A Rare Opportunity to See and Hear them in Person!

They’ve been singing together for over 20 years, but mostly in a recording studio. Raarely do their schedules intersect to allow them to sing together for an aaudience.

They’ve sung to sold-out audiences in Felton before — Don Quizote’s, for example. This will be first time at Hallcrest, a lovely outdoor setting just up the hill from town.

Dave Stamey — He won the individual song-writing awards so often that they inducted him into the Western Music Hall of Fame in 2016 . Where he joined Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Except he’s still singing and writing songs.

He Notices Things. Most of us do, but Dave sees the music in simple things. Things that evoke the Old West for him. Maybe the West that never was, but one that is today. COVID put him on his porch in eastern Fresno County but he didn’t stop noticing things, including the increase in the population of crows.

THE POWER OF SONG - Too Many Crows

Back during COVID, while consigned to his porch on his ranch in northeastern Fresno County, Dave Stamey noticed the crows. There were a lot more of ‘em than before. And it seemed to Dave that there was something sinister about them. He wrote a song titled Too Many Crows in which he noted they were “congregating, calculating” and “planning their advance.”He invokes Hitchcock, but there’s no mention of Audubon. It is an ominous song, one to match the mood of COVID.

He planned to include the song in his next album and sent it to Annie to work out her harmonies. But they’d never sang the song together either in studio or live.

The Dana Adobe, Nipomo, July 2023.

Every other year, Dave does a benefit concert to support the historic Dana Adobe, and this past July, he and Annie sang for a couple hundred supporterers. It was a clear, warm evening, and the audience was attentive as they spun out Dave’s stories and songs.

In the midst of his introduction to one of his fan-favorites about Tonopah, Nevada, a song which has no references to crows or any birds, there was a commotion in the sky to the northwest. And there came a huge flock of crows, framed against the sundown sky, wheeling and cawing about a hundred feet above the audience. Or, to be more ornithological accurate, a murder of crows.

They seemed to be headed toward a large grove of eucalyptus behind the audience. Folks pointed up at the birds, and someone shouted “Hitchcock!” But the crows didn’t roost in the trees, perhaps emboldened by the audience response, they headed off and turned to make another pass. Clearly “up to no good.”

His Tonopah mood broken, Dave said something about “administrative discretion” turned to Annie and began the introduction to the crow song. The song was not on the day’s play list nor had they ever sung it together. Ever.

You’d have thought they’d planned it. As the crows came back around, Annie and Dave described their “mean little eyes” and how if given a chance they’d “steal your silverware.” As if enjoying Dave’s characterization, the crows made yet another pass.

There was no Hitchcockian moment, and the birds didn’t dive down and peck out our eyes. The song ended on its final line where Dave added “damn” to the song’s title: “Too damn many crows.!” The audience whooped in applause and the crows snuffled and murmured and settle in for the night high in the trees above.

Leaving us to wonder what the hell was that all about? Was it just a coincidence where art and life sometimes intersect? Or, had the word gone out through the crow underground that Dave and Annie were going to sing the crow song? Or, perhaps not sing their song?

On Sunday, August 27, Dave and Annie have a song list that includes the crow song. Only the second time they’ve performed it live. Will crows show up again, or stay away?

Only the crows know.

Postscript — Ornithologist have credited anthropocentric food subsidies for the increase in our crow population. Translation: more garbage and pet food. Maybe Dave can add a verse to the crow song when he finds a rhyme for anthropocentric?

*****************************************************************************************************************************************