2012-05-16T01:37:48-04:00 lifetype-1.2.10_r6971 http://johnbeacher.artspan.com/blog/rss.php?blogId=10481&profile=atom Copyright (c) tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-16:34147 2012-05-16T01:37:48-04:00

On The Road tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-16:34145 2012-05-16T01:28:15-04:00

My Videos tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-14:34093 2012-05-14T13:27:21-04:00

After some tough decisions as to what to take and what to leave behind, Gopal and I strategically packed the car and we were off. We have on board with us several video cameras, a zoom ...

On The Road After some tough decisions as to what to take and what to leave behind, Gopal and I strategically packed the car and we were off. We have on board with us several video cameras, a zoom recorder, a PA, our clothes, and camping supplies.    About half way to Harrisburg I realized that our original first destination, Winfield WV, was not as "on the way" as I first had thought. While Gopal drove, I began to do some research on a nice place to stay along 81.  As I perused the map it occurred to me that my girlfriend, Lauralee, had an aunt and cousins that lived  VA, but where exactly I couldn't remember. After looking up LL's aunt Lorie on Facebook I saw that she was living near Staunton which is right off 81.  So I called Lauralee's mom Marcie, to get Lorie's number and I made the the call.  I felt bad that it was so last minuet, but Lorie didn't hesitate for a moment, and next thing we new we had our first destination.    As we made our way down through Virginia, the blue ridge mountains began to rise up around us and  I was amazed that they are, in fact blue.  It occurred to me as I looked around at the lushness surrounding me that the summer had truly begun. We got off at the Bridgewater exit and before we knew it we were deep in some of the most beautiful country side I have had the pleasure to see.    Weaving through curving country roads, layers of hills and mountains silhouetted the misty sky line. Rolling through layer upon layer of farms and cow fields, it felt as if we had stepped back in time. I looked out at the scenery and pretended we were riding in on horse cart.   Lorie's directions were perfect and when we arrived at the  picturesque blue farm house we were greeted by an old friendly yellow lab. Lorie met us at the door and ushered us inside where she had some chicken, delicious corn on the cob, and potato salad, already waiting for us.   Lorie's two daughters Sally, and Molly were visiting with their significant others and we made introductions before sitting down to eat. Sally and Molly are both in an amazing band called the Judy Chops, and I recommend you check them out. Lorie is also an accomplished musician and singer.    As Gopal and I sat downs two eat the family began to make music with each other in the other room. At that moment it occurred to me that it was mother's day, and they had been kind enough to include us in their gathering. There is almost nothing in the world as sweet as the sound of a siblings and parents singing together in harmony. There is a magic in the likenesses of the voices and the familiarity with one another, and Lorie and her daughters certainly had that and more. I couldn't believe that only a few hours before I had no idea where we were going to be and now we were having the fortune of being in this beautiful home experiencing this wonderful family celebration.   After finishing dinner and cleaning up we joined the family in the living room and they invited me to play along. They played such sweet old county tunes that I had never heard before and it inspired me. So much music to be turned on to just in my own country alone, not to mention the rest of the world.  It makes me excited to know that no matter how long I live, and how much I see, there will always be something new to discover.  We played for a while and then Molly invited us back to the band house in town to jam with friends and spend the night. So we said goodbye and headed into town.  Molly's house was an old Victorian style house and the living room was decorated with all kinds of stimulating art and musical instruments. Molly gave us the tour and then set us up in an extra room, she was so hospitable and  immediately I had that sense of home.   As Molly's friends began to arrive the jamming commenced and it was clear these people were serious musicians. It's always amazing to me how quickly the language of music bonds people. We had barely spoken to each other and the next thing I knew we were all engaged in making awesome music. It was such a dream for me to get to play with an upright bass, fiddle, and mandolin, and the music they were exposing me to was refreshing and inspiring. There are definitely some country and bluegrass roots in Staunton, but there was also a gypsy folk kind of twist in the harmonized singing that was whimsical.    The whole night was just great! We had a restful sleep and now it's off to Nashville on what looks to be a grey and rainy day. Tonight I will try to play the open mic at the blue bird.  Big thanks to the new friends and family in Virginia! tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-10:33995 2012-05-10T16:42:00-04:00

This Fri May 11 I will be kicking off another tour out west with a House concert at Camp Marshal in  Robbinsville NJ.  The Camp Marshal folks, also known as the Front Porch crew of Folk ...

