Davy's On The Road Again Ch. 16

...I picked up a strange vibe from S---. Her set was mighty strong and as she came offstage, I congratulated her. She seemed overly pleased and a bit touchy-feely. Amy says that she was coming on to me but I didn't get that. I did think that, for someone I don't know, she was a little too familiar...She's on the tour for a few cities so I'll have to watch and take notes!

New Orleans

"Jockemo, Fee Na Nay.

Jockemo, Fee Na Hey.

Well, if you don't like what the Big Chief say,

It just be Jockemo, Fee Na Nay.

My Brother (Brother)

Brother John is gone

I say my Brother John (brother)

Brother John (Brother)

Brother John is gone.

Well I remember that morning I remember it well (Brother John is gone)

I remember the morning that Brother John fell

He was a mighty man with a heart of steel

And he never would bow and he never would kneel

My Brother (Brother)

Brother John is gone

I say my Brother John (brother)

Brother John (Brother)

Brother John is gone..."

Oh, how I love this town. It was Amy's first time here and as we had a few days before the first show, I took her around town. I'm talking about starting the day at Cafe Du Monde for Cafe au Lait and beignets, Mother's for a Ferdie Special and some Rice Pudding, The Acme for some oysters, K-Paul for some real gumbo, Jockimo's for some grill, Commander's Palace for Bananas Foster and the best of them all, Bayonna for some of Susan Spicer's world class cuisine. Ever had a Lamb Chop covered in Maple Syrup and Pecans? Yum.

...Nights are spent jumping from club to club, from Rock'n'Bowl to the Maple Leaf, from d.b.a to Carrollton Station (for Walter "Wolfman" Washington), from the Howlin' Wolf to Snug Harbor, from Tip's to my very favorite, Vaughn's to taste some Kermit Ruffins - his jazz, his barbeque and one of his joints. What a pleasure this guy is - he is New Orleans...

One night, we found ourselves on Bourbon Street for a couple of blocks. You know that Amy, Sally, Laura and a female songbird who I cannot mention (S---), had to show their tits for some beads. Strolling through the Quarter, we picked up some powders, candles and gris gris at Erzulie's, a Mac Rebennack recommendation. I also found myself in the Music Warehouse where I signed some autographs. While there, I picked up a Lee Dorsey collection, a James Booker cd, a Tin Men cd, a Jessie Hill collection and a few more tasty treats.

Our show in the Superdome had some of the finest musical moments in all the tour. I had the great fortune to watch Sonny Landreth's set. That cat is something else again. I just can't wrap my head around his technique. I mean who the hell can pick behind the slide? There were three standout moments with Sonny, First, during his encore, Ry Cooder stepped on stage to go neck for neck on "Congo Square." Friends, it was hellified, pure devil's music. The two masters pushed each other to limits heretofore unseen and the crowd responded in kind. I don't think I've ever broken into a sweat faster without exerting myself. It was one on those performances that people will be talking about for years to come. The second standout moment was when both Sonny and Michel Doucet surprised me onstage by adding some sweet licks to "In The Key of Me" and then stuck around to add their magic behind Amy on "Talk Dirty To Me." Mark was absolutely ten feet above the stage as he jammed with them. Hearing the slide and the violins twist and dance around each other was just this side of cosmic. Man, would I love to have recorded that.

After the show, a bunch of us cabbed it to Tipitina's for a little party. Ivan Neville and Dumpstafunk's set was gritty, just the way it should be. Allen Toussaint took the stage and played some hits while a rotating group of all-stars backed him up. That's where my third Sonny Landreth experience took place. I was listening to him jam with Leo Nocentelli when a guy next to me said, "Where's the other guitar?" I looked at him confused and pointed toward the stage. "No," he said, "I hear them but when Landreth plays, there's another guitar playing. Is he off-stage?" Again, I was confused. I pointed out that it was only Sonny and Leo onstage, Sonny on slide and Leo on 'chunka-chunka'. "No, no man can play that many notes or that many parts at once," he said. I politely explained that it was all Sonny and there was no one else but this guy wasn't buying it. After the show, I mentioned the story to Sonny, who got a big kick out of it and suggested that he might have an evil twin. Since then, I call him "The Sonny Brothers."

