Ruffino's, DeSoto, Texas

I arrived in Dallas Wednesday night around 11:15pm. I think It has rained almost all the time since I arrived. It's a pity Georgia isn't getting some of this for I think that would please everyone.
Ruffino's has been great. The food, the atmosphere, the staff and the customers are all first class. I can't wait to come back. Thank you Bob for booking me and hope to see you soon.
I will be leaving early Monday for Red River and Taos. More soon. Have a safe weekend.

Canyon Road.

I spent this weekend at the lake. Pleasant temperatures, clear skies and solitude, all helped me to complete this new song. It tells of a walk I took in February of this year. If you have been on Canyon Road in Santa Fe I hope you will appreciate this one. Now I have to learn all the new songs so that they can be performed on the summer tour, which starts next week....

Friday night at Sugarmill Creek

As you can see everyone was relaxed and enjoying their Friday evening on the deck at Sugarmill Creek. The rain even waited until I had finished. Saturday it rained very hard for several hours. It was needed as it has been very dry in this part of Georgia.
This coming week will be spent preparing for the summer tour that starts Memorial Day weekend in Dallas, Texas. I have to learn all my new songs and check equipment and supplies. No spares are available once I reach Red River. This coming Friday will be my last night on the deck until July. Have a good summer....

The bees at Lake Burton.

Lately I've been reading about the disappearing bees. Quite a mystery, it seems. Anyway there are many on the southern part of Lake Burton and they appear to be healthy and active. This one was so intent on his work that my extremely close presence didn't worry him at all.
This past Friday the rain held off long enough for me to do my show at Sugarmill Creek with a great appreciative audience. Thanks to the folks from South Carolina for driving over. I have two more Fridays there before I go on tour. That tour starts in Dallas, Texas on Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to Ray Seibert of Desoto for all the help.

Down the River

Sunday, 29th. I spent the day relaxing and working on the new song "Down the River". This could be a really good one and I'm looking forward to performing it. San Cristobal is completed and I'm making good progress on the instrumental entitled " Chamisa". It will be the last piece on the next album. I have an instrumental as the last piece on everyone so far and I like the idea of continuing this format.... a nice easy way to end the musical journey through the Cd.

Cades Cove

This is one of my favourite places for riding my bicycle. Yesterday We rode the loop at Cades cove. The weather was perfect. Cades Cove is located inside the Smoky Mountain National Park and close to Townsend. The "loop" is about eleven miles around and there are several old homesteads to be explored. Also there are bears, deer, foxes and possibly elk to be seen. Yesterday we saw a mother bear with two cubs. Don't forget to keep your distance, especially when they have cubs.

Lake Russell and Nancytown lake, Cornelia, Georgia.

We took a hike in the Lake Russell Wildlife Area. It's located about a mile from the house. I captured these turtles sunning themselves in Nancytown Lake. There must have been about 40 of them on different logs. Some were quite large too. It was a good opportunity to try out the new camera.
This past week the weather has been almost perfect, but where is the rain we normally get at this time of year?
www.philipjohnbrooks.com

Hemlock Falls, NE Georgia.

This was a good weekend. Friday I loaded my equipment and set out for Sugarmill Creek. The weather was obliging and I got to try out some of the new songs for the first time. Later I went to the lakehouse to find John, Philip and Nora waiting for me. We talked until 2:30am before retiring.
Saturday morning was bright and clear so Philip, Nora and I decided to complete the hike we had started the last time. We walked as far as Hemlock Falls. It's not a very tall falls, but an impressive amount of water cascades down into a good sized body of water. This is part of the Appalachian Trail and incredibly beautiful at this time of year. Spring has definitely arrived in the mountains of Georgia. Saturday night we sat down to watch Dr Who on DVD. A great weekend...

http://www.philipjohnbrooks.net/

Pimentel Jazz Fusion

The guitar is now finished and waiting to be picked up. This includes having the electronics installed. I'm curious to see how easy it is to "mike." My favourite stage mic for instruments is the Shure SM81. That was the setup I used on the Plaza in Taos last June and I find it works very well in most situations.

The new Pimentel Guitar.

