Kerrville Folk Festival - Song circles

Kerrville Folk Festival

Late nights, hot days, and Music!

I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than a Song Circle in the meadow at The Kerrville Folk Festival. As Jimmy Buffet said about Gumbo: “It’s little like religion and a lot like sex, you should never know when you’ll get it next.”

 It’s similar to watching a beautiful sunset, or a magnificent mountain view, as I sit there in awe of the incredible song I just heard from someone I just met. It’s amazing when you get to know someone through the songs they sing, the music they play, and the stories they tell. I have laughed, cried, and made lifelong friends at Kerrville Song Circles.

I remember after my first visit to the Kerrville Folk Festival (33 years ago) my Dad (who was my Boss) asked me if I had a good vacation, (I took a long weekend one Memorial Day) I told him that I had discovered that there were 10 or 15 thousand people at Kerrville that were songwriters and I wanted to be one of them.

I’m not saying after 33 years of working on my songs that I’m any good at it, but I can tell you that nothing lights my fire like playing my songs and having people sing along or encourage me to “do that one again”. Or hearing someone expose their heart and soul through music. Knowing the exposure of heart and soul can cause a great deal of anxiety AND relief … all at the same time.

I have spent the last 15 days staying up most of every night, (3 more nights to go) playing song circles with new friends and old. There are very few strangers out here  ….  just people I haven’t met yet.

Joe McClure

Joesongs.net