Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, TN is way up in the mountains just on the other side of the North Carolina border. The city is made up of old brick buildings and pretty two story wooden homes with classic porches. The air smells great and it’s actually cool as we unload the Yukon. The Down Home is celebrating its 30 year anniversary and we’re kicking off the weekend. The Gourds will be here tomorrow. The local paper has put together a nice bio sketch of the band piecing together all the things we’ve said about ourselves into one article. The place is made entirely of wood. Ed Snodderly, a folk music legend himself, greets us kindly. They feed us. Give us pitchers of beer. There’s cute tattooed waitresses and a good sound man. There’s even a quiet dressing room far from the bustle. Jaime, a friend of Paul’s wife Victoria from L.A., surprises us with a greeting. This is a good place. Firebugs light up the old, graceful neighborhood around the Down Home as Tony and Kip begin their set. It’s getting near longest day of the year, kind of nice to play music with the sun on the horizon. Johnson City is down home.