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October 2007 trip back to Arizona!
Here's some of the gang from the end of the night at my lovely backyard house concert with host Judy Schwiebert. Man, was it lovely back there. I wish a had a pic of the candle-ligted setting there. Thank you so much for your friendship & support -- your guests were so warm and lovely
What can I say Greg? Thank you for the great house concert at The Urban Farm. I can't believe that it was my fifth one! Thanks for geting us all to go GREEN! www.yourguidetogreen.comYou kick-started my life of being spoiled by incredible house concert hosts. You are the gold standard. Thank you!
Hey, a special treat for me in Arizona for this trip! Some of you know that my mother, Linda, who I adore taught me how to play guitar. Now it's pretty rare that I get to my mother to play outside of the house. She used to play clubs and weddings and such years ago -- and a pretty great guitarist with a lovely voice! Well she came of out to "jam" at Dave Campbell's house (Photog extraoridinaire) and everyone was singing and participating and she had a grand old time. Hey mom, finish up your song "Pharmacopaphopia" - the world wants to hear!
Well here is a shot of outside at Mama Java's for my night with Jim Pipkin! (Thank you to Lowell Hollars for the great photo) Thank you all so much for packing the house for us. It was a big supportive bunch of folks and it coundn't have been a more fun night. Jim's playing and storytelling are superior and I enjoyed being part of the audience as much as I did getting up on the stage to share some new tunes.
Here's some of the gang that would participate in the Jam with my momma: Dave W, Dave C,...garsh...where's AL? Like to thank my friend Dave McKay for doing sound that night too. http://www.myspace.com/davidmckaymusic
Why there's Marian, Jim ...and Reagan outside working the door (Thank You SO Much!!!!)
Here's Jim. I love this guy & his music for so many reasons. I was so excited to play with him. If you missed the show, check him out at
http://www.myspace.com/jimpipkin
What would a trip back to Arizona have been without a night out to see Instant Hobo, with my good friend John Feula. John rocked the house at Hollywood Alley. Man, most Phoenix musicin's have some history there! My request, of course, was "Two Story Outhouse" -- Dave and I "borrow" John's tune on occasion. Thanks John! Come to Seattle! http://www.instanthobo.com
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October 1, 2007
The first week of Fall was the perfect time to head north for our Canadian adventure and our first set of "International" shows! We headed to the border on Fri, Sept 28th to get the weekend started. Our host Don Strom showed us around the North Vancouver Quayside Community and cooked up some food on the barbie before the show. We love the fact that Don started off the show with his lovely classical guitarwork as well as a sing-along or two. We just love Don and his lovely wife Heather and look forward to seeing them again. Thank you!!!
Saturday we had a lovely breakfast with Don and then headed off to spend the afternoon on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. Very cool & funky shops and venues. It's super hip and the perfect place to hang out to relax before the next show. We made our way over to Cranberry Commons in Burnaby to meet Ruth Walmsley and Tim Bartoo and their great kids Shaun and Thea...and new labrapoo puppy Sammy. What a great atmosphere they created in their common house for the show -- which included lovely music from their folk group "Inside Passage". We met such a great bunch of folks there - including Elaine & Mack who offered to host us next time we come through town. Ruth & Tim took us to their local 'Greasy Spoon' which of COURSE we adored. Dave's just got to remember to say BROWN bread! We can't thank our new friends enough!
So Sunday we decided to go undercover as tourists in the Gaslamp district of Vancouver for a few hours - checking out galleries and hanging out peoplewatching at the local coffeeshop -- then off to rural Langley Township to the Windsong community. Here's a picture of me coring apples for the crisp before we spruced up for the show. Thanks again to Yonas and his wife Julia, as well as Maureen for making this event happen.
OK, this pic of me with a pineapple upsidedown cake is not from the Canadian weekend but a week or so before. I was just so proud to have baked my first cake from scratch for a dinner party with our Russian-speaking neighbors Alex & Galina. Dave had way too much wine that night. We stayed up talking and having a ball until 3am. My momma used to make this type of cake. This proves to her I can hold my own in the kitchen!
