The first Thursday in June found Los Manatees performing at The Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, PA. It was a $100.00-A-Plate fund-raiser. We played in the duck pond. Not by the duck pond, but IN the duck pond, which had been partially drained (?!). As the cream of Norristown society strolled up, drawn by our music, we felt not unlike one of the many animal exhibits that surrounded us. As we performed we could see the Zoo worker in the big cage across the path from us, trying to feed the wolverines without being savagely attacked. At the end of the show, as the sound of our last chord was fading away, there was a very loud roar from a nearby leopard (hard to say if it was a yay or a nay). Seriously though, the food was great!
Three days later we were in Mont Clare, PA, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, playing the first Fitzwater Station show of the summer. It was well-attended and many families covered the grassy meadow near the canal. (A few miles away my expectant wife Emma was visiting her mother and getting shocked by a surprise baby shower!) Halfway through our second set the rest of the band suddenly come to an abrupt stop, Ray makes an announcement, and to my absolute astonishment I am presented with a brand new "Lefty/Righty" Taylor acoustic guitar and a card signed by the band and half of the audience! I was speechless. Uncle Ronkle and Capt. Randy had started a campaign to gather donations and order me a proper left-handed acoustic guitar to replace the old right-handed one I'd been struggling with for years! Taylor guitars are top-of -the-line instruments and this one plays beautifully. I want to again thank everyone who helped perform this act of generosity and presented me with a gift I will cherish forever.
As if that wasn't enough excitement, three days later my family and I were moving into our new house! (Again, I would like to thank all the people who helped us with the move).
Three days later, Los Manatees performed outside on the top deck of the mighty Moshulu, a hundred-year-old ship that is docked at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia and boasts fine dining. We were playing at a wedding party. (Congratulations George and Marne!)
The very next afternoon, Los Manatees played a private party at Pete's Barn. (Happy Birthday Patti!)
Two weeks later, Los Manatees were back in Dylanava Studios in Blue Bell, PA, recording three new songs with legendary Jamaican reggae guitarist, Earl "Chinna" Smith. (He played a special "Chinna" edition Les Paul that Gibson created) "Chinna" has played with everyone from Bob Marley to Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Peter Tosh. He flew up from Jamaica for some studio work in NYC and then drove out for our Sunday afternoon session. "Chinna" taught us much.
Two and a half weeks later, at 12:44am on Thursday, July 15, my daughter Fiona Swann was born. She weighed 9 lbs.,12 ozs. Emma's labor was less than 4 hours. Fiona is an Irish name, and Swann was my grandmother's maiden name and also my father's middle name. Emma and I would like to thank all of you who sent cards, flowers, and gifts.
'O Emma, 'O Emma
May I ask you what you're doing today?
I was hopin' that maybe you and I
Could find some time and get away
I have been watching you from a distance now
Waiting 'til the moment was right
And now the time has come and I'm asking you
Do you think that it would be alright?
And when the sun shines on her hair
Seeing prisms everywhere
And when she speaks, I do declare,
There's something that she said
Still playing in my head
'O Emma, 'O Emma
Carry me inside of your heart
You are the one, and you're the only
Say that we will never part
Say that we will never, pray that we will never part
Words and Music by W. Hodgson
© 2004 Hungadunga Music