The New Orleans show was memorable. This is not to say that all the shows aren't memorable, they are. Each show on this tour has had magical moments but to me, the NOLA shows had the most. I mean, how do you describe Allen Toussaint with Elvis Costello? Irma Thomas? Dr. John? Randy Newman and Linda Ronstadt, alone and together? The Nevilles? A cajun/zydeco revue with Buckwheat Zydeco, Terrance Simien, Michel Doucet and Rockin' Dopsie? You can't. These are musicians at the pinnacle of their art who make their music for themselves, first and foremost. It's funny but during these performances, I felt uniquely American in that the art I heard could not have been created anywhere else.

The show ended with some New Orleans fonk, some grits and gravy, and some voodoo added to "Breadbasket." The song seemed to go on forever like some spell had been thrown over us. Everyone was on stage and every one had to step up for their moment - my favorite being Mac's riff. I need not tell you how many smiles were in the house but teeth shone like spotlights.

...some other NOLA tidbits: Cyril Neville and I had a discussion about food. Cyril told me to shake some filé onto my windowsills to keep ants out of the house...Irma beat me for $500 at poker backstage. In fact, she took everyone while her husband Emile laughed and laughed...Mac had an argument with Coco Robicheaux as to where the best po'boys could be found and they both had to agree that since the original Uglesich's closed, there weren't any...Trombone Shorty Andrews, Big Sam Williams, Matt Perrine and Kermit Ruffins started the show by performing the Star Spangled Banner like I've never heard it before and probably never will again...

Back at the Windsor Court, we were way too exhausted to party. When you are in New Orleans, you cannot help but burn the candle at both ends and, indeed, that we did. But you only live once, right? I mean, where else in the world can you have a glass of cognac with Randy Newman at four in the morning? And this was after a three hour recording session at Audiophile with a cast of the best players on the planet. What a town.

...Amy also mentioned that she thinks S--- was coming on to her and that maybe S--- is feeling us out. Now that would make for an interesting threesome!...

Miami

After the Miami shows, the entire cast and crew had a few days off. Richard Branson, an amazing individual, picked up the tab and flew us all to Necker Island where we indulged in his hospitality. It turned out to be an amazing vacation for everyone. Besides the plush and extravagant accommodations, it was the site of a wonderful event.

As we landed, Danny received a call. I was standing next to him at a urinal as he relayed the information to me. It seems that his wife was killed in an automobile collision. She was pulling out of Bal Harbour after another one of her shopping sprees...She was on her cell phone with one of her friends and never saw the semi as it barreled down Biscayne...Turning right at the red light, it hit her full bore and smashed her and her Lexus into oblivion. Danny hung up the phone and started to laugh uncontrollably. Tears of joy were flowing from his eyes and I'd never seen him in this condition. As they say, what goes around, come around.

As we walked out to the transport where Amy and Kathy were waiting, I literally had to hold him up. Once inside, he couldn't speak. Red-faced and roaring, he sputtered like a fool. Once at the resort, he began popping bottles of champagne and filling glasses as he drank directly from the neck. About two hours later, he corralled everyone down to the beach but wouldn't tell anyone why. With Branson's help, there was a preacher on the beach and in a wild and festive afternoon, Danny and Kathy were married. As they walked down the red carpet laid in the sand, every one (and I should add that we were all pretty drunk) sang "Here's Come The Bride." This was a wedding none of us will ever forget.

Free from the paparazzi, we were all a little crazy. There were no bathing suits in sight as we played in the waves. I got to ogle some new tattoos. S--- made her move, too. Sally was talking about having a grand fuckfest when S--- interrupted to invite herself in. Sally explained that it was a very discreet group and that anything goes. This only made S--- more excited. Later that night, after an amazing feast, Stevie, Sally, Tim, Laura, S---, C---, Amy and I were getting fairly wiped on the torchlit beach when the fun began. The weed and the drink was flowing and to say that we were all very loose is to understate the obvious. A suggestion was made to move the party to the hot tub off our bungalow. As we walked to it, we could hear other parties going on at other bungalows. Anyway, we filled the tub with bodies and soon got pretty liberal with our hands. Naturally, Tim and his monster dick was the center of attention as the women all wanted to feel it and play with it. He became a little flustered and needed Laura to save him. That's when a discussion about bisexuality began. Sally, with her loose tongue and wanton ways, bragged about how good it felt to eat pussy and how much fun it was to watch men get it on with each other. S--- and C--- both agreed with her and in no time, Sally was going down on S--- and Stevie was going down on C---. We moved into the living room where things got hot. S--- told Amy that she'd been lusting after us since we met in St. Louis and so when S--- and Amy moved into a sixty-nine, I filled S--- with my dick. Eventually, they flipped over and I pushed myself into Amy while S--- licked my nuts. The room reeked of sex as different combinations formed. Each woman had to try to mount Tim who, God bless him, stayed hard for a long time. C--- got on all fours and sucked my off while Stevie packed his ass. I'll tell you this, C--- sure can suck cock. I dropped my first load into his mouth and he never lost a drop.

