Music, Milestones, Memories: Rajun Canajun

People, places, events – they are the fabric, the storyline, the timeline - of our being. When music is an important part of your world, as it has been mine over the years, it has an especially important role in how I view the timeline of my existence. Music has a way of weaving itself into the fabric of our lives. I can reflect on a piece of music - my own or another musician’s work – and have a vivid association with an event, a memory, a feeling, a moment in time.

I recently unearthed some archives of music I’d recorded over the years. I made many rudimentary recordings of most of my early gigs (coffeehouses and the like), along with songs and chord progressions that I have written over the years. It’s a veritable timeline of my own personal history. Music – and the associated Milestones and Memories of my world.

As I immersed myself in these archives, I stumbled across a tape of a gig I played at a club called “Shadows” on Volente Road at 2222, a stone’s throw from Lake Travis. The date was April 27, 1991. Listening to this performance brought back that timeline of milestones and memories.

It was a fertile time for me - I had become an Austin musician. I’d put together a band – Marilisa Neibuhr (on vocals and acoustic guitar), Dave Robinson (on drums and vocals), Billy Wimberly (on bass), Rocky Abshire (on harmonica and vocals), and of course, myself (on vocals and guitars). The result was Rajun Canajun - a play on the words “Ragin’ Cajun” (Rocky always spoke of having a Cajun heritage) and “Canadian” (that would be my heritage) - and the not-quite-legendary aforementioned gig at “Shadows” on April 27, 1991.

Rocky was someone I’d met at a blues jam hosted by “Third Degree” sometime in late 1990 or early 1991. We played together at a number of open mics. Then there was one fateful drive in Rocky’s red Triumph out to Lake Travis – the day we decided to put together a band.

Rajun Canajun came and went. Sadly, I lost contact with everyone, for one reason or another. But over the years, I had oftentimes wondered what everyone was doing. What musical projects were they were working on now? Are they still in Austin? Out of my own curiosity, and with the benefit of a search engine and digital technology, I decided to do some research. And with every band’s history, it seems there is triumph, and there is tragedy. No, it’s not like “This Is Spinal Tap”. But I guess Rajun Canajun had it’s own triumph and tragedy:

Marilisa Neibuhr – who sang some splendid vocals and played acoustic guitar- is still performing as a solo artist and as part of “Trio Del Rio” in Austin. She can be found on the web here. Tell her I sent you and see if she remembers!

Billy Wimberly – who laid down the fine bass line and rhythm groove with Dave, was always the quietest of the group. I am not quite sure what ever happened to him. None of us really knew him that well.

Dave Robinson – who beat the skins for us and had a memorable version of “Hard To Handle” at the “Shadows” gig (something I will never forget) – did go on to bigger and better things. He formed the "Ugly Americans" in 1993 with Bob Schneider. Here is a review from 1996.The funny thing is, I had not realized this until I purchased their CD “Boom Boom Baby” – then, when looking at the liner notes, his smiling face was looking back at me! Dave also went on to play drums with "The Scabs". I knew him when …

Rocky Abshire – who played harmonica and sang vocals – was part of the inspiration for writing this piece. This is the tragic storyline that seems to frequent many tales of many bands. When I did a little research, I found Rocky’s obituary, circa April 30, 2010. He had moved back to the Corpus Christi area (which he spoke of frequently). From what I could find, he was driving along IH-37 south of San Antonio and had a heart attack. He was 57.

Rocky, thanks for contributing to my world in your own soulful way. I can still vividly remember your humor and your harp playing. I hope you’re having one fine jam session in the afterlife.

My purpose in going back to listen to these tapes was to simply reflect on a musical timeline, a world of adventure, a time in which music was really a central theme in the timeline of my world. In going back to these tapes, rediscovering parts of me and my world that I’d promptly left to the archives, I found a sharp taste of reality. The sharp taste of triumph and tragedy, on that timeline of milestones and memories.

Photo credit: Wikipedia