alvin gave me an R-rated compliment & quizzed me on musical instruments; johnny legend & count smokula were funny & kind; carlos guitarlos, so talented, was really cool to talk to! lisa haley was so full of life & joy!! lynda kay, the curtises, mike stinson, groovy rednecks were rockabilly-alt-country cool. dave raven & the house band smoked!!! ray campi, billy sheets & i talked about teaching. handsome jerry angel recommended drum tips; bill bateman & i grinned goofily. paul body was the best dressed man in the house!; fur & steve killed w/gorgeous lonely cowboy song; harry orlove's 13-yr old daughter sang like a nightingale; james intveldt had his 77-yr old dad come out & sing, & i think that was the best moment of all, mebbe! --well, except for the BLASTERS, that is, w/whom gene played!!
art walked around w/that dazed, glazed smile on his face, having more fun than everyone combined cause it was HIS party! the only bummer was that ruben & manuel didn't show... but gene did, then play w/many acts, including a duo w/bateman ("blue moon of kentucky")!!
there's just too much to recall in total except i felt no sour notes all night, nada, left stage w/o that weird let-down feeling, elvis was remembered warmly, & the audience got a heckuva show!! we contributed our little bit of joy to the festivities, & again, i thank art so much, & the dusk devils w/whom i now play & have so much fun. i truly do wish those i've played w/before, but no longer do, have this kinda fun, too. this is the reason to play music, i think: shared happiness & thrills!... what a cool, cool deal. :)