Dear Rufus-- I LOVE YOU!! Thanks for Last Night!

Dear Rufus,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for that magnificent performance in Houston last night!! I was wondering beforehand, as I looked around the nearly empty theater, if you would be bummed that Houston didn't have the good sense to come out or if you might, perhaps, look at this as a nice relaxing gig after the insanity of ACL. Well, who knows what the hell you were thinking but my god, man, WHAT A SHOW!!

I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!

And sorry, I swear I tried for at least five seconds to convince myself not to trot around to the bus to catch a glimpse of you post-show. Because I know, I really really do, that you are giving us all you can give us onstage, and our job is to appreciate that and move on. But you know, you're sort of like Dolly Parton-- you know this, right? You know about the Dolly Parton People who don't just love her in a normal fan way but who just feel so much better after hearing her live, like she has these powers to cure the spirit?

We, your people, get that kind of charge from you, Rufus. You really got it! And your wonderfulness inspires us to be wonderful to each other. I had the BEST talk with a quartet of enthusiastic gay men before you came out (pardon the pun). We talked about knitting and I told them how I read that article about your mom in NYT and how she loved to knit with good, scratchy Canadian wool. And how when I was in Canada I bought some of that scratchy wool in her honor. And how I know that I can't really do this because it wouldn't be appropriate, but how I wish I could knit you and your husband and your daughter nice scratchy wool sweaters. (The gay guys suggested maybe I consider a soft wool for the lining-- great idea!)

And yeah, I did try to tell you after the show about how I bought the scratchy wool. I know that was pretty dorky of me. But what I mostly was trying to get at is that I am really, really sorry about your mom. Your tributes to her on the new record are so moving. I totally wept when you sang Montauk. I love how much you love your mom. My son is a musician, too, and there is just something about musicians talking about how much they love their moms that just does me in every time.

Note Teddy Thompson surrounded by the love.

Also, thank you so much for having Teddy Thompson in the band. I loved watching the look on his face during that extended dance party closing number. Priceless. And thank you for including Krystle Warren and your sister Lucy Wainwright Roche as opening acts. I confess I was not familiar with either of them before last night. I am so grateful anytime I find out about magnificent musicians.

I guess that's all for now. Thanks again, a bazillion. I can't wait to come hear you again sometime.

Love,
Spike