On The Road This Fri May 11 I will be kicking off another tour out west with a House concert at Camp Marshal in  Robbinsville NJ.  The Camp Marshal folks, also known as the Front Porch crew of Folk Fest infamy have created a wonderful space to perform. Though the concert is a private event there are some seats for the public.  For info, email us and we will get back to you.  After the Camp Marshal show it’s road trip time, and this time I am bringing my friend and cohort Gopal Phillon to help me document the experience.  We will be armed with two cameras, a zoom recorder, a thirst for adventure, and a passion to sniff out community in action.  We will be taking the southern route to Boulder and the northern route for the trip back.  The Tour is still being pieced together so keep an eye on the concert calendar for details. So far we are starting out on the road Sun May 13th.  We will be headed to Winfield WV to visit a friend, then it’s off to Nashville to hopefully stay in a hostel and go out to a local open mic.  From Nashville we will head to Diamond Crater State Park in Arkansas and see if we can’t hunt ourselves down a diamond.  That night we will be in Hot Springs AR where we hope to fish out a gig and do some exploring.  After Hot Springs, it’s back to Tahlequa OK to play the Branch on May 16th.  After that we will be heading down to Painapalooza where Bonnie Paine (Elephant Revival) and her family will be holding a family reunion and birthday party for Bonnie.  Three days of playing music and hanging out with beautiful people, including Laura Goldhamer, and the folks from Elephant Revival.  After OK we head to Boulder and thus the second half of our trip begins.  I have  5 shows in Boulder after Memorial Day, including one at SHINE the site of my CD release last Feb.  We will also be going on a fishing trip and doing a lot of hiking and exploring.  Please join us on our journey by checking in here or at Facebook.com/johnbeacher.  I have started a Beacher’s world Youtube account to post all that we come across in our travels. Much love and see you on the road!! Yeeeeehaaaaawwww!!! -Beacher tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-08:33919 2012-05-08T09:14:06-04:00

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Quotes “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-06:33889 2012-05-06T20:31:19-04:00

My Videos tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-05-06:33887 2012-05-06T20:07:10-04:00

Today was my first real day back in the states since visiting Lauralee.  Needing some “Me” time I had Louis come pick me up from the train station and I went to Philly for ...

My Life Today was my first real day back in the states since visiting Lauralee.  Needing some “Me” time I had Louis come pick me up from the train station and I went to Philly for the weekend.  Louis had a wedding to shoot so I had his apartment to myself all day. I woke up this morning, talked to LL for a bit, and then put on my backpack and headed to reading terminal market.  The 4 block walk to the market was so interesting.  Having just been in a totally different country for a week, I realized I was experiencing everything around me as a foreign traveler instead of an American in an American city.  I noticed myself taking in people and shop windows with a much more heightened awareness.  It was a hands on lesson on how perspective really affects perception.   This was the first time I have ever gone to a different country for such a short amount of time.  There is no Jet lag because Paraguay and EST US are the same right now.  There is, however,  a definite culture lag from being jerked back and forth from two very different places.  It seems to have left me somewhere in the middle.  Somewhere between Asuncion and Philadelphia, between the start of Summer and the end of fall,  between chaos and order, and between being loved and being lonely.   I look back at my time with Lauralee, and as it settles in, I find myself more and more astounded by the ease in which we both deal with adversity together.  We had made it seven months without any physical contact with one another, and by the end of the week we were as comfortable and at ease as a couple married for years.  With total lack of intent we pushed one another through almost every spectrum of a relationship in just one week, and now I am sitting here marveling at how well we dealt with each one.   In some ways it was our first time traveling together, getting lost together, dealing with the frustrations of a foreign culture while trying to accomplish specific tasks together, and helping one another to fulfill the other’s agenda.  Asking all sorts of questions and digging for personal truths, through the course of each day we created dialogues with one another that were rich and meaningful.  That’s not to say that every moment was blissful by any means.  There was fear, and anxiety, insecurity, trust issues, and at times guarded hearts, but each hurdle was met with a mutual commitment and determination to overcome it. One benefit we share as a couple is our creative interests.  Making music, people watching, drawing, and philosophizing are always ways we can find enjoyment and common ground with one another.  Oh and eating, can’t forget that. Not only is eating something we both greatly enjoy, but keeping our individual blood sugar levels regular is one thing we’ve learned to be a key component in overall experiential success. In such a short time we had so many adventures.  I got to meet Lauralee’s Peace Corps Agriculture friends and put personalities to all the faces I had come to know so well in photos. I got to take a bus ride into the country and visit LL’s first host family site for a dose of real Paraguayan living and food.  We went on a run through the city and experienced the joy of exercising together.  We journeyed deep into Asuncion from bus to bus in rush hour madness, on a smog filled search for a guitar shop that we never found. We went on several nice dinner dates including an amazing sushi dinner in which we both got dressed up. We did some drawing, sang songs, and had a guitar lesson.  We spent loads of personal time familiarizing ourselves to one another and and just reveling in the privelege of love.  We also just wandered the city and talked about life and the world around us.   It was wonderful to be shown in person, many of the places and experiences she had tried so hard to explain in emails, letters, and phone conversations. It gave me an understanding of how she describes the world around her that will help me visualize her explanations in the future.  I was so impressed by the relationships she had formed with her peers, and was warmed to know she had the support of such good people at her disposal.  I was amazed by the ease in which Lauralee was able to communicate with the people around her.  Not only were people responsive to her but each person she communicated with in Spanish seemed genuinely intrigued by her light and communication skills.   It was magical to see the love and genuine admiration that Lauralee’s Paraguayan host community had for her, and how that common ground between us helped bond me to them as well.     Looking back I can see clearly that it’s the little things about someone you miss the most and you don’t even know it.  Like the way they brush their teeth, or the different ways they smell, the way their face looks when they sleep, or how they fit in your arms. With all the amazing experiences the ones that meant the most were the simple ones, like holding her on the bus, the comfortable silences while eating breakfast, waking up with her in my arms, and washing each others backs.  I realize with experience that it’s that kind of stuff that the greatest loves have as a foundation.    Though I see her in pictures and on Skype, and speak daily on the phone, I was still so taken by her beauty and grace throughout the week.  I will never quite understand the power her voice and her eyes have over me.  We have come so far and yet there is so much more to go, but we both left this trip with a greater foundation and understanding of just how powerful our love truly is.  I am a lucky man.  Thank you Paraguay. tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-04-13:33289 2012-04-13T13:57:51-04:00

Home tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-01-04:30974 2012-01-04T19:01:30-05:00

Hello there! Welcome to my blog.  I have organized all my postings into categories down in the bottom right hand corner.  This is to make browsing for what you want to check out ...

Home Hello there! Welcome to my blog.  I have organized all my postings into categories down in the bottom right hand corner.  This is to make browsing for what you want to check out easier.  There are eight categories so far: Lyrics: This is where you can look up the words to my songs On the road:  Stories of my travels Quotes:  Some of my favorite inspirational quotes, random  things      I hear people say, and stuff I made up Rants: This is my soap box, could be anything from social commentary, to my feelings about what constitutes a perfect breakfast sandwich. Things to check out:  Links to art and music or anything that I have been turned on to that I think you might enjoy. This musical life:  Writings about musical experiences, how certain songs came to be, music stuff Word up:  Mostly poetry I've written. Don't be shy about commenting, and if there is anything you would like me too include, links, works or otherwise shoot me an email and tell me your thoughts.  Enjoy!! Much Love -Beacher tag:blogs.artspan.com,2012-01-04:30972 2012-01-04T18:58:50-05:00

You Really Love Me your dark eyes are resting upon my face held by sweet summer lips that I long to taste you reach up softly and caress my skin and I’m held ...

Lyrics You Really Love Me your dark eyes are resting upon my face held by sweet summer lips that I long to taste you reach up softly and caress my skin and I’m held slowly in the state I’m in the look in your eyes peels back my disguise as I come tumbling out and it’s harder to breath the more I believe that I haven’t no reason to doubt and isn’t it something the way that we feel there is just one thing that I’ve got to know before I except this as real oh Chorus do you really want me the way I really want you and can you really love me the way you say you want to those tired words have broke my simple heart so many times before and i don’t think I could take it once more I’ve known lovers who made me feel dizzy and weak with words that could dance through my soul when they’d speak lovers who’s passion could move me so much they could blind me for life with their masterful touch lovers who lie and promise a sky that they ask you to hold up alone and not till every last star falls to cinder and char do you realize that your all alone and I can’t help but wonder as I so often do of all the young lovers there are in this world which kind of lover are you Chorus