Willie's Place, The Blue Skies Cafe.

My first night at Carl's Corner was a big success. I have also been booked for next week. This is a really nice place. We had quite a crowd and I'm hoping for a repeat tonight. Thanks to all my friends who traveled down from Dallas.



Tonight Gary P. Nunn will be appearing in the theater. We were both performers at "Micheal Hearne's Big Barn Dance Weekend" in Taos, last September. I'm looking forward to catching Gary's show.

A return visit to the Tallulah River.

Sunday we went back up the Tallulah River to see the effects of four days of quite heavy rain. The difference in these photo's and the ones in the previous post is spectacular.


The road by the river goes up to Tate City and ends up in North Carolina. At the point where the road ends there is a hiking trail that continues into the Nantahala National Forest.


On Wednesday morning I'm leaving for Dallas and a few days in Austin.

Almost Spring in Georgia

Last week we had a preview of spring with temperatures in the 70's. This makes me feel like taking the Land Rover out and going camping. There are many great camping areas in this part of Georgia. One place I want to go is up the Tallulah River towards Tate City. Apart from the official camp grounds along the river, there are many other places farther back in the woods.

Willie's Place, Carl's Corner, Texas

On Friday and Saturday, the 3rd and 4th of April, you'll find me performing at Willie Nelson's new place at Carl's Corner, Texas. Please come over. This is a really cool place. It's a truck stop selling bio diesel, but also includes a theatre, a couple of restaurants and the Whiskey River Saloon.


The Willie Net radio show is broadcast from inside the theatre.
Don't forget, the 3rd and 4th of April.

The Georgia Aquarium..... and snow.

This past Sunday, Linda, John and I drove to Atlanta to spend the day at the Georgia Aquarium. We drove though a raging snow storm to get there. Parts of Georgia got 7" of snow in a very short time. Anyway, we made it to the aquarium.

Wow!!! it is amazing in there. The main tank holds 6.3 million gallons of water. Now if that had been imperial gallons, I would have been impressed. There is so much to see that a day isn't really long enough. Take your kids. They'll love it. If they misbehave, show them the piranhas.

Benavides, Lancaster, Texas.

I both started and ended my recent tour at Benavides in Lancaster, Texas. It was a fitting place for both. Thanks to all my friends in the Lancaster/DeSoto area for your support. I look forward to being back there soon.


The back room at Benavides has it's own bar, a big stage, fine acoustics and seats around 120 people. It was designed with musicians in mind and that's a rarity anymore. Thank you Vivian for providing such a fine place to perform.

Paranoia in Texas

Last week I drove along Hwy. 287 from Amarillo to Ft. Worth. I am writing a song about driving across west Texas and decided to take some photographs for a video I intend to make. I looked for an appropriate, safe place to pull off the four lane and noticed a dirt road to the south. I pulled off and parked up the dirt road about 50 yards from the main highway. Stepping out of the car, I proceeded to take photographs of the sky and deserted landscape. You can see two of them on this posting. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a state trooper slow down, do a u-turn and head my way. He pulled up behind me and started to ask questions.. What are you doing" Why are you taking photographs? Why do you have a tow hitch on your car? What do you tow? He was very polite and I answered all the questions to his satisfaction. He said they had to do this since 911. We talked a while. He asked if I had any CD's and I showed him. Finally he said "good day" and turned and left.

That was when I started to ask myself some questions. Have we become so paranoid that if someone pulls out a camera we have to find out exactly what they are doing? What would have happened if I had been taking a photo of an historic monument like the Alamo instead of this place in the middle of nowhere? Maybe we are going a little too far. I was intending to take more photographs that day, such as the "Watch out for rattlesnakes" sign at one of the rest areas, but decided it wasn't worth having to explain.

Monarch Pass, Colorado

I have been driving over Monarch Pass since the late seventies. Usually I stop at the gift shop on the top. Now I'm sure it was here somewhere......


Oh, there it is!
The first few times I drove here, I was in a Ford Courier pickup truck. It was an automatic and in first gear (with the engine screaming) it would reach 25MPH. As soon as I returned to auto, it would slow down to around 10MPH. causing quite a jam. The Subaru does so much better. It's nice to linger here a while in a different world.


Monarch Pass, 11312 feet above sea level.

Mardi Gras in Red River 2009

What a good weekend in Red River. Mardi Gras in the mountains.

Friday night I performed at the log community house for the annual family dance. This is an opportunity for parents and grand parents to dance with the kids.This building has been here since first erected by folks in Red River I believe, back in the forties.
Thanks to everyone who helped. The decorations and refreshments were really good. Thanks also to Eddie and Barbara Dry, my contacts and good neighbours in Red River.

Saturday was equally entertaining. This was at the Lift House Bar with many people. The two brothers in the photo are from Albuquerque and both returned safely after having served in Iraq.

