Hi folks,
Happy February! Hope everyone is surviving winter. Had a really great time at the Bull Run a few weeks ago in Shirley. Had something that has never happened before at my concert in Foxboro last week, where I basically couldn't sing. I'd been battling a cold and thought I was on the other side of it. Turns out that I might have been feeling better, but I couldn't really sing, so that was a lot of fun for all involved. Nonetheless, we made it through....kinda.
I'm just putting the finishing touches on my new book about Willie Nelson. I'm excited about it and I hope folks like it. It's a collection of stories about him, blended in with some stories of things that I've seen while traveling all over the place singing these past few years. It'll be available for purchase hopefully by March 1st. I've also recently completed recording an album's worth of songs by Willie that should also be available soon.
I don't have any ticketed concerts in February, but I do have a few that I'm excited about in March.
March 9th (Sat.) - I'll be opening for two-time Grammy Award winner Jim Lauderdale at The Porch Southern Fare and Juke Joint in Medford. I've long admired Jim's music and it's a treat to get to perform my own songs opening for him. More info at www.theporchsouthern.com. If you plan on attending, bring your appetite. The food at The Porch rules!
March 16th (Sat.) - I'll be opening for my longtime friend Christine Ohlman at The Knickerbocker Music Center in Westerly, RI. I'll be performing solo and doing my own stuff. More info at www.knickmusic.com. Christine is terrific and the Knick is a real gem of a place to see live music.
March 29th (Fri.) - Real excited to play The Fallout Shelter in Norwood for the first time. I'll be playing w/ a full band and doing the songs of the Highwaymen. The Fallout Shelter concerts can be streamed online live and they have a live audience that can attend as well. A bunch of artists I've long admired have performed here, so I'm looking forward to playing for the first time. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.extendedplaysessions.com/
Most of the gigs I have in February are private concerts. However, a couple are open to the public. They are:
Feb. 18th (Sun.) - Groton (MA) Library - I'll be doing the songs of the great Johnny Cash at 2:30 pm. It's free. Looks like seats are filling up quickly for this one though, so if you want to attend, please register at https://gpl.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/in-person-sunday-concert-series-8/
Feb. 29th (Thurs.) Hanson Library - I'll be doing the songs of Willie Nelson at 6:30 pm. It's free and you can register to reserve a spot at https://www.eventkeeper.com/code/ekform.cfm?curOrg=HANSON&curID=682214
A couple other notes:
If you're interested in having me perform a private concert at your home this summer, please let me know soon. I've had a number of inquiries about these and I enjoy doing them. However, my summer weekend dates are quickly filling up (still plenty of spring/fall dates), so feel free to reach out if you're interested, either by email or call/text me at 781-953-6177.
Lastly, one of the songs that I recently recorded of Willie's, is a song called "Local Memory". It appeared on the Shotgun Willie album in 1973. It was released initially by country artist Bobby Lewis ten years earlier. Willie has done a few studio versions of it. A fairly obscure song that was never a hit, I really love the lyrics and spirit of the song.
Here's a video of my half awake singing it on this brisk Saturday morning. https://youtu.be/Fxf1cpeRlRQ