[FAR-West] One remembrance of Utah

Tue May 27 21:04:44 ADT 2008

Cindy and I returned very cold and wet from the Strawberry Music Festival
last night. We are still pretty tired, my mind not quite ready to kick into
gear.

I learned of Utah's passing at the Festival. Utah had appeared on more than
one occasion at the festival, last Fall, the Labor day Festival, was the
last time.

He was quite the man about the festival last year, holding court wherever he
went. It was obvious he was enjoying himself. Kuddie, a long time friend and
fellow Rose Tattoo, accompanied him, taking care of his needs when he got
tired. He talked with anyone who wanted to talk with him. I think he knew
this may be his last festival and damn he was going to enjoy it. 

A number of people who are regulars at the Strawberry Fest have been friends
of Utah for many years. It was an appropriate place for us to hear of his
passing as Utah loved the Strawberry Music Festival.

Sunday evening a few of us came to the Strawberry HOG, the onsite radio
station which operates during the festival, to share some of our memories of
Utah. He had friends where ever he went. He was your friend even if you
didn't know it yet. 

The story I was going to tell was about the interview had arranged with the
local NPR affiliate KXJZ. Jeffery Callison is perhaps one of the best
interviewers I have heard on radio. His show "Insights" also happened to be
a favorite of Utah's as well.  However I knew we didn't have much time so I
told one of the stories he told me on the way down. 

While on the way down Utah told me that the song "Rock Salt and Nails" would
never have seen the light of day if it were not for Rosalie Sorrels. I
already knew the story behind the song, that he had written it as a bitter
response to a Dear John letter he received from his wife will in Korea. He
wrote it in 30 minutes sang it and only sang it once after. 

That once was for Rosalie Sorrels and he was quite drunk when he sang it.
Rosalie remembered the entire song even though he had sung it only once. She
published it for Utah, and from what I understand without his permission. As
she put it, it was far too good a song to never be heard. 

Later Utah mentioned to me that his ex wife was still alive and too good of
a woman to deserve that song that is why he would not sing it and didn't
care for it. 

When we did arrive at the station and we went into the lobby the word got
around fast that Utah was here for the Jeffery Callison show. This is a
quite large building for an NPR affiliate, several studios are housed in
this building as well as a large news room. Utah was greeted as royalty by
the staff. I was amazed at the reverence shown him by the staff. The station
manager greeted him mentioning that he had been a volunteer at a New
Hampshire Club where Utah had been a regular many years ago. 

Jeffery played "Moose Turd Pie" as the introductory song for Bruce. Jeffery
also asked me for at least one song that he might ask Utah to play live. I
mentioned the "Talking NPR Blues", but I also explained to him the subject
and content. Jeffery loved it and of course he asked Utah to play it.

I was in the engineering booth while Utah was in the studio. It was crowded
with perhaps a dozen staff from the station. When Utah sang the song
"Talking NPR Blues" the staff erupted in laughter and "Right On!!!" One
intern, a college student, had never heard of Utah and became an instant
fan, wanting everything he had recorded.

After the interview was over it was more of the same, a reverence reserved
for few. You would have thought the Pope was visiting the station. One would
not have expect this from a very sophisticated NPR station such as KXJZ, one
of the most successful NPR stations in the US.

Last year at the Kate Wolf Festival Utah had just finished a magical set
with Joe Craven. As he left the stage Tom Russell was appearing next. After
I introduced Tom, he asked Utah to stay around as he was going to dedicate
his first song to him.  Tom did not introduce the song to the audience, he
said "this is one of the great songs ever written and it was written By Utah
Phillips. He then proceeded to sing "Rock Salt and Nails". Utah turned to
Rosalie and me saying "he doesn't know does he, I hate this song". I
mentioned that either Rosalie or I will mention to him the reasons and story
behind the song.  Utah stood and politely listened, waved, turned and then
was whisked away to the back stage hospitality area.

Bruce Hayden

P O Box 125

Garden Valley, Ca. 95633

http://www.myspace.com/folkmuse1

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