Crow Johnson Evans

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About That Song: “Ring of Stones” for Kerrville Festival

About THAT song ..., Auntie Crow's Corner, Giving Back, Life on the Road as an Artist, Uncategorized / by

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Thousands of people have not only heard about Kerrville Music Festival but have also attended. They can tell you about the first time they arrived and saw the big sign at the entrance to the ranch saying, “Welcome Home.”

So what’s the big deal? If you have never attended, you might imagine a crush of party-hard-crazed people. Not. We’ve all had our moments but Quiet Valley Ranch is like everyone’s living room. Misbehave and folks will let you know “that’s not done here.”  Through the decades, my parents, friends, aunts, and uncles all loved being there. 

What is appropriate?  Friendship, music, laughter, great performances, good food, and swapping songs around a campfire.  Songwriting holds a special spot around most of the fires. Its become a fifty-year tradition as of 2022. 

One out of every five people in America plays or owns a guitar. A guitar case has a handle which means you can sing a song, pack it up,and move to the next gathering, or stay the whole evening right where you are.

And if that isn’t your preference, the onstage entertainment and craft booths are dazzling. Security is invisible and effective. Parents can let their children run free. People look out for each other.

I don’t mean to sound like a commercial. I’m a supporter. It’s the best way for me to give back for the years that Kerrverts held me in their hearts and played the best songs I’d ever heard.  

https://www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org

Covid has changed everything, but this year will be the 50th anniversary of the festival.  I attended one of the very first ones. It was held in an auditorium.  Since I was living full-time in a 1946 Dodge pickup with a camper, I was low on cash… but stood at the door and realized I’d found a home.  

Immediately converted, which we call Kerrverted, I made the annual pilgrimage to swap songs with friends and to play on the stages too. We’d play long into the night and morning, come rain or sweltering sun.  In 1980, I had my first album to share… and the second album in 1983, of course, held a love song for the festival,  “Ring of Stones”.   I wrote this after meeting and jamming with Chuck Pyle (1945 to 2015) til the sun rose. We were great friends.. and that was a treasure.

Ring of Stones- words and music by Crow Johnson (ASCAP)

I’m facin’ Tennessee and you’re on some western flight

Both of us are gonna play in some ole bar tonight.

Ashes on your boots and campfire in my clothes

When we’ll meet again, only heaven knows.

If wishes were dollar bills, I could buy the moon

I’d probably just give it up, to hear you play another tune.

Headlights from passing cars, shining so bright

If I were a dancer, I could spin the stars tonight.

Somewhere in the Texas hills, there’s a ring of stones

Burned branches of mesquite, cold as some ole drifter’s bones

Somewhere in the Texas hills, the sun knows the song

We sang to each other, to celebrate the dawn

If melodies were road signs you’d never lose your way

It’s some kind of holy ground made when people sing and play

Cigarettes from a passing truck shooting sparks into the sky

That’s one night I’ll remember til the day I die.

Somewhere in the Texas hills, there’s a ring of stones

Burned branches of mesquite, cold as some ole drifter’s bones

Somewhere in the Texas hills, the sun knows the song

We sang to each other, to celebrate the dawn

The Crow’s Nest has become a bit of a tradition, for which I and magical musician QTN, keeper of the fire, are honored.  My first time singing around a fire… with my soft voice, self-deprecation, and apprehension…I didn’t get to sing. Only the loudest and boldest pickers got to finish their songs.  At my spot I required folks sing one song only, then moving clockwise, the next person could sing one, etc.  Some nights we only got around the circle twice, as participants drifted in and out. I heard for the first some of the most fantastic singer/songwriters I’ve every heard…in that circle.

The 50th Anniversary of Kerrville Music Festival will be a celebration, whether you are a seasoned Kerrvert or brand new Kerrvirgin… whether you get to go in person or online. See ya there, folks.

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Comments

  1. Well this was such a great gift to celebrate this cold dawn morning. What a wonderful song. Thank you

  6. Crow…this was such an important read this morning. I had played my whole life in Honky Tonks…country cover music. I’d only written a couple songs and original music was unacceptable in the cover bands I played in. I met Kelly and we formed Still on the Hill and went to Kerrville. It was life-changing for me…I saw that there were folks writing songs about their lives, political songs, songs about dogs. It blew my mind and a floodgate opened for me. A couple years later we played main stage and that was one of the highlights of my entire life. Then YOU became our manager and we had a long amazing run with you at the helm! I cannot find the words to tell you how much you mean to me…and how you keep growing creatively …love you so much.

  7. Made me think of the ring of stones that was just before the drop off into the meadow that we always called Stonehenge.

  10. Dear Ms Amy Goodenough Crow Johnson Evans, I loved your music for far longer than the Kerrville Festival. And all that time you have made magical music and kindness in the world. Hasn’t it been interesting ? The Jester, the JCC, the Balladeer, Sand Mountain , and so many others before you laid those stones. So many we loved and so many gone and here we are. I am delighted you are still in the world doing what you’ve done since we were younguns. Maybe we’ll see each other again before it’s time to go. Peace old friend.

  11. Great to hear you, Crow. This will be my 34th Kerrville in a row, including the virtual celebrations. Chuck Pyle was the first person who told me about Kerrville and Bernice Lewis made me go. Now, I’m counting the days. Hope to swap a song or two with you.

Me & Miss Henrietta Signed