check out this link. a review of the new record!

I’ve got a busy week of shows ahead in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. I will literally be road testing the new songs from my newest CD, Ain’t The Same As Before, which I plan to release in April. I must admit though, I do have a little post-production-depression. While I enjoy being on the road and sharing music, I REALLY love being in the recording studio surrounded by many instruments and the collaborative spirit of talented musicians working together toward a common goal. I have never before experienced the ease at which all of the parts came together on this recording, and it has me really excited to share it. It’s been a collaborative effort from the start with most of the songs being co-written by myself and several songwriters I admire: James Moors and Kevin DeForrest. Contributing musicians include Jim Gilmour (producer, engineer, mixer, arranger, electric bass, harmony vocals, all-around good guy), Beth Wilberger (violin, viola, harmony vocals), Jeff Poremski (electric guitar) and Russ Lawton (drums), each bringing tons of talent to the table. On the road, I guess I am the core of the “band” with an ever-changing ensemble of collaborative musicians that round out the sound. I am looking forward to playing with Thomas Sneed (Reeltime Travelers) and Ben Winship (Brother Mule, Kane’s River and The Growling Old Men) this week in Jackson Hole. It’s also been a huge collaborative effort on the parts of you, my fans. Many of you have pre-purchased the new CD which goes a long way toward helping me afford the project, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

After three days of driving, I am finally in Vermont! And though I am tired, I’ve managed a somewhat unusual but ceremonious ritual upon arrival: a dinner of New England clam chowder and a couple of Long Trail Ales. I know, it’s so New England-y, but how else do I physically and emotionally prepare myself for the rigors of studio recording in the days ahead? When in New England, do as New Englanders do, right? Anyway, studies have found that beer can reduce the levels of stress inducing compounds that build up in the body after hours and hours of incessant driving. Yes, and the researchers have pointed to this particular beer and chowder combination, since they work synergistically, as the most adequate for maintaining the overall sound and quality of studio recordings. Can we agree that there is a movement towards authentic, locally produced foods, driven in part by a yearning for authenticity and community? So there it is, my recipe for success in the Southview Arts recording studio. Maybe I should get some sleep……..

Happy New Year! 2008 was a great year for Lucky Nugget Records. We kicked the year off with a great show at the Boulder Theater, which was recorded and is now available as a live DVD. In February, I reached new audiences by playing a few gigs in Australia. The Lickskillet Road CD got a lot of radio play all over the country. And, I won my second songwriting contest at the Flat Rock Music Festival in North Carolina! But it..s been no bed of roses: On tour, we narrowly survived a gas crisis in north Georgia, a car wreck in north Florida, a breakdown outside Amarillo, and a national economic meltdown. This, despite how troublesome, is the stuff songs are made of. Already, plans are in the works for two separate recording projects. The first one, a duo project with singer/songwriter (and friend) James Moors, will start next week. We..ve co-written some great songs together and we are looking forward to laying some fresh tracks in the studio. The second will be a solo project to be recorded in February back in Vermont at Southview Arts with my buddy Jim Gilmour. While I think I know how I want to record these songs, I am eagerly anticipating the magic that unravels when the different perspectives of contributing talents come together in one place to interpret one project. I don..t deny that these are tough times of uncertainty and doubt. The shadows are there — home foreclosures, skyrocketing unemployment, and financial chaos, but I am also humbly hopeful and optimistic. Some of these songs feel bitter and angry and some feel upbeat and lighthearted. They are songs I think everyone can relate to and I am excited to share them.

Joe the Unlicensed Plumber with Unpaid Back Taxes has hired a Nashville-based publicity team. I heard he intends to make a country music record. If not really being a plumber doesn..t stop one from saying they..re a plumber, then not really being a country music singer or songwriter shouldn..t stop one from calling himself that either. Sadly, this little trick has worked for many country music stars. But I digress…
It’s time for another wild Georgia-Florida football weekend! We..ll be kicking off the festivities tonight at the 10th Annual Cousin Catfish..s Pigskin Jamboree, the mere beginning of the fanatical football madness in store for the weekend. These people know how to party and take tailgating to a whole new level, an impressive accomplishment worth marveling at. At the game-day tailgating bash, it isn..t unusual to see folding chairs, drink holders, tents, grills, kegs, kegerators, generators, shirtless and body-painted fans, chicken wings, etc…but satellite dishes mounted in buckets of cement brought to provide reception to 42-inch plasma screen TVs? Of course! After all, this annual party will be talked about in the years to come. It..s a legacy to be lived up to each year at this time, and too much is never too much!

Slumgullion is a type of stew known to mountain men and made by throwing whatever was on hand into a pot. It is also the name of the mountain pass at the bottom of which lies Lake City, CO….which is where I played a solo gig last night, at the Black Crooke Theatre. Like many Colorado towns, it started as a mining town in the late 1800s. It withstood many booms and busts, but never grew to be very big. It did, however, see its fair share of legendary outlaws. Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Poker Face Alice, Bat Masterson, and Soapy Smith all road through and occasionally shot up the town. Another shady character from Lake City..s history was Alfred Packer, hired to guide five prospectors over the mountains from Ouray. Packer had no clue of the severe winter weather with giant snowdrifts and sub-zero temperatures. Game was nowhere to be found and the supplies soon ran out. So, legend says, Packer killed and ate the prospectors. (That..s taking Slumgullion Stew a little too far, don..t you think?!) He eventually arrived in town with lots of money to spend at the saloon, and several wallets in his pockets. I love the history behind many of these rugged mountain towns that I get to play. And I love to meet the colorful folks that live in these communities today.