A Hard Night for Love Songs: For Stephen

Some nights, like last night, are hard nights for love songs. Five weeks ago, we were stunned and deeply grieved by the untimely death of Stephen Lewis, Michelle’s dear husband and soulmate. We in the band had known Stephen from the first days of his courtship of our loveliest band mate. In fact, Michelle brought him to meet her Flood family during the intermission of a show way back in 2011, and over the next seven years, we grinned and waved at Stephen’s frequent smiling face in the front row. His death at the end of August has left us all with an enduring lump in our throats. Well, musicians tell their sorrows in their songs and this tune from last night’s gathering is everything we need to say about how we’re feeling this autumn. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Georgia on My Mind

Hoagy Carmichael tunes have always been on The Flood playlist. We can’t remember when started doing “Up a Lazy River,” and nearly 20 years ago Joe Dobbs had us doing “Stardust” to record on what would become his favorite solo CD, “Fiddle and The Flood.” Well, lately another Hoagy Carmichael composition, “Georgia on My Mind,” had been circling back into the Flood’s stream of consciousness. Here’s our take on the tune at the beginning of a rehearsal a few weeks ago. As the track begins, Randy, Paul, Doug and Charlie already already in their seats. Then mid-song, you can hear Sam arrive, find out the key — “We’re in C, Sam!” — and immediately take a solo. That’s our Sam. By the way, about “Georgia," Hoagy Carmichael was already an established professional songwriter when he penned this melody in early 1930 and played at a party at which an old college friend, Stuart Gorrell from Indiana University, heard it. The story goes that Stuart and Hoagy stayed up all night working on the song, and Gorrell ended up writing the lyrics. Incidentally, Stuart Gorrell later became a banker and never wrote another lyric in his life. Too bad! Meanwhile, “Georgia on My Mind” was recorded 88 years ago this week by Hoagy and his orchestra with jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke on muted cornet. It was Bix’s last recording session. It’s part of the reason that “Georgia” just stays on our mind.

Gearing Up for This Weekend's Route 60 Saturday Night!

We’re excited about getting to help roll out the new season of “Route 60 Saturday Night” this weekend. Once again The Flood will be on stage each month as the show’s house band. To launch the third season, the show has two great singer songwriters, the legendary John Lilly and exciting newcomer Cat Cirner. The show is hosted by Randy Yohe and our own Michelle Lewis.Here’s a tune from last night’s rehearsal that we’re working up for our portion of the evening. It’s a lovely John Prine composition called “One Red Rose.” Remember, it Route 60 Saturday Night, THIS Saturday night, at Route 60 Music Co., 60 Peyton St. in Barboursville. The show starts at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 and all proceeds go to this month’s charity, the Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind.

Summertime (and the livin's ... well, hot and humid...)

This has been a relentlessly hot, humid season here in the Ohio Valley, so summer is not something we’ve generally sung the praises of much this year. However, if music teaches you anything it’s that there’s always something to celebrate, even a long, hot summer. Now, when we roll out the next edition of the “Route 60 Saturday Night” variety shows later this month, it will still be summer — and it probably will still be hot and humid — so we’re working up this tune for that Sept. 15 debut show. Here’s a take on the tune from a rehearsal last week, with solos by Doug and Sam. It’s Michelle’s sultry version of Gershwin’s “Summertime,”