The room at the Wimberley United Methodist Church was already full thirty minutes before the show was scheduled to start. With long tables adorned with candles, a line of people getting tamales, cakes and coffee winding through the room, Susanna’s Kitchen became a place to hear some of the best music in Texas.

  Val Denn (artist, booking agent, manager and producer), long red hair flying, makes sure that everyone feels at home at Susanna’s Kitchen. She explained the name, “When I started this coffeehouse series, the church was excited about having it in this room. I didn’t want to call it Val’s kitchen; I might just want to do it a year or so. Well, this is my sixth year, and most nights are full. Tonight, though, we have broken the attendance record. Standing room only! Thanks for coming to hear Ray Wylie Hubbard accompanied by Darcie Deaville and Jeff Plankenhorn.”

  Now I’ve been listening to Ray over 20 years, and the sound produced by this trio gives Ray’s words new significance. Haunting with bluegrass overtones, deep into the blues, light with good stories, the evening moved me. First, I love Ray. Like many Texas performers/songwriter, he’s absolutely present when he performs (so says Dr. Charlie Gray), he’s serious and intentional with his music; he treats the fans with respect and appreciation. My driver for the evening, Charlie, said, “I love to hear Ray just because he’s so personable with everyone he meet.”

  There was a time long ago when this was not so. Ray was hiding behind substance abuse and the stage when he performed. You couldn’t get close to him at a show.  If you did, he was distant. Couldn’t connect because of his own discomfort.

  He told my class at Schreiner once that after putting down drugs and alcohol, he had to learn how to be with people. He had to deal with the real fear of being vulnerable with people in a room night after night. Ray is the best, now, at being with people!

  He began with one of my favorite, “Crimson Kings,” saying, “There are those condemned by the gods to write. They sparkle and fade away.” Darcie’s harmony immediately drew my attention to her. A Kerrville New Folk winner in 1991 (I knew I’d seen her before.), Darcie added fiddle/violin, mandolin and vocal harmony to Rays wonderful songs. Amazing sound. The best.

  Ray met Jeff in Canada at a Folk Alliance meeting. He said, “The next morning there was Jeff in a basket at our hotel door with a note that said, ‘Please take him to Texas.’” Jeff showed up in Wimberly and the Hubbards took him now. Now he’s playing his haunting dobro with many groups in Austin and working on his own CD. I’ll want to get that CD after hearing just one song during Ray’s set.

  Ray always has the good jokes, many that we’ve heard over and over but still love. He said, “Since I played here two years ago I have 2 new songs and 3 new funny things I say…..that was one of them!” My how that packed house loves Ray Wylie Hubbard.

  I began to wonder…where could we do this in Kerrville. What church would like to donate a hall, a place where people could eat, drink coffee and tea and listen to great songs? Call me with your ideas.

  Ray told his wedding story. He was invited by a couple of my ex-Schreiner students to sing at their wedding. Greg and Rene are still happily married, and Ray has a new story (old by now). The song, “Without Love,” addresses the importance of love in every connection, even if a rainbow loves a whirlwind.

  Next came his attempt (and story) of writing a gospel tune. We heard the now-favorite story behind “Last Train to Amsterdam,” and how the rock critic in the Netherlands said to him, “ There is no last train; they run all the time.” “It’s a metaphor,” Ray replied.

  With a tall Christmas tree, adorned with white lights and angels, standing in the back corner, Susanna’s Kitchen glowed with the warm lights of candles and the love present when this man performs.

  Darcie gave me her CD, “Tornado in Slo Mo,” and we talked a bit about her career. “I do a lot of things because I have a lot of things to say,” she explained as we talked about a recent one-woman show she wrote and produced on domestic abuse and violence. I listened to her CD on the drive home (Hey, I didn’t have to drive!), and absolutely love the variety of songs and sounds. She needs to come perform in Kerrville…and she will.

  Ray sang “If heaven is not a place to go, but it’s a state of mind. I will hold you in my thoughts, forever through all time.” I know he meant that. We heard “Snowin’ on Raton,” a Townes Van Zandt classic. Ray’s deep voice does it justice. We heard “The Messanger,” and I thrilled to my memory of our conversation about Rilke and the quote that led him to that song, “Our fears are like diamonds, guarding our most precious treasures.”

  The encore was a new one for me, “You got to move,” a spiritual. We sang along, Darcie and Jeff took leads, and I was again reminded, “When the lord gets ready, you got to move.”

  New Year’s Eve is ahead. I’m down in San Miguel enjoying El Jardin and El Parrochia. The Farm Country Club is having a traditional western dance with George Chambers. Jerry Jeff and son are at Luchenbach. Nelson City Dance Hall……..d

Free Leonard and down the road.  

Kathleen
kat@maverickbbs.com

www.texasheritagemusic.org

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