An Airport “Concert”

“Concert” at the San Francisco Airport

In April 2006 I was returning from a business trip and encountered a 6-hour delay because a pilot had called in sick. Seeing a fellow with a guitar case, I began a conversation with him, and it led to an improptu jam session that became a sing-along. He was Charlie Williamson, of the Rose City Bluegrass Band.

Much to my surprise, Charlie later sent me this article from the Portland Oregonian. The article appeared on the front page of the Travel Section on July 16, 2006, some three months after the event.

I wondered how the story came about, and wrote to Katy Muldoon, who kindly replied:

I was at SFO that day, heading from Portland to Boston (for, of all kooky reasons, to write a story about some Tufts University folk who'd written and were performing an opera based on the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan scandal). I wandered off to eat a lousy sandwich and drink an expensive beer, and when I returned to the gate I settled in to wait at the gate next to 66. The gal from New York sat across from me. You're lucky the guitar and harmonica drowned out her diatribe. (As I recall, one reader complained that in describing her in a less-than-friendly manner, I'd disparaged all New Yorkers....ah well....). At any rate, I thought the scene would make a fun little piece for our Travel section.