Riverboat Songs: A Great Pivot

The boat was set to depart and the show was set to start at precisely 7 pm. But a rainstorm came rushing in, with loud thunder and lightening rolling right behind it. Laura Shepherd, Joe Coone and I each wondered if anyone would show up to our Riverboat Songs show.

Captain Joe built the boat from an old dock that a neighbor was getting rid of. It was first - and is still primarily - his “work truck.” Joe lives and works on the Hillsborough River, repairing docks and doing overall handy work for clients along the river. Over the course of years - and because of who his friends are (a bunch of artists and musicians) - it evolved into a gathering space and then it grew a stage. Now it’s sending a variety of acts down the meandering waterway; giving his guests the beauty of the Hillsborough River from a unique angle, and the artists a one-of-a-kind gig.

I was so excited when he asked me to sing on Jezebel - that’s the name of the boat, which he jokingly explains is a “relation-ship.” The first time I stepped foot on it was in 2016. Captain Joe had just put the first roof on it, and it hadn’t a splash of color - let alone any art. By the second time I visited in 2017, he’d just built the stage. The Screaming J’s and Este Love played that night. We cruised that river late into the morning; listening, laughing and dancing to their music.

Now it was my turn. So I got a hold of the incomparable Laura Shepherd, and I convinced her to put on the show with me. I have only just begun my music career. With nine original songs in my pocket, I knew I needed a pillar to support me. Laura was my girl. She is a force of honesty and demands attention. Her folk songs are to be listened to. They are stories to follow along with; messages to digest. I knew we’d make a good team.

The storm cleared 15 minutes before 7, and I knew whoever was coming would be arriving very soon. To my delight but utter surprise, the boat filled up quick. Every seat taken. Every face excited and curious. As Captain Joe released Jezebel from the dock, we heard shouts and saw flailing arms running toward the dock: two more guests pleading for the boat to stop and pick them up. Everyone on the boat laughed and smiled. We were off on an adventure!

Riverboat Songs was a great pivot for my life. I’ve pivoted from another layer of my comfort zone and into a greater future. A future drenched in vulnerability and courage. A future centered on the honesty of my expression and the need to give it away. A future focused on being brave enough to “do it anyway.”

So I thank everyone who came out that night - even while the rain tried to scare us away - and supported Laura and I. Your presence will always be worth more than I think you could possibly ever know… but I think that’s the beauty of life’s mystery, it’s not counted, measured or scored - it’s felt.

By Brittny Charity Valdés

Photos by Maria Avanzando Scuderi, Michelle “Pippy” Tolan and Laura Shepherd