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.