A philosopher once said, “Am I a man who dreams he is a butterfly, or a butterfly who dreams he is a man?” When I am in the mountains of western North Carolina, a place where I lived for more than thirty years, it feels like I am home and that I could never live anywhere else. Many people call me by name and ask me how I’m doing. My personal relationships there have grown over time and cross generations. When I return to the incredible Space Coast of Florida, again I feel at home and that I could never feel as at ease anywhere else. Not as many people know me from as far back, but I have good friends here. And I have a wonderful home and a loving wife. When I am in either place I feel fully at home. Home is where the heart is, and my heart lives both in North Carolina and Florida. And that doesn’t even begin to take into account the connection I feel to my birthplace – Savannah, Georgia. While passing from North Carolina to Florida or vice versa, I take some time to center myself at my mom’s house on the marsh in Savannah. Once in that location, it feels like I’ve always been there.

Sound Traveler spent two great months in North Carolina. We played for so many wonderful audiences in so many beautiful places. In that short time we played twenty-five venues and had at least twenty-eight shows. We played private parties, public venues, festivals, restaurants, campgrounds, an art museum, and we even played on a float in the Avery County Centennial Parade. Everywhere people seemed to enjoy our energy and diversity. Patty’s array of instruments continually amazed, and our wide selection of material proved to be unique in a land known mainly for traditional music and bluegrass. Often people asked for copies of our recently released CD, and we willingly complied. As the season rolled along, our bookings increased. We actually had six performances scheduled on the last four days we were in North Carolina.

Now that we’re back, we want to keep that momentum going. This weekend we have engagements at the Brevard Art Museum, The Center for Spiritual Living, and The Indian River Queen. To all our friends out there, we would welcome your recommending us to anyone that you think would like to have live music. This is what we really love to do, and we want to do more of it for more people. – Bob Tatum

One Comment to “SongTravelin’: 08.03.11 – Back from the land of Rain, Shine, and Summer Songs”

• August 27, 2011 at 9:32 pm
  Patty says:

  I remember the night you shared it with me. It was one of our first dates, and we were sitting atop Beech Mountain as you played the song on your Washburn guitar. It was beautiful then, and it still is today. Thanks for choosing me to take up to that mountaintop on that night.