Dancin' At the Salty Dog

Well, it is getting to be the start of vacation season so I thought I would mention one of our favorite destinations to you.

The little man (one of my grandsons) may not be "dancing the night away" but he sure is involved in his moves. And he is not the only one. Any time Dave Kemmerly is playing at the Salty Dog Cafe on Hilton Head Island, S.C., you can find kids dancing around him--loving the tunes he is putting out. Since the kids are there it is a certainty that you will find parents and grandparents enjoying the entertainment (both the kids and Dave), laughing, taking photos and videos.

We have been going to the Deck to hear Dave for many years now and he was even on Parents Rule radio show last year. It is a laid back place where we can lean back and relax. Forgetting our stresses for a while, we listen to the variety of old songs, new songs, and novelty songs that Dave plays mostly by request. On the radio last year he said that he probably knows 3-4,000 songs. And I believe it because he is rarely stumped when asked for specific songs by sunburned vacationers. He plays guitar and occasionally piano on the Deck, but can also find his way around the drums, upright bass, and sax. He states that coming from a musical family (dad was a drummer who once played with Johnny Cash and mom was a classically trained pianist), he and his brothers just picked up the "family" business without too much difficulty.

It all makes for a great time full of music, burgers, shrimp, ice cream stained faces, dancing and lots of laughter and smiles under the stars. There are trivia contests every night and not too many bugs early in the season.

These days we are all under much stress with economic uncertainty and conflicts world-wide. That is why it is so important to find a place to de-stress. If you make it to Hilton Head, I recommend Dave Kemmerly and the Salty Dog Deck. But if you can't get there, find your own place where your world is at peace--even if it only for a few hours. Find your own "Dave" whereever or whatever that is to you.

And if you get to listen to Dave, do yourself a favor and request that he play some songs he has written. He doesn't play them very often, but they are terrific!