Well, if that last time I wrote y'all I was on the introvert phase of the arc, the pendulum (as it is wont to do) done swang back to the other extreme and I have been extra extro for weeks. I have played so many shows for so many people in so many different places it's a challenge to recap succinctly. Scroll down for the details. A special thanks to my excellent booking agent, Renee Gaumond for her persistence and support under duress. Without her, I would, well, spend a lot more time at home. THANKS RENEE!!
The northwest opened it's carefully guarded good weather supply just for my visit. Gloriously gorgeous the whole trip, played 3 nice shows. Fellow FARWester and good egg Mick Overman loaned me a P.A. for my Portland show. Thanks Mick!! The highlight of this trip had to be reconnecting with old friends/students after my show on Bainbridge Island (Thanks Roger!!) and jamming with their now 20 year old son, having initiated him to the guitar 13 years ago as a wee 7 year old. He told his mom, "She needs to see what she started". I probably taught him about 6 chords and a couple dozen songs before they moved north, but since then he has become a slammin' reggae fanatic, riffing and looping like a big dog. One of the great rewards of teaching is knowing that it doesn't stop with my students, who courageously and creatively take their music out into the world in ways I would never expect or imagine. I am blessed in my vocation...
From the Northwest to the Southwest, Santa Barbara also obliged me with fine weather and sharing the Songwriters in the Round show with my beloved pals Kate Wallace, Doug Clegg and Jimmy McVay was nothing short of sublime. The icing on the cake of this love fest was legendary blues harp player Tom Ball joining us for the evening. The house was packed and no one wanted the evening to end. I am so grateful that I find myself making music for such open ears and hearts. Another blessing...
From the Southwest to the Old West, it was off to Texas with the Houston Jones boys for the Kerrville Wine and Music Festival. Even though we arrived to rain and thunder in the end it was just MORE perfect weather, we played to an enthusiastic full house and a quarter moon on Sunday night. Many many thanks to the band: Glenn Houston, Peter Tucker, Henry Saliva and Joshua Zucker for all their gentlemanly good work. As logistics would have it, we were all piled into one veHICKle at 4am Monday morning, driving 2 hours to catch the cock-a-doodle-doo flight back home. Fried and crashing hard after the big set at the festival, I was at the wheel and wondering to myself where I would find the strength to make the drive to Austin. As we pulled away from the hotel, Peter whines from the back, "I have to go to the bathroom", and in front Glenn responds with, "Peter is kicking my seat". They entertained me with bad gig stories all the way back to Austin...bless the boys in the band.
