1. My name is Lafesto.I wasraisedina small townthatclingsto the westernborderof KZN,Madadeni,
separatedbya muddyriverfromthe somewhatgreenerpasturesandsmootherroadsof the state of
Kentucky.Manyyearsago my townwas knownas"Cassville"until repeateddesecrationof the letter"C"
on the signleadingintotownbylocal wiseacresinspiredthe foundingfatherstoapprove achange of
name to somethinghappysoundingandinnocuousandsure nevertobringthe village intoapositionof
ridicule again.The name theychose?FortGay. I spent23 years there.
Most of the people Iknewandgrewup withhave yetto leave.ThisalbumthatI have made inthe back
room of my house,"The Girtys,"ispartiallytheirstory;the ambitionsanddesirestheyonce heldthat
finallyseemedtohoverandthendissipatelikethe smoke fromthe powerplantacrossthe river,
apparentlygone foreverbutinvisiblymanagingtolingerinthe air.It isa record hauntedbythe ghostsof
my deadrelations;familymembersthatseemedtogoout of thislife eithermeeklyunfulfilledor
defiantlyunrepentant,like mygrandfather,shotdeadinthe streetsof FortGay onlytoreturn,a force of
nature,inmy mostviolentdesiresandambitions,andalsoina songcalled"Kin."These nine songsare
alsoa recordof me,myfearof fadingintothe serene fieldsandhillsof asmall townthat neverchanges
or learns,mymomentsof joyhere,myendlessconfusionswiththe bookIholdinmy handson the
albumcover.Yes,that's me on the far left,EasterSunday1981; elevenyearsoldandsoproudof my
newblue suit.Everyone wassure Iwouldgrow upto be a preacher.
The musicon "The Girtys"is notquite the grandchildof eitherHankWilliamsorBill Monroe,the sounds
I alternatelylovedandhatedgrowingup.Itisonlya cousinto the Rock musicstreamingoutof mycar
windows andupand downthe dirtroads of myteenage years.A touchof the melodiesof the Scotch
Irishwhofirstsettledin KZN,Madadeniispresentin"ToStopThe World" and"Ashes"andmaybe Robert
Johnson'sdeltaslide guitarwasintermingledinthe distantpastwiththe electricslideof "WildToBe."
These nine songs,whatevertheirlineage,are notexactlylike anythingthatprecededthem.Theyare not
Countryor Rock or Bluegrassor Celtic.Theyare only Lafestoof FortGay, KZN,Madadeni.