Willie's Brother

Alaska! I got my "soul" tank filled again in Wrangell-St. Elias Nat. Park last month. Never heard of it, you say? Many folks haven't. It's a supersized park at 13.2 million acres, filled with the world's largest staircasing glacier and mountains that aren't even named yet. I love it there! Not a bad view in the place and there's lot of nice folks like Larry to visit with.

I've got an older B&W image of Larry that hangs framed in my studio gallery. Everyone asks, "Is that Willie Nelson?" "No," I answer, "but he sure sings like him!" I recently told that joke to Larry when I saw him and he laughed with his eyes all squinted up real tight. Larry's been a buddy of mine since 1999 and every year I try to make a portrait of him. He doesn't like it one bit. An old horse bronc cowboy in Montana and a pipefitter up in Prudhoe Bay during the heydays of Alaskan oil, Larry doesn't have much time for picture makers. He's busy running trap lines in the winter and tending to his home and equipment in the summer.

But get Larry laughing and the camera can come out. I hope you can see his gentleness and a taker of whatever life rolls his way. See you next winter Larry!