The View From The Stage

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2008-01-09T08:43:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody!

Three blogs in less than a week, crazy huh? Anyway, that’s what happens when life gets crazy.

Just after I posted those last two blogs, I was informed that Tequila Sunrise would be taking a “sabbatical” while Paul Sidoti goes on tour with Taylor Swift. It was definitely a big surprise and a shock to me, as I was expecting a busy summer just like last year.

I’m sad to see TS go away, but that only paves the way for new and better projects.

Speaking of that, I’m off to a rehearsal with a fellow TS alumni, Doug Gery. I’m going to jam with his band, Honkadelic, and hopefully things will flow nicely and I can get some more shows on my schedule.

Also, I’m beginning work with ANOTHER TS alumni (there’s a lot of us, I tell ya!), Jason Manning. Jason is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter and together with Jason Dixon has written some KILLER tunes. We’re in the process of hashing out logistics for a summer tour and hopefully the recording of an original album. It will be great to record some original music for a change!

We’re also keeping the Eagles train rolling with an as yet unnamed tribute. I believe we will keep as many TS members as want to be involved. More news on that as it becomes available. What do y’all think of “Seven Bridges Road” as the band name? Or perhaps “On The Border”? “Disco Stranglers”? “Greek Freaks”? (BTW: The last two were JOKES, people!).

Anyway, duty calls!!

Take it easy!

Come Fly With Me - Part 2

2008-01-06T17:15:00.000-06:00

Hey kids!! I’m back in the air again, this time high above Texas headed for Houston. It’s been a whirlwind weekend for me and the boys from Tequila Sunrise.

We made it into Dallas right on time and were greeted by our Texas cohort, Jason Manning. He chauffeured us through downtown Dallas and drove through Dealy Plaza where JFK was assassinated.

The House of Blues staff in Dallas was top notch, as usual. Soundcheck was extremely easy because of the great sound crew at HOB. We got everything sounding great and ran through several tunes to brush the rust off. Some impromptu jamming even occurred when we launched into “Hysteria” by Def Leppard, and then “The Wall” by Pink Floyd. I’m sure the fans gathered in the lobby were quite confused as they thought they were coming to an Eagles show!!

Showtime came and we did our thing. The room was almost full to capacity with loud, crazy Texans!! Just the way we like it!!! They were dancing and singing along from the first note and it didn’t stop until the last note of “All Night Long” faded from the loudspeakers. Next came the Foundation Room after-party.

It has become a tradition of sorts for the band to head up to the Foundation Room, a private “members only” club above the HOB, after the shows to carouse with our fans. It’s a nice perk and a cool way to unwind after a show.

All the folks up there were gushing with praise for the band, which was great considering we’d played our last show the weekend of Thanksgiving. There was much rejoicing, drinking and dancing. The DJ was incredible and played a great mix of 70’s and 80’s pop hits, all strung together one after another.

We got out of there about 2:30 and headed to the Dallas/Love Field airport to drop off Paul and his friends Tobi and Dana. Then it was a 40 minute ride back to Jason’s house in Fort Worth, TX, where we caught 2 hours of sleep. Then back into the car to drive BACK to the airport where Vern and I caught our flight back to Nashville. Vern is actually sitting right next to me sawing some serious logs. I think that man could sleep through an atomic blast!!

That’s my weekend in a nutshell, folks! I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of The View From The Stage, and I look forward to writing again soon!

Take it easy!!

Come Fly With Me...

2008-01-06T17:14:00.000-06:00

Greetings and salutations from 30,000 feet. As I write (type?) this, I am flying over Texas, en route to Dallas. Tonight Tequila Sunrise, the Eagles tribute band that I’ve been performing with since 2004, will perform at the House of Blues in beautiful, downtown Dallas.

2008 is here and with that comes New Year’s resolutions. One of mine is to keep up with this blog thing that I started so long ago when I was performing with David St. Romain. My other resolutions are to get back to the gym (everything you eat goes straight to your gut when you reach your 30’s), and read the Bible. I’ve been feeling a bit out-of-whack, spiritually speaking, so I’m gonna do my best to fix what’s ailing me.

On the Nashville scene I’ve been performing semi-regularly (whenever they keep the bills paid and the club open!) at Cadillac Ranch with Robert Wayne and Rabid Squirrel. (Yes… you read that correctly.). Alongside me in the group is my Tequila Sunrise compadre, Vernon Roop on keyboards. We finally latched on to a killer guitarist and bassist so we’re sounding pretty good lately. We also have Tim Waters on fiddle, acoustic guitar and vocals. Tim used to front 8 Second Ride, who played a lot of the same clubs as Lonesome Road did when I was in the band. It’s so amazing how the different parts of my life all seem to intersect in Nashville.

