Can I Get A Witness?

After watching Barack Obama’s DNC speech for the third time, I’m still as electrified as I was when I saw it the first time. I can say without a doubt, it was the greatest piece of public speaking I have ever heard in my lifetime. Granted, I am young. I was not alive to hear Martin Luther King speak. I wasn’t alive to hear Kennedy (or any of the pundits comparisons.) Yes, I’ve seen the footage of Dr. King and yes I was inspired greatly… but there’s something truly special about being alive and being a witness.

To be sure, I am a musician not a politician. I don’t know very much about foreign policy. I don’t study every proposition or measure that ends up in a pamphlet on my doorstep.

I am, in a sense…very ordinary.

But after hearing Obama speak over the past couple years, I’ve realized something. I want to learn more about US foreign policy. I want to learn about governments, both domestic and global. I want to educate myself to be both a better American citizen and world citizen.

And that’s it right there: The man re-charges people. He is so inspired in his beliefs, so charismatic in his delivery and so deep on so many levels that it’s almost impossible to not listen to him.

He chooses such good angles that its very difficult to argue with him and not unlike a really, great song, he inspires emotion in people. But perhaps more importantly, he inspires motion.

Truly, it’s a great time to be alive.

Phoenix, AZ

Well, we’re batting a thousand here in Phoenix.  Tonight we had a show scheduled at dingy little blues bar called the Rhythm Room.  I was really looking forward to playing and getting sweaty, but the weather whipped our asses.  Again.  A storm so bad came through, it knocked out the power about 30 minutes into our set! I tried to go back on with just an acoustic guitar, but we had to cancel that too because the club started flooding with water. Last year (or maybe two years ago…can’t remember) we were playing at the McDowell Mountain music festival here.   We were about halfway into our set when we got hit with what they call a Microburst.  Like a mini hurricane.  Needless to say, that show got shut down too.

Listen, I’m sorry Phoenix.  Truly.  I really want to play for you guys and this is just rotten luck.  We promise to come back soon.  Hopefully the weather will be better.

We just got evacuated from our hotel a few minutes ago due to the weather.  The declared an “emergency”. I wonder what that emergency actually was.  I figured it was because the cable went out.  They finally let us back to our rooms. It’s been an interesting 24 hours….

J

Outside Lands Festival

Hi folks.  We had a great time at the Outside Lands Festival.  There’s something special about really well-run music festivals.  Perhaps it’s the synergy of all the different bands and styles coming together.  Perhaps it’s just the dope.  Perhaps a bit of each. In any case, I was thoroughly impressed by this particular festival.  There was a lot of talk (among both artists and fans) about weather or not San Francisco could pull off a festival of this size.  Now granted, I only spent one day there, but from my perspective i’d have to say:  It was a complete success.  I’m very proud to have been a part of the whole thing and I hope the festival continues each year.

I suppose my only complaint would be that all my friends bands we’re playing at almost exactly the same time as mine! So we couldn’t do any sit-ins….bummer.  Next time, we’ll have to see if we can’t get the powers that be to spread us out over a longer period so we can do guest spots in each others bands.

Guesting in different bands is half the fun (for me anyways) of festivals.  I always get really, really excited when I get asked to sit in.  I sat in with Michael Franti at Mountain Jam this year and had a blast.  I had no idea what song we were going to do, but there’s something awesome about learning a tune on the spot in front of 10,000 people.  Some might call it frightening.  I call it awesome.

Phil & Friends has a lot of guests.  We’ve had Warren Haynes, Ryan Adams, Steve Berlin, Peter Wolf, Levon Helm, Amy Helm,  John Scofield, Trey Anastasio, etc.  I’ve learned something from each one of them.   I’ll never forget Peter Wolf.  He comes out…Boston, I think…he’s got a half a bottle of Makers Mark in one hand and gets out front and center and starts getting people to make some noise.  I think people were a little shocked at his bravado, so they were kind of quiet at first…he says something like: “Cmon, what is this a Barry Manilow concert?”  …and then proceeds to kick everyones ass.  I loved it.

But I digress.  I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out to the festival.  Truly, a festival can’t exist without festival goers.  So, thank you.

Jackie

PLF Tour, Etc

Hi folks, The PLF Spring/Summer tour has ended.  It was a blast.  So many good shows.  I got to sing “The Weight” with Levon Helm.  That was one highlight for me.  Phil got this crazy new bass and Teresa is singing with the band now.  It’s all feeling really good.  Phil just announced some new dates, so stay tuned.  The Jackie Greene band will be touring again this summer so stay tuned for that as well.

Jackie Greene on Conan Tonight!

Hi all, just got back to the hotel from the taping at NBC.  Hope you can tune in and watch the show.  I believe it airs at 12:35am, 11:35 central. We recently performed at Mountain Jam and had a wonderful time. For those of you who have never been up to that festival, I suggest you go.  Every act was great.  I finally got to see Ray Lamontagne perform, and he and his band were amazing.  I got to sit in on a tune with the legendary Michael Franti and Spearhead.  Those guys can really, really put on a show!

That same night, the band and I were lucky enough to be invited to go watch the Levon Helm Band out at his barn in Woodstock.  It was literally one of the most amazing nights of music I’ve ever seen.  The band was incredible.  Levon sounded as good as ever and I nearly broke down when he began to sing “The Weight”.   I hope to one day be half as powerful as that guy.  That guy is pure soul.  Man!

We have a really cool show coming up this Thursday in Reno, NV.  We’re doing a double bill with our dear friends, the Mother Hips.   Come on out!

Jackie Greene on Conan

Hello friends, Just to let you know, we will be on Late Night w/ Conan Obrien on Tuesday, June 3rd.  Tune in and wish us luck!  We will be playing a few dates around the area as well.  I believe that some of the performances at Mountain Jam (we play May 31) will be streamed live on the internet at iclips.  Hopefully, you can tune into that as well.  We’ll also be making a stop in Alexandria, VA at the Birchmere on June 2nd.

After that, Phil Lesh & Friends will be continuing our Summer tour.  Plenty of good stops.  2 Performances at Bonnaroo, and several other dates.

I encourage you all to help us by requesting songs from the new record at your local radio stations.  It really helps out.  The more, the merrier.  Check the myspace site from time to time.  Occasionally, I have the time to upload some rare stuff and make it available for download….but it only lasts for a limited amount of time.  So, check back often.

I’ve been working on a bunch of new songs and some other things that will hopefully get finished by the end of the year.  A scrapbook of prose and short fiction may be in the future as well.  There may be a new song or two popping out on the PLF tour.  You never know…

We should have some really cool summer tour shirts soon.  I’m usually not too interested in merch, but I see so many bands with great t-shirts and crappy songs.  Sometimes, I get a little jealous!

Hope to see ya out on the road.

Jackie