Bastrop, Texas
I've been listening to Bo Ramsey's "Down to Bastrop" from his CD by the same name. I love the song for a bunch of reasons. Because of the word Bastrop itself, with its accent on the first syllable — it's a tough, good word. Because the song cites places by name, including Hope, Minnesota and Ottumwa, Iowa. Because of the people Ramsey invokes in the song, all blues musicians. Because as soon as I put the song on in my car, I have the feeling that I'm on a roadtrip, headed somewhere much farther away than my job.
So I love the song for itself but also because it brings me back to Iowa City where I first heard Ramsey play.
His band at that time was called Bo Ramsey and the Sliders. Poet Kevin Gordon was in the band, and all the poets and fiction writers from the Writers' Workshop would go to hear them play.
You can listen to a sample of "Down to Bastrop" or download MP3 files at Amazon.com , but if you want to buy the CD (and preview a few of the songs), you can find it at CD Baby for $12.
While you're there, please give a listen to Fragile, Bo Ramsey's 2008 release. My favorite cuts from that are "In the Woods" (an instrumental), "Same for You," "I Don't Know," and a song I remember and love from the Sliders days called "And I Wonder."
I feel your soul through your skin
And I wonder
How much more there is to feel
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