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7-20-07
What a fantastic trip we had down the Sauk river! I can't even find the words to describe it. This is the second time that Casey Garland has made one of these river trips a reality for Dave and my first...What a fantastic person and excellent river guide. Not to mention...he writes songs about the river too! It was great fun getting to play music with White Horse mountain as the backdrop...What an amazing adventure for the two of us. Thank you Casey!.
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October 1, 2007
The first week of Fall was the perfect time to head north for our Canadian adventure and our first set of "International" shows! We headed to the border on Fri, Sept 28th to get the weekend started. Our host Don Strom showed us around the North Vancouver Quayside Community and cooked up some food on the barbie before the show. We love the fact that Don started off the show with his beautiful classical guitarwork as well as a sing-along or two. We just love Don and his lovely wife Heather and look forward to seeing them again. Thank you!!!
Saturday we had a hearty breakfast with Don and then headed off to spend the afternoon on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. Very cool & funky shops and venues. It's super hip and the perfect place to hang out to relax before the next show. We made our way over to Cranberry Commons in Burnaby to meet Ruth Walmsley and Tim Bartoo and their great kids Shaun and Thea...and new labrapoo puppy Sammy. What a great atmosphere they created in their common house for the show -- which included lovely music from their folk group "Inside Passage". We met such a great bunch of folks there - including Elaine & Mack who offered to host us next time we come through town. Ruth & Tim took us to their local 'Greasy Spoon' which of COURSE we adored. Dave's just got to remember to say BROWN bread! We can't thank our new friends enough!
So Sunday we decided to go undercover as tourists in the Gaslamp district of Vancouver for a few hours - checking out galleries and hanging out peoplewatching at the local coffeeshop -- then off to rural Langley Township to the Windsong community. Here's a picture of me coring apples for the crisp before we spruced up for the show. Thanks again to Yonas and his wife Julia, as well as Maureen for making this event happen.
OK, this pic of me with a pineapple upsidedown cake is not from the Canadian weekend but a week or so before. I was just so proud to have baked my first cake from scratch for a dinner party with our Russian-speaking neighbors Alex & Galina. Dave had way too much wine that night. We stayed up talking and having a ball until 3am. My momma used to make this type of cake. This proves to her I can hold my own in the kitchen!
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May 2007
Well, well, well...finally, you say!
Well nobody is saying that more than David and I. I would like to introduce you to THE HAYBURNERS. Our new website for the duo will be up soon. Studio is getting a workout after a long and mighty hibernation. We are so excited. Tomorrow is my last day at the "day job". There is no looking back this time. And we can't wait to see you!
First, let me mention all of the lovely people that have been EXTREMELY patient and have not lost faith in us while we were on hiatus and settling in to our new Seattle gigs (and many moons before we left Phoenix)We have not forgotten about you! We owe you cd's and t-shirts! These are the fine folks who sponsored our upcomming cd with their checkbooks:
Angelle Cook
Athena Huckaby
Damon Allen
Rick Wall
Sam Michalowski
Myron & Rachel Lieberman
Linda & Sandy Patchefsky
Maryanne Jones
Meghan Hayes
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May 2006
OK, so I'm going to catch up on my wonderful May tour & trips...and then my next entry I'll catch y'all up with where I am at in Seattle. It sure has been a wild ride last coupla months.
I had such a stupendous trip to Chicago and Indiana beginning of May. I know I keep talking about how I just feel like the luckiest folk singer EVER each time I do a house concert. Well hosts Hilda Tsai and Al Pamintuan were such wonderful hosts for a show out in Chesterton, Indiana. It was Cinco de Mayo! I decked out in my boldest colors (unusual for me...usually in my basic black or brown) there was a large warm, generous crowd there at their lovely home. They even had kind of a gallery section above me looking down on me when I was playing. A super cool set-up. Have to love an audience happy on Margaritas and churros! All kidding aside - a very supportive crowd and fun to talk to at the break and after the show. Hats off to Hilda and help from her hubby Al on a first-class event. event. It really made me feel special that Hilda hunted me down to ask me to come out do do a show "Ever think about touring to Indiana?" she asked. So glad I did!
The next day I got to do one of my favorite things the day after the concert -- hang out with the family. Hilda and Al were very kind. (Thanks Hilda for my therapy session re: my Seattle stresses) Alaina and Bryan were two great kids. I did my best soccer mom impression and had a great time out cheering on the field at Alaina's game. My hosts took me to a nice lunch before they saw me off on the train to South Bend. Notra Dame here I come...
What a great community at Another Book Store in Mishawaka. Really appreciated Karrie and her girlfriend showing me around town. Holy Crap! I have to say my host that evening...to be continued |
November 2005
November is a month to give thanks. Good thing! How can I express the delight of performing at the Los Armadillos World Headquarters...The Celebration of Life House Concert, in the home of two wonderful human beings -- Fred and Wendy Casteel in Beaumont, Ca. I'll tell you, these guys sure know how to spread the love! Beaumont is outside of Palm Springs. (BTW: Palm Springs has has a really nice little downtown strip that we visited the night before. It had more fun and character than I guess I expected.) What a trip!
Concert night started with a GREAT meal. You see, The Casteel's son Drew (a professional in the kitchen you see) and his longtime Chef buddy Kenny cooked up an awesome shrimp boil with lots of sides, (and the break proved to have some amazing pie. You KNOW how I love PIE doon't you???)
The crowd was giving off some fantastic energy that night. I was musically spoiled that night too because my partner Dave got to join me on this trip which has been VERY unusual in the last 6 months. He joined me for the second set. We finished the night with harmony with his tune "Sum of Our Parts" It was one of my favorite performances of it too.
We carved our names in the wood next to their bar in their oh, so, beautiful home and vowed to come back to feel the love again. |
October 15-31, 2005
What a great month October has been! San Francisco was such a treat. Oct 14th found me out in Pleasant Hill California with a concert at their wonderful Cohousing Community. My new friend Tammy Pulley, who put it all together for me, made me feel like a member of the Pleasant Hill family. Had my first pineapple pizza after a long day of traveling (suprisingly delish) and the concert soon followed. What a great crowd -- so many of the community members came out to support the event. Thanks a million guys! I wanted to talk all night afterwards. We had a wonderful walk with her dog Jewel the next morning and a long talk that made me want to visit soon.
Wow! That's all I have to say about my houseboat experience the next night in Sausalito. Dan Fontes and Julie Lucchesi. You made me feel so lucky to be a performer at your house concert series. I just loved the houseboat and the georgeous docks. I didn't know what to expect (silly me, I slipped a Dramamine before I arrived...) So beautiful out on the water's edge. You'd never know you were afloat! There, on their living room stage(which would later become my windowbox bed)...my name in large marquee letters These two are so fun, warm, interesting and generous people. The three of us went out to breakfast the next morning...then Julie went off Kayaking (how cool...) and Dan told me more about one of his passions...history of the Sutro Baths. I did a little more research when I got home too. He also has a great collection of vintage pinball-type games & machines. He is true artist - and working on a huge mural project (5 years in the making?)at Playland-not-at-the-Beach www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org/murals_01.htm
and check his personal website out too at www.danfontes.com
. If you knew him, you would know this is a PERFECT match-up of talent and personal interest. It was such an honor to play there - the week before they had Caroline Aiken take the stage! Eric Luckett is next month! See what I mean...
October also saw the fruition of my fist 'real' concert production effort (sold through ticketmaster and everything!). I shared the stage with Jenny Yates and Eric Hansen for a round-robin performace. The night was electric. These two are so talented...and I kept my sh@!* together! Jenny has been impressing the masses -- writes with the big guns out in Nashville & LA (even a couple of Garth Brook's hits) and Eric just wows them wherever he goes. It was so much fun. About 80 attendees for the night at the historic theater. I had always wanted to produce something there. A proud notch in my belt and a boost to my self-empowerment abilities.
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September 2005
I had such a wonderful, yes, might I say, LIFE-CHANGING event on my trip to Salt Lake City this month. Two shows that filled me with both joy and gratitiude. House concert hosts are folk musicians' heroes and heroines.
