Festival

A late, late summer afternoon in September. The intense heat of the season is gone, leaving us with sunny days, clear blue skies, and the first evening in ages where I needed a jacket and the convertible top up in the Miata.

It was just that type of day as Poco, yes, that band from the ’70s took the small stage on Ft. Thomas Avenue this Saturday. Rusty Young, Paul Cotton and a couple others sang their familiar songs from long ago to this crowd of folks in lawn chairs, kids on their laps, happily enjoying the harmonies of their music. Crazy Love, In the Heart of the Night and another hour of soft and sweet memories from that time. Paul Cotton soloed on his song, Bad Weather, inspiring me to locate the chords online and work out my own version for my repertoire later that evening.

The stage cleared to much applause and smiles from both sides.

After 30 minutes of anxious anticipation, the headliners for the festival appeared as the afternoon sun began to cool. Pure Prairie League! Taking the stage were many of the original band members; Mike Reilly, back home to Ft. Thomas, KY, singer and guitar player, Craig Fuller, also from Ohio, George Lee Powell, and steel guitar player, John David Call.

What a celebration!

Opening with Tears, the opening song on their Pure Prairie League album, they went through several of their great old songs. Although much older, as was the audience, they still captured the attention of the folks there to listen. Fuller mentioned that after years of raising families, they decided to go back on tour and put out an album, very much in the Pure Prairie League vein, called All in Good Time.. back in 2005.

Falling In and Out of Love/Amie brought tears to my eyes and singing of the chorus “Amie, what you going to do? I think I could fall for you…for awhile maybe longer if you do” combined the band on stage and the audience surrounding them. The chords and harmonies faded away to a fond “thank you” from the band, as well as a grateful “thank you!!” from those of us there.

The music of both bands has been a part of my life for many years now, and I left the concert festival quietly singing several Pure Prairie League songs as night fell to a clear, cool, and starry Ohio evening.