They started playing Western Swing back in 1970, when NObody would touch the stuff. I mean, guys in their 20s in San Francisco playing music by Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys, when down the street at Haight & Ashbury kids were listening to Sly Stone and Led Zeppelin? Now 40 years & 9 Grammys, with and a new generation of members on stage, Asleep at the Wheel is still at the top of its craft. The only constant is front man and lead vocal Ray Benson. As smooth as his voice sounds at his age... it gives a guy hope. There may yet be a chance to perform when my job and school demands no longer absorb all my free time - even if that's still a ways off.
It was great to see them again this weekend, and in a casual enough setting to be able to chat with the band members afterwards about what they have coming up. They did a bunch of songs off their album with Willie Nelson, which is just a gem. Great show.
Later on, something else that was fun - a barrel tasting of a 2009 Marquette vintage at a local winery. These guys have the largest amount of acreage under cultivation for Marquette anywhere in the world, and honestly it's the best I've had yet, even while still maturing. It may be the French Oak they're using. Nice hints of baking spices over the fruit.
It's a nice size operation, too - the owners have invested some dough in the place. And they're very approachable, easy to talk with, and happy to talk about both successes and lessons learned. And in winemaking, lessons learned invariably lead to successes.
And with all the wine tastings and winery tours I've done... this is the first time I've ever had a chance to do barrel tasting, where they just sneak a little out of the top of the barrel with a glass "wine thief". Makes you feel like an insider. :)
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