Music In Minneapolis, Minnesota

 On the way to Minnesota we stopped only a few times. One of the first stops for Myrtle (Gene's dog and us) to use the bathroom, was this stop in Athens, Alabama (I'd always wanted to go there, being born in Athens, Greece). However the reason for this picture is to the left is "The Village" located at 1298 Kelli Drive off highway 65 exit 351, there was at "The Village" old log cabins, from them I heard bluegrass music. It was to cool. Clark's Restaurant is located by the log cabins.

 David loves Superman I took this in Metropolis, IL.

To the right is Cherry Valley, IL.  The snow bank is what caught my eye on this one. The town looks just like Pigeon Force, Tn. (I'll expound in a moment), (The picture to the right is four weeks prior to the ones below took "four weeks later", notice how much snow can make the difference in Cherry Valley Illinois in a matter of 4 weeks).  Below is a log cabin and in the back yard is a creek and railroad trestle.  Very quaint little town.

















The village of Cherry Valley, Illinois is located just to the southeast of Rockford, Il.  It's desirable quaint village almost is designed like Pigeon Forge, Tenn but if you want that "take me back to the days of nostalgia" and you are in Cherry Valley it would be worth your while to stop by and have a cup of coffee at their cafe or walk down the street with your cup in hand and see the church building now historical society meeting place (pictured below) or walk across the street and look at the quaint log cabin with the creek flowing in the back yard of the cabin.  While walking and taking the pictures I had my ipod ear phones playing a few pieces of Skaroulis, Coda and Tim Heintz.  My experience was off the charts. 
I could imagine the train coming in across the trestle and smoke rolling out of the stack while coming into town and slowing down just a little for the engineer to wave at the people in the log cabin. It didn't happen like that but again in my mind it did; it  was just enough to make the music in my ear pieces and the thought in my mind and the coffee I had in my other hand an absolute breathtaking experience. Thanks to the Society of Cherry Valley for whatever they did to make my fantasy of yesteryear become reality for just a few moments.
City Hall is located:   
806 E. State Street 
Cherry Valley, IL 61016 
Ph: 815.332.3441 
Fax: 815.332.3414

Arye Boutwell (Days Inn, Clarksville)  made sure our stay was a very pleasant one.  He works all the time; he checked us in when we arrived to Clarksville, Tenn. (around 7 PM, I'd been driving for like 9 1/2 hours in the snow, sleet and frozen roads, and he had enough time to make sure Gene and I were taken care of getting in our room without obstacles and was there the next morning to make sure the breakfast bar was stocked for a great breakfast. His grandmother is in Phoenix City, Al and will soon be going there to celebrate her birthday.  I hope Alabama is as kind to him as he was to us. Thanks Arye.  Oh, he listens to WSGQ Internet Radio too !!!!  www.wsgq.net (upper right corner pick the word "RADIO" and click the play button). 

 This is at Camp Douglas Wisconsin, The German Haus. I thought it was so quaint on the side of this mountain and where we stopped to get cheese curds and a diet coke. Myrtle liked the cheese curds too.

In Minneapolis, there is a place called "CHEAPO" it is not only one of the largest record stores I've ever seen but Branden there helped me by telling me that he did have music of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and would have them ready at the counter when I arrived. He and the staff were wonderful and treated me like I was family.  I called about 5 record stores in Minneapolis and none carried "classical" music, not even Minneapolis Symphony cds. However when Branden took my call he helped me make sure I was taken care of. Cheapo is located at 1300 West Lake Street (612) 827-8238

 Central Lutheran Church located 333 South 12th Street in downtown Minneapolis was our Sunday morning delight. 
I borrowed a picture from their tourism department to show you what I could not take (as it was like -2 degree wind chill, when I took this picture). This is an absolutely beautiful church building with a great sound choir and pipe organ. 

Pipe organ at Central Lutheran downtown

When Gene Montgomery played organ in Minneapolis, one of the churches was here at Minnehaha UMC

 At the airport in Minneapolis, every table had free internet and I accidentally on purpose left "Gamble Music Production" web site up.... 

In the far background are the puffs of smoke. The right one is GP in Cedar Springs and the left one (I believe is Farley Nuclear Plant) I took these while listening to Lang Lang playing Chopin pieces. It was very fitting. 

I loved the sunset in the west beam light on the Georgia and Alabama border.

While at CHEAPO music store, I met a delightful person, Donald Ulm (last name pronounced OLM as in "OLD" long "OL" sound), anyway he was at the store and since I was inquiring about classical music, Branden the counter person introduced us. Donald was born in 1940 and graduated from high school in 1959. He was an organist throughout downtown Minneapolis churches. He's played in New York, California, and even overseas. I will be doing an interview for WSGQ internet radio when I fly back on the 27th of Feb.