It all began with this little snippet in the Vineyard Gazette in early September of 1990. My daughter Deb likes Harry Connick Jr and I’m a huge fan of Carly Simon, I have been even before I knew of her Vineyard connection. This seemed like a perfect weekend getaway for us but how could I manage to get tickets when I live in NJ and they were only on sale on the Vineyard !
I did it. I was determined and when it involves the Vineyard my determination is un-stoppable. So off we went. There were a few glitches along the way concerning MV accommodations and ferry reservations so we decided to stay in Falmouth on the mainland and just go to the Vineyard for the day of the concert.
It was a spectacular September Sunday afternoon on the Vineyard, the Campground was filled with happy concertgoers bustling around.
At 3pm Harry stepped on stage and the concert began. His band was fantastic and Harry’s voice velvety smooth. After about an hour or so of great music the lights were turned off. The only illumination was the sun shining through the stained glass windows around the perimeter of the Tabernacle !! And out stepped…..
CARLY. I was beside myself. In actuality though the person beside me was Carly’s mother!! I have seen Carly in concert several times since then but seeing her on the Vineyard and at the Tabernacle was something really special for me. Harry and Carly sang a few songs together, their voices meshed beautifully.
Carly did a few songs alone and then way too soon it was over. What a fantastic day, one we’ll never forget.
The reviews of the concert were glowing, much like the talents of Carly Simon and Harry Connick Jr. as they stood side by side on the stage of the Tabernacle.
Edited to Add: Deb just reminded me of an interesting part of the day that I left out.
Sitting next to us was this woman who was going on and on about how excited she was to be seeing Carly Simon. She had chattered about it to her seat mate on the small plane that afternoon when she had flown over to MV. She told him she had no idea who this Harry Connick, Jr person was, but it was an excuse to see Carly etc etc.
When Harry stepped on stage she gasped and said “Oh my god, that’s the young man I was talking to on the plane.” Just a wee bit embarrassing :)
We also had ”drinks” with the band at the Oyster Bar… us and about a hundred other people.
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January 16, 2008 at 6:37 pm
--Deb
How could you neglect to tell the story of the woman sitting near us who went on and on about how excited she was to see Carly Simon and had chattered about it to her seat-mate on the plane that afternoon when she flew to the island. How she told him she really had no idea who this Harry Connick Jr person was, but an excuse to see Carly, well! And so on.
And then how, when Harry stepped on stage, she gasped and said, “Oh my God. That’s the young man I was talking to on the plane!”
Just a wee bit embarrassing! Also, don’t forget that we went back to the Oyster Bar afterward for drinks “with” the band….
January 16, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Cindy
Wow, sounds like a great show! I bet it was magical!
January 17, 2008 at 6:57 am
Seamond
You know, Joanie - I know you KNOW it oh so well - that part of the unique flavor of the Vineyard is the way when you are on the island you mingle well-known personalities with everyone else and you get to not think anything about it, it happens so often. (When I was a kid, for instance, Jim Cagney was the man who helped me catch my first bluefish. I remember him for that much more than all his wonderful movies. He was some character in real life as well as on the screen. We all got used to having movie stars and extremely famous people around us. They liked it because they could relax there and not go incognito.) I read through this and just enjoyed it so very much. Knowing your love for all things Carly, it’s great to see you put this episode into print. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Keep it up. I know we all love reading the MV blog.
Seamond
January 17, 2008 at 9:15 am
Patty
I read this last night and wanted to comment, but couldn’t find the right words. Seamond did - well, I don’t have the memories that she does, but her last five sentences said what I wanted to perfectly. Thanks, Seamond - and Mom.