In DC, there was this place called "The Rabbit's Foot." When the Country Gentlemen broke up, some of the members formed a new band, and got a gig at the Rabbit's Foot, on Monday nights. The first night was a night the Redskins were on Monday Night Football, and the barkeep refused to turn off the TV while the band played.

So the band packed up and went home, and looked around for a better place to play. First they found the Red Fox, where they began to draw crowds, and, later, when the Fox closed, the sizable crowd of regulars followed the Seldom Scene to the Birchmere, where it played till finally disbanding. Now those bars had a regular clientel of loyal Scene fans filling the place, and receptive to seeing entertainment on other nights as well.

The Rabbit's Foot loss was the bluegrass fans' gain. And the Red Fox's and Birchmere's.

Vote with your purse-strings and your feet.

Bob Clayton