I went on a literal pilgrimage to the Carter Family Fold in SW Virginia when I was about 30. It was a thrill just driving up to the place in the shadow of Clinch Mountain. I was as impressed with that as much as anything. I even asked a kid at a gas station, "Is that Clinch Mountain?" Like a hill-billy fanboy.

I was almost star struck when I got to the house. It's the same house AP was photographed standing in front of. So anyway it was late in the day...definitely a weird hour to pay a visit. The music venue was closed and there wasn't anything happening. But I knocked on the door and Sarah's grand-daughter Rita Janette Carter answered the door.

She immediately said after I introduced myself, "Darlin', if you were a little quicker you could've joined us for beans." So that's when I missed out on dinner with the Carter family!! I asked if I could pitch a tent in the yard. She said, "Of course you can but if you want you can just sleep in the music room..or the stage if you want." I said, "I'd love to as long as you don't mind me snooping through everything." She said, "Not at all." I couldn't believe how kind this lady was 3 minutes after meeting me. I told her, "I knew you folks were going to be this nice." She laughed and said, "Well...we are just simple country folks." And then she said, "Its a shame you didn't come last week, Johnny was here." Could you imagine, I could've had dinner with Johnny Cash.

So I accepted the offer to sleep in the music room and snooped through the Carter Family archives. It was awesome! All the family portraits not to mention the electronics and mixing board was just setting there. I found a CD laying there that was titled "Johnny's last live performance" from the week before. I slipped out early the next morning and split without thanking them anymore...I'm sure I covered that the night before....in retrospect I should've let them invite me to breakfast...another lost opportunity .