31st, December 2006

Well 2006 is almost over and for me it's been a very good year. I've appeared in new venues, and states. Up here on Lake Burton in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia, it has rained all day and sometimes quite hard. This county, so I'm told, receives more rainfall than any other in the U.S. At around 85" per year I can believe it.
I have two more weeks at the Beef Baron in Baldwin then I'll knuckle down to some concentrated recording time. In February I head out (via Dallas)to Red River and hopefully to Pimentels to pick up the new instrument. R.R. seems to be getting a good bit of snow right now and I hope it lasts for I'm looking forward to doing some snow shoeing and maybe another try at cross country skiing.
I wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year.

My new years resolution.... To get two new albums out in the new year.....

Recording

This past week I have spent most of my time recording. After learning much about the workings of the Roland 2480, I think I'm ready for some serious work. Today I arranged to have a Neumann U-87 delivered. Hopefully this will enable me to get a better vocal sound. The SM-81's do a good job of recording acoustic guitar. I'm also learning my way around the Cort fretless bass. So far I have not cheated by taping markers on the neck. After starting work it became obvious that this album would be in the folk vein and 99% acoustic. I like that. Almost time to start thinking about a title...

Third Solo Album

I've spent nearly all week writing and attempting to arrange new songs. I hope to start recording on Monday. Once again this next one will be nothing like it's predecessors. I don't know if that's good or bad. We shall soon see.
Tomorrow I'm at the Beef Baron and Saturday at Chickasaw Point, South Carolina, on Lake Hartwell.

cdbaby.com

I have been in the music business for a long time, and I mean a long time........ So much has changed, some for better and some for worse. Let's just talk about the better stuff. Today digital recording has put the creativity back in the hands of the artist, which is where it should have been all along. Monster record labels do not hold all the aces, and they can see their sales slumping. They seem to think it's due to piracy and maybe some is, but I happen to think it's mostly due to the fact that they are driven almost entirely by dollars and originality has slipped by the wayside. My twenty two year old son agrees. Today almost anyone can make an album, and if they write their own music the large record companies are left out of the loop. No royalties for them to collect. When it comes to marketing, once again technology and entrepreneurship have left the big companies high and dry. This is where sites like cdbaby.com come into the equation. They don't discriminate against anyone. All a musician or vocalist has to do is produce the music and send it to them. It's almost immediately available worldwide. This lets the public decide where they want to spend their hard earned money. When artistic endeavors are considered, success is not measured by the amount of sales but by personal satisfaction and accomplishment. Once again this makes these independent products quite different. cdbaby.com is just one company, and I'm sure there are others but you owe it to yourself to lend an ear to these hardworking independent musicians.

Sam and the squirrel.

I just came across this picture and thought you would enjoy it. We had collected pecan nuts from the garden in this little white basket. It was discovered by a cheeky squirrel and he is seen checking out his haul. All this activity is being observed very intently by my very best friend Sam the cat. After seventeen years Sam is no longer with us, but the squirrel and his many offspring still reside in the yard.

Stepp DG1 digital guitar.

I understand that this is quite a rare instrument. I flew to the NAMM show in Chicago about 15 years ago to check out the Synthaxe digital guitar and while there met a gentleman called Glenn Thomas. He was the agent for the Stepp dg1. We arranged for him to ship one to me on approval, which he did. It is a very interesting instrument and there are two different sets of strings on it. The ones that are strummed are not connected to the ones that are used to define notes and chords etc. The digital synth is built into the stand to which it is connected by a thick cord.
I still have it, although the synthesiser part has not worked for a long time. Recently I located a place in England that provides service and has spare parts. Of course I will have it repaired and hope to use it once more. When in tune mode, lights flash up and down the neck. This always caused a quite a stir.

Pimentel Guitars, Albuquerque, N.M.

The weekend is here once more. I can't believe it's December and almost Christmas. This year seems to have evaporated...
The Pimentel guitar I ordered last June should be ready in the next couple of months. I'm trying to coincide my winter visit to Red River with a trip to pick up the guitar. It's my third handmade Pimentel and they are all so different. The latest one is a nylon strung jazz guitar with a one and 3/4" fretboard. It has two offset sound holes, and in the middle of the rosette will be a Coyote with a yellow moon in the background. I'm still trying to decide on the colour of the body but I'm leaning towards an orange. Pimentels are my favourite guitars and many years ago at Philmont Scout Ranch someone loaned me a Pimentel student model. I was so taken with the tone I decided I must have one. Well, one thing leads to another and so on...and so on.
It's 3:00pm and time to sort out equipment for the Beef Baron. Have a great weekend.

Fritz and Fagan, and Philip

I'm hoping I have finally managed to upload this cutting from the Red River Miner.
The photo shows me at the Aspencade Festival, 2006. (Thank you Fritz and Kerry for allowing me to reproduce this article)
In one ear is Fritz Davis and in the other, Jeff Fagan. Yes they surprised me. I had no idea they were there until that fuzzy beard appeared to my right. So here we are, Fritz, Philip and Fagan in action once again. The article was written by Fritz and the photo was taken by Ray Seibert of Dallas, Texas. Aspencade is a very nice festival celebrating the turning of the Aspen leaves to their beautiful yellow. At this time of year it can be a little cool, especially at 10:00am., the time I started. This year the weather was quite nice and Red River is such a great place to be during the fall.

Thanksgiving 2006

We had thanksgiving at the lake. There were fourteen of us and we had a great time.
Philip and Nora stayed over through Sunday and we managed to hike one trail and part of another. Friday and Saturday at the Beef Baron went well even though there must have been quite a few people out of town. On the way back to Athens we listened to Georgia Public Radio as Dr Barbara Brown Taylor talked about her new book.

Salida, Colorado.

Well, I sold my little house in Red River but still have the other one. My plans were to purchase a place in Salida, Colorado but that hasn't happened. I was looking for a little Victorian on E. through G. street but they seem to be in short supply right now. As you must already know, Salida is my favourite Colorado town. I'm taken with the number of cyclists, the local tolerance for them and the totally flat area the town is located upon, plus all the opportunities that exist for recreation.
I'll miss the little house in Red River but I know the new owners will enjoy it as much as I. I'm still looking in Salida. If you have never been there you need to take a look.
Today I talked with my friend Ray Seibert in Dallas. He makes incence sticks using the resin from pinion pines collected after it has fallen to the ground. It is collected by the inhabitants of Taos Pueblo. The sticks smell great and take me right back to Red River. I ordered some to see me through until January.

At the lake

I'm at the lake and have been here since Tuesday, except for going to Atlanta for one day and work at the Beef Baron. It is so peaceful here and I sleep well. Cornelia has got to be so noisy lately with trains, sirens, lawnmowers and leaf blowers, neighbours dragging out their trashcans at 6:30am and car alarms that fire off for no particular reason. I had forgotten how peaceful the countryside is and how we have all taken noise pollution for granted. It would be nice to move back to sanity and a simpler, quieter life.

Saturday at the Beef Baron

Saturday was a really nice, busy night at the Beef Baron. I got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a lot of years. It was also the busiest night they'd had since the re-opening. When I arrived at 6:45pm every parking place was taken. I'm pleased for Fred things are going so well. If you're in the area, stop and say "hello". I'm there almost every Friday and Saturday through the end of the year and start at 7:00pm. I'll try to remember to take some more photographs.

Schaefer westernwear

Here I am about to leave the studio and head over to the Beef Baron.
Something that concerns me is the loss of manufacturing jobs here in the U.S.A. The shirt I'm wearing was made in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, by Schaefer Ranchwear.
It seems that if they can make a profit with American labor then so should the other companies who have shipped their jobs overseas. Thanks Schaefer for quality, American made products.

The Beef Baron, Baldwin, Georgia.

Here I am at the Beef Baron in Baldwin. I shall be here every Friday and Saturday for a while. My thanks to the folks from Toccoa and Six Mile, S.C. for making the effort in driving over to see me. Last night was quite busy and the weather was so awful. Rain and thick fog, not a nice combination. Today is sunny and breezy. That's an improvement and it's appreciated.

Breakfast at the Basket Peddler.

There's no better way to start the day than Breakfast at the Basket Peddler. I can catch up on the news in the Journal and contemplate what the day may hold. Today is sunny once more. We seem to be alternating between summer and winter here in Georgia. Well, time to sort out equipment for the Beef Baron.

The mountains of Northeast Georgia.

It seems as though the leaves turned overnight. They even seemed to get more vivid as the day progressed. It was a rainy day and the perfect one to be in the mountains of Northeast Georgia. The first photo is of the river on the way to Tate City. The second is looking towards the cabin from Lake Burton.

Well it's back to Cornelia to prepare for Friday evening at the Beef Baron. I start around 7:00PM. It's been around 12 years since I last played there. I'm sure a lot has changed in that time.
Join me if you can make it.

Autumn, twice in one year.

I get to experience the fall twice this year. I have already watched the aspens in Colorado and New Mexico and now I'm back in time to witness the oaks and maples etc. in Georgia. Yesterday there appeared to be quite a heavy frost around Lake Burton. Still as late as it is, most trees are only just beginning to change. Tonight it's raining. Something that was needed back in the summer.

Back to Sugarmill Creek

I just completed my first engagement since arriving back in Georgia. The people are so nice at Sugarmill and I'd like to thank Melissa and Rita for being so understanding of my wandering nature. It was unusually cool for this time of year but there was still a good crowd of dedicated attendees. I played through about 10:30 then Robert, Linda, Mary and Lou and I retired to the lakehouse for coffee and to warm up. We talked til around midnight.
This morning I went for breakfast at the Bateville store, as usual. As I walked out of the cabin I noticed the temperature was 38. The fields on the way, where the sun had not yet reached, were white from frost. When I returned I lit a fire and had a lazy day just working on new songs. Now, if every weekend could be like this.....

Riding home to Georgia

From Bobcat Pass I dropped down into the Moreno Valley. The mountains, including Baldy are obscured by the low cloud. In some of the minor breaks I noticed there was snow up there.
From here I carried on driving through Amarillo, Texas and spent the night in Memphis, Texas. I went throught Ft. Worth around 2:00pm the next day and spent Tuesday night in Louisiana, arriving home wednesday around 9:00pm. The trip was a total of 1566 miles.
Today I talked with Fred Schlagel who is re-opening the Beef Baron next week. I shall be playing there most Fridays until the end of the year. Fred, I wish you well with the "New Beef Baron". The Beef Baron is located on old 441, just south of Baldwin.

Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe.

The booking Bongo Billy's Salida cafe went well. What a pleasure it is to perform in Colorado. I stayed in Salida from Thursday til Saturday. Performing Friday afternoon, Friday Night and Saturday lunch. Thanks to all the folks who listened and also bought cd's. Saturday evening I set out for my house in Red River. Monday lunch I left for Cimarron and then on to Georgia. That's a 1566 mile journey.The photo shows the view on highway 50, east of Salida. The Arkansas River flows along by the road.

The D.H. Lawrence Ranch.

The road to the Lawrence Ranch. I'm fascinated with this place. There seems to be something magic here like the shadows on the mountains and the clouds on that clear blue sky. I have visited several times and look forward to going back. The ranch is about five miles up this dirt road.
This photo shows the tiny cabin that Dorothy Brett stayed in when she was visiting with D.H. and his wife. The famous Lawrence tree is off to my right and right in front of the cabin where D.H. spent his time writing.

Aspencade.. Red River, 2006

This was a three day event and a great success. The weather was perfect with blue skies and warm temperatures. I met lots of people and sold many cd's. None of the speakers in the foreground were mine. I relied on the Bose system and it did an exceptional job. I hope to be able to locate some more photo's a little later. I'll post them when I do.

The Adobe Bar, Taos, New Mexico.

The Adobe Bar is located at the Taos Inn and has quite a history.
Thanks to Nic Knight for booking me and the rest of the folks for making me feel at home and selling the cd's. Thanks to Ray and Jeane for taking the photographs.
Taos is a really cool place with interesting museums and art galleries. J.D. Challenger has his gallery about a hundred yards from the Adobe Bar.

It is called the "living room of Taos" and I can believe it. I met people from England who were familiar with the old Dolphin Bar in Cleveleys. There were folks from all over the country plus locals. The night went very well.
I really enjoyed the Adobe Bar and look forward to going back.

Red River

I arrived in Red River on Wednesday th 20th, September. The next morning it snowed and also the day after. Then it was back to Santa Fe to play at the Tin Star.
The next day I was at Ronnie Lee's in Taos and also for Sunday brunch. The shows went well and on Sunday brunch I set up outside. This is a very nice restaurant and well worth a visit.

Dallas, Texas

This was my first ever booking in Texas. Everything went so well. I want to thank Ray and Jeane for all they did. Also thank you to Betty, Berts and Tommy, my friends from Philmont, for coming. It was wonderful to see you all after quite a number of years. Thank you also to the Dallas folks who came, some whom I had previously met in Red River. Also, thanks to our Russian friend Dennis, who was singing in both Russian and English during the intermission. It was very hot this evening, but the huge fan we had running helped to keep us cool and also keep the bugs at bay.
The next day it was off to the lakehouse in Lago Vista near Austin, about 200 miles south.

Lago Vista

The photo was taken at Largo Music Hall. Dallas and Austin both went well and I hope to go back to both. Rancho Lago is a sanctuary for the deer who seem to know hunting season is almost upon them. I observed that kind of behaviour once before at the Philmont villa.
After Leaving Austin, I drove through the Texas hill country and spent the night in Littlefield,Texas, the hometown of Waylon Jennings. It's about 250 miles from Littlefield to Santa Fe.

Texas, New Mexico, Colorado tour.

This afternoon I'm Checking and packing equipment ready for my departure, hopefully early in the morning. I thought I was travelling light until I saw what was actually there. I have to carry spares of everything. Nothing can be replaced once I reach Red River. I have to be in Dallas for Friday evening so I have a fairly easy drive of about 900 miles in two days.
Look at the stickers on my case. They do serve a purpose. I used to travel with an old black Gretsch Duo Jet,the case was a mess and the many bumper stickers were the only thing that kept it from completely falling apart.
The bookings in Austin and Lago Vista will be interesting. On this tour I have 15 bookings in 22 days and decided that was enough. I want to have free time to enjoy the fall in the mountains of New Mexico. The mountain bike is going along. Just as with other tours, I'll post as the opportunity arises. Hello Mountain Treasures... Get the coffee pot on!!! Wake up Red River, don't go to sleep just yet.

Texas

The fall tour is starting to fill out and I just added some dates in Texas. There are two "End of the summer" parties, (one in Dallas and one in Austin) plus a night at Lago Music Hall. This a new area and state for me, and that's exciting!!! Thanks to my friend Ray for your help. This puts me on track for continuing on to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and then Red River. There is also another trip scheduled to "The Salida Cafe" in Salida, Colorado. My favourite town in Colorado..... That's on the 6th, October. I'll post more as it becomes available.

Sugarmill Creek, Lake Burton and South Carolina.

It's has cooled off a little here in Georgia.
I shall be playing at Sugarmill Creek most Saturdays until 16th, September, then I leave for the Tin Star Saloon in Santa Fe, N.M. (22nd) followed by Ronnie Lee's in Taos (23-24) and then to Red River for the Aspencade Festival. Aspencade is from 29th, September through 1st, October. More dates are coming in and they will be posted on the "upcoming" section of my website. Thanks for your help John.. Have a great weekend. I hope to see you all tomorrow on the deck......

At the Alvarado

Last night I was on the deck at Sugarmill Creek. It was a good night. I enjoyed being back with my friends from Georgia and South Carolina. Thanks to Linda and Robert for the gift of the spoon. If you click on the photo it will enlarge and you'll be able to see all the details. This has a very special meaning for me as "At The Alvarado" is my favourite song on the album. When I wrote this song I was trying to create a mood and sound similar to the music I imagined would have been played there during it's heyday.

There was a heavy rain last night that cut short the show but it was much needed and appreciated. It seems this summer, that the rain followed me wherever I went. Maybe I can hire myself out as a "rain maker" The "Pied Piper" of rain clouds.

Back home.

I left Red River on Monday just before lunch and drove to Cimarron. There I stopped to see Vallerie from The Buffalo Nickel and also talked with the (soon to be) new owner of what used to be Kit Carsons bar and restaurant. I will be performing there once all the renovations are completed. Leaving Cimarron around 2:00pm, I headed for Texas and spent the night in Memphis Texas. Tuesday night I stayed in Mississippi, arriving home Wednesday at 6:00pm. That's a distance of almost exactly 1550 miles.

Tonight I'll be at Sugarmill Creek once more. I'll stay at the lake and tomorrow attempt to complete some of the songs I started in Red River.

Mountain Treasures

Here we are, the infamous three having the time of our lives on the deck at Mountain Treasures. This is my last gig with Fritz and Jeff for a while. Tomorrow I will be leaving for Georgia. I have been away since May and I'm looking forward to going home, except for the heat and humidity. My next booking is this coming Saturday at Sugarmill Creek. Hello Rita and Melissa. Take care all my friends in Red River. I will miss you. See you in September for the Aspencade Festival. Also I will be appearing at the famous Adobe Bar in Taos and the equally nice Ronnie Lee's Supper Club.

Bongo Billy's 29th. July, 2006

Here I am back at Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe. I love this place. Everyone is so nice and helpful. With a backdrop of the Arkansas River, how could it get any better? Well, just add nine or ten fun loving girls from Kansas City and it does. We had so much fun on Saturday, I'll remember this booking for a long time. We were supposed to stop around eleven but continued until after midnight. It was nice to see my recently found friends again. Salida is such a cool town. I love it!!!

Last week of the summer tour.

Here it is..... Friday of the last week of the summer tour. The last two nights I have been at Ronnie Lee's Supper Club in Taos, N.M. Wednesday night I was on the patio and everything went well until the thunderstorm arrived. It was nice to see Janice from El Monte Segrado. Janice helped me with my advertising on K-tao and Five Magazine. Thursday it was already raining so we went inside. We had some very nice people from just south of Albuquerque. Los Lunas , I think. Also folks from Texas.
Sold quite a few cd's. I will be back at Ronnie Lee's in September. Friday I head up to Salida, Colorado. It must be my favourite Colorado town and it has a lot of competition. On Monday I will be setting off for Georgia and looking forward to seeing everyone at the Basket Peddler in Cornelia and Rita and Melissa at Sugarmill Creek on Saturday the 5th, August.

Altitudes, The Beach Party

I just received this photo from John and decided to add it to the original posting. It is of course also of the beach party at altitudes, but before it got dark. I believe this is going to be an annual event.
The weather this summer in Red River has been so incredibly cool. We would look at the weather channel and see that practically everyone in the country was experiencing 95-100 degrees and Red River would be around 75 Degrees. Sometimes in the morning it would dip down into the 30's...........

Well last night was fantastic. John laid on a feast of seafood and I played some J.B. plus beach songs of my own and songs by the Atlanta Tams. Many people were there and they had fun. A beach party in the mountains is certainly different. I also used the keyboard for the first time since 17th, March at the Primetime. Just a little rusty, but everything went well. Thanks to John and Tracie for such a great idea. Also thanks to Rob from the "Bull" for providing the stage and tables. All this happened outside with perfect weather. I played nonstop from 6:00pm til 9:30pm and enjoyed every minute.
Tonight will be Mountain Treasures once more with Fritz and Fagan.

