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| Kevin Costner & Modern West Rock Annapolis, Rams Head Onstage |
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| Author Marci McGuinness Meets Kevin Costner, Actor, Musician, Writer, Historian. |
On tax day during a rainy full moon
lunar eclipse...
Kevin
Costner's Band Rocks Annapolis
by Marci Lynn McGuinness
Kevin Costner and Modern West got
together as a band nine years ago. I have been keeping track of their
tours, enjoying their music, and waiting for them to play nearby. A
month ago I bought the last ticket to their show at Rams Head OnStage in Annapolis, Md. As a writer, I am impressed with their lyrics
and “Modern West” style. They nail the human condition in phrases
like, “Let me be the one who will protect you, not the one who
falls behind,” “I got two little kids and a broke down car,”
and “She's just livin' for the moment - doesn't know how many more
will come.” A long time Costner fan, I had to see the show.
The Draft Day star,
a Southern California native, grew up singing in the church
choir, winning parts in school productions, and playing the piano and
guitar. He met John Coinman in an acting class in the early 1980's.
They wrote and played music together and formed the band Roving Boys,
with guitarist, Blair Forward. Then Costner's acting career took off.
When his wife encouraged him to get back into his music almost a
decade ago, he contacted Coinman, who worked on the music in many of
his films.
Costner wanted to form a band that
could write, compose, produce and play their its work. They sought
out band members possessing talent and previous musical success.
Teddy Morgan, lead guitarist, writer and producer, played blues in
Austin's Antone's, has albums of his own and a music studio. Larry
Cobb, drummer, traveled with several rock bands including Coinman's.
He produces local song-writers in his Southwest Musicians
Cooperative.
Park Chisolm joined the band in 2008
after Teddy Morgan produced his album. He grew up picking up deals on
pawn-shop guitars, touring with bands, and did a three-year stint in
the Jeff Foxworthy Show house band.
Several fiddle players join the band
when they can, and on this particular night we had a special treat.
Lilly Costner, Kevin's daughter, was the opening act. She has a voice
I will not soon forget. She covered one of her father's early tunes,
“The Porch Song,” and told her audience that when she and her
brother were young and their folks went out, they practiced the song
all evening. All that practice was evident by her performance.
Oftentimes, when I mention Modern
West to people, they say, “I didn't know Kevin Costner had a band.”
My thought is always that I need to get them to come to Pittsburgh.
Steeler fans would love the band's genuine, strong, heartfelt, fun
songs, “Alive in the City,” “Let Me Be the One,” “Cleo's at
the Wheel,” and “We're the Lucky Ones”and get behind them like
no other fans can.
Annapolis is one of my favorite
cities, so I really looked forward to seeing Kevin Costner and Modern
West there. I requested and got approval for a meeting with Costner
for this article. As Lilly sang, I spoke with John Coinman in the
lobby and then, Costner, on his tour bus. When I met his public
relations agent in the lobby, two others joined us, Bonnie and Eric,
who had won a “Meet & Greet” with Costner from a Facebook
contest.
A few minutes later, Bonnie, Eric
and I were ushered onto Costner's bus. Costner stood smiling in the
aisle. I shook his hand, introduced myself, and thank him for his
time and for making music. We chatted, and Glenn Miller, Annapolis photographer, took photos, as did Eric. I had a new camera
which I had not learned how to use yet. “Push the button,”
Costner told me. Oh, the memories!
Costner was as I expected a man
interested in history, acting and music to be; funny, humble,
intelligent, talented, pleasant and patient. We left the bus just
before his appearance onstage. Before we departed I gifted him my
Speedway Book collection and Bonnie gave him a handful of
guitar picks. It was a moment I thank him for. But on with the
concert!
Seating only 300, Rams Head On Stage
offers a wonderfully intimate concert experience. Although the band
does play large venues, Costner enjoys playing in smaller clubs so he
can share the music and interact with fans. At my table sat with six
women, including me. One was having a birthday, and three brought a
banner that said, “Let us be your Bodyguard.” Having told Coinman
about the banner earlier, I helped them hold it up throughout the
show.
