I was sitting at Gary's Tire in West Plains, Mo. I was sitting there for three hours, and I began listening to two men talking to one another as they, too, waited for their cars. It turned out that one of them was Eric Lewis, a bluegrass musician of 79 who has been performing for 59 years. He is still performing, and now he sits on a stool and sings, but doesn't play. He uses a walker to get around, and has had many health problems (which he is happy to talk about). His left hand can no longer chord. "People say, why don't I play guitar the other way around," he says. "My fingers can't even hold a pick." Three months ago he sold his beloved old Martin guitar to his son.
He is very proud of the career he's had, and of his band, which is currently called the New Kentucky Colonels, after an honorary title he received from the governor of Kentucky. You can listen to some of their music, find out upcoming dates and learn more about Eric on their website here. I'm going to try to make a show before the summer's out.
I offered to send him these pictures, but his vanity was offended.
"No," he said, "I look too old."
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