Bike rides up the valley

This week I've been taking morning bike rides up the valley. It is cool and not very much traffic. It's a good climb going out, but quite easy coming back.
There are plenty of anglers on the river. Yesterday I stopped to watch one as he was literally creeping up on the fish, until he got his line caught on a tree limb.
I usually arrive back home tired with wobbly legs. Still, it feels good to be out in the mountain air.
This saturday is the seafood party at altitudes. I'm looking forward to this and there are a lot of reservations. More soon.

On the deck

There have been a lot of thunder showers in Red River lately and this past Sunday was no exception. Usually we start performing on the deck at 4:00pm, but it was pouring down. We stood around for about half an hour and the sun came out, so did the audience. We almost had a full deck once more. The seating was wiped off, equipment was set up and the music started. This ended up being another memorable Sunday on the deck at Mountain Treasures.

Back to Cowboy Evening

Cowboy Evening is always so much fun. You never know who you may meet and from where. Here I am pictured with fellow Englishman Ian. Ian hails from York, Yorkshire , England and now lives somewhere in Arizona. We had a great conversation. Yorkshire and my home county of Lancashire are great rivals and always have been. It was good to meet someone who was brought up in the north of England with similar values.

Here is a picture of Sue Lewis, who along with husband Henry, make possible the Cowboy Evenings at the top of Bobcat Pass. My first exposure to Cowboy Evenings was around 1992, That's when I first met Dulcimer Dan Arterburn. We have since become great friends. By the way, The weather tonight was perfect. It cooled off just a little, but not enough to require coats.

Bull O' the Woods, Red River

The Bull O' the Woods Beer garden, Saturday Lunch. The outside acoustics are fabulous. The stage is large and everything can be seen from the street, plus across the road from the balcony at the lodge. Fritz and Jeff were right, it's like being in an Amphitheatre. The Bose system did a great job at this venue. It is crystal clear and travels quite a way through town.
Thanks to Rob Swan for giving me the opportunity to use this stage and perform here. I met some nice people and sold a few cd's.

J.D. Challenger at the Buffalo Nickel in Cimarron.

The photo shows J.D.Challenger and me. The people in Cimarron are fun loving people. What a great night this was. Great food, music and exceptional art by J.D. Thank you Vallerie of Buffalo Nickel, I really enjoyed this event. I Met someone from Rabun County, Georgia too. Bill Spice, nice to see you again. Hello to Ned and Anita. Your project sounds very interesting.
Being in Cimarron reminds me of all the great times we had in Scouts and Philmont.

The Tin Star, Santa Fe.

The Tin Star is a fabulous new bar in Santa Fe. This was my first engagement there. the place was packed and though I was only going to play from 5:oopm til 7:00pm, I ended up playing until 9:00pm. There were plenty of dancers too. What a lively crowd.
Thanks to Paige, Leslie, Jim, Ruth, Fletcher, Maria, Debra and Dayton for coming. I wish I had got to spend more time with you but there will be a next time. I can't wait until then. Also thank you Ray for booking me. Good luck with The Tin Star.

The Motherlode, Red River, New Mexico.

Michael Smith and I and decided to stop by the Motherlode (Remember Thunder in the Mountains?)after the cowboy evening. We bumped into Michael Hearne and he and I performed "Colorado Mountain Girl" and Thunder in the Mountains" together. It was a great pleasure to work with such a gifted guitarist. Thank you Michael, I hope to return the favour soon. I'll see you on Monday at the "Old Blinking Light" in Taos.

Cowboy Evening, Bobcat Pass.

Cowboy Evening at Bobcat Pass. The first photo shows the audience getting ready for the show. The second photo shows left to right..Michael Smith, me and Dulcimer Dan Arterburn. What a great time we had.
I met a lot of folks who had been in Brandenburg Park on the 4th, July. I sold quite a few cd's. Although it rained a little, it didn't dampen anyone's spirits and the show went on as normal. Bobcat pass is around 10,000 feet above sea level and temperatures drop quickly as the sun goes down, hence the coats.
Also, I will be back at the Cowboy Evening on the 15th, July with Dan. Another one to look forward to.

