Are you here? This is a phone call review from our beloved friend Jeff.
Jeff Pike calls to talk about Peter Mayer’s 25th anniversary of the Stars and Promises Tour, December first, 2024 at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Stars and Promises is a Christmas concert like no other. You can listen to the phone call or read the transcript below.
Paul Leslie: Hey, how you doing?
Jeff Pike: Hey, Paul, I’m doing fine. How are you today on this glorious, beautiful, crisp, cool, cold, seasonal day?
Well, I’m doing just fine. I didn’t get a chance to see Stars and Promises yet, but I understand that you did.
I did. I got to see the first show of the tour again at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, like before last, as I always tried to do. And as usual, it was outstandingly almost perfect. Of course, nothing is perfect, but it’s about as close as you can get. It was wonderful. So be sure to find a way to see it before the season’s out. What were your immediate thoughts when you finished seeing the show? Oh, it didn’t take much. Before we finish it, just when he started playing, I walked in. I had a large sense of peace, gratitude, love, home.
And all this may sound, it’s always a portal of time travel always opens up for me for Christmas this past when I go see Pete. Even though it’s only been 25 years, it seems like his music has transitioned into my whole life. It’s that deep and that special so when it was over it was glorious I was hoping I could catch another one I had a chance to talk to Pete after the show and talk to Brendan and talk to Chris and it was just great catching up with them.
I shared my feelings and how wonderful it was. I always do. And they said some good things about you, too, as they always do. And it was a glorious night. It was a good, it was the perfect way to start the Christmas season.
Oh, well, I’m so glad to hear that. I think, and I mean, I can’t think of anybody else. You’ve probably seen more Stars and Promises shows than anyone.
Well, I don’t know. I don’t know that. But I do know that I think I’ve missed, out of the 25 years he’s been, I know that I’ve missed, we’ve missed the last two, unfortunately, because of death in our families and caretaking, and I was out of town on one. And I remember that I missed 2005, because that was when Ashton’s mom passed away, too. It was another episode of that. But I think those are the only three that I missed. I’m pretty sure that I’ve always been there. However, you’ll enjoy it. You remember James Hammons?
Oh, yeah.
Remember James Hammonds? Well, he was there, and he’s been to every one since the very beginning. So he has me beat. Because Pete always asks, how many bodies have been here since the first and been to every one? And for so many years, I was so happy and proud to be able to raise my hand. I can’t now anymore because I missed the last two. But James did, and he’s been to every single one.
And, you know, he used to play in A1A a long time ago. I was talking to somebody recently and they said, Jeff, it seems that everybody in Atlanta has played an A1A at one point or the other, I said, you know as time goes by, that may very well be the case but no I never get tired of it and I have all the CDs, from all the performances since he started doing that and it’s a great collection and I’ve got hours upon hours upon hours upon hours of these shows and I live to them every year I do, it’s great,
Was there anything different about this year that you noticed?
Well, Chad Stewart is no longer running sound. I spoke to Chad afterwards, and he said he’s recently remarried again, doing well, and just got tired of being on the road. So he’s taking some time off, and he seems to really be where he’s supposed to be. So I’m very happy for Chad. But you know, Chad, he always brought a special sonic sound to Peter and the guys, and that’s how we met him. And had him run sound for a1a for some of the years and but this the sound was still wonderful but i did notice jad wasn’t there and they didn’t have a sound guy they’ve moved up technically so they have an ipad that has all the the settings which you can walk around with and they leave it on the side so it’s a little less hassle and less person to travel with which i can understand.
But they did do one thing that I hadn’t heard before. They played a song by Harry Belafonte from the early 60s. He had a long intro about it. He said it was very popular back in the early 60s. And everybody knew it. Everybody was singing it. And I hate to say it because I was raised by Harry Belafonte as a boy a little bit. I never had heard it before. And it was called “Mary’s Boy Child.” You may be familiar being the Harry Belafonte guy.
And he prefaced it by saying it’s just kind of an island vibe, kind of a swing, kind of like a Jimmy Buffett Island swing vibe. And I was thinking about “Jamaica Farewell,” and they played this song and played it wonderfully. And I never had heard it before. And when I was through, I was sitting next to my friend Mike Davis, who, as you know, started the whole thing with Pete. And it’s Smoke Rise. If it weren’t for Mike, this never would have happened. And he’s a wonderful man. And when I said, Mike, I said, why didn’t Jimmy Buffett do that song? He goes, you know, that’s a really good idea. That’s a real good point. It had been a perfect song for Jimmy to put on one of his Christmas albums.
But as far as things being different, that’s all that really stood out. Chad Stewart’s son has been playing the Woodwinds and the Bagpipes for the past few years with him. So that’s a little bit different. It’s weird not seeing Mark Holland up there still, even though he’s been gone for a number of years. But Chad’s son does a fantastic job. and they had a new violinist. Her name was, I think, Josie something. She was wonderful. They always have a new guest.
And outside of that, it was just wonderful. A little bit of songs rearranged, some medleys put together. It was a great show. It was wonderful. And it sounded great. And Pete looked wonderful. He looked just fantastic. And so it was great. And I had the best seats in the house, front row center, and you can’t beat it. So that’s about it.
What part of your show, what part of the show is your favorite?
Always is when they, when they come, when Pete comes down from the stage for the last couple of songs, And oh, gosh, he did a song. Oh, no. And I forgot what it was. And I should have written this down. And he comes out and sings the song acoustically with one mic. And then the band comes down and does and they do a whole acoustic couple of songs. He came out and he did a song that he said he’s never done before ever and it was written like 25 something odd years ago with I think Trace Atkins or Aikens or somebody he said and I can’t even tell you what it was it was him and his guitar and it was, astonishingly beautiful and now I’ve got to ask him to find out and get back with you.
And then the band came out like five feet from me playing all acoustic, and they did “Junkman’s Christmas” and “Have a Little Faith in Angels” as they always do. And it was beautiful. It was wonderful and a perfect way to end the show. And I was speaking to Brendan after the show and I told him how much I really enjoyed that. And that’s always my favorite part of the performance. And he goes, well, it’s funny. You should say that because we’re talking about doing an all acoustic performance of Stars and Promises. He’s a next year or the year after that. I said, that’d be a fantastic thing to see. So I’m not sure if it’d be in a smaller venue or just out front like that. But I said, that would be a really good idea.
But that was my favorite. It’s always my favorite part is when they come out and get really intimate with you. It was beautiful.
All right, Jeff. Well, any closing thoughts?
You know, Peter, it’s been 25 years, and it doesn’t seem like 25 years. Sometimes it seems like five. Sometimes it seems like 50. But I love Christmas, and I always go see Christmas shows, and it seems that just in 25 years, Peter has made a complete culture and his own identity around Christmas. It’s like every bit as good and as important as Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra or any shows like that, but it’s different. And I think forever his name will be more recognized with this than even Jimmy Buffett.
And it’s almost Christmas is Peter Mayer, and Peter Mayer is Christmas. And I think him having carved that out has touched so many people, and he gives it for free every year. And you can’t put a price on that at this time of year to give like that, to give back the way he does and always has. I think that’s his lasting legacy.
Very well put. But thank you so much, Jeff. I can’t wait to see you in person.
Me too. I love you. I miss you. And I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays.
Love you, man.
Peace out. Bye-bye. Bye.
