THAT “TOO MUCH on the schedule” business started last week, when the band and I drove the 200 miles up to Springfield and back to appear on KSMU’s Studio Live program with Mike Smith. Great folks, sweet hospitality by staff, and a few good licks, some of them courtesy of Dave Wilson, who sat in to cover for Dennis, who couldn’t make it due to scheduling difficulties. Then we all packed up and journeyed down to Wynne, Ark., for their 37th Annual Farm Fest. Good performance, an abundance of barbecue (the state championship cook off was underway) and a chance to mingle with genuine flatlanders, who didn’t seem to quite know how to relate to we hill folk, but made a valiant effort to decipher our accent and our jokes. Now if you want to talk about accents — my aunt Frances would say they all sound like they’re talking while trying to bite a biscuit. Biggest surprise – chocolate gravy on the breakfast buffet. First time I ever saw it. Tried it. Liked it. Must investigate further. Maybe Saturday on the cooking stage. Speaking of that, come on by about 1 p.m. Saturday and watch me constructing meatballs and tomato gravy, and maybe have a taste. Be brave. I tried the chocolate gravy, after all.

-m