Dulcimer Dan Arterburn

I just had to post this photo of Dan. He has been a regular at the Cowboy Evenings for years. We first met there around 1993. A multi-talented, multi-instrument musician with a vast repertoire of folk and mountain ballads and instrumentals, he is well worth going to see.

4th, July in Red River, N.M.

Red River is very busy this week. Fritz thinks we have just about outgrown the deck. All the spaces were taken on Sunday with people watching from the street.
The photo's show the 4th, July Parade. As you can see the streets are crowded.
As soon as the parade was over we were innundated with people in the park, and a very enthusiastic crowd they were. I made lots of new friends and sold many cd's. Thanks once again John and Tracie from Altitudes Restaurant. The BBQ was very tasty. The temperature today was probably around 65deg. That's very comfortable
I'm looking forward to Cowboy Evening up on Bobcat Pass with Michael David Smith and Dulcimer Dan Arterburn. I will take a coat. It gets cool at almost 10,000ft when the sun goes down. Then on Friday it's off to Santa Fe and "The Tin Star" Hope you had a great 4th,July. More soon.

The St. James Hotel in Cimarron, N.M.

This photo shows Fritz and me at the St. James Hotel. I had a touch of "Las Vegas throat" so Fritz came along to share the Singing duties. Thank you Fritz!! We had a fabulous night under the stars with a large, appreciative audience. I would like to do this one again when I'm in stronger voice.
This week I got to experience the D.H. Laurence Ranch, the high road to Santa Fe, some great meals with Paige and Leslie and storms in Albuquerque.

I'm looking forward to being in Brandenburg Park playing for Altitudes on the 4th, July, right after the parade. Lunch will be B.B.Q. the trimmings, and all sorts of desserts. Come and join us.

On the 7th, I'll be at the brand new "Tin Star" in Santa Fe. It's located at the junction of Water St. and Guadalupe. This place is very nice and destined to be a popular bar in Santa Fe.

The church in this photo is very old and located on the high road. Look for the July 4th posting.

Sunday and Cimarron Canyon.

Today we went to the St. James for lunch. The temperature in Cimarron Canyon was 40 deg. Hailstones covering the road looked just like snow. There was also a very hard rain which must have lasted for several hours. It's desperately needed here in this extremely dry summer. Tonight I was on the deck with Jeff and Fritz. We finished early because it was so cool. It's so amazing to leave the hot and humid weather of Georgia and experience this. Very enjoyable!!

Sunday was another wonderful day at the Fine Art and Wine Festival. After it was over everyone retired to the deck of Mountain Treasures to listen to Fritz and Fagan. I also sang a couple of songs.
Monday I was at the Sagebrush. It was my smallest audience on this tour but they were very enthusiastic. Congratulations to the couple from Belen who were celebrating their 35th, anniversary.
Tuesday I was in Angel Fire with Fritz at a Cd. signing. We performed together and had a very nice audience.
Wednesday, off to Colorado for a short rest and some cycling.
Friday was Eskes, a favourite Taos outdoor venue. I met some folks from Peru. Hello Orlando, Trish, Monica, Bruce, Kevin and Monica and Orlando's Dad. Also, hello to Gretchen and Cathryn. Hope you enjoyed your hike up Wheeler Peak.
Saturday was Altitudes for the wedding reception of Kelly and Vann. Congratulations!!! Sunday is back to Mountain Treaures to join Jeff and Fritz on the deck. Have a great weekend..

Fine Art and Wine Festival, Red River N.M.

It really did cool off last night. The temperature this morning was 31 deg. All you folks in Texas and Okalahoma could have been up here enjoying this beautiful weather. It probably reached 75 deg. today. This has been the best festival yet. We have larger crowds more wineries and perfect weather. It was good to meet all the folks from last year again.
The Bose system was more than adequate to fill the park. I don't know what I was worried about. What an amazing system this is.
There is also another Pimentel guitar on order. Thanks to Rick Pimentel for all your help the other day. It will be ready in about eight months and will really be an instrument to be proud of, just like the others. In the photo I'm playing the guitar Alonzo made. More soon.