I’m also going to begin taking a lesson or two from Jim Riley, drummer/musical director for Rascal Flatts. He’s a tremendously talented individual and it’s never too late to learn, right?

We’re descending into Dallas now, so I’ve got to sign off or the airline police will come and swipe my laptop!

Take it easy!!

Melancholy Blues

2007-09-28T08:46:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all...

Today is a day of mixed emotions for me. On one hand I'm ecstatic because, for the first time in my life, I'm DEBT FREE!!! Finally got all the transfers done, and thanks to one last gift from Grandma Chrystol, all my bills are paid off!

On the other hand I'm crushed because I found out last night that Patrick Bourque, former bassist for Emerson Drive, passed away on Wednesday. I didn't know Patrick all that well, but through my travels I was able to hang out with the boys in Emerson Drive quite a few times.

My first ED experience was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when I was touring with Lonesome Road. We had just played in Davie, Florida and we were stopping in Lauderdale for a week's vacation. Driving down A1A looking for a place to stay, we just happened to drive past ED's bus and we thought "Cool! Emerson Drive is here too!", and didn't think anything else of it.

Later that night, we were all out at Beach Place when I got a call on my cell from the LR bass player, Mike DeSalvo. He told me I'd better get on down to Beach Bums because they were hanging out with ED!! I rushed down there, met the guys, and we ended up hanging out together all week. I can't tell you how many times David Pichette, the fiddle player, poured vodka down my throat... boy does that boy like to party!

My second ED experience was my very last gig with Lonesome Road. We were playing at the Longbranch Saloon in Raleigh, NC. We had just finished our first set when ED showed up along with Rushlowe.

We got off the stage and said hello to all the guys and then they took the stage. They rocked it out (of course) and then invited us all out to their bus for some more partying. This is when David introduced me to real Russian vodka! Yikes!

My final ED experience (so far) was when ED was opening for Shania Twain. They happened to be coming through Moline, IL on the tour, so David was able to get me backstage passes, GREAT seats for the show, AND I hung out on the bus and at the hotel with the guys until about 4 in the morning! I took them all some Apple Dumplings from the Iowa Machine Shed and delivered them to their bus before the show. Patrick was done with his first!!

My favorite Patrick story was when I first got to see ED's bus. They were showing us the bunk area and pointed out that Patrick was SO tall that the bottom of the closet next to his bunk had to be cut out in order for him to lay down!!

Patrick was always a joy to be around. He loved to laugh and cut up and was just a genuinely sweet person. I truly enjoyed the moments I got to spend with him.

You will be missed, Patrick! I'm looking forward to the jam session we can have when I see you again in Heaven...

Welcome Back My Friends...

2007-09-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

“… to the show that never ends.” – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

To quote Willie Nelson, “Well hello there... my it’s been a long, long time.” Yes, friends and neighbors, it has been a long, long time. A year, in fact, since I last posted to this blog. My excuse? Well, quite frankly my dear… I haven’t got one! Call it laziness, writer’s block, hand cramps, life… whatever. All I know is that it’s time to get back on the horse! Ain’t it funny how time slips away?

I suppose I can start by saying that I’m still with Tequila Sunrise: A Tribute to the Eagles. We’ve been getting more and more dates (which means more and more money… and that’s goooood!) and the crowds just keep getting bigger and more appreciative.

Last November we played a fabulous venue in Joliet, IL called the Rialto Theater. It’s a beautiful, ornate theater with the most impressive rotunda I’ve ever seen in a lobby area. Jewel actually just recorded a DVD there. We’ve had lots of gigs since then, so I’ll just tell you about the ones that stick out.

House of Blues in Cleveland just gets better all the time. We have a core group of fans that show up to EVERY show and they bring more people who bring more people who bring more people. It’s amazing to see the devotion these folks have to our band. We played the House of Blues in New Orleans last May which was interesting. Had an accident with the new RV (another thing that’s happened since last I wrote…) and almost had to carry our gear 10 blocks to the club! We got to get in on opening week of the House of Blues in Dallas, TX also, and that gig was spectacular! Not only did my Dad’s cousin Julie Thoma, show up and surprise me, but we ended up filling the main room to 80% capacity! We’ve played there again this year and the crowds keep growing! We’re supposed to be back in December so we’ll see what happens.

