I am posting this here so it gets maximum exposure. It deserves it.

Saturday saw Cohn forum member Hog's dream of a tribute concert to his late mother come to fruition - and it arrived with flair and style. Months in the planning for Hog, it was a marathon of music, with some finale fireworks thrown in for good measure at the end.

I said I would do a few songs during the course of the day. Jules and I travelled all the way from Wales to Walton on Thames. The sun was blisteringly hot (Jules and I know; we resemble a couple of tomatoes). We arrived around 11am, and put our chairs out. And we sat, enjoyed cold beer, burgers, great company and stunning music. I won't review the bands here, but would say that Hog's band, Rough Justice, is one of the best cover bands I have heard in a long time. Hog has a stunning and powerful voice, and great onstage wit and charm. In total there were about 7 or 8 performers. I was third on, just me and my guitar. I had a list of songs I could play and tried to almost play it by ear, judging on what I thought the crowd would want to hear.

First up - Fire and Rain. Then I introduced a Marc Cohn song - Things We've Handed Down - as I sang I looked around at the faces of the 400 or so crowd and enjoyed a number of them seeming to lap up the lyrics. Great to get exposure for Mr Cohn.

Next I played Sweet Baby James - it just felt right - I saw some of the audience mouthing the lyrics along with me which is always cool. Next I took a mighty step and played one of my own songs - Two Lanes. Upbeat and faster than the songs recently played and the crowd genuinely seemed to like it. I didn't mention is was one of mine...

Then I played Something in the way she moves and ended my set on One Safe Place. When back in my seat, I had the best of compliments - about five individuals come over to me over the course of the day to say how much they enjoyed the tunes. One said they were "lovely" and wished I played gigs around the area more often. I felt like I was on top of the world.

Jules and I sat and watched the other bands play until about 8pm. Hog and his band did a stunning finale. Hog's own song dedicated to his wife was a lovely, simply tune saying all the right things in all the right ways. Then Rough Justice played Freebird. Toward the end, fireworks were lit and the atmosphere was stunning. Hog read out a speech about the day, about his mother, his wife and his daughter. At that point I was filling up and had to keep myself together. It was truly moving.

I understand around £5K has been raised just from that day which is incredible.

Thank you to Hog and the bands for a great day. I have already suggested it become an annual event so I am looking forward to Concert for Linda 2009. Jules and I will be there. You can bet on it.

Hog - as I have mentioned before, your mother looked down on that day from the Faraway Nearby, and my word, I bet she was smiling and proud.

Keep in touch mate.

Shawn

Just lovely.  Thanks for the post!

Thank you Shawn for your kind words.

 A full report will follow!