I received an E-mail from Rick Pimentel to let me know the new instrument would be completed by April, 4th. Here are a couple of the photographs he sent. It is exactly what I had asked for and can't wait to get my hands on it. Pimentel calls this the Jazz Fusion, but I will call it the Pimentel Coyote. It looks like I will be back in Salida this June. I'll confirm the dates soon, plus any others I book.

Savannah to Santa Fe

Today I'm trying to decide which songs will go on the next album. I will have a new version of my 1970 song "Country Girl" plus I may include.... Outside looking in, Savannah, Harbour town, Superbowl Sunday, Porcupine quill blues, Lately I've been thinking, Dodging the waves, San Cristobal, Won't you come out and dance? Deep peace, This guitar, Ben Bee, Canyon Road.
There are some more. I may go back to Nashville to complete this project for I'm running out of time to have it completed by the summer...
www.philipjohnbrooks.com

Lake Burton, Georgia.

This coming Friday I will be back at Sugarmill Creek on Lake Burton, Georgia. Start time will be around 7:00pm so please come and join us. You can sit out under the stars, listen to the music and enjoy that clean mountain air. I have booked every Friday in April and into May, at which time I leave for the southwest. For actual dates look at "upcoming" on my website..... www.philipjohnbrooks.com

New Website www.philipjohnbrooks.com

With a lot of help from John, my new website is now up and running. It has a lot of new features and the address remains the same. See it at www.philipjohnbrooks.com It will be updated regularly, so check it often.

On the Plaza, Taos, New Mexico

I just booked the Cimarron Historical Society for Thursday, May 31st and Thursday, June 7th on the Plaza in Taos for the summer concert season sponsored by the Taos Business Alliance. That's a great way to spend my birthday...

Thanks Gene, Rachel, and Elizabeth. See you there...

I hope to perform at several other historical society meetings on this trip. These performances will feature songs I have written about people, places, and events, plus all the backgound information on the songs and how they came into being.

Check here... www.taosba.org/taosplazalive

and... www.cimarronnm.com

The Adobe Bar Taos, New Mexico

I have just rebooked the Adobe Bar in Taos, New Mexico for Tuesday, 29th, May. This is my favourite venue in Taos and is always filled with visitors as well as locals. It is located at the Taos Inn, just one block from the Plaza.

www.taosinn.com

Start time is 7:00pm

Waterfall Country Club, Lake Burton, Georgia.

I am standing on my new stage at the Waterfall Country Club. Although it's not quite completed, I can already imagine how exciting it will be to perform here. Lake Burton is in the background. Thank you to Chef John Deatcher for taking the photograph. My house is on the lake about nine miles south of here.

2007 Fine Art and Wine Festival, Red River, N.M.

I have booked the Fine Art & Wine Festival in Red River for 2007. It will be on Father's day weekend once again. It is always a lot of fun and the art seems to get better with each year. The festival is organized by The Red River Chamber of Commerce. www.redrivernewmex.com

For more information call them at 1-800-348-6444. See you there......

Moreno Valley, Cimarron Canyon, elk and bison.

These photos were taken today. Even with all the snow in Red River it was still "almost warm". Later as we exited Cimarron Canyon the snow dissappeared. Just look at the elk, bison and the sunset looking back towards Cimarron and Philmont. Somehow I always seem to get the photographs in the reverse order. Even so, they are still spectacular this time. I hope you enjoy. These were all taken within the space of an hour. The bison might belong to Ted Turner. I'm not sure where his ranch ends, that's if it does.

Pimentel Guitar (Coyote)

I visited Pimentel in Albuquerque today and saw the new guitar. This is the same one I ordered last June and I'm excited to know it will be ready next month. The colour has been decided on. It will be a muted red/orange. As you can see, there is turquoise around the coyote and there will be turquoise steps up the neck. The neck is 1 7/8" and should be very easy to play with it's nylon strings. The guitar is being held by Robert who is building the instrument. www.pimentelguitars.com Check out their website.

It's Thursday night and we are back in Santa Fe. Hopefully the Bill Hearne trio will be at the La Fonda tonight.