HEY TEAM...

That's Right, we shall join the Kickin' Grass Band on FRI NITE for ROUND 2,
and it shall be worth your while. We promise to do at least ONE new song
for you're listening pleasure, hopefully more than that.

I'd also like to take the time to mention that the little album that Rob and I
just put out called "Lullabies & Family Songs" has gotten a nice review from
Rick Cornell of the Independent Weekly. You can read that here:

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A389501

Hope to see you at the show!
We plan to take a break from playing pretty soon,
to turn attention to demoing new stuff, etc.
So this may be your last chance to see us for a while.

cheers,
*mike

Hey There,

The Whistlestop will perform this Friday evening at the NC Museum of Art
starting at 5:30pm - 8pm. The show will be in the Restaurant, free admission, and food and drinks available for purchase. Should be a really nice time, and you will hear some NEW songs at this show, we promise.

http:​/​/​ncartmuseum.​ org/​artintheevening​.​ shtml


AND Next Weekend, Rob and Mike have a big CD Release Show!!!
A whole new album of material that didn't fit the Whistlestop project.
We're really pleased with how it turned out, and hope you'll make it
out to see it performed for the very first time! This is not something
we will do often (perform this material) SO if you're interested, you
really don't want to miss this show! The CD will be on sale at the show.
Kenny Roby w/ full band will play after us, Kennebec will open as a duo.
At the Pour House Sat March 28th... We play at 10pm sharp!

myspace. com/watsonroy


AND finally

The Wstop will team up w/ The Kickin Grass Band for round two vs.
your eardrums... This time KG will play first, and then Wstop.
Don't Miss It. FRI April 17th @ The Po House!!!

wow,where do i begin?NAMM -

National Assoc of Music Merchants.huge trade show of muical instrument industry.Taylor Guitars flew the Whistlestop out to play on their stage!here's the story:

Our trip out was smooth. Raleigh to Dallas/Ft.Worth, to Anaheim... long day of traveling. classic guy-at-the-airport-holding-a-sign to pick us up, and drive us in a big shinny SUV to our hotel which was just a block away from the Conference center. Check in at hotel, go eat at nearby Denny's (get ridiculed by wives for being all the way across the country, and eating at a chain restaurant) - play songs on Juke Box at Denny's. Take showers, rest, play spades w/ California souvenir cards from the hotel lobby store, etc. Go to meet Bob Borbonus (a&r guy for Taylor) for schmoozing-drinks, etc. Head back to our hotel for more drinks and karaoke... the hotel bar had a Karaoke rig that was on it's VERY LAST legs. The manager and several of the staff members had to keep trying to kick-punch-unplug-replug the machine to get it to work. The crowd at the bar starts getting restless at the long wait for Karaoke that they're not sure they want to hear away. BUT Peewee had already informed us that Scotty Miller (our lead guitar player) does the best Neil Diamond you could ever hear, and we were all too excited to care what anyone else in the bar felt like hearing. Alas, their Karaoke rig had only 1 ND song, and Scotty didn't know it. But the did get the machine working eventually, and I started things off with a little Smokey Robinson's "You really got a hold on me" - the guys chimed in perfectly w/ back up singing. It went over not well. but after the bar staff kicked the machine enough to get it working again, Scotty ripped an amazing/heart-felt version of "Ballroom Blitz" by The Sweet. It was amazing. The crowd was fully entertained if not bewildered. It was worth waiting for. Then some mostly-drunk cat got up and did a most-complicated Earth Wind and Fire song, that seemed to go on forever. But he def knew the song, even though he couldn't sing a lick. He didn't really try, but he performed w/ passion, and was surprisingly entertaining. And that was it. We couldn't squeeze another song out of the dying Karaoke machine. I think we would have had a lot more fun but it was already 12am (west coast time, which was 3am our time). So we went to bed.

Day two: get up, eat breakfast in hotel restaurant. Get over to the conference center to pick out guitars and sound-check. Shake hands with lots of folks. "Thanks so much for having us," etc. Set up/sound check. Everyone claps for each song we try at sound check. Finish doing that... go walk around the downstairs (main floor) of the show for a couple hours. Get completely overwhelmed by cocktail of sights/sounds cacophony... go back to room to sleep. Get up, get dressed, head back over to show to get ready to play. Watch first act perform. (can't remember his name at the moment.) We play, start out kinda nervous, but hit stride by 3rd song. Doyle Dikes plays a song w/ us. You can hopefully see all of this on video soon, either YouTube or Taylor website. Finish playing, shake lots of hands, hand out lots of CDs. Everyone seems really excited/impressed w/ our sound and performance. (it was not one of our better shows, but i guess went well enough - don't know, haven't seen video yet!) Then watch Doyle play his set. Amazing. His son and daughter each take the stage for a couple songs with him, they're both really talented. Then the legend Leo Kottke takes the stage. The room is packed. He sits, steadies himself, and starts to play. The room is at full attention. He's amazing. (again, see video). More hand-shakes, etc. Head back to hotel for showers, beers, more spades. Then go meet Borbonus and band Six-Wire to go have dinner. Take 2/3 cabs to Italian restaurant, that is packed to capacity when we arrive. We supposedly have a reservation... so we head to the bar, which is also packed. Drinks all around... then another round... finally get a table for 15 people. Sit, eat, laugh, drink, order WAY more food than we can eat. Spend an astounding amount of money (thank you Taylor Guitars!) Catch 2/3 cabs back to hotels... bed.