Tonight I relax and in the morning head for Amarillo, Texas. By my standards, that's just a short day's drive. Looking forward to seeing everyone again when I return in June. Take care Red River.

The Adobe Bar, Taos. February, 17th. 2009

The Adobe Bar is known as "the living room of Taos". I'm starting to think of it as the living room of the world. Several years ago, I met people there who had seen me perform at the Dolphin Bar in Cleveleys, England, during the sixties. This past Tuesday, I played a bluegrass piece and noticed a man buck dancing. I thought to myself that he had to be from the south. It turned out that he was from Dillard, Georgia and is my neighbour. He is about to move into a house on Lake Rabun, while I live just up the road on Lake Burton. This world seems to get smaller all the time.

Sorry there are no photographs, but my official photographer, Ray, decided to stay in Dallas, where it is much warmer.

Many thanks to the couples who made the effort to come and join me once more at the fabulous Adobe Bar in Taos, New Mexico

Thunderbird in Florissant, Bongo Billy's, Salida and Red River

I've been really lucky, just missing snow storms etc and having to cross Monarch Pass twice in less than a week. The Thunderbird was great. Thanks to my friends from Pueblo for attending. Also thanks to Russ and Lavanna for booking me. Bongo Billy's in Salida was next and it was another wonderful night. That's two valentines in a row I have performed there. I have already booked Bongo Billy's for a return visit on June, 26th. Please mark it on your calendar.

On Sunday I awoke with a sore throat that lasted all day. I drove on to Red River and have rested for a couple of days. Tonight I'll be in Taos at the Adobe Bar and I feel much better. Mike, I'll try to remember to take photographs of your favourite house in Taos. You know, the one with broken glass on top of the wall. More soon, Philip.

Ouray, Colorado

This afternoon I drove to Ouray to talk with some people about bookings for my summer tour.

The last time I was here was 1999 and I had forgotten how beautiful it is. The mountains will take your breath away.

I replaced my worn out Ouray t-shirt.

Tomorrow morning I'm going back over Moanarch Pass to Florissant for my Friday show at the Thunderbird. Looking forward to seeing my friends from Pueblo. Saturday morning it's a drive to Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe for Valentine's day.

The Smuggler's Brew Pub

The "Smuggler's" went really well. I look forward to coming back, hopefully this coming summer.

Smuggler's Brew Pub, Montrose, Colorado

Yesterday I came over Monarch Pass. There was snow up there but conditions were not too bad. I did see some cars that had left the road,one with people inside looking bewildered. They were safe having only slid in to a snow bank.

Today I'm in Montrose and it has snowed all day. The roads are clear. Tonight I will perform at the Smuggler's Brew Pub on Ogden St. I start at 7:00PM. Please stop by.

Mike and I had a great night at McCabe's in Colorado Springs. We will have to do this again. We were both using Bose Systems and we are still very impressed with them.



The second photograph shows Pikes Peak, which will soon be covered with snow. After the show today at Green Mountain Falls, I will head over Monarch Pass for my Tuesday show at the Smugglers in Montrose.

McCabe's in Colorado Springs

Last Night I performed at McCabe's in Colorado Springs. A great time with a lively crowd. I'm back there tonight with Mike Smith. Tomorrow is at the Pine Gables in Green Mountain Falls.
I have Monday off, then on Tuesday I'll be at the "Smugglers" in Montrose, Colorado.

Garden of the Gods

Today Mike Smith and I went to the Garden of the Gods. As much time as I have spent in Colorado Springs I had not visited there before. What a fabulous place.
There has been a change of venue for tonight, the 6th. I will be at McCabe's on Tejon St. in Colorado Springs.
The second photograph shows David Michael Smith. He's a musician friend of mine. Originally from Amarillo, we met in Red River. Mike is a regular at McCabe's. If you're in Colorado Springs, stop by to see him.

ACAPULCO'S, DeSoto, Texas

Whenever I'm in DeSoto, I look forward to going to Acapulco's for breakfast. Great food and service. This is a very popular restaurant with the locals and I feel right at home here.

Bienvenidos, Lancaster, Texas

Bienvenidos was really good. The room has excellent acoustics and a nice stage. I saw many of my friends from the old Ruffino restaurant and got to say hello. I will be back at Bienvenidos on Tuesday, February, 24th for Mardi Gras. Come if you can.
Today is a day of resting and tomorrow I will be heading for Colorado Springs.
More soon.... Keep checking back, PJB.

Georgia Snow.

It has been quite cold this past weekend with temperatures in the single digits. Then there was the snow, just a covering and nice to look at. The snow never lingers here and by the middle of the afternoon it was almost gone. In a few weeks I will be heading out to Colorado where I'm sure to see a lot more.

On the deck at Sugar Mill Creek the wood stove has been quite adequate to keep us warm. The lake is very interesting to see with the mist and the winter colours.
More soon.....