TS got the Vegas treatment in May when we spent a week playing the Casbar Lounge at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada. I swear Vegas is like a whole different world when the sun goes down! The trip was made even better by a visit from my Uncle Tom and Aunt Trudy. They ended up coming out to see 2 of our shows, as did my cousin Matt Hansen and his girlfriend Melinda. The icing on the cake was the appearance of my parent, as AND my grandfather, Ollie, who came all the way from Iowa to see us.

In June we played the Strasburg Theater in Strasburg, VA. This gig wasn't all that special except for one thing... My cousins Kristin Thoma and Brett Hansen showed up to the gig!! I hadn't seen either of them since February, and before that I can't remember! Brett is a bartender at a hot club in the DC area and Kristin is a student at Virginia Tech. Did I mention she's a knockout? But you knew that already because beautiful people run in the family!!!

So far this summer we’ve done an average of 6 shows a month which is pretty darn good. We’ve seen some amazing outdoor festivals with enormous crowds and it just keeps going!! I’m actually sitting in the RV rolling back from Warren, Ohio as I write this posting. I’ll go over the schedule, gig by gig, and write a little about each club in my next post… so come back and check it out.

On a sad note…

I lost my biggest fan this year on Valentine’s Day.

My grandmother, Chrystol Louise Miller Thoma Hansen, passed away on February 14th, 2007. I attended the funeral and sang “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” with my cousins, Scott and Elizabeth Thoma. We sounded pretty damn good and I know Grandma was ecstatic to hear her grandchildren singing together. I just wish we’d have thought to do it while she was still here.

The funeral was beautiful and was held in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Durant, Iowa. This is the church I remember from my youth, when Scott and I used to spend our summers at Grandma’s house. Church on Sunday… no excuses!

She was buried in God’s Acres in Clermont, Iowa, next to her first husband, Keith B. Thoma.

As long as I’d been playing music, she’d been supporting me. In school she made it to EVERY one of the concerts in which I performed. The same goes for when I joined the Nite Express Drum and Bugle Corps. She was at EVERY show within 50-100 miles, or maybe more.

When I opened for Merle Haggard with the Truesdells, she was in the front row. Even when I played America’s Pub in Bettendorf, Iowa with my rock group, Chunkster (which was definitely NOT her kind of music!), she and Grandpa stopped in for a set.

During my travels with Lonesome Road, she made the trek (along with Grandpa, her caretaker, my parents and some other family) to Marquette, Iowa to see us play at the Miss Marquette Casino. She had a ball! She danced three dances, laughed. clapped and sang along.

My fondest memory is my last one. The show in Joliet, IL that I mentioned above was Grandma’s last big road trip. I have my dad to thank for this memory because he was the one who orchestrated the whole trip. Come Hell or high water, Grandma WAS going to be at that show!

Sure enough, when the curtain opened, there she was, perched on the end of an aisle with her trademark grin, as happy as a clam. She had a ball. Clapping and rocking around in her seat… I’m sure she would’ve got up and danced in the aisle if she were able. Grandpa told me that she cried all the way through Desperado. It might’ve been because I dedicated it to her.

I still do…

Grandma, I miss you and I love you… you’ll always be my biggest fan.

Sorry for the downer, y’all. I promise my next blog will be more uplifting. See you on the road…

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning...

2006-09-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

I remember where I was...

I was sleeping until the last possible minute before getting up to go to work at Grigg's Music in Davenport, IA. Mom shook me awake at about 8:05 and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but I could see she'd been crying. I got up and we went into her bedroom to watch the Today show coverage. About 10 minutes later (8:17) I watched in horror as a second plane hit the other tower. I couldn't believe this was happening in America. The entire rest of my day seemed like a surreal version of my life. Work was spent watching the television coverage (and walking outside to see the F-14's and Air Force One fly over the Quad Cities as Pres. Bush made his way to Omaha, NE). I can't believe it's been five years...

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. My summer schedule was pretty busy and I guess I just haven't had anything I felt like writing about. Waking up this morning, however, I was moved to write when I turned on the TV and saw the tributes going on. Hearing all the names being read, seeing the footage again... makes me feel VERY blessed to be alive.

Lots of things have been going on lately. I'll take time to write more about them later, but for now I just want to express my condolences to all of the families who lost a member, all of the husbands and wives who lost their spouse, all the parents that lost their children, and the children that lost their parents. I cannot imagine the pain of your loss.

Live every day as if it were your last, and never forget...

The Waiting...

2006-04-20T15:40:00.000-05:00

".. is the hardest part" - Tom Petty

Hey gang...

