Upon moving to Nashville in 1992, Rob's career took off, and has continued to be a busy and successful one. Rob is a founding member of the Bluegrass Supergroup, "Blue Highway," one of the fastest rising groups in the genre. After their first recording was released in 1996, this group swept the International Bluegrass Music Association awards with wins for Album of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, and Dobro Player of the Year. Since then, Rob has gone on to win IBMA Dobro Player of the Year a total of nine times.
Aside from his work with "Blue Highway," Rob has also been busy as a session player in Nashville (see Discography). In 1996 Rob was on two Grammy winning recordings: Alison Krauss and the Cox Family's, "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow," and the all-star Dobro release produced by Jerry Douglas, "The Great Dobro Sessions." Rob was the youngest player to be invited to participate in the project, a virtual "who's who" of Dobro players.
Rob has four solo albums on Rounder Records which have been landmark achievements for the Dobro.
Rob also recently released a 2-video instruction set for Homespun Tapes and it has been getting rave reviews.
Here is a small sample of the artists that Rob has performed and/or recorded with: Merle Haggard, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, David Lee Roth, Toby Keith, Reba Macentire, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, Steve Wariner, Marty Stuart, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Marty Raybon, Jeannie Kendall, Mila Mason, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ashley Monroe, Susan Ashton, Claire Lynch, Lynn Morris, John Cowan, Harley Allen, The Cox Family, Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Can't Find My Way Home
Rob Ickes Lyrics
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Truth is in all that I tell
It could never have been me
I did not shoot no deputy
Mr Grant, the deputy,
Friend to my whole family
He always tell me when John Brown
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
I hide it all except a few seeds
And make him think I plant for me
When Mr Grant and I know all the while
We've got enough for the whole island
Three years now we sell it in town
Under the bucket that goes down
No one knew of it but three:
Mr Grant, Davis and me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
I swear by God it is a plot;
Davis sent me here to rot
Listen people, can't you see
Mr Davis shot the deputy
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
The lyrics of "Can't Find My Way Home" by Rob Ickes tell a story of a man who claims to be innocent of shooting a deputy, despite being suspected by the authorities. The story unfolds through a series of verses that reveal the man's relationship with the deputy and his involvement in a secret smuggling operation.
The first verse sets the tone for the song and establishes the singer's credibility. He insists that he is telling the truth and that he had nothing to do with the shooting of the deputy. He also implies that others may have been involved who are not being held accountable.
The second verse introduces Mr. Grant, the deputy, who is described as a friend to the singer's family. The singer suggests that Mr. Grant gave him a warning when trouble was coming, perhaps referring to John Brown, a notorious outlaw. This implies that the singer and Mr. Grant had a close relationship and that the shooting of the deputy would have been out of character for the singer.
The third verse reveals that the singer and Mr. Grant were involved in a secret smuggling operation, and that it was Davis, not the singer, who shot the deputy. The singer explains that he and Mr. Grant grew crops that they sold in town, and that they kept their operation hidden by pretending to plant for personal consumption. However, Davis, who was not a part of their operation, apparently discovered their secret, and sent the singer to take the blame for the shooting.
Overall, the lyrics of "Can't Find My Way Home" paint a picture of a man who has been wrongfully accused of a crime, and who protests his innocence. The song is notable for its vivid storytelling and its use of imagery to evoke the atmosphere of a small island community.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear my story and listen well;
Pay close attention to what I'm about to say;
Truth is in all that I tell
Everything I'm about to reveal is true and accurate;
It could never have been me
I am not responsible for what happened;
I did not shoot no deputy
I did not shoot the deputy or have any involvement in his death;
Mr Grant, the deputy,
Referring to the deputy, Mr. Grant;
Friend to my whole family
The deputy was a close friend to my entire family;
He always tell me when John Brown
Mr. Grant used to warn me when John Brown was about to arrive;
Was getting ready to come around
Whenever John Brown was about to show up;
Don't blame me
I am not at fault or to blame for the situation;
I hide it all except a few seeds
I keep all my contraband hidden, but plant just enough to make it look like it's for personal use;
And make him think I plant for me
I pretend that the crops are for personal use so as not to raise suspicion;
When Mr Grant and I know all the while
Meanwhile, Mr. Grant and I know the truth behind what's going on;
We've got enough for the whole island
We have enough to supply the entire island with our contraband;
Three years now we sell it in town
We've been selling our contraband in town for three years now;
Under the bucket that goes down
We hide our goods under a bucket that is lowered to the buyer;
No one knew of it but three:
Only three people knew about our illegal trade;
Mr Grant, Davis and me
Those three people were Mr. Grant, Davis, and myself;
I swear by God it is a plot;
I swear to God that this whole situation is a scheme;
Davis sent me here to rot
Davis manipulated me into taking the fall for his actions;
Listen people, can't you see
I'm trying to make you understand the truth of what happened;
Mr Davis shot the deputy
The real culprit behind the deputy's death was Mr. Davis, not me;
Don't blame me
Again, I am not responsible or to blame for what happened;
Don't blame me
Repeat of the previous lines to emphasize his innocence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Steve Winwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind