All The Roadrunning

For a guitar aficionado such as me, last night's Mark Knopfler and EmmyLou Harris concert was a treat. Knopfler led a five guitarist band through two hours of his signature rock roots sound.

EmmyLou has become the vocal heart of roots Americana. She and Knopfler are touring their new colaboration. The songs are soulful and complicated.

As well, each performer had dips into their own well of songs.

I adored Knopfler's playing style, especially when he brought out that steel guitar.

But the highlight for me was EmmyLou's 30 year old Boulder to Birmingham. At the first chords, the grey haired woman in front of me pulled off her glasses and put her hand over her eyes. I tried not to watch her shoulders heave. By the time EmmyLou got to the line "the canyon was on fire", I too was lost.

Thirty years were gone. I was sitting on a lumpy green corduroy couch, in a familiar old wood paneled livingroom washed by the memory of young love that burned too hot and was gone too soon. The pain lingering and the determination of - what - recapturing or rebuilding. I didn't know then.

All I know now is that life is a bedrock built of experience and time is an ever moving river and, for me, music is the hook that draws me down to touch memory.