I know, I know... I haven't posted in forever, and for that I should be drawn and quartered. (Well, okay, maybe not THAT extreme...)

Anyway, I had some down time today and thought I'd throw a little update out there. Right now I'm hanging out in Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland rocks, Cleveland rocks...) with Paul Sidoti from Tequila Sunrise. He flew me up from Nashville yesterday so that we could rehearse with Refugee.

Refugee is a new venture that Paul put together as a tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It's featuring Paul as Tom Petty, with Billy Sullivan (Raspberries, Gary Lewis and the Playboys) on lead guitar and vocals, Jeff Beam (former member of Tequila Sunrise, now plays for Clay McClinton. Also traveled to England with me when I went with Bily Yates) on bass and vocals, and me on drums, harmonica and vocals. I finally get to play harp onstage!!! We are playing our first show tomorrow night at the House of Blues in lovely Cleveland, Ohio. Should be a great show as it's rumoured that Jim Bonfanti and Eric Carmen of the Raspberries will be joining us for a song or two! Our old friend Derek Brunschwieger will be joining us on percussion as well. It's always great to hang out and "talk shop" with Derek. He's a Berklee student and a great player so I always try to pick up some tips from him.

Speaking of old friends... I will be playing a show this Saturday night at Mickey Roo's in Franklin, Tennessee with Tim McDonald. We will be backing up Brooks Tucker. I've never played with Brooks before, so it should be interesting.

Then it'll be off to Vegas with Tequila Sunrise the following Saturday. We'll be playing Terrible's Casino in Pahrumph, NV. It was a great time last year, so this year should be totally off the chain. This time I'm going to party no matter how tired I am! After all.. it's VEGAS baby!

That's the current 4-1-1 on my career.. but here's a recap of the last couple weeks.

I ended up re-connecting with an old friend, Jason Van Wie, from the band Buck Wild. I knew Buck Wild from back in my days with Lonesome Road. I saw an ad on Musician's Contact that Buck Wild was looking for a drummer, so I gave Jason a call and was able to travel with them for the last three weeks. It was a blast playing in the bars again, but it made me remember why I like Tequila Sunrise so much!!

Well, tonight Paul and I are going out to the Blind Pig in downtown Cleveland to watch Gotham City. They are a GREAT cover band and Franklin Lanza from Tequila Sunrise is playing with them so it should be a blast.

Take it easy!!

That'll Be The Day...

2006-02-02T08:15:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody...

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but I didn't have internet access the entire time I was out with the Larkins. The tour went well enough, but I just wasn't crazy about having to play with pre-recorded guitar tracks. Plus, three weeks into the tour, the tour bus broke down. So in order to get home from Wendover, Nevada, we had to rent two mini-vans and drive. The bass player and I drove 28 hours straight to get back to Nashville. Not fun! The Larkins went out for two more weeks this week and next, but I bowed out. It's just not financially sound for me to leave Nashville for that long for so little money. I managed to pick up a weekend date with Aaron Solinger & The Redneck Rhythm Band. It's not a lot of money, but it's something and it's a new gig with people I haven't played for before.

Today is a somber day for me, as it is the anniversary of the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa. Actually, the plane crash was on February 3, 1959, but it was around 1 AM. The three stars played their last concert at the famous Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. I used to go there all the time with Grandma Chrystol, as she seemed very happy that I was so enamored with Buddy. Aunt Grace always looked favorably on my obsession too, as she used to send me anything that the Clear Lake Mirror-Gazette published about him. So today I'll put on some Buddy, pull out my Fender Stratocaster and pay a little tribute to the man who taught me how to really love music.

We still miss you Buddy! Rave on!

One Solitary Life

2005-12-25T09:09:00.000-06:00

This is always my favorite thing to listen to at Christmas. We have a recording of Gene Autry reciting it.. it's pretty moving and I hope you all enjoy it.

One Solitary Life

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

Merry Christmas!!!

2005-12-25T09:02:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

I just wanted to leave a little note to wish all of my friends and family a very Merry Christmas. I'm about to go and see what Santa brought me, but before I do that, I'm going to say a prayer for all of the men and women that fight for our freedoms everyday. The ones that don't know when, or if, they'll make it home. And another prayer for my Savior, Jesus Christ. After all, He is the reason for all of this... and in keeping with that sentiment, here's a reprint of the poem I posted last year. I hope you all enjoy it and have a merry, merry Christmas. Oh, and I got a JOB for Christmas. I'm going on tour with the Larkins. You can check them out at www.larkinmusic.com.

