An Evening Out: Jimmy Webb at City Winery

Sometimes what you really need is an outing - something entertaining and wonderful, yet familiar.

Jack and I had one Saturday night when we saw the legendary Jimmy Webb perform at City Winery in Nashville.

We've always been fans of Jimmy's music, but who isn't? Galveston, Wichita, McArthur Park. Those are the places, Jimmy wrote the songs, and Saturday night we heard them.

Near the end of his performance, Jimmy stopped and recognized the people at one of the tables near the stage - Glen Campbell's family. They got a standing ovation, and I wasn't alone in wiping a few nostalgic tears

I was younger than Beatrice when "Up, Up and Away" was a hit in 1967, but I know all the words, and when Jimmy asked the audience to sing along during the chorus, I did. Everybody did.

For Jack, seeing one of his long-time idols in such an intimate setting was a near-spiritual experience, and after the show, Jimmy made himself available for a meet-and-greet in the lobby, so we stood in line, got a CD autographed, and had a few moments to talk with him. I thanked him for all the great music and memories without sounding too, too starstruck or saying something stupid about how many of my mom's piano books from way back contain his songs. It was on the tip of my tongue, but I found my restraint in time.

A high point of the evening for me, though, was the expression on my husband's face when Jimmy looked over to him, nodded toward the ponytail, and asked, "Jack, are you a songwriter?"

Jack popped an ear-to-ear grin of indescribable elation, and even though he had to admit that no, he is not a song writer, it was still a very special moment. One neither of us will ever forget.

Jimmy Webb and Jack after the City Winery show.

This is from 1971 (!!) but it's still a favorite: