Goose Lake.

Sunday afternoon I rode with Mike and Connie up the Goose Lake road. It was rough but quite passable. When we arrived it was cold up there but we walked around the lake and hiked to the top of the ridge. The view from up there is fantastic but there was an icy wind. There was also a little snow on the path. We didn't linger too long but went back down to the lake to be entertained by the wildlife. Could it be these are the "camp robbers' Jeff refers to in his song? They really enjoyed the grapes we left for them.

The Thunderbird, Florissant, Colorado.

I had another great night at the Thunderbird. The last two nights have been really wonderful. A thank you to Doug and Elaine for coming and bringing your family to the Thunderbird. It was nice to see you again. Also thanks to Clark at Bongo Billy's, and Russ and Lavanna at the Thunderbird for providing exceptional venues. I'm looking forward to returning in the spring. I spent Saturday night in Lake George, Colorado and on Sunday morning drove back to Red River. The fall colours are stunning.

Bongo Billys, Salida, Colorado

Welcome to Bongo Billy's in Salida, Colorado. As you can see from the photo's, everyone had a great time. We used tonight to try to raise some funds to help Don Richmond with his medical expenses. Many items were donated and bid upon. Thanks to all the caring people in Chaffee County. There is another event for Don tomorrow in Poncha Springs. Thanks to Ray Seibert for taking the photographs. Saturday I will be on my way to the Thunderbird in Florissant, Colorado.

The Silver Star Mine

Today my friend Ray and I went for a hike. I believe we found the Silver Star Mine.
We found the sections of stove pipe and all the empty wine bottles plus rusting beer cans, old shoes and many things we couldn't identify. The Silver Star Mine is one of the songs that is going on the new southwest album.
Apart from bear scat, here are a couple of creatures we saw. Yes, there are snakes at 9300 ft.

Aspen trees, Red River, New Mexico.

This afternoon I took some time off and drove up the valley. The Aspen trees are starting to turn. I will experience two falls once again this year. The temperature is probably around 60 degrees today with just the hint of a breeze.

Albuquerque Tribune Video

This past June I made a video for the Albuqerque Tribune. It has just posted on their website.
Look in my links for Albuquerque Tribune Video
The video features two songs, The St. James Hotel and Porcupine Quill Blues.

Aspencade Festival 2007

Aspencade 2007 has to be the best yet. We are having record breaking attendance. The weather has been beautiful. I glanced at the temperature gauge and it showed a very comfortable 66 degrees at 3:00pm. Also performing, were the "Highway 38 Houndogs" featuring Jeff Fagan, Mike Smith and John on percussion. This is a three day event. I'm looking forward to my performance in the morning.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

This is one of my favourite cities. It's hard to believe it's a state capitol because everything is so convenient. Of course, I got to see the Bill Hearne Trio at the La Fonda hotel. The place was packed with locals and what a delight it is to watch them dance. I saw some friends from past visits and generally had a relaxing time. On Thursday I was on my way to Red River with a stop in Taos.

Leaving for Dallas

I left home at 7:00pm on Thursday, 13th and drove to DeSoto, Texas. It's about 860 miles. On Friday and Saturday I was back at Ruffino's. This has become one of my favourite venues and I always feel very welcome. I will also be stopping in October on my way to Georgia. I left DeSoto at 5:30 am on the following Monday (to miss the Ft. Worth rush hour) and headed for Santa Fe to visit with Paige and Leslie. I arrived in Santa Fe at 5:00pm.

Early morning, Lake Burton

An early morning cup of coffee at the dock. What a great way to relax. After Labour Day there are far fewer boats and people on the lake. This is a good time and place to collect one's thoughts. The people in the boat are also enjoying some quiet moments in their quest for breakfast.... or lunch.

Labor day weekend on Lake Burton.

I had another nice weekend at the Waterfall Country Club. I spent Monday relaxing at the lake and working on songs. This coming Friday I will perform at Sugarmill Creek and then I pack for my trip to Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. As it does every Labour day, the temperature dropped to a comfortable level. That's just as well, for when I reach Red River, the morning temperatures will probably be in the 20's. Now that sounds good!!!

The Waterfall Country Club, Clayton, Georgia.

Just look at the view. Below is Lake Burton. Everything about this place is breathtaking. From the golf course, to the waterfall, to the views, there are a million photographs just waiting to be taken.
I was performing here this past Saturday and will be back again this coming Friday and Saturday.

Sugarmill Creek R.V. Park

Sugarmill Creek has been busy this summer. Even with the extremely hot temperatures we have had big crowds. It does cool off around 10:00PM and so we continue until around 11:45PM

Mr Peppermint

If you were raised around Dallas you will know Mr Peppermint (Jerry Haynes). He had a kids tv show there for years, plus he has also appeared in a bunch of movies. I had the pleasure of being invited by Fritz to be present while he interviewed Mr Peppermint. Mr Peppermint is really cool and as you can see by the photo he is highly regarded by the Texans who were present at the July, 4th parade in Red River...

