The first time I saw the Lewis Family was at a Boys From Indiana festival at St. George, Georgia.

Brenda and Janice were already Lewis Family fans.

Owen and Balder played with their cousins, Lita and Dara, and with Joe Bell's kids, Bronwyn, Savage, and Josh.

I blew out an ear drum and have had tinnitis ever since, but that was the Boys From Indiana's fault, not the Lewis Family's fault.

It was my fault, for not wearing hearing protection.

One time Cousin Harley, the Pork Rind King, jumped up on stage, and when he landed, he shit himself.

The church we went to see the Lewis Family in was packed.

We saw Glen Tyson, who played mandolin on Owen's fiddle tape, and his uncle Max Wells, who used to own a feed store in Chipley. Balder bought an upright bass from Judge Wells. If Hiram was there, I didn't see him.

The feed store's closed. Max and his wife are selling real estate.

The Lewis Family are getting old.

Pop Lewis died two years ago, their mother died three years ago. They were married for 77 years, and spent 54 years of it on the road, singing for the lord.

Still at it.

Janis said they're playing next in Palatchka.

When we left, I saw their bus in the parking lot, and thought about getting in it and driving to Palatka, on the St. Johns, River, nearly to Jacksonville. 244 miles.

We saw the Gillis Brothers, with Owen and Balder, play at Green Cove Springs, not too far from there, one year. We camped on the St. Johns River, near a house that had a commode and running water, a gas stove, but no electric lights.

I'm going to a book fair this morning.

It's in my home town, so I don't have to drive, or fly, and rent a hotel room.

But I have to pay for the banquet ($25), passed on the meet-the-authors cocktail party ($75) at a wealthy sponsor's home.

Maybe some year I'll be invited to attend a conference, and paid to come and speak.

Instead of come on my own nickel and pass the hat, like a busker. Open my instrument case, for tips. Pay for a vendor's booth.

The Lewis Family get paid. But damned if their bus isn't driving them. What else are they going to do? Retire, and live off their investments? They're like actors riding around the country and performing Shakespeare off the back of a cart. Show business is in their soul.