News and Updates
February 1, 2008

Yes, this is how all tours begin. I remember now. There's a predictable sequence….

The Pre-Tour Dreams

In the first dream, I'm standing on the top of a castle wearing jeans and an un-ironed shirt. The creases are really bothering me. Somehow, the roof itself is the stage, and I'm standing off to one side holding a guitar. Someone in the wings, is motioning me to go on stage. I call out to them "What am I singing? What's the set?" and they say "It's the new album, of course!" Puzzled I ask "What new album?" They keep motioning me onstage, saying "Don't worry, you'll know it as soon as the band plays the intro." I say "What band? What intro?" I wake up, groggy with relief that it isn't real. I fall back asleep.

The Lorez Family from the Flat Rock Inn.

Fans in Suffolk

The Packing
Why is the equipment case set up so the pedal board is on the bottom? That means I have to pull everything out before I can get at it. Do I even want to bring a pedal board? For that matter, do I want to bring anything beyond myself and a guitar? Maybe not even a guitar. Maybe just do the tour a capella.
I think my clothes still fit. I think. At least, I don't think I've put on weight. Even though I stopped smoking. I'm pretty sure they'll fit. Should I try them on, just in case? No.
They'd probably fit better ironed, but I hate ironing. Okay. If they don't fit, I'll just wear my street clothes on stage.
I'll stay with the same boots as last year. I don't have time to find new ones. My boots feel friendly compared to the clothes. At least they don't require ironing.
Between the neck surgery, the website holiday sale, finding a new tour manager, and finishing the edits on my autobiography – not to mention putting together an accompanying CD and trying to find a title everyone likes – I'm having trouble remembering my name, let alone finding new shoes.

The Routing

I'm positive Washington NC means Washington, North Carolina, not Washington, near Columbia I say to Pat. Why is it so far from here? I call the new tour manager. She asks if we're really playing The Flat Rock Winery. Yes, I say, I'm sure it will be very nice. By the way, do you iron?

Terry and Marianne Coyne from
the Living Room Concert

The first night in Knoxville, everything goes wrong. However, I'm saved because a whole mess of Rudies have shown up to encourage me. I hope they can't see my knees knocking from the front row. I hope they can't tell that this shirt wasn't ironed. The guitar covers most of it.
Flat Rock is fabulous. We stay in a wonderful B&B called The Flat Rock Inn, run by a lovely woman named Sandi and her husband, Dang. No, really. He's from Thailand originally, but they moved here from Hawaii. Their twin sons, Ryan and Raja, provided much amusement for our stay. Normally we'd never use a B&B on the road – no elevators, no laundromat. The breakfasts here are so good that I decide to come back with Pat for a vacation sometime. Maybe by then, the twins will be old enough to iron my shirts.