Pardon my passion as I brag about my crew.

Cast party crew, you know who you are, you came, you drank, you conquered. My yard was safe and looked great.

Shaun A. McIntyre, Edward Lapple and his son, Josh Lapple handled the tech stuff so well that all I could bitch about were trippy wires, the stinky carpet and the sound being... on the fly... once or twice.

Michael Mountain who fixed the generator, chopped the wood, set up the shade, carried and then shared the bass amp and played with me til midnight. He also puts up with my madness sometimes three times a week, so eager to learn the next thing, the next song.

Frank Butler who gave me  motivation when I was just about out of steam.

The Bands

• Live Remedy
• Whiskey Bent
• Matthew on the mic
• Live Antell
• Lizard Fish
• The Vision
• Call for Info featuring Chad Smith
• The Impromptu Lakeroom Acoustic Trio

and all the jammers.

Top to bottom you killed it! Lit up the Barefoot Music Stage and blew the roof off the lake for a half-mile all around. I can't remember a bad note or bad beat, just the good stuff stuck. I have most of it on two cameras and I've been going through it. You all... we all, kicked ass. My neighbor from two yards over yelled his appreciation the next morning over the fence: thumbs up and whoots from his remaining guests. His huge party loved us! He implied we were on his flyer. They've been there every year...for 17 years.

To the parents who brought delightful, well-behaved kids we could dunk in the lake and watch the fireworks with: Everyone loved watching you enjoy the day with your kids. They were all as cute as bugs and polite and respectful and cuddly and we loved having them at our home. They can call me Papo anytime and come over for otter pops and fishin.

Most of all, My Love, thank you for keeping me calm, fed and focused even when I was a douchebag/poopyhead.

Without you I am just me, underneath the music, underneath the smile, inside the walls, under the bed, where no one goes but you. You love me the way I am, yet you keep making me better.

Despite the behind-the-scenes things that stayed there, the backstage bitching and moaning, the power going soft, the stupid rope that kept knocking my hat off, the no-shows, car breakdowns and petty theft, the lack of stairs, a golf cart and youth...

Flags and fingers flying, we did it; even with me getting power-trippy tipsy we still pulled it off.

It looked great. It sounded great. I have had nothing but excellent comments and calls.

I saved this Award for you, and I'll just leave it here ...

In the middle of Our July 4th Independence Day party, a young lady hugged me, looked into  my eyes and, with a mixture of surprise and complete sincerity, she said to me...

"I've never felt so free"

To me that is an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy and a Best Picture rolled into one.

"I've never felt so free"

Well done, cast and crew. Let us all take a moment, virtually hold hands and bow to the star of the show, The Audience, without whom the whole thing is pointless.

Paid in Full with goosebumps, the tears of hairy men,  the giggles of barefoot kiddies, the girls in bikinis and beer.

We  made magic, we're a family now and I love you all.

"I've never felt so free" ~ Anonymous, Lake Elsinore, CA, July 4th 2012 at the JAM at the CAM.

With all my thanks, I am blessed.

Papo

Here is the song the crowd wrote with us at 11:05 July 4th 2012. Never Forget.