As it was an exhausting day, the party seemed to end a bit early and couples drifted off to bed. S--- asked Amy if she could stay a little longer. The three of us sat naked on our deck and snacked on a plate of tapas. S--- told us how innocent and naive she was when she first became a star. She said that being married to L--- was stifling until she learned that he was bi and in the closet about it. Their marriage ended soon after when he ran off with a musician in his band and she found herself hooking up with members of her road crew. It was when she was on tour that she first had her own bi experience with her hairdresser. Since then, she said, she has had a few experiences but that, with her stardom, she is wary and very picky about her partners. Most of the time, she explained, it was just her and her fingers.

I asked her about the tattoo of a red snake that was coiled around one of her nipples. She explained that she got it a few years ago as a way to maintain her private sexuality. I didn't understand.

"When I perform, I wear sexy clothes, all frilly and fringed. I wear hot lingerie but I have to paste my breasts into the bras because, with the deep necklines, I don't want my tits to pop out. I like to maintain the illusion of a lithe, sexy sprite and I'm careful not to show anything. My pantyhose has opaque areas so nothing shows when I dance around. So the snake is my way of knowing that my body is my own and not to be shared with the rest of the world. My red snake is my secret. Also, as a side benefit, it seems to make my nipple more sensitive."

I took her nipple into my mouth and felt it harden. Yes, I thought, these nipples are very sensitive. It grew between my lips and I felt like a suckling babe. Amy took the other and soon, S--- was pushing her breasts out and moaning. She has very full and lush lips which seemed to make her kisses more erotic. As Amy stretched out on the chaise, they rubbed their vaginas together and kissed. I could not resist licking them both, running my tongue from Amy's ass down to her taint, into her pussy, then into S---'s pussy, across her taint and up into her asshole. The women moaned in delight as my tongue traced its luscious path. I replaced my tongue by positioning my cock between their pussies and sliding along their wet slits. The sensation was divine and I couldn't hold back when my spunk coated both stomachs.

S--- never left that night. We formed every possible combination two woman and a man can attain. We awoke with the sun high in the sky and began all over again. Stevie and Sally walked in from the patio and joined us. I ordered breakfast for five and we dined nude while never stopping our sex play. C--- stopped in puffing a huge spliff and joined the festivities. At one point, the three women were in an oral triangle and the three men were in the same. After swallowing C---'s salty load, we all fell asleep. Later, we dressed and joined the entire entourage for a magnificent dinner. It seemed obvious that each and every person had a well-fucked look. Every one was very relaxed and happy. Especially Danny, who could not get that shit-eatin' grin off his face.

Two days later, a planeload of deeply tanned hedonists landed in Atlanta. Someone yelled, "Are you ready to rock!" to which everyone roared back. With the tour about to end, we were ready to rock again.

Atlanta

...comfortable weather driving down I-75...the plane landed late and we're rushing over to the Dome for a sound check, then over to the CNN Center for an interview and then back for the show. The Ritz-Carlton will have to wait...

...I don't know what it is but I've never liked this town. Like Dallas, this place has a weird vibe to it. I get a sense of something phony, almost sinister here. I know that it must be me but I just can't put my finger on it. Graham and Mark seem to sense my discomfort and are doing everything to make me lighten up. I'll be fine when I hit the stage but I'll be better when we leave for New York...

...(a little later)...The CNN interview was fun...Graham, Mark, Stevie Nicks and Lady GaGa together..everyone seemed a little goofy and a little too loose...now, we're in the limo being rushed over to the venue...I'm feeling harried and must smooth out...I'm impressed by GaGa's ("call me Angie") professionalism. She knows that she's riding a wave and she's milking it now, she has plenty of time to develop some depth to her career...