~The Meaning of Christmas~
When winter arrives and snow coats the ground,
Thoughts of friends and loved ones begin to come 'round.
Wreaths of green and bows of red,
Announcing a season that some of us dread.
Shoppers race to-and-fro, they push and they shove,
To secure all the gifts that their family will love.
Houses aglow with twinkling lights,
As children await the most famous of nights.
When a jolly, old elf will alight on their roof,
His reindeer step lively, quick on the hoof.
The old man descends,
Down the chimney he comes.
To munch cookies and milk,
To leave dolls, trains and drums.
With a flick of the nose he'll be back up the chute,
To continue his journey, delivering loot.
When morning has broken,
The children awake.
They rush to the tree,
Of the gifts to partake.
Ripping at paper and pulling on ribbon,
They don't stop to think why these gifts they've been given.
So please, won't you turn to your children and say,
"These gifts are not why we are all here today."
Christmas is not for the presents or carols or lights,
For Santa or reindeer or snowflakes of white.
But for a sweet baby, a manger-born boy,
Sent down to guide us and bring us great joy.
The angels they lifted their voices on high,
To soothe the dear child with God's lullaby.
Peasants and shepherds, mighty lords and great kings,
All came to town, great gifts they did bring.
Gold and silver, incense and myrrh,
Rubies and diamonds and coats made of fur.
All for the child, who knew not His power,
But who knew now of love in this glorious hour.
"Merry Christmas" alone does not say it all,
"Happy Birthday dear Jesus" should be what we call.
For Christmas is not just a gift-giving season,
The birth of our Lord -- now there, that's the reason!
So when you say "Merry Christmas," please remember one thing:
That this day is for Jesus our Savior
The newborn King!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things (reprise)...

2005-12-22T10:44:00.000-06:00

Hello again...

I'm heading home to Iowa today to spend Christmas with the folks. As I was killing time waiting for Lauren to get off of work, I thought that I should re-post my blog from last year that spoke of my favorite memories of Christmas. Here's hoping you and yours have a very Merry Christmas...

The feeling of excitement when the first load of firewood arrives at the house (although I always put up a fuss when Dad asks me to help unload it!)...

Grinning like a Cheshire cat when the first fire is lit in the woodburning stove...

Shopping for the perfect Douglas Fir or Scotch Pine with Dad at Mr. Homegrown...

Mom bitching when we bring the tree inside because we're getting needles all over the carpet... (Mom, the carpet is green... it'll blend in!)

Excavating beneath the stairs to retrieve all of the Christmas decorations...

Mom and I spending a Saturday afternoon turning the house into a Norman Rockwell painting...(I still don't understand why we can't leave the decorations up all year... they look so pretty!)

Waiting with baited breath for Dad to return home from deer hunting in Clermont so we can decorate the tree...

Decorating the tree to the strains of Gene Autry singing all our Christmas favorites...

Dad cussing the tangled extension cords as he wrestles with the bubble lights...

Mom grinning from ear-to-ear as each one of my "baby" ornaments is found and hung...(Who says Mom's not a packrat?!?)

Dad smiling bigger than I've ever seen when the ornament with the picture of Grace and Len is found...

Feeling the lump in my throat, the tears in my eyes and the pride in my heart as I get to hang my sister Brandi's ornament at the top of the tree...(Forever my guardian angel...)

Watching our current dog (Rex, Brandy, Frannie and now Delsie) help Dad and I hang the tinsel on the tree...

Seeing the space below the tree grow smaller and smaller as more and more gifts are placed there...

Gathering as many family members as possible to spend the night on Christmas Eve...

Dad's Prime Rib for Christmas Eve dinner...

Christmas carols by the fire...

B&B, coffee and RumpleMintz in chocolate shot glasses as we wait for Santa...(a new tradition, but a favorite nonetheless)

Christmas morning hangovers!

Racing to the banister to see what Santa left in my stocking...

Heading downstairs with coffee in hand (hangover!) to see what Santa brought me...

Watching Allyson and Dylan pass out the gifts and remembering when it used to be MY job...

Noticing that as I get older, my gifts get fewer... (Or do they?)

Dad's famous Christmas morning breakfast and then a NAP!!

Heading to Durant for the Thoma/Hansen family gathering...

Stopping off at ITC (now the Checkered Flag) to make the next day's pizza dough...

Arriving first at Grandma Chrystol's no matter WHEN we leave our house...

Getting more and more excited as each family member arrives...

Grandma Chrystol in her red sweater with the Christmas lights on it...