Day three: get up, slightly hung-over. Shower, eat b'fast. Go back over to NAMM for one last walk about. Hear the Six Wire guys do their sound check, say final goodbyes to all the wonderful, friendly folks at Taylor Guitars. Hand out a few more cds. Bob Borbonus tells us that they are going to GIVE us guitars. yes, GIVE them to us. I know, we didn't believe it either. We shall see. Head back to hotel, pack up, check out, take car ride to airport about an hour early, to find out that our plane is 2 hours delayed, and we will miss our connecting flight in Dallas. Deal with all of that madness... decide to fly to Dallas, and stay the night there, to be half-way home. Play lots of spades as we wait for airplane. Finally board plane, it's about half-empty. Flight attendants know that everyone is disgruntled - so they give us free alcohol and headphones. Play a movie about harry houdini "death defying acts" it was alright. Finally arrive in Dallas. It takes an hour and a half to get shuttle to take us to Ramada. Get there, put stuff down, go eat at Denny's across the street. Immediately regret eating at Denny's but it tasted so good. Try to sleep, but can't.

Day four: Finally sleep for 2 hrs. Have to get up to catch shuttle back to airport to catch 7:25am fligh back to Raleigh. Arrive in Raleigh at 11am. Finally HOME!Spend the day with my old pal Brian Million and his wife Amy, decide not to nap. 8pm head over to the Pour House to meet up w/ rest of exhausted bandmates to play again. Set up, sound check. Good friend Brian Million plays quick opening set. (He has new EP coming out soon, project called monoson. You should check it out.) 10:15pm Wstop takes the Pour House stage, and proceeds to play one of our best shows ever. The mixture of being deliriously tired, plus having spent the last 4 days together equals the kind of reved-up good time show like we've never played before. Had a blast. Kickin Grass band plays last and sound fantastic. but i'm too tired to stay and watch. Head home, shower, go to bed.

Day five: sleep until 11:30am! (thank you gorgeous wife!) Get up, play with kids, eat, watch Football, hang w/ Brian and Amy... stay in sleeping clothes all day long, never leave the house. (Perfect way to end the weekend) Go to bed.

Hey Team,​

The first​ month​ of 2009 is upon us,
and it's a busy one for The Whist​lesto​p.​

On Wed. Jan 14th we will board​ an airpl​ane
and head for Anahe​im Calif​ornia​,​ to do our thing​
on the Taylo​r Guita​r'​s stage​ at the 2009 NAMM Confe​rence​.​
We hope and pray this is a wonde​rful oppor​tunit​y.​

Then on SAT Jan 17th YOU have the oppor​tunit​y to
welco​me us back from our trip,​ as we are playi​ng a big show
at The Pour House​ w/ The Kicki​ng Grass​ Band !!!
it shoul​d be a fanta​stic show,​ and we'​re reall​y looki​ng forwa​rd to it.
Pleas​e mark your calen​dars to come see us, as we'​re not sure
when the next Ralei​gh show will be at this point​.​

Happy​ New Year!​
*m.roy

Well friends,

We have some really exciting news to share...

The Taylor Guitar company has invited us to play on their stage at the upcoming 2009 NAMM Show, January 15–18, in Anaheim, California!

They will be flying us out, putting us up, feeding us, etc.
and then they'll fly us back I guess. Pretty exciting!

We have no idea what might be in store for us out there as far as
meeting record industry folks, etc... but we're excited for the
opportunity no matter what happens!

So if you have any friends out that way, feel free to let them know.
We'll play once a day for each day of the conference. not sure
exactly what time.

We'll keep you posted, and hope for some good stories to share.
Hope to see you come out for our Monday Nov 17th show
at The Pour House... It's gonna be a great show!
*m

Here we go:

This WED - Nov 5th - J Roddy​ & The Boys play The Brewe​ry in Ralei​gh,​ openi​ng for Murde​r by Death​.​ Shoul​d be a fanta​stic show as alway​s.​

This THURS​ Nov 6th - The Whist​lesto​p will play Local​ Beer / Local​ Band @ Tir Na Nog - for FREE at 10pm.​.​.​ Rob Watso​n and I are worki​ng on a new littl​e album​ that we will proba​bly play some songs​ from as well.​ We will play AFTER the HOLLY RALEIGH CHRISTMAS CD Release Party!!! This is an annual triangle-area fund-raiser CD that our very own Rob Watson has been featured on in the passed! Should be a fun night.

