Jim Pattons and Sherry Brokus have a new CD out titled Going the Distance. Pattons’ mother instilled in him his love of music and in this special interview he has been to a “million concerts over the years,” and he “just put down the first three that came to mind.”

1. Jimmy Lafave at Lubbock or Leave It, in Austin TX. We had not moved here, did not know who Jimmy was until he and Randy Glines took the stage. He played two songs: Joe Ely's "Because the Wind" and Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand" and blew us away with how soulful, honest, and real his music was. While he was playing, our host, Butch Hancock, asked if we wanted to play next. We moved to Austin five months later.

2. Jon Dee Graham at the Continental Club in Austin TX. I've seen Jon a lot, but the show that stands out is his first post pandemic show where his band was on fire and he played all of his "Something to Look Forward To" songs with enthusiasm and a sense of freedom, breaking free of the darkness.

3. I was in college and saw a triple bill of Doc Watson, Tom Rush, and Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot had played our school the year before and had stayed up late with some of us playing songs, and he was why I was there. Doc was wonderful, and I didn't know a thing about him. His music was mountain spring clear, beautiful. Merle was with him, and their playing together was masterful and intuitive. Tom Rush introduced us to songs by Jackson Browne and James Taylor, unknown to us at the time. And Lightfoot not only gave a shoutout to our school, but played "Me and Bobby McGee", the first time I heard it.