One of the great pleasures in my life is the opportunity to collaborate with friends in creating songs and performances. One of the those special people in my life is Nikki Combs. She got me my first paying gig back in 1994, was there when I met my partner in crime and life Cynthia Whiddon Green and has supported, crewed and just plain made my music happen and find an audience. She has been selfless in supporting and promoting so many talented people over the years.
Now flash forward 20 years and I am now in Farmington, New Mexico and I was taking a bike ride beside the Animas River one fall day. My attention came to rest on an eddy at the bank of this fast flowing river and two long stemmed red roses floating there. I couldn’t help but wonder about their story of how they came to be there. I am doing a project now that is primarily blues and jazz oriented and thought it would make an interesting song. No matter how I pushed though it wouldn’t go there and I found myself stuck. I had a first verse and chorus but it definitely wasn’t blues and it was missing “something” so I put a quick note out on my Facebook status and asked for suggestions. Low and behold Nikki came back with the idea that not only gave me a complete verse but gave me the overall structure and concept that pulled it all together. Nikki may be the best stage hand in the business and definite the best tour manager but it seems she also would make a great Jungian Analyst and Philosopher. So from the Animas to the San Juan River and into the Colorado River and on to the Pacific Ocean and to that place beyond time and space is the story of “The Two Roses”