i shared a Marcia Ball song "Daddy Said" last week on my video of our home...but i need to tell you more.
when i was 8 years old or maybe 10 my dad took me to a dirty bar at night to hear Marcia Ball play.
it was probably a questionable choice....but i never felt unsafe....except the bathrooms were disgusting.
he interviewed her for the blues newsletter he wrote at the time.
so i got to meet her.
and then he took me back every time she played in kansas again.
her music has been a part of our family my whole life.
her talent is amazing.
you've never seen anyone play piano like she does.
i have seen her play at lots of different places over the years....even the Hancock Tower in chicago.
craig & i and chicago dave & jen used to go hear her at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, IL too.
oh my goodness.....THAT was fun!!!
my parents keep in touch with her often.
i hear she reads my blog on occasion. :)
she is awesome.
when her music is on....i have to dance. period. it's impossible not to.
some of my favorite memories are dancing at a marcia ball concert.
so....find one...get a sitter and go!
i can't imagine bringing my kids because she usually doesn't play until LATE at night.
but i am so glad my dad took me 25 years ago.
AND i just remembered that i used to write her letters and she would write me back and send photos of her and the band on the road...one photo in particular was the band in costumes at halloween!
my mom showed me this video this morning and i loved it.
enjoy!
written by marcia on her website:
Sometime back in early April while we were touring in the Northeast U.S, my friend Minor Wilson, who has been working at film making for a few years now, called me to say that there were fourteen pianos placed outdoors in public spaces in Austin for a month. Several were on the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake. Several were in front of downtown buildings. One was in a BMX bicycle park. They were part of a touring art project called Play Me, I’m Yours by Luke Jerram. In Austin, the exhibition was curated by Johnny Walker. Minor’s idea was that he and his cinematographer friend, Daniel DeLoach, could film me playing as many pianos as we could get to in the two days I was home between tours. Well, what else did I have to do?
So, we shot at my house and three outdoor pianos one afternoon and evening and three more pianos early the next morning. We had to roust a guy sleeping on the park bench by the lake for that shot. It was about 7:30 AM. You know how I love getting up in the morning. And there it is, warts, old pianos, weird tuning, no makeup. My favorite is the red upright in the BMX bicycle park with the riders flying around behind me. It was very cool having that project here in Austin. People were coming by playing those pianos the whole time we were setting up. There were others filming and taping, and one large event that I missed because I was traveling in which many of Austin’s piano players all played at the same time in tribute to Pinetop Perkins.
..............................................
Thank u for sharing! What a cool video and she is totally amazing! :)
Posted by: Wendy | July 04, 2011 at 11:01 AM
Beautiful. :)
Beautiful woman.
Beautiful voice.
Beautiful blog post.
Just beautiful!
Posted by: Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft | July 04, 2011 at 11:17 AM
meg! i love this. my dad plays piano and she reminds me soooo much of him. i have to go to itunes and look her up. you're right...she makes me want to get jiggy with it.
Posted by: Joni | July 04, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I love that your dad took you to a bar to hear her sing! Imagine if he had never introduced you to her. That obviously had a huge impact on you. Its not like you thought, "hmmm, this dirty bar is a place I'd like to hang out at when I'm older" At least I'm assuming you didn't! ;)
She is really great! I had never heard of her before... but then again I am so bad with music and names etc.
Posted by: Lisa | July 04, 2011 at 11:21 AM
Sugar Boogie is probably my favorite so far!!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Posted by: Joni | July 04, 2011 at 11:21 AM
What a fun performance piece. Love women of a certain age rocking out. :)
Posted by: happygirl | July 04, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Love her music too! I had to search her out after hearing that song you shared. So fun to listen to. I love finding new music! I am a new fan. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Michelle | July 04, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Thank you for sharing the background & video with us. She's amazing; I'm gonna have to keep an eye out for some of her CDs. She reminds me of my stepmom.
Posted by: Sandy | July 04, 2011 at 11:55 AM
That's awesome! Great project! I'm a musician myself (saxophone) and I am now a new fan...what a great woman! Thanks for sharing her with us:-)
Posted by: Dina | July 04, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Very cool! That piano installment actually was here in Grand Rapids last fall for ArtPrize. What a neat concept.
Posted by: Lindsay | July 04, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Your mom showed us that too! Loved it, so cool with all the people in the background! Wish I could have seen you when I was in Lawrence...boo hoo.
Posted by: Sara | July 04, 2011 at 01:43 PM
fabulous! love that touring art project/idea. i can't play the piano but would surely plunk down for chopstix.
happy to now know about marcia ball!
Posted by: Mindy Harris | July 04, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Love her! I live in Austin and run the trail 3X a week with my toddler. It's so fun to see a big part of our daily lives on your blog!
Posted by: Short, Sweet Season | July 04, 2011 at 02:53 PM
I very much enjoyed the video. Awesome pianist!!! Maybe you can go see her see her perform in Paola in August?
Posted by: AliceAnn | July 04, 2011 at 03:22 PM
Thanks for sharing! Oh how I love to hear a well played piano!
Posted by: Kimberly Dial | July 04, 2011 at 04:15 PM
Very cool!
Posted by: Melissa | July 04, 2011 at 04:17 PM
that was cool :) ty!
Posted by: April M | July 04, 2011 at 04:53 PM
Marcia is looking good! We used to catch her here in Houston at Fitzeralds, too. Power of Love is one of my favorites. She's certainly one of a kind.