...(post-show)...This was a good show and yes, we were fine once we hit the stage. This audience was more in tune with GaGa (a lot of glitz and showbiz) and the other young artists than with us old farts but thankfully, Willie Nelson and his bottomless bag of weed, lightened the load and removed any edges. I thought that Lady Antebellum was okay but nothing special, I was also a little disappointed in Alison Krauss, who I really admire, and Robert Plant. I thought their set was workmanlike. I expected more. I really liked Keith Urban's set, that cat is a hell of a showman. I had a fascinating conversation with him before the show and was amazed by the depth of his musical knowledge...I really liked Mumford and Sons. What an interesting and novel sound these guys have...

When we got to the hotel, I sat down on the bed and passed out cold. In the morning, I was surprised that I was undressed.

"Good morning, Mr. Sunshine. It's time to get moving, we have a plane to catch. You've slept away the morning!"

"Gee, is it that late already? I really passed out last night."

"No kidding! It was tough to undress you, I had to get Sally and Stevie to help me. You went out like a light but I guess you needed it. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good, baby, I guess it all caught up to me last night, that's all. I'll feel better when we get to the big city."

"Well, put a move on it. The plane won't wait!"

I showered and dressed quickly and made it downstairs for the last limo. Stevie, Sally, Mark and Deb were already inside when I jumped in.

"Did you have a nice beauty sleep, Tinkerbell?"

"Yes, thank you, Steven. But I don't know what you did to me last night, my nuts are all knotted up!"

"Dude, I haven't seen you like that since that devastating acid trip in Saugerties back in seventy."

"I don't know, Stevie, I think someone gave me some knock-out drops. I was really out. I guess my 'get-up-and-go' just 'got-up-and-went!""

"You didn't look so good last night. We were worried about you," said Sally.

"I'm thinking that it was Willie's weed that did you in," added Mark.

"Could be...No, I'm all right. I guess these bones are feeling their age, that's all. I'll be glad when I'm back in East Hampton."

The flight north was subdued and quiet. Quite a few people stopped by my seat to see if I was okay. As the plane circled Idlewild and flew past the skyline, I felt my energy rush and I felt excited to be nearing my old turf again. Nothing puts a skip in your step like New York City.

Back to New York

For the next few weeks, we'd be based out of New York. The D.C. gig was nearly two weeks away and so the plan was to stay at Mandarin Oriental for a few days and then head out east to Emma's house. It was during our stay in the city that Amy became preggers. The rest of our time was busy and fun.

Between interviews and photo ops, we had a few adventures. One was a trip to Staten Island to visit The Mandolin Brothers. An insane collection led by Grisman and Cooder boarded the ferry on a spectacularly blue sky day and enjoyed the trip. It didn't hurt that B--- picked up some inky Jamaican ganga of which we partook on the top deck. Danny had called ahead and warned them that we were coming and I must say, they laid out the red carpet. I played a D'Aquisto, and 1870 Martin and a Monteleone Radio Flyer but didn't buy any of them. Instead, I bought a 1953 00-18 with the sweetest tone ever, a 1959 Gibson J-50 with a big bottom sound and a 2009 Custom Shop Fender Tele "50's Relic" Thinline with a killer neck. In all, I'd say that between all of us, Mandolin Brothers had a hell of a day. I carried the Tele back with me but had the other axes shipped west. On the ride back, several of us entertained the commuters with an impromptu "blues cruise". I'm sure you read about it.

The next day, the entire tour sailed over to Liberty Island where Bob Gruen took a group portrait. The photo was a takeoff on his great John Lennon portrait in that we all wore "New York City" tee shirts and posed under the Statue of Liberty. For many, it was their first visit to the Lady of The Harbor and it was much fun...again enhanced by some Blue Mountain herb.

Before we left NYC for the Hampton's, I fulfilled a promise I'd made months before. With a stretch limo filled with my friends, we drove up to Bearsville for one of Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles. I need not tell you that the music we shared was top-notch. Levon is such a great cat and a warm host. The barn was filled with music lovers who were treated to a great set. The Amys again knocked everyone out. I just love playing with Larry Campbell, too. With Mark and Stevie, the music was way beyond fine. After one song, I think it was Springsteen's "Atlantic City", Levon ended the number with a deep and satisfying sigh. That really summed up the evening.