First on Sat, Sept 17th I performed a house concert in Peter and Kim Wilcox's new lovely home in the University District of Salt Lake City. Before the show we took a walk in the local cemetary that had lots...yes, a veritable HERD of beautiful bucks and does. I immediately fell in love with Peter & Kim's two little girl's Marren and Kate. The concert was well attended (with an offer to come back to SLC for another house concert by two generous attendees!) A few of us die-hards talked well into the night with stories of travel & adventure. After hearing my song 'Greasy Spoon' they insisted on taking me to one of their favorite local breakfast spots the next morning...The Blue Plate Diner. I loved it!
Sunday, Sept 18th it was the Wasatch Commons House Concert. Host Michelle Roesner was so kind to set this show up for me (with all the great help from the rest of the volunteers) & did such a great job coordinating the whole arts weekend there. She was SUPERWOMAN! She and so many other talented artists were displayed on hand, as well as other readings and performamces. What a warm wonderful concert with a crowd that felt like family. Steve made sure I was fed all weekend since my arrival on Thurs for my drive-time live performance on KRCL...man can you cook!!! Lots of organic veggies grown right there at the cohousing community. Pictured here with Steve and Michele are also my new friends (from left)Matthew, Heather, and Joanne. This picture was taken at one of Steve's morning cafe's...a regular event for community members to share their morning with each other, with something freshly baked! You could tell how much this community cared for one another.
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Mon, June 20, 2005
Russ & Julie's House Concert was a wonderful experience. I opened up the show for Banshee in the Kitchen. Check them out at www.bansheeinthekitchen.com What a fun night.
First of all, Russ & Julie are the ultimate hosts. I really appeciate the both of them being so supportive of me and my music. Their home stage has been graced by some of the best of the best...Bryndle, The Kennedys, Michael McNevin, John McEuen, Lowen & Navarro, Small Potastoes, Severin Brown, the list goes on and on. Check it out at www.houseconcerts.us It was an such honor to play there, and Russ & Julie are really good folk.
It was nice to spend the night there too, and have breakfast with the family (of course they knew I loved eggs from my "Greasy Spoon")It is the experience that don't like to miss when it comes to house concerts. I know that some arists like to scoot off after a show and relax at a hotel room. It is the experience of staying the night as a guest in someone's home that really ties us together and gets to the root of humanity. This is just one woman's opinion. But I vow that regardless of the heights that I achieve in my music (you hear me? You are my witness...), I will always take the invite to take the spare bedroom!
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May 4, 2005
I had so much fun this year at the Tucson Folk Festival it bordered on ridiculous! David and I want to give a thanks out to David McKay one more time. Besides being hellava songwriter, he is super nice for letting us crash in his hotel room.
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April 28, 2005
I've got some catching up to do here,
Last weekend I was up to La Veta, CO to the most amazing house concert. Pick-Up The World! (there is a link from the front of my website) Not only are David and Anne Enke two of the coolest, hippest, nicest house concert hosts...they are also oh-so-knowledgeable about pick-up systems. They installed a great little film pick-up and integrated it in with My Fishman Rare Earth Blend. What a great, inproved sound! I was looking for a little of that percussiveness of the sound board and I got it along with "more wood".
About 65 acoustic music supporters came to my show. I had such a fun performance! I met such colorful interesting people too. I really appreciate these guys...Did I mention that Anne is a magician in the kitchen? Fantastic.
The only downer for the weekend is that speeding ticket I got just before I hit the interstate up there. I was just so jazzed from the
night before I just didn't watch that needle. Come on! 71 in a 60 isn't so bad...and that "please officer I'm just a poor folk musician" didn't work.
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April 5, 2005
OK I got back from California yesterday. Just one funny little image to leave you with...So I'm driving up I-5 and what do I see? A big rainbow bus with a painted cartoon joint (splif, doobie...) on the side with a conversation bubble over it's head that said "Thank you Jesus". Only in California my friends, only in California.... |
Wed, March 30, 2005
Allright! Lets hear it for TUCSON!
How I appreciate my hometown's "sister city" this week. First I hear that out of over 50 talented in-studio guests of KXCI 93.1FM in 2004, I am selected to be on their Locals Only, Volume 3 CD. This is a fantastic community radio station, you can stream them from wherever you may live at www.kxci.org. How I wish Phoenix had something of their sort. Then I find out I made it into the top 10 finalists circle for the Tucson Folk Festival's National Songwriting Competition...and it was just a new rough little demo that I sent in too. I just love good news. |
Tuesday, March 15 3:30pm
OK, so I never got to the stuff & pics I was going to post about the David Wilcox show. I think it's best for me if I just write stuff as it comes into that my odd little frame of reference. Let it flow...