St. James Hotel, Cimarron, New Mexico

Ray just sent some more photographs taken at the St James. I'm already looking forward to being back there.
Sugarmill Creek went great this past Friday. There was a big crowd and it was nice to see so many familiar faces. Thanks Rita and Melissa for booking me. A warm welcome to Northeast Georgia to all the folks from Macon and beyond. Enjoy the cooler temperatures.

The Hayloft, Helen, Georgia

Hi everyone, Just a few words to let you know that the Hayloft in Helen cancelled my booking for tonight at the last minute leaving me hardly any time to notify anyone. I sincerely apologize if you make a trip for nothing. It was completely beyond my control.

The Community House, Red River, New Mexico

The Community House in Red River is a beautiful structure and is maintained and operated by a dedicated group of locals plus much input from seasonal visitors. This is a really nice place to perform and with the aid of the Bose system, is sonically superior to many places I play. My thanks to Kyle Knighton and Eddie Dry for all your help in putting this together. The audience was over 125 strong and of all ages.

The Red River Historical Society meeting was held in the Mineshaft Theatre. Fritz opened the evening with his medicine show. he is so talented. The audience listened intently to every song and I was well pleased with the evening.
In the second photograph I'm standing with Ron, the president of the Historical Society.

Bongo Billy's. Summer, 2007

Well here I am back at Bongo Billy's in Salida. I believe this venue is at the top of my list for it has it all with appreciative audiences, great atmosphere, healthy food and of course unrivalled scenery. Thank you Clark, Paul and the staff of Bongo Billy's, Salida, Colorado.

The Red River Fine Art and Wine Festival

F









This was the best festival yet. There were a lot of people attending and of course, some great wineries and artistes. Fellow Englishman Paul Jones performed original compositions on flutes he had carved and created himself. After the Festival was over I played on the deck at Mountain Treasures with Jeff Fagan and Michael Smith.
On Monday I left for Albuquerque and recorded a video of two songs (St. James Hotel and Porcupine Quill Blues) and an interview for the Albuquerque Tribune. I said hello to Miss Kate, we caught up on each other's news, then I headed back to Santa Fe for the night and went back to Red River the next afternoon.

St James Hotel

This was a fabulous night. I was joined by Ray, Jeane and Bailey from Dallas plus many old and new friends from Cimarron and Ute Park. Gene Lamb, several members of the Historical Society, Valerie from the Buffalo Nickel and Shirley from the store in old Cimarron attended. There were also many Philmont staffers. Thank you Ray for the great photographs. Also thanks to Lewis, a Cimarron resident and veteran of W.W.2 for insisting on helping to carry my equipment in.

The Trail Ride, Cimarron

I met the truck at 10:00am Sunday and we drove into the back country of the Vermejo Ranch. I think there's about 600,000 acres of it. The riders met us around lunch and after dining on some really great food, I sang songs I had written of New Mexico. This was a very enjoyable day. I then drove back to Red River to appear with Fritz on the deck of the "new" Mountain Treasures.

Mule Days.. Cimarron, New Mexico

Mule Days in Cimarron was a memorable day. The thunderstorm, lightning, very heavy rains, dancers and mule auction, all happening on the dance floor. Cimarron is a great litle town right at the point where the plains meet the mountains. I like it here and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Concert on the Plaza, Taos, New Mexico.

This is a clipping from Tempo, the art and entertainment section of the Taos News. The concert series is a product of the Taos Business Alliance and runs almost every Thurday evening throughout the summer. You can check their website for a schedule.
My next booking is Saturday, 9th at "Mule Days" in Cimarron, New Mexico, followed by "On the deck" at Mountain Treasures in Red River on the 10th, June. Fritz Davis and I will be featured and we look forward to seeing you there.

Taos Plaza, 2007

Taos Plaza, a wonderful place to perform. There is always a very receptive audience here that is a mix of locals and tourists from all corners of the earth. The setting is spectacular with the adobe buildings and the mountains in the background. It was a little windy yet that didn't stop people from coming. Fritz Davis drove down from Red River with me and took the photographs. Besides being a fine musician, Fritz is also the editor of the Red River Miner.
The evening was topped off with Dinner at Michael's Kitchen in Taos complete with pinion coffee. What a great night.....

More about the tour

Next on the tour came the Cimarron Historical Society. This was an amazing venue. I'm hoping some of the members come back to the booking at the St. James Hotel and also for Mule Days.
I then went to the Tin Star in Santa Fe and stayed at Paige and Leslie's house. Thank you both for being so kind.
I am now the proud owner of this beautiful, handmade Pimentel guitar. It is perfect. Thank you everyone at Pimentel for helping me decide on all the minute details. It really is quite an amazing guitar.
Well I'm now back in Red River and away from Albuquerque's heat and wind. It will be cool in the morning and I'm looking forward to it. More soon

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......