Note: We love Loose Cannon Boost comments and last week’s post about Larry Duckworth’s final radio show engendered some thoughtful observations including one from Tom Swearingen. Tom was part of our group of songwriters at Playa working on his specialty, cowboy poetry. His comment: Thanks for reading Loose Cannon Boost! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
The quote about cattle brands is sort of an insiders joke about one of the largest ranches in the Great Basin owned by the same Simplot that grows and makes many of the French fries we eat. Tom remembered, “As you recall, the walls at the Pioneer were covered with old photos of cowboys, ranching, and the walls were burned with brands. When Larry talked about not riding for a brand "I ain't breaking no leg for Simplot" and "I didn't know how to ride for a name...couldn't ride for 'Simplot'...wouldn't fit on the iron" he was pointing out the brands on the wall.” A swirling dust devil of spirit churned around Larry Duckworth that fateful day when Greg and I met him and we were recruited to lift his wheelchair up the high school stairs so he could do his last radio show. I hesitate to even use the word dust devil but there was a mood of devilish delight in that radio show. And certainly, we didn’t know at the time that his radio show, all eleven years, was a heroes journey. In a mere 48 hours mortality hung in the balance. Why, all these years later, does Tom still recall quotes from Larry when he met him for breakfast at the Pioneer Saloon after the radio show? I didn’t remember this breakfast but Tom did. Then Don Charles shared a song which came from one thing Larry said to our group when he and his son came to Playa the next morning and we serenaded them. He told us, "You guys are going to the moon but I'm going to the stars!" From that line Don wrote the following song. You can hear it here. Don Charles and Deb Gessner make up D Squared. They are some of my favorites. 
Tom Swearingen was the first to meet Larry when he performed at the first Leon Flick/Sunny Hancock Memorial Cowboy Crisis Fund benefit in Paisley in 2015 with Jessica Hedges and Ross Knox. Larry introduced himself after the show and asked for a CD for his radio show. During that final radio show Larry pointed out that same CD and told us how much he enjoyed Tom’s poetry and commented, “it’s the real deal.” I was glad to tell Larry that Tom was part of our group at the Playa just so he knew it wasn’t just a bunch of artistes. Tom wrote me recently, “I did write a couple of (unfinished poem or song) verses during our Playa residency inspired by the Pioneer visit with Larry. Vivid memory.”
Note: Thanks to Playa for bringing Greg and me out to work with other dedicated songwriters and poets. It was an amazing group of people including Don Charles, Deb Gessner, Nelson Soucek, Tom Swearingen, Dave and Carla Eskelsen, Alisa Fineman and Kimball Hurd. Also, thanks to, then director, Deborah Ford and the wonderful Courtney Oertel who became a friend and our manager. Thanks for reading Loose Cannon Boost! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
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Loose Ends: a response from Larry's Last Radio Show.
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