Stuffing myself with Grandma's Christmas cookies...(None will EVER be better than hers!)

Passing out the gifts in Grandma's black and white checkerboard tiled basement...(Sadly, never to happen again... sigh...)

Returning home to unwind by the tree, watching the lights glow and smiling because I realize how lucky I truly am to have such a wonderful family...

I hope you all enjoyed my trip down memory lane... I know I did.

One more note before I sign off... No matter how much the inconsiderate jerk who's in front of you at the store may upset you, or how much the stupid drivers may tee you off, don't succumb to holiday rage. Remember the spirit of this holiday... and no matter how much the media and corporate America may want to "commercialize" Christmas.. they can't change the spelling! Christmas is, was and always will be a birthday party for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season, and I, for one, will NEVER forget that. I pray that you don't either.

Adios!

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day...

2005-12-22T10:12:00.000-06:00

I heard the Johnny Cash version of this song today and it touched me quite deeply. It really speaks of the state of the world today and of how God is downplayed by many. Perhaps if we take heed and listen, really listen, to the lyrics we might begin to live in harmony as He intended... Merry Christmas everyone.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound the carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Bless All The Dear Children In Thy Tender Care...

2005-12-14T10:23:00.000-06:00

"... and take us to Heaven to live with Thee there." ~ Away in a Manger, P.D.

My post today is of a somber tone. On this day in 1975 my sister, Brandi Chrystol Thoma, passed away. I know precious little about what caused her death, except that she too had heart problems.

I've never asked many questions, as I know it's still hard for my parents to talk about. I can't imagine what it must be like for a parent to lose a child. Especially after only having them for six months.

Often times I wonder why Jesus gave Brandi to my parents only to take her away a short time later. I can't come up with any valid reasons, but I don't think I'm supposed to. All I know is that I miss her even though I never knew her. I know that I feel indebted to her because she died so that I could live. I also know that it would have been really cool to have a sister close to my age.

One thing I don't understand is why I feel sadness when I think of her. I never knew her, so why should I cry when I hang her ornament on our Christmas tree? Why should "Silent Night" and "Away In A Manger" turn me into a sobbing mess? Maybe it's sympathy for my parents' loss. Or maybe it's that Brandi and I do share some sort of a spiritual bond, even though she left this life before I arrived. Either way, I know that I can't wait to get to Heaven and meet her.

My thoughts and prayers are with my parents today, and also with my sister Kathy, brother David, and all the other family members that were blessed to know Brandi.

If you have children, never miss a chance to hug them. If your parents are still alive, call them and tell them you love them... you never know when they might be taken away.

I love you, sis.

"Sleep in Heavenly peace..."

Imagine all the people...

2005-12-08T10:23:00.000-06:00

"... living life in peace..." - John Lennon, Imagine

I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not the world's biggest Beatles fan. I'm not even close. But I do have several Beatles songs that I absolutely adore, and I understand (especially after my trip to Liverpool, England) the incredible impact that John, Paul, George and Ringo had (and continue to have) on music.

I also respect them immensely as they were also HUGE Buddy Holly fans and recorded many of Holly's songs during their career.

But the reason for this post is not to wax poetic about the Beatles. The reason for this post is to honor the memory of one of it's members.

25 years ago today, December 8, John Lennon was shot and killed outside his New York apartment. The voice of a generation was silenced forever. But even though John is gone, his memory and music continue to inspire and move people everyday. Even the young, upstart musicians of today show reverence for a man that lived a complete lifetime before they were even born.

Mark David Chapman, the man who robbed the world of one of it's brightest stars, is up for parole next year. Yoko Ono, Lennon's widow, is continuing to fight to convince the powers that be that Chapman should die in prison. Well Yoko, if he does manage to get out, I doubt he'll get far. There are too many people in the world that would love to see Chapman disposed of... But whether he lives or dies, we still have John Lennon's music and memory.

Do yourself a favor and crank up your favorite Beatles memory and sing along. You'll feel better for it and I bet it would make John smile.

Maybe this year we'll be able to sing "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" and it will be true... one never knows...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2005-12-06T08:38:00.000-06:00

... even in Nashville!!

Believe it or not, it's 24 degrees (16 w/wind chill) this morning! Our cars were covered with ice this morning, and we didn't have ice scrapers! You'd think that as long as I'd lived through sub-zero Iowa winters, that I'd be prepared. Normally, I would've been, but everyone was telling me, "No.. don't worry. It stays in the lower 50's until January..." Yeah, right! Anyway...