Posted by: Becki G. | July 04, 2011 at 05:34 PM
I am so glad you put this video on here Meg! I just love the song and the video.
Posted by: Lorel | July 04, 2011 at 05:35 PM
Dad and I called Marcia to tell to be sure and check out your blog today. She was at the airport and would look it up when she was home. :-). Thanks for putting on there!
Posted by: Mom | July 04, 2011 at 06:42 PM
love that! thanks so much for posting! what a joy!
Posted by: sam | July 04, 2011 at 09:49 PM
That was GREAT! My dad has always been a blues lover too. My parents took me to several bars in my childhood to hear good music. :)
Posted by: Jenny B. | July 04, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Aaah that was awesome!! Well done Mom for calling her too! :) xx
Posted by: Kerry | July 05, 2011 at 01:06 AM
songs from youth are like snuggling up in the fluffiest blankies. We used to listen to the music box dancer when we were little. Now on days when I feel a little lost, I turn it on. It always helps remind me who I am.
Posted by: Holly | July 05, 2011 at 01:22 AM
I'm an Austinite and I love your blog....and love Marcia Ball. You can't help but feel happy when listening to her music. Wish my dad had introduced me to her music 25 years ago....thanks for a great story!
Posted by: Jennifer Draper | July 05, 2011 at 07:44 AM
This is SOOOOO cool. And while I was playing the video my daughter came in the room and started dancing. When it was done she said, "Mom, I like that music!!" Thanks for introducing us to Marcia Ball!!
Posted by: Kate | July 05, 2011 at 08:03 AM
Marcia's awesome! oh how she can play!!
we live in Austin. so cool they put pianos along a bike trail.
Posted by: Amanda | July 05, 2011 at 08:10 AM
FABULOUS!
Posted by: Melissa Irvin | July 05, 2011 at 08:20 AM
I.LOVE.MARCIA! Always have. I'm a sucker for piano... I used to play, but nothing like her.
Posted by: Jodi @ The Un-Soccermom Blog | July 05, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Marcia is awesome!! I love that song!! Thank you for sharing!!
Posted by: Chris | July 05, 2011 at 08:27 AM
Now I'm REALLY SORRY I didn't go to see her with my husband this past Friday. She played FOR FREE at a new amphitheater in my new town. DARN! I'm such a lump--all I could think of was wearing my pajamas by 7pm and reading a book. Oh well.
Posted by: Jen | July 05, 2011 at 09:31 AM
omg meg! i was born in berwyn! lived there till i was 7. my dad was born there and my mom in cicero. would so love to take my kids back to let them experience a little of my youth. we spent summers with my grandparents and cousins in berwyn and brookfield and i miss it so much still. funny how you can be gone from someplace for so long and still know it as home. loved this post.
Posted by: lauren | July 05, 2011 at 10:00 AM
I used to go see her at Gruene hall when I was little, too!
Posted by: Stephanie Carroll | July 05, 2011 at 11:54 AM
I love to here about amazing people in our own back yard. She will be in Paola in August...
Thanks for sharing,
Cyndi
http://mycharmedlife-cyndi.blogspot.com
Posted by: Cyndi Hamilton | July 05, 2011 at 01:18 PM
Okay, I had never heard of Marcia Ball (didn't have a cool dad & mom who exposed me to the blues from an early age) but, I loved her music! I hopped over to itunes and bought this song and the "Daddy said" song! Love them! Thanks for letting me know about her awesome upbeat fun music! No wonder you are so artistic...listening to cool music like that! :) Any other songs that are your favorites of Marcia Ball?
~ Ali
Posted by: Ali | July 05, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Thank you for sharing the delightful music of Marcia Ball. I am a brand new fan, thanks to you! The "Play Me, I'm Yours" piano project in Austin is an amazing expression of art, and I am so glad to have experienced it...even if it was via youtube. I shared links to your post and the video today on my blog: sunshineinthehouse-angie.blogspot.com
Posted by: Angie | July 05, 2011 at 05:42 PM
Always great to hear about new-to-me talent. Thanks :)
Jenna
Posted by: Jenna | July 05, 2011 at 07:41 PM
AMEN! my 5 month old was totally screaming his head off and I brought him with me to check in with your blog (as i do daily) and turned this video on and he loved it! we watched it several times...no more screaming! thank you! :)
Posted by: tiffany m gardner | July 05, 2011 at 08:19 PM
Man, I love Marcia Ball and hadn't thought of her in ages! Nothing quite like the way she could sing and play that piano with her legs crossed and one leg keeping rhythm. Thanks for the reminder. Pulling out her old stuff now!
Posted by: Sue | July 05, 2011 at 11:28 PM
I'm loving the Marcia Ball video. Austin is one of my favorite cities!
Posted by: Erin | July 07, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Love this video!! She's awesome.
Posted by: Dianne - Bunny Trails | July 08, 2011 at 03:12 PM
Love Marcia Ball and Delbert McClinton!
Posted by: patti | July 08, 2011 at 07:16 PM
I love Marsha Ball. Hubby and I saw her play that piano years and years ago in Memphis. I'll have to dig out her tape that we packed when we moved recently.
Posted by: Amy | July 08, 2011 at 09:16 PM
I just got my local what's-going-on-this-weekend email, and there's Marcia Ball! Playing in Lubbock, TX this Saturday! And my kids will be gone...maybe I can convince the husband to take me to see her!
I may just have to go alone, if he can't.
Posted by: Julie Weaver | July 14, 2011 at 10:09 AM