Well I just got back from the post office. The woman next to me smelled like cinnamon buns fresh from the oven,topped with vanilla icing. I thought that it was a very pleasant smell, but an odd choice for a human to want to recreate. I told her that she smelled delicious. Have a nice day my little Cinnabon!
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Jan 26, 2005
So I've been back from the Anaheim NAMM show a couple of days now. I needed the time to digest it all. Well, we handed out over 2,000 flyers. Vive la Bathtub! Saw a couple of free concerts too. I am a new fan of Monte Montgomery. He is FANTASTIC...It will be the next cd I buy I think. Saw Kaki King play too. I love that one of the new guitar heros of this generation is a short, slight female that can kick anybody's butt. At only 23, she is becoming more amazing and polished at an astronomical progression. Her only slip was telling a story about her cherished Lowden guitar, and commenting that she didn't think they even made them anymore. I bet the Lowden NAMM reps at the concert didn't think that was so funny...Oh well! Check this amazing guitar whiz kid out at www.kakiking.com
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1/13/05
The phone rang few minutes ago...What does it mean for a songwriter to "get the call"??? The one that gives her the opportunity to be a supporting act for an artist that she is nuts about ("How Did You Find Me Here" is still my favorite of the 5 I own), in front of a unusually large crowd for her? Well, the world. (Thanks again Bob!)
I did chat with him once. A sweltering over-packed Rhythm Room show in 2003. He was so swamped with people waiting for him to sign cd's both at the break and at the end of the show...My strategy was to wait for the end of the all the hubub. I was practically the last one to talk to him. Seemed like a regular guy. A tired regular guy. Must have taken him 40 minutes to get through this second line of people after curtain call.
Damn, I thought, should have gotten him when he was fresh
I gave him my cd, which was still "fresh" for me, only a few months after my release. I told him how much his music meant to me and that my cd was a token of appreciation. He thanked me but I think he just wanted to get some sleep. I just figured it went in the pile of probably a hundred cds he gets from multitude of fellow songwriter/fans that come out to see him.
Now we'll be kickin' it together in the green room
Maybe eating the blue M&M's I sing about
Or at least now I am a fledgling peer.
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Jan 9, 2005
New Years has passed...and my birthday was yesterday too. Bang bang! So January 8th always seems like the official end to the Holiday season for me. Time now to forge ahead and get excited about what is comming up. I just can't wait to get to NAMM again this year. I'm helping David Tieman hand out a BILLION flyers out there from BathtubMusic.com and make some cool connec-shi-owns. Here's to indie musicians everywhere! There are booths filling up all three levels of the LA Convention Jan 20-23rd. It is like the ultimate hyperbole of music biz... Big Rock/Blues/Jazz stars walking around, every new piece of music equiptment, instruments and new services. Concerts, workshops. promotion and free stuff. Not much like the Folk Music Scene...but it's good to see "the other side" once in a while.
Anyhow, seems like things are happening. I got an e-mail from Steve Poltz just a few days ago. He's one cool kat. He's the dude that co-wrote Jewel's hit "I Was Meant For You"...you know, the song that became the longest running top 100 hit on Bilboard? Well he offered me an opening slot for a show out in San Diego yesterday, but with my birthday gathering with the folks and the baby shower of one of my very dearest friends, Jenn Hall, I regretfully turned him down. Maybe next time he makes it out to the Rhythm Room down here in Phoenix.
Looking forward to my show @ Rare Earth on the 29th this month. Brother & sister team Elizabeth and Sam are the best...really have a great vision for this venue. Even doing live recordings from there. They book some fantastic & well respected acts there already...
So what are my New Years resolutions? I gotta start running again. It was a year ago next week that I ran a 10k. And 51 weeks since I stopped getting out there to sweat a few miles out. Can't beat a natural endorphine high! I'll dig out those running shoes tommorow. My intentions are good...since it's Monday...and as I said, yesterday was the last of the holiday hurrahs.
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