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The Show Must Go On

St. Albans, Vermont - December 27, 2007

On a snowy day the Woods Tea Company warms up their voices and their spirits.

"We love it. It beats digging ditches," chuckles Mike Lussen. "We love the audiences and love the shows."

The folk group formed in the Burlington area in the early 1980s-- performing in bars. They now tour all kinds of venues in Vermont, and the country full time. They can say they've given shows in each of the lower 48 states, but Wood's Tea calls First Night Burlington their favorite gig.

"We've been there almost from the beginning," explains Howard Wooden.

This year, though, will be bittersweet.

"It's like a family. There's a big hole," says Tom MacKenzie.

The group's founder, Rusty Jacobs, died of a heart attack in August. His pennywhistle and guitar silenced with so many shows left to play.

"This is the first First Night we perform without Russ," says Wooden.

The group lost another friend last year -- fiddler Chip Chase died following a motorcycle accident. The one-two punch almost ended the group's run.

"We weren't sure at first if we have the spirit," Wooden recalls.

But with gigs booked-- Tom MacKenzie joined Wood's Tea for a fall tour. He had played with them in the 90s, and had big shoes to fill. He found fans still hungering for old-time folk songs and willing to accept a new set of performers.

"Russ's spirit is with us in some way every night," says Wooden.

Wood's Tea is dedicating the First Night shows at Burlington's Unitarian Church to Rusty Jacobs.

"I think he'd be saying, 'Good for you boys, raise up a glass for me,'" says Wooden.

They say in entertainment the show must go on. It will for this group who lost so much, but found new energy to keep playing.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News