Today was day three of the drive from Yellow Springs to Scottsdale. The Kingston Trio Music Camp is a joyous time for everyone who knew John Stewart and his music. Driving west has been even more interesting to me this year because I seem to hear his songs around every corner. I hear Missouri Birds as we were making the seemingly never-ending drive from Rolla to Springfield and then I hear Cowboy in the Distance when we went through Joplin. It was so loud that I had to leave Dave Batti a voice mail to tell hm where I was. He picked up the reference right away, of course. I don’t know if John had any songs that referenced Oklahoma but I did hear a pretty passable version of 24 Hours From Tulsa that I think he would have appreciated. Then through the panhandle of Texas and into New Mexico where we passed near Roswell, one of his favorite places being the UFO fan that he was. Called DeLisle and yakked at him. Telling Stewart stories until the reception went away. They’ll be continued at 2am out by the pool. Then San Jon where the Dogs of San Jon still bark in the night. And up the hill to 7100 feet and a freight train coming toward us shining his light on the cool New Mexico rain. Gimme a break. It was close enough.

Tomorrow we cross the rest of New Mexico. Hit Holbrook, Arizona, and head down the Bee Line Highway for Scottsdale.  There are going to be old friends and new friends waiting for us or arriving soon. We’ll all sit by the pool and laugh and talk about Johnny Moonlight and how we owe our  friendship to his talent.

I’ll leave you with this song. I don’t know if I’ve ever published it and so what if I did. It’s good enough to hear again. The story is that it was written after John met Roseane Cash’s nanny. She was a farm girl from Missouri in New York City and this is how John came to:

Cowboy In The Distance

Click on the blue link to hear the song.