My musical life is perking up a little bit lately. The last Saturday in November, I was called at 6:30 pm and summoned downtown to play a shift with Billy Dalton. Then I got lucky and was able to also play the very next shift (also with Billy).

Then this past Friday I got a phone call at 2pm asking if I was playing anywhere that evening. I ended up getting a weekend gig at Jesse Zane's Nashville Nights on Printer's Alley in Nashville. The gig was pretty long (8 hours) and I only made $100 per night, but that was $200 more than I had before.

Then I ended up hooking up with the band Paradise Avenue. They found me through the internet and we got together last night for an impromptu rehearsal. So it looks like I'll be playing with them off and on whenever our schedules match up.

I'm also playing both nights this weekend with Dustin Bogue but it's no longer at the dastardly Debbie's dive! One gig is in Lebanon, TN and the other is about 70 miles away but I can't remember the town. It will be a lot of fun playing with Dustin again, as he does lots of classic country which I love.

On December 16th, Hit-N-Run (my band with Tim McDonald) will be opening for a friend of Tim's that recently opened for Mark Chesnutt. We'll be in Huntsville, AL. It should be fun.

Jesse Zane was blown away by my playing and he wants me to play Dec. 16-17, but as I have a gig the 16th, I'll see if I can play the 17th. He also wants me to play New Year's Eve, but the money isn't as good as I think it should be, so I'll make him an offer. If he accepts, then I'll play, but if not, I'll just get happy ringing in the New Year!

But before the ball drops, I'll get to enjoy Christmas back home in Iowa. Speaking of Christmas, it's occured to me that I hadn't even brainstormed about what I'd like to receive this year. Some of the things I came up with:

New rear brakes for my van
20GB or 40GB I-Pod or Dell DJ
Tickets for Queen+Paul Rodgers concert on March 3, 2006 in Jacksonville, FL
Hohner Special 20 harmonicas (G, D, A)
Queen + Paul Rodgers: Return of the Champions DVD
New set of musician's custom earplugs
Gift certificates to Forks Drum Closet, Nashville TN
Kona coffee beans (100% Kona only.. NOT a Kona blend)
Starbucks gift cards
Wal-Mart gift cards

I usually have a longer list, but I really can't think of anything else. I already have almost everything I could want. I'm living where I've always wanted to live, I'm playing music regularly, I have family and friends who love me, I have clothes on my back and food in my fridge. A lot of people living in our country today can't say that.

As the years roll on, I notice that Christmas is becoming more about what to buy, and how much of it to buy. Didn't Jesus call gluttony a sin?

Instead of buying 4 or 5 gifts for people, just buy one (or two at the most), and give the rest of what you'd have spent to Katrina or Rita relief. Or throw a couple of bucks in the Salvation Army buckets. Or do little things like bring those bell-ringers some hot coffee, hot chocolate or apple cider to keep them warm as they give of themselves. If you see a homeless person on the street, bring them a hot meal from down the street, or offer them a blanket or directions to the nearest shelter.

Be kinder to your fellow man/woman. Don't let traffic snafu's get to you as you drive around finishing your shopping. Call your parents and let them know how much you love them. If they have passed on, visit their grave and leave fresh flowers and say a prayer. Remember all of the wonderful memories of Christmases past and embrace as many traditions as you can.

Here ends my public service announcement... Have a Merry Christmas (or Happy Hunnakah or Merry Kwanzaa...) and remember WHY it is that we celebrate this holiday. If you have trouble remembering... there's a book you can read that will tell you ALL about it.

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas!

The Show Must Go On

2005-11-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

I'm a day late, but I wanted to post a little note in honor and memory of Freddie Mercury who died yesterday, November 25th, in 1991. He was (and still is) the most flamboyant stage performer I've ever seen, and his musical genius is still unmatched in rock music today. All Hail King Mercury!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2005-11-24T10:43:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody!

Had to pop online to post a quick Thanksgiving greeting. I'm staying in Nashville for Turkey Day this year, so I wanted to send warm greetings to all of the family that I'll miss again this year. It occured to me that this will be the second Thanksgiving in a row that I'll miss, and the third missed Turkey Day of my life. My first was when I was on the road with Lonesome Road.. then again while I was touring with David St. Romain. And now I'll miss the Thoma/Hansen gathering for the sake of compromise.

I'm staying in Nashville to spend the holiday with Lauren's family in order to spend Christmas in Iowa. A fair trade, I'd say. I'm going to attempt to make Aunt Grace's Sage Stuffing this year because apparently it doesn't exist in the South. Everyone looked at me cross-eyed when I mentioned a stuffing that used bread cubes instead of cornbread and biscuits! And I couldn't find bread cubes in the store so I had to toast my own. I'll let everyone know how it turned out tomorrow.