... but DON'​T miss the Monda​y Night​ THROW​ DOWN - Nov 17th
at The Pour House​ - w/ our new favorites **6 DAY BENDE​R**
find links​ to them from our myspa​ce page!​!​!​ These​ guys are the real deal.​
They'​re out of Charl​ottes​ville​ VA.​.​.​ don'​t come throu​gh town much!​
DON'​T MISS IT.​.​.​

see you out there
*m.roy

Hey Thanks to all who came out to SLIM'S last friday!
We had a big time opening for J Roddy, and we have
posted some pictures of our set, thanks to Kim Wilson.

Some news:

Mike Roy will play a solo set at this Friday's singer-songwriter
night at V21, in downtown Raleigh. He has started a myspace page
for his solo work, please befriend him (if you wish) at:

http://www.myspace.com/themikeroyshow

So that show will be this Friday.
The Next weekend, Oct 3rd, 4th, and 5th,
the Whistlestop will be in action each and every one of those days.
We'll be in Angier on Fri, in Cary on Sat (at noon!!!) and capping it all
off with a BIG show at The Pour House opening for the one and only
Caitlin Cary at a matinee performance - doors at 7pm I believe.
That show should rival the CD Release show in terms of excitement
and top-notch performing! So please come out next sunday!

If you live in Angier or Cary and would like to see us there,
drop me a line and I'll get you the details... otherwise,
see you soon! Hopefully at The Pour House on Oct 5th.
*m.roy

Rock picks

BY DAVID MENCONI, Staff Writer - News & Observer

So much music sounds so tortured, but not "The Whistlestop" (Apex Records), self-titled debut from the local country-rock supergroup featuring Rob Watson, Scott Miller and PKM bassist Peewee Watson. The album's 12 songs glide along as smoothly as a well-tuned locomotive humming on down the track, with sweet harmonies and an overall amiability to go with virtuoso execution. It sounds like that perfect beer-drinking moment of good-cheer equilibrium, before sloppiness sets in. Even the Old Testament fervor of "You Better Praise" and the cutting "Hobo Love Song" ("I hope you're broke and drunk and lonely, too") sound more good-natured than nasty. Whistlestop marks the album's release with a Saturday night show at Raleigh's Pour House. The bill includes Kenny Roby and David Dyer's Crooked Smile Band.

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1161390.html

Hey All,

This just in... our first official review of the new album, by none other
than the Independent Weekly's Rick Cornell. Have a read...

And DON'T Forget that the CD RELEASE PARTY IS THIS SATURDAY !!!
That's right, at The Pour House... 9pm. $8 Kenny Roby opens, don't be late!
It's gonna be an amazing show!
See you there.

*m.roy


------------

30 JUL 2008 • by Rick Cornell

Purity of faith is a holy aspiration that's celebrated at various points throughout the self-titled debut from Apex quartet The Whistlestop. On the other hand, music that's willing to mix things up—not to dilute, but to expand—has divine power all its own. That, more than anything, defines The Whistlestop's roll call.
"Will Henry," for instance, rolls out a genuine bar-band crunch, big Stonesy guitars and Ian McLagan piano staring down last call with bloodshot eyes. But this isn't a rock 'n' roll record. The rangy voice of co-leader Rob Watson (who's joined by fellow founder and songwriter Mike Roy, veteran guitarist PeeWee Watson and drummer Kevin Boxell) can convey ache at either end of the spectrum. Just check "Come Home Baby Now," a lament for an old metal-body National guitar and a trombone. But this isn't the blues.

The pedal steel of guest Allyn Love haunts a couple songs, while the autobiographical "Fifty Fingers" sounds visited by the ghost of Roger Miller. But this isn't country. Several songs—most notably "The Money's Tight," which could have been written in the Great Depression's shadow—are the aural equivalents of the sepia-toned packaging and the vintage postcard included with the record. Though you could call it old-fashioned—say, in the spirit of Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer—it's certainly not an old-time record. The spiritual messages on this album are presented directly ("We're doing the best we can when we call on the Son of Man," the jaunty opener "Originator" declares repeatedly). Occasional Sunday morning harmonies gather in sweet refrains. But the ever-present piano, courtesy of Jim Crew, is often more saloon style than Methodist pew-side. Although it's mighty close, this isn't a gospel record.

At the core is "You Better Praise," a five-minute sermon on a mount of sincerity, not an ironic wink in sight, just swirling organ suitable for the church or Stax. It rides a gradual build, stopping short of too-high drama and instead hitting just the right note of hallelujah: It's old-time rock 'n' roll and blues and country and gospel, but none of those entirely. Pure blessed impurity, if you will.


http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A261739

Hello people...

We will grace the stage of our favorite feaux-Irish pub in downtown raleigh ToNite!

I think we have a few surprises for you!
I would tell you them now, but I can't.
(I hear mystery really brings the people out)

But the BIG SHOW is not until SAT AUG 2nd.
FINALLY We shall have a Proper CD Release Party
and we do hope all of you come out to celebrate w/ us.

I think we're going to have almost every single player who
added their talents to the recording, and Mr. John Plymale
(the recording engineer extraordinaire) will be joining us,
for one special song. (hint, it's the only one with trombone in it.)

Anyhow. Exciting things brewing
Hope to see you tonight
and even more so on Aug 2nd.
*m.roy