Chambrel at Roswell with Crazy Marty

Hey there.  Here's a good lesson that I still haven't learned.  Perhaps you young readers will remember my cautionary tale and employ better strategies in your future.  I have a calendar set up on Google.  Works great - syncs immediately and I can check it on my "smart" phone device or on any connected 'puter.  The only problem is, you have to physically go to the web site and view it.  That is where my problem comes in to play.  I check it just fine.  Do you know where I'm going with this?  My wife doesn't want to use it.  We used to send emails back and forth entitled Hancotte Happenings.  This was my calendar, before my phone was smart and  I was with Hotmail.  I still use Hotmail, but Gmail seems to be a bit hipper.  Hotmail is my junk and other stuff receptacle.  Perhaps I need to go back to that system if my wife doesn't wish to enter and take heed to events on the ol' calendar.  Really, my mistake is not communicating, something for which we husbands are notorious.  Well, Sabina gets big credit for making changes to her busy schedule and letting me get to my early-ish gig.
I was with MartaY, aka Crazy Marty, at Chambrel, a senior community in Roswell.  We played for their Mardi Gras party.  It was a lot of fun.  Marty sent us a juicy list of classic R&B hits of yesteryear.

On the list:
Chuck Berry's Maybelline (stay on the I during the verses, then blues form elsewhere)
Elvis' A Little Less Conversation (a bit confusing as there are 2 versions; the original was in G, the newer re-mixed one that everybody knows as it was a recent "hit" is in E, Marty does it in A - the G version moved up a whole step but the high parts sung an octave lower.  Needs to be gone over as there are those tight bass/guitar riffs.)
Freddy Cannon's Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (tricky)
Dr. John's rendition of Iko-Iko [my contribution to the list to make it more Mardi Gras-esque (pronounced "Grazzesk") - I did my best to decipher what the good doctor was testifying on the recording and printed out a lyric sheet.  It's close, not exact.  Posted here for your comments or to line your bird cage tray.]

Iko Iko lyrics as recorded by Dr. John on the 1972 album Dr. John's Gumbo

Ah, we didn't get to any of those.  The big highlight has to have been Brent singing Unchained Melody, killing it on the high note at the end!  He has quite a few tricks up his sleeve.  Marty does a good job giving the old folks what they want.  We had some good dancing going on.  He showed them some guitar abuse with the old Dick Dale surf burner Miserlou.  Also played some real oldies: Can't Help Falling In Love, Brown Eyed Girl, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Darktown Strutters' Ball, What a Wonderful World, It Had To Be You, You Are My Sunshine, Mustang Sally, and Let Me Call You Sweetheart.  We ended, as we always do for these shows, with Show Me The Way To Go Home.  Very nice to put a smile on those faces.  They really enjoyed it.

Oh yeah, the PA system kept cutting out.  I was surprised that Marty was relying on the in-house system but didn't know how it worked or what it was capable of doing.  It was a powered speaker with 2 XLR inputs that just couldn't keep up with the levels we set.  Fortunately, the sound always returned and we didn't fry anything!  Now we know better.  After the show, I packed up quickly and hustled downtown to make a rehearsal for this Saturday's wedding reception.  I was late, and that isn't good.  At least I wasn't the last to get there.  Glen showed up and proceeded to whip us into shape.  Che Marshall, a locally renowned jazz drummer, will be with us.  It should be a decent show.  I'm even contemplating bringing out the Stick for some of the later evening tunes.  If all goes well, I am planning to reunite with Greg Hester that afternoon for a homeless dog benefit going on in Cabbagetown.