This handbill was unearthed as I was rumbling through some boxes of “stuff” (I have lots of “stuff” boxes, a seemingly endless supply of them, in fact). 11 May 1974 was about the time of my graduation from the eighth grade, on the uneasy cusp of entering high school. My oldest sister was enrolled at USC at the time. Our family would occasionally make a trip to Los Angeles to visit her over a weekend but, even if we did happen to visit her over the weekend of May 11th, I am sure that I didn’t see this concert. I either (1) snatched the handbill off of a counter somewhere on or near the campus, (2) took it down off a wall, (3) she (my sister, not Linda) scored it for me, or (4) I just “appropriated” it. I had the “hots” for Linda beginning around this time and on through into college, and it was no secret, so I am putting my money on Number 3. My memory is of Sibling #1 telling me that she ushered for this concert.
Looks like a great concert (and for only $4.00!). Honk has gone on to be one of my absolute favorite bands from that time and place. Poor Lonesome Dan Hicks (I am guessing he was playing solo without his Hot Licks). And, not knowing who Country Gazette were, I just wikified them and found that, at this time, they were one of the top bluegrass quartets on the scene, featuring mandolinist Roland White and fiddler Byron Berline. Check them out here. Their revolving lineup included banjo player Herb Pedersen and guest stints by Tony Rice, Sam Bush, and most every “name” on the country-roots scene at the time.
That photo of Linda is a detail from the cover of her album Don’t Cry Now, which was released about 8 months prior to this gig, in September of 1973.
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3 responses so far ↓
1 Cuz // May 31, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Do you remember that I worked on Jerry Brown’s campaign in 1979 (in New Hampshire) and hung out with Linda one afternoon?
2 spitballarmy // May 31, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I hope she was nice to you.
3 Doug // Jan 26, 2010 at 3:13 am
Thanks for posting this. I have a bootleg of a Linda concert she did with The Country Gazette (singing with them, doing Bluegrass songs I’ve never heard recorded by her). Unfortunately, I only have a cassette. Need to find a way to get it converted!
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