Buffy Sainte-Marie's first tour in several years brought her to the Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, Maine last night and we were fortunate to get tickets to a sold-out performance. She brought a seven piece band and they gave a high energy concert including some songs from her newest album. These and her asides seemed to reflect continued interest in peace, social justice and Native American affairs and I confess that I enjoyed more her guitar, keyboard and mouth bow accompanied renditions of her older material. These included Universal Soldier, Piney Wood Hills, Until It's Time for You to Go, Soldier Blue, Little Wheel Spin and Spin, Up Where We Belong and others. I asked her after the performance if she still did My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying and she said she would when she got out west where people would understand it.

A word about Stone Mountain Arts Center - it's in a converted barn, on a dirt road, no less, in western Maine but attracts an impressive list of national and international performers and audiences from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts and seasonally, summer people from all over. The web site is www.stonemountainartscenter.com. Last night's dinner menu included lasagna, pizza, chili, salmon chowder , salads and magnificent desserts. Last night's audience was somewhat younger than us (who isn't?) but the staff was extremely friendly and accomodating. - Charles