We all know that Louisville is a small town, but we are still always so surprised when we run into friends on vacation, or meet someone’s uncle while camping, or discover our neighbor used to be engaged to your BFF from middle school. My recent adventures on tour in the United Kingdom, (read them at my website) prove nothing less to be true. I thought I’d share a few wacky Louisville travel stories … and some related news.
First off, we should all congratulate and be proud of Louisville’s/Indiana’s incredibly talented Andrea Davidson for not only being a finalist in Ireland’s Tipperary Song of Peace Contest, but for winning the whole competition. That’s right, folks: first place. This isn’t surprising, as Andrea is a terrific performer, as sweet as they come, and totally deserving of an award like this.
Here’s a funny Louisville moment though: There were 10 finalists selected out of several hundred entries from all over the world. I happened to be having tea in Scotland last week with another one of the finalists, Lissa-Kathe Rummery, who opened a show for me last fall in Edinburgh — and kindly lent me her piano for the show. I wish I could have popped the 20-minute flight to Ireland to watch the Song of Peace finals, but I was playing my own shows in Scotland that day.
More wacky Louisville moments on the road? Of course. After the show on the Isle of Mull — about as remote a place as you can imagine me having a gig — I talked to a woman in the crowd who was from Nashville. Of course, it turns out that she plays whistle with a mutual friend from Louisville, but it took going to the Isle of Freaking Mull for us to meet.
It reminds me of when I first went to Ireland about eight years ago. I pulled into a parking lot by the docks in this tiny wee village called Dingle, when I spied a redheaded woman. This wasn’t particularly shocking, considering it’s Ireland. This woman looked shockingly like a family friend who lived a few streets over. She, of course, stared back at me thinking the same thing, until we realized we knew each other. We drank Guinnesses the rest of the night at a Gaelic-speaking pub in town.
Or last fall, how my best friend’s mother was on my flight home from Paris, when I didn’t even know she was on vacation.
Anyway … I’m sure you’ve all got your own Louisville travel stories. Share them? I’m starting a collection.
