Michelle Shocked performed as the headliner for the Mount Helena Music Festival last night, and I was so excited, since I've been a fan for nearly 20 years.When she walked into the park with her guitar slung over her shoulder, I said to my sister, "Oh my Gosh, that's Michelle Shocked! She walked right past me!!! If I had the guts, I'd ask her to take a picture with me." My sister responded, "Just ask her," and I said, "Okay!"
Jennifer took this picture of Michelle Shocked an me with my phone. She did several old tunes she learned form her dad growing up in Texas, she did several of her own older ones. Then she did some of her more popular tunes. Then she started singing "Anchorage, Alaska," probably her most well known song. It's a song that captures letters between her and a friend who is "anchored down in Anchorage, Alaska" with her husband Leroy, who sends greetings to her through his wife. It's a great song.
To make it even better last night, Michelle Shocked said she had special guests with her, and she brought the couple on stage! Kelly and Leroy, who have been married for 27 years! They are Montana Blackfeet Indians and they live in Billings, Montana, now. It was pretty cool after spending time over the years picturing what their friendship was like based on that song.
She also did the song about the the struggle of coal miners that says, "The L & N don't stop here any more." She followed that one up, appropriately, with "Paradise" by John Prine.
She did several more of my faves, including "VFD," "Old Woman" and "Memories of East Texas."
Then she ended the night with "Goodnight Irene," a song my grandmother loved. Her name was Irene.
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