THE LETTER: There is a vitality, a life force,
a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there
is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block
it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world
will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is;
nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions. It
is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel
open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have
to keep open and aware directly of the urges that motivate you. Keep the
channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at
any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest
that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
- From Martha
Graham to Agnes DeMille
Dear extended musical family,
Karin came across the above quote recently while we were privileged
to be on the road opening some shows for Lucinda Williams. You know how
I tend to ramble on in these letters? I’m tempted to bite my tongue for
once and let the above stand. It was so timely and resonated deeply with
both of us.
+++
But I must at least say Thank You to all of you who joined us on our
recent travels. We convened in Albuquerque and then rode trains along rivers
and through mountains. (You really should come along on one of these train
tours someday.) We traded songs with Mary Gauthier and Richard Shindell
along the way and found ourselves inspired. We offered songs beneath tall
trees to a setting sun in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco at Hardly Strictly
Bluegrass Festival. We found warm audiences waiting for us in SLC and Denver.
And finally, thanks again to Lucinda Williams and her band and crew and
fans for making us feel so welcome as we brought this most recent tour
to a close. It was a true honor to be able to share the stage with one
of our longtime songwriting heroes. If you haven’t heard Lucinda’s latest
album, Blessed, or heard the band she’s currently touring with – you’re
missing something special.
+++
We arrived home to fall here in Southern Ohio. I won’t deny that it
took a full week or more to recover from the road this time around. It
seemed both Karin and I had a bad case of the post-production blues. It’s
a mystery – you go out and offer whatever it is you have to give with your
whole heart, you meet lovely people along the way, you see some unforgettable
places, you think, I’m doing what it is I was put on this earth to do.
You arrive home feeling like you’ve accomplished something, and the dogs
confirm it by throwing a party. You get all the suitcases and guitars back
into the house, and drop onto the couch in a state of exhilarated exhaustion.
But then sooner or later you find yourself staring with unblinking fish
eyes. Everything begins to fade to black and a door swings open and doubts
walk in like they own the place.
We’re failures.
This is all a waste of time.
What were we thinking?
Who are we kidding?
I don’t know where the dark clouds in my head come from, but Karin
and I have learned not to try to solve the world’s problems when we’ve
just returned home. I guess we just need some time for our souls to catch
up with our bodies.
So we let the dogs love on us. We take long walks alone. I like to
wander down to the creek and look at the familiar trees along the way,
watch the sky put on a little show in the evenings. A big stack of mail
eventually gets opened. A first load of laundry gets thrown in. Evening
meals are prepared together. We discover the right book to read. Or the
right film to watch. (Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides.) Slowly the pieces
begin to fit back together again. It’s a beautiful heartbreaking imperfect
world. And it’s a gift to be alive in it.
And then, slowly, it’s time to return to the work at hand.
For the time being, what we have to offer you and each other is music.
This particular music wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t made it, and if you hadn’t
given it a life. These are songs for nights intent on growing longer, songs
for warmth against the chill of loneliness, songs for leaning into the
closeness of a prized loved one, songs to comfort and help us let go gracefully
of what we’ve already lost, songs for keeping the soul tuned to the subtle
voice that all too often gets drowned in the din of a rushing world, the
voice that whispers, Keep the channel open.
We try to keep the channel open.
And we are hoping to see you and yours and make a little lovely ruckus
together. This is a good time of year to gather ourselves together. Share
and celebrate a little long surrender and more. Maybe we’ll be surprised…
Peace like a river, love like an ocean,
Linford and Karin
PS If there’s a particular song that you would like to hear, e-mail
us your request, and let us know which show you’ll be attending. We’ll
try to pull at least a few out of the hat each night… otrhine@aol.com
PPS And oh yeah btw: We do have some brand new songs, the ink still
drying. We’ll try a few of these out on you as well, you can be sure.
+++
Over the Rhine | This Week! | Fall Back Roads Run
(Visit overtherhine.com for links and more info.)
This Thursday, OCT 27 – Club Café, PITTSBURGH, PA. One of the
coziest venues we’ll play all year in a neighborhood well worth exploring.
