Starting to think about Thanksgiving Eve 2011...

A full day today... but my heart and soul is thinking about Thanksgiving Eve 2011.

For over 30 years, I have been doing some type of American music gig during the US Thanksgiving holiday. It started with going to see Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie while in seminary in NYC - taking our small daughters for the fun, too - and has continued through each of four congregations I have served in Saginaw, MI, Cleveland, OH, Tucson, AZ and Pittsfield, MA.

Currently, we try to bring together some of the best musical friends in the area - show case their gifts - and raise some money for the local emergency heating in the Berkshires ministry.

This year I'm starting to groove on a couple of ideas that include...

+ Starting things off with the FULL band and lots of guests doing the Grateful Dead's take on "Know You Rider." There's lots of room for harmonies, instrumental solos and audience participation.

+ I'm also thinking there's a place for ZZ Top's "Jesus Just Left Chicago" along with Booker T and the MGs, "Green Onions" and the Airplane's "Good Shepherd." 

I'm hoping the Jazz Ambassadors might be able to reprise some of our Turkish delights, too.

+ There will be solo slots for each of the local artists, too - and I am thinking I want to give my man Mr. E's song, "My Baby Loves Me" a shot!  Who knows?

If you are in town - or in the area - on Wednesday, November 23rd at 7:30 pm, you have to come by and join the fun. 

This is going to be a blast on so many levels... cuz I'm thinking that if this IS the groove, then we're going end with...