Summer thoughts

Matt's quite busy playing with Slipshod  this summer, so Free Range has been, well,  in the corral more than meandering about.  But we're looking forward to some more performances this summer and fall and have some new tunes to pull out.

The great news for Matt is that Steve Spurgin, one of the nation's best-known songwriters, heard one of Matt's original songs last summer and recorded it on his own album.  Steve added his trademark nostalgia to the song "Roadside Stand," and made it even better. We hope you get to hear it either from Matt or from Steve -- or both.

Meanwhile, we are joining the rest of the bluegrass community in morning the loss of Steve Waller -- one of the founders of the Oregon Bluegrass Association, founding member of the Sawtooth Mountain Boys, and the personification of bluegrass for much of the Pacific Northwest. Steve lived his life with vigor, joy and presence until his sudden death earlier this month. Steve, we're so happy to have known you.

Half of Free Range is enjoying the heat, while the other half spends a lot of time in the direct path of a revolving fan.  Both of us are wondering when the rain will return and hoping that our farmers' market friends aren't struggling too much with the lack of precipitation.

We hope you're all out at the markets this summer enjoying the early dahlias and sunflowers as well as the magnificent fruits and veggies.  We'll see you there.

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