People often accuse me (often with just cause) of not saying anything nice about people. So let me pause for a second and do just that.
In all the years, all the shows, all the venues I've been at and worked at, few things in those, (nearing 4 decades now) years were as inspiring, moving and came closer to art then listening, watching, and working with Carlos and his people.
Musical pioneer - a given.
Humanitarian - yeah, that too, he does lots of benefits, and gives lots of money to people who need it, uses his fame to help boost the careers of younger musicians like Los Lonely Boys, and gives pretty freely of his time.
Humble - yeah, even that. I've never seen anyone who has sold that many records travel with a smaller entourage. Usually, people who haven't sold 1/10 of what he has have entourages thirty times as big. For real, his entourage tends to be one.
He is nice to the crew, makes sure we are taken care of, that we get all the little extras that we love so much (custom t-shirts, some adult beverages, sushi, pizza and all that food stuff), he speaks to us, hell, I've seen him take requests from crew types (me: Dance Sister Dance if you must know) and play them. He hangs, jokes all that stuff.
But, there is something transcendent when he plays. Like all the real greats it looks so easy to do it you think you could. Hell, all you have to do is tilt back your head, close you eyes, smile that smile and those notes just come falling out of the guitar like water.
If nothing else, one night long ago and far away, under the stars of a Sierra night I listened to Carlos and Jerry so tear up All Along the Watchtower, that the other members of the Dead were watching them play.
Yeah, sometimes you just have to Dance, Sister Dance.