During the concert, I was able to
stand and dance. Costner twice asked the management to turn on the
lights so he could see the audience. He talked to the audience and
made everyone laugh countless times. Then he said, “I hope you
don't mind if I sing a song with my daughter. She is here on her own.
Won't hear of taking help. Tended bar. Does this on her own. I am
proud of her.” And so are we, his fans, and now hers. At the end
of the evening, the band covered “Mr. Tambourine Man,” during
which time he asked us to stand, stretch, and sing along. We did.
This is one fun band.
Having worked in Annapolis at SpinSheet Magazine, I was familiar with the lodging and made a
reservation at the Scotlaur Inn. It is one block from Ram's Head and
above one of my favorite diners, Chick & Ruth's Delly. I went
into the tavern after the show and listened to more live music while
enjoying a Fordham Baltimore beer. As I headed out the doors to the
street, Costner's buses started up, and I gave thanks for a memorable
tax day.
Listen to Kevin Costner and Modern
West and check their schedule at: www.kevincostnermodernwest.com.
Like them at: www.facebook.com/kevincostnerandmodernwest.
Marci
McGuinness is the author of 31 books and hundreds of articles. She
resides on the Monongahela River in Southwestern Pennsylvania,
specializing in local history early board-track racing, and murder
mysteries. www.uniontownspeedway.com.
www.facebook.com/marcimcguinness.
Speed Kings
Pre-Nascar Men Raced on Wood, Vying & Dying for the Universal Films Trophy
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| Universal Films President, Carl Laemmle, and Charlie Johnson, Uniontown Speedway Association President |
McGuinness' screenplay, Speed Kings, takes you back to early auto racing. Because of these men, you drive. It is presently being edited by Laurie Lamson, who McGuinness met during her Hollywood trip. She was one of Gary Shusetts (Sherwood Oaks College ) associates and co writer. I will then send it to Warner Brothers through Amazon Studios. www.uniontownspeedway.com
Summit Mountain Hill Climb & Early Iron Car Show
Join Vintage Car and Motorcycle owners and enthusiasts, Saturday, June 14, 9 a. m. - 2 p. m.
Murder in the Vineyard
an Historical
Mystery by Marci Lynn McGuinness
Some
spirits never leave until a mystery is solved. Six weeks after the
Uniontown Speedway board track President ran to Cuba with the money,
his attorney, Senator William Crow, passed away. That was 1922. Today
at the Christian W. Klay Winery in Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania, the
Senator watches out the studio window, waiting to be set free.
Marty has
worked at the winery for over a decade. She waves to the Senator on
her way to her car each evening, but this night, he spoke. The
Senator is part of the locals lives. They have talked about him at
the dinner table for years, but now he spoke. She
calls her cousin, Cedar Jace, for help.
Look for Murder in the Vineyard on Amazon and Kindle mid May, 2014. www.ohiopyle.info
Pittsburgh Oneburgh
Check out the amazingly busy Facebook page hooked to this great Pittsburgh web site. Over 1/2 million friends like it. Amazing photography!
Ayurveda Journey
In my last post I mentioned that I have made a few changes in my eating lifestyle, and promised to look into the Milk debate. Dairy, Almond, Coconut? What's a girl to do? I have tried them all, even made coconut milk twice. Ayurveda says whole organic cow's milk is a nutritionally rich food, easily digested after boiling for five minutes.
I have bought the popular brands of unsweetened almond and coconut milks, but they have what I refer to as "glue" in them.There is an organic almond milk that does not, but my nearby stores do not stock it.
I have been buying organic 2 % milk, boiling a little, and cooking my morning oatmeal in it with chopped ginger, turmeric and cinnamon. Delicious.
You can make milk out of many nuts and seeds, but I had organic coconut, so I followed online instructions.
Boil water, put coconut in cheesecloth and soak it in the water (tea!). Honestly, how easy can you get. Experiment with amounts of water versus coconut to your liking. I use this milk in my fruit smoothies.
