Michael Franti Wins the Vote.

I'm home from Floyd Fest, where the line up this year was the best yet. I enjoyed so many amazing moments with musicians I don't even know where to begin. Kenny Malone was there. I about keeled over when I realized who was drumming with one of the groups. Ricky Skaggs showed up on stage with Bruce Hornsby and those two actually jammed out on a mandolin and a lap dulcimer. Fusion jazz meets bluegrass. Amazing!  

Anyway, I attended the festival with 12 friends from around the country. You should have seen us in our Suburban bus on the haul from the cabin to the festival each day. Each year, on the last night of the festival, we have a big group dinner  at the cabin and vote on the best act of the weekend. This may be the first time the vote was unanimous. Even with all of the incredible music, the best of the best this weekend, hands down, was Michael Franti and Spearhead. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers came in a very close second.

Of course, you could call me partisan on the Franti vote. The man is amazing. He is a Yogi who is all about healthy living and balancing your life with the environment. He even led a panel discussion at the festival on conservation, and he's published children's books on the subject, too. The latest, Where in the World is Away is lovely. You really should check it out if you haven't. It makes a fantastic gift. Oh, and let's not forget that he is all about equal rights. You may not know that he was adopted into a diverse family which even includes LGBTQ members. He talks all about loving everyone and treating everyone equally at his shows. Yes, you could say that I am fervant in my support of Franti's environmental consciousness, but seriously, that's not why I voted for him in this particular instance. It's about the music. When the man starts to play you are swept off your feet. Literally. If he tells you to jump during his show, I promise you will be asking how high. So, here's a little Franti advice for your day. "No matter how life is today...don't let another moment slip away." Hold on! 

Don't forget to stop over at The Ravens Crossing for more photos of Wildwood and a bit more background on all your favorite characters this week. Season 2 starts on Monday.