Murray and Brock at Lenoir-Rhyne University

To Lenoir-Rhyne University tonight to see a Faculty Recital with Jack Murray playing woodwinds and Anna Brock, piano. Mr. Murray played piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and alto saxophone.

Mr. Murray had played at the inauguration ball for George Bush in 2005, and he has also toured with a number of groups including the Temptations, Frankie Vail, Four Seasons, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Manhattan Transfer, Rosemary Clooney, Steve Allen, Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow, Linda Ronstadt, and believe it or not - a number of others.

Anna Brock is a graduate of Oberlin College Conservator, studied vocal accompaniment in Stuttgart, Germany, and has performed with Charlotte Symphony and for Broadway touring productions. Currently she is a professor of music theory at Charlotte Latin School.

I thought the music was weird. Shows you which musical rock I'm hiding under. It was obviously a showcase of talent and virtuosity, that much was clear, even to me. Everyone was impressed at the number of instruments Mr. Murray played, and how easily he appeared to do that. I loved watching Ms. Brock's facial expressions during some of the more difficult portions. I tried to make a photograph of her but was working with a camcorder still-shot in dim light at 35X from about 200 feet. She obviously has has a soul for music that reaches deeply into the hearts of other people.

"Lost Highway" in Blowing Rock, NC

A play centering around the incredible Hank Williams. Presented at the Hayes Performing Arts Center in Blowing Rock, NC. We saw the Sunday edition yesterday. It was stunningly good.

Two great performers hypnotized the audience as the play revolved around them.

Tyson Jennette played “Tee-Tot”, and had everyone hanging on his words, gestures and even his grunts as he played the “heart” which “thumped” under Hank William’s career. He was the connection to earth, to dirt, to the mud of the swamp, the people whose souls cry out in despair over failure and even the loss of hope itself. Jennette's performance made the play fly and soar rather than just work.

Kim Cozort played the “Waitress”. But far more than that she played the hearts and souls of all the people who ever heard Hank Williams sing. She is the dreamer who scrubs the floors and and cleans up after others but can still be happy because Hank understands her and her problems, and he is there with her, and he can transmute her lonliness into dreams of joy. She waits on people and responds to the songs that Williams sings, resonating to them better than the guitar that he holds in his hands. She was as good as I have ever seen anyone perform.

Ben Hope played Hank. Rough job, tough job, nobody really wants to go head-to-head with Hank Williams. Hope did, and he did such a good job I actually asked him after the performance, who did the singing? He smiled and said “I did.” Well, I remember Hank, and I could tell the difference between Hank and Hope. Sometimes. Good job acting, playing guitar, and singing. Not easy, but he made it look like fun, and everybody was thrilled.

Stephan Anthony played "Hoss" and turned out to be one of the late blooming heroes in the play. In final essence he really played man’s conscience at its best. He showed that "Man" has the capability to rise to meet the needs produced by bad events. A being that few of us will ever really meet. And he did it well. Drew Perkins, “Loudmouth”, basically played himself which is far beyond the skill and ability of most musicians. He’s worked with Patsy Cline and Minnie Pearl, and been the musical director for a number of state performances. His role in the play was to play "music" itself, which "knew" what needed to be done and how it "should" be played and he provided the night sky against which the falling star of Hank Williams was seen.

A few of the famous songs written and sung by Hank Williams were featured in the program and they were presented in a memorable manner. Once again, the reality sinks in that this great performer did all his work and was dead and gone before his 30th birthday.

Photography of the performance and settings was prohibited.