It's the middle of December and the days are short and cold even in California. Every night we've heard the gentle whirring of a giant fan in the orange grove behind Scott's parents' house, a sign that the temperature has dropped low enough that the air needs to be kept moving so that the oranges don't freeze. There are Christmas lights on houses and obligatory Christmas concerts, poinsettias and seasonal cookies. This is the time of year when you miss someone; the time of year where you recognize that someone has made you feel like home for a little while.
Today, we're singing the traditional, "Oh, Shenandoah," which is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. No one is quite sure when it was written, or by whom, (fur trappers in the 19th century?) or about whom, but it doesn't really matter. Everyone has a Shenandoah, like everyone has a childhood home, a memory of happier times, a Red River Valley.
We're thrilled that we get to perform this lovely song with our lovely friend, Jordan Zickafoose, joining us on violin and vocals. Jordan was one of our friends from that little music school on Martha's Vineyard where we met and while we've been staying with Scott's parents and Jordan is only 40 minutes away, we've tried to see him at least once a week, because he's one of those people who make us feel like home. He's also a friend originally from the East coast, not so far from Shenandoah Valley, relatively speaking. So while we are missing those things we left behind on the other coast, we are at least missing them all together.
Prepare to wish we had a third member of The Rough & Tumble (Jordan makes us feel that all the time). It's time for Double Americana!
