Jeff Bridges delivers down home country at the Maverick Saloon

By Nancy Chuda founder and Editor-in-Chief of LuxEcoLiving and co-founder of of Healthy Child Healthy World

What matters most to Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges? Hunger. He wants to put an end to it. And he knows his facts.

16.7 million children — nearly one in four — live in households that do not have access to enough nutrition food to lead active, healthy lives.

The recession is making the problem worse — the poverty rate among children reached 19 percent, the highest of any age group.

He cares. His crazy heart can swing left of center or to the far right. I’m talking politics. His very own determination, using his true grit and heart of gold is to reach out and try to create THE bridge for democrats and republicans.  Not in “a thousand years” as one of his Jon Goodwin lyrics  professes, but right now.

“I’m going to be speaking with democrats…. I’ve been invited to Washington and I’m gonna weigh my two cents on what I think we ought to do. ” APPLAUSE. “And then I’m going to talk with republicans and see if I can get them to move together on a few issues that means a lot to me… our children and our families.” Applause, applause and more applause.

Likeable is not even suitable. Lovable is better. “Jeff Bridges for Pres,” the audience howled and hooted as Bridges and his faithful band, The Abiders second set of the night rolled out with fury, passion and heart in the steamy setting of his California roots. The Maverick Saloon is not just a local hang its legendary. David Crosby can hear the licks from across the valley and has been known just to show up unannounced. Cool!

Bridges got the idea by drawing from  real life. He calls his band the Abiders after a catch-phrase from the 1988 Coen Brothers’ cult comedy.

And speaking of showing off– Bridges band is as good as it gets. And it gets plenty of reaction. Jeff showcases a variety of songs drawing on the eccentric talents of his lead guitarist enough so that the lyrics don’t matter.

“Music has been a part of my life since I was a young teen,” he said, mentioning that he’d recorded an indie CD, “Be Here Soon,” that was released in 2000. “So it’s wonderful to come out on a big label like Blue Note with my good buddy T-Bone Burnett producing. We kind of upped the ante with this one and I’m really pleased with it. It’s wonderful to fire up the music in this way.”

While the 62-year-old Bridges may be akin to the Dude in spirit  he owes his new singing career to his Oscar-winning portrayal of alcoholic country crooner Bad Blake in 2009’s “Crazy Heart” which threw the Dude and audience reception into a different kind of limelight. Rolling Stone once described his music as “affable country-rock” that suggests “a cleaned-up Bad Blake, or a Dude with ambitions beyond the bowling lanes.” Way beyond. All proceeds from Bridge’s concert tour benefits the Santa Barbara Food Bank.

Bridges delivery is low key, mellow and at times somber but he holds his ground and rowses  amps and testosterone levels of the young, taller and thinner buckaroo’s whose foot stomping hip grinding body language would turn any singers songs into hits and  young women without birth control pregnant.

The one annoying fact about any saloon setting is the acoustics which just didn’t cut it. And even more annoying, buying tickets online and not having a seat.

It’s hard for an artist to know if he’s getting a standing ovation if over half of the room is standing. But they did and were in awe of sandy color haired Bridges with HIS silver streaks popping through just like his dad.

Nope.  He may be a Bridges but he is one of a kind. Always was and always will be. Not crazy. Just a big heart and a helluva musician. He’s bigger than the Dude Lebowski and much sweeter too.

Editor’s Notes:

Jeff, the only thing that was missing from your second set was a surprise for the audience. A primed T-Bone as in Burnett. He owes you man!

Hey Tommy! Next time you want better coverage make sure you save some bar stools for press.

OR maybe I”ll just ride into town and park my horse in front of the bar.