Widespread Family

MY NAME IS KEN AND IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET, I AM A BIG WIDESPREAD PANIC FAN. IT ALL STARTED WHEN I GOT TO GO SEE THE DEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1982 AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG STRANGE TRIP SINCE THEN. I SAW MY FIRST PANIC SHOW IN 1989 IN RICHMOND, VA. THEY WERE GREAT AND STILL ARE BUT THE DEAD STILL OWN MY SOUL. I JUMPED ON PANIC TOUR A FEW TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND IN THE PAST 5 YEARS HAVE DONE EVERY SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL TOUR. WHAT AN AMAZING TIME I HAVE HAD. ONE DAY YOUR IN CALIFORNIA, THE NEXT YOU ARE DRIVING THE COAST OF OREGON AND THEN HEADED TO WASHINGTON. I'VE STAYED ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE AT THE WILTERN FOR 4 DAYS OVER LOOKING LA, THE PARKING LOT OF GRACELAND AND MANY OTHER UNUSUAL PLACES. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU WILL END UP BUT YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE AN ADVENTURE AND YOU CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THE NEXT SHOW TO BOOGIE DOWN. I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO FOLLOW THE DEAD, PHISH, WIDESPREAD, STRING CHEESE AND A BUNCH OF OTHERS ACROSS THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. DOING THIS HAS GIVEN ME THE CHANCE TO REALLY EXPERIENCE WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER REAL "FREEDOM" IN AMERICA. I WILL NEVER FORGET ALL THE WONDERFUL PLACES AND PEOPLE I HAVE MET ALONG THE WAY, YOU HAVE ALL BECOME MY "WIDESPREAD FAMILY". I THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME THE PRIVILEGE OF TRAVELING THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND SHARING THE GOOD TIMES WITH ALL OF YOU. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE GETTING YOUR GROOVE ON WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME. SO MANY SMILES AND SO MUCH HAPPINESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT BUYING MY GOODS ALONG THE WAY, I WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE IT WITHOUT YOU. MY FATHER PASSED AWAY A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND IT OPENED MY EYES EVEN MORE TO HOW PRECIOUS LIFE REALLY IS AND HOW LUCKY I HAVE BEEN TO EXPERIENCE ALL THESE THINGS IN MY LIFE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING IT SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE! HOPE TO SEE ALL OF YOU ON THE ROAD AGAIN SOMETIME! ALWAYS KIND, KEN