Can duly report back that I'm now more into all of Other Songs. Very good. And at last I've ordered Blue Boy + Rarities (for a good price off Amazon.com Marketplace, a third of what you'd pay for it in the UK as an import), so will soon have the full World of Ron experience.
I like to check out ronsexsmith.com a bit, and one of the thrilling things about it is that Ron is quite a regular poster (no need for impersonators there!). It's worth looking at the 45 or so posts of his for some of the explanations he's proffered, especially about how he demoed a batch of stuff in between Ron Sexsmith and Other Songs (some of which is on Rarities), and how it wasn't happening for him in the US, but there was greater interest in the UK due to EC.
One section invites you to request songs at gigs, so, with the above event in mind, I posted this:
"I too will be at the London gig. Can't wait. (And the Lloyd Cole and the Commotions reunion the same week, I'll need weeks to recover from the excitement!)
I don't know if you played Strawberry Blonde at the last London gig ('Marquee', great gig), because I didn't know it then, but now I can't stop playing it. So that would be perfect.
And as much of Cobblestone Runway and Retriever as the night allows, cos they're both so good. If I had to choose one off Retriever, it would have to be Dandelion Wine. Close your eyes and float off to heaven.
So both the songs I'd love to hear refer to dandelions!"
And Ron has replied the very next day thus:
"Hi Otis [needless to say, I retain the same nom du keyboard]
Yea, I play "Strawberry Blonde most nights so I'll be sure to do it in London
as well as "Dandelion Wine" which I'm quite proud of.
See ya soon
Ron"
Ron posted to me!!!
OK, he's a cult figure, and most people I mention his name to, even fairly dedicated music lovers, have usually never heard of him, but I'm still close to fainting. It would be fun if EC did, so too, wouldn't it?
Dr J, have you got tickets for the event? If so, listen out for if he sends me a dedication!