Our living room for the evening.
This Friday, OCT 28 – Malone College, CANTON, OH. My birthday, thank
you very much, in the Ohio town where I was born, in the Ohio town where
I met Karin at a small Quaker liberal arts college, in the town where we
performed together for the first time etc etc. Not much significance here.
Not much reminiscing during this show. Very few stories to tell on this
particular night…
This Saturday, OCT 29 – C2G Music Hall, FORT WAYNE, IN. Ah, Amish country.
The Essenhaus nearby, where Karin and I stopped for a night on our little
Midwestern honeymoon back in the day. Driving the back roads. (Come to
think of it, we just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on the road
in Boulder, Colorado. A bottle of French wine in a little French restaurant
called Mateo on Pearl Street. Check it out sometime. A candle on the table
in the festooned courtyard.) Also, my brother Jonathan turned 50 and realized
he needed to begin painting again. He’s currently pursuing his MFA at St.
Francis University in Fort Wayne. Lookin’ forward to seeing bro Jon and
the family and some of his recent work.
Saturday, NOV 5 – Bomhard Theater, LOUISVILLE, KY. One of our favorite
venues in one of America’s most musical river cities – a lovely theater
with a huge collage of lost and found musical instruments as a backdrop.
This one is not to be missed. With very special guest, our friend, Lucy
Wainwright Roche.
Friday, NOV 11 – REQUIEM PROJECT: Emery Theatre Benefit Concert, CINCINNATI,
OH. Join us, and a wide array of colorful characters from Cincinnati’s
diverse arts community, for an evening of beautiful mayhem as we re-open
the doors of this lovely and storied theater in the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine.
This is the first theater that Karin and I ever headlined with the band.
Those memorable, sold out nights had our hearts beating for weeks afterward.
We are thrilled that there is a strong vision coming together to save and
restore and revive this historic Cincinnati landmark. Don’t miss a wonderful
collaborative night for a great cause. http://www.emerytheatre.com/
+++
WEST COAST! With very special guests, Milk Carton Kids
Tickets on sale now for all shows.
NOV 13 – El Rey, LOS ANGELES, CA (Over the Rhine’s debut at El Rey!
Our only SoCal appearance in 2011. Look for some special guest appearances.
Please come find us and say hello.)
NOV 15 – Great American Music Hall, SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Beautiful old
bordello. Looking forward to returning to San Fran after the amazing HSBF.)
NOV 17 – Aladdin Theater, PORTLAND, OR (Lovely old theater in a lovely
city.)
NOV 18 – 20, The Triple Door, SEATTLE, WA (THREE SHOWS) (Our favorite
place to end our West Coast tours – becoming a tradition. Fabulous listening
room. Fabulous food and wine. Happy to be returning after our debut at
Bumbershoot Festival.)
EAST COAST AND MIDWESTERN Christmas Tour – An Over the Rhine tradition.
Come in out of the cold and join us this year as we try out some brand
new Christmas songs on you, and pull favorites out of our catalog like
rabbits out of a black fedora.
DEC 2 – Berklee, BOSTON, MASS
DEC 3 – Le Poisson Rouge, NYC
DEC 4 – The Birchmere, DC
DEC 5 – World Café Live, PHILLY, PA
DEC 7 – The Lincoln Theater, COLUMBUS, OH
DEC 8 – Kent Stage, KENT, OH
DEC 9 – Calvin College, GRAND RAPIDS, MI
DEC 10 – Old Town School of Folk, CHICAGO (Two shows! Early and late.)
DEC 17 – The Taft Theatre, CINCINNATI, OH (Our homecoming show at the
newly renovated Taft! Can’t wait to see it.)
DEC 18 – St. E’s, Sunday Soiree with fans, CINCINNATI, OH, 3pm (We
lift a glass with friends in a ragged old cathedral and bring our working
year to a close with some acoustic music and festive food and drink.)
‘As for your tender heart, this world’s gonna rip it wide open. It
ain’t gonna be pretty, but you’re not alone. All my favorite people are
broken.’
Please share the above freely. xo.
L&K