I'll also miss Dad's recreation of Aunt Grace's turkey. Crisco, flour and butter on the outside, salt and stuffing on the inside.. mmm.... There will be two turkeys today though. One oven roasted and one deep fried, so I bet I won't go hungry.

I suppose I shouldn't end this post without saying what it is that I'm thankful for this year...

Family. I'm thankful that I have such a supportive family that I know will be behind me at every turn. Always ready to be my safety net or give me that extra little push should I need one.

I'm also thankful for my friends, both old and new.

Following close behind family is my extended family. To Lou Anne and Clay Newsome I'd like to say thanks for always being there to help Lauren and I should we need it. Also thanks for making sure we eat regularly! :-) And to Lauren I'd like to say thanks for always being supportive of my career and helping to advance me in any way you can.

Gotta go finish the stuffing... Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Long Time Gone

2005-11-18T14:29:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all...

I know I haven't posted in quite awhile... please accept my apology. I guess it's a combination of laziness and not being inspired. But I figured that I ought to post something today, as I'll be gone with TS this weekend.

TS is playing at the House of Blues in Cleveland again this Saturday night, and then at Bodles Opera House in Chester, NY Sunday night. These are the last two gigs for the year (so far), unless we get a New Year's Eve gig.

Nothing much new has been going on except that I've been to a couple new restaurants, so I must brag.

The first was the brand new Cheesecake Factory in the Green Hills Mall. The wait was a little long, but the restaurant was brand new, so I can overlook that. The food was absolutely AMAZING! I can't remember what all everybody had, but every dish was superb! And the fact that the dessert menu had 50+ flavors of cheesecake made the CF a winner! I also became a fan of the "Cable Car Martini" which is Captain Morgan's Rum, Orange Curacao and fresh lime juice served shaken in a martini glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar. Not exactly a "manly" drink, but yummy nonetheless.

The next new place was Maggiano's. A SUPER upscale Italian place that had the air of being invited into someone's home kitchen. A pharmaceutical rep for Dr. Newsome took us all to dinner that evening. I sampled another new drink concoction there as well. This time it was a pint of Guinness with a shot of Tia Maria in the bottom of the glass. A very different flavor, but very enjoyable. For the meal, we settled on the "Family Style" form of dining. This included 2 appetizers, 2 salads, 2 pasta dishes, 2 main courses AND 2 desserts. All of the portions were for 10 people, so needless to say there was A LOT of food. We had Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Fried Calamari for the appetizers. The dip was delicious... but I didn't try the squid. The salads were outstanding as were the pasta dishes. We got Veal Scallopini and Chicken Picatta for the main dishes. They were unbelievable as well. And the desserts were a whole other world. We got Spumoni and a pastry based dessert. The pastry was a bit hard, but the Spumoni was out of this world. Apparently Maggianos has an ice cream company in Chicago that makes this especially for them. The quality shows. Absolutely one of the best meals I've EVER had.

I'm going to see "Walk The Line" tonight. I'm not too keen on Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny. Mostly from a singing standpoint than acting. Visually, he's a dead ringer for young John. The clips I've heard of his singing though almost turn my stomach. I know that no one is EVER going to sound like Johnny Cash (and I wouldn't want them to), but I've heard lots of cover versions of Cash songs that I really enjoyed. Sadly, Joaquin Phoenix' versions won't be included. I haven't heard Reese Witherspoon sing yet though, so I might like her stuff. I love Reese as an actress, so I think she'll do just fine as June Carter. I'm also really stoked to see Shooter Jennings portraying his dad, Waylon. I will probably leave the theater tonight with tears in my eyes, but hopefully not cause the movie sucked. If I get teary-eyed it will be because I'll be reminded of what a genius the music world lost when we lost Johnny Cash. His music helped me realize that less is truly more, and also how a simple, chugging rhythm can move more people than the most complicated pattern. Be on the lookout for my review of the movie.

Adios for now!

2005-11-15T18:01:00.000-06:00

Nice head shot from TS gig in Fulton, MO

George Carlin is the MAN!!*

2005-10-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

I received this in my email today and decided that it was WAY too good (and way too true) not to post up here for everyone to read. I also love stirring up shit, so I'm sure there will be a few comments (good and bad) relating to this post. George Carlin has always been one of my favorite comedians for two reasons: 1. He's REALLY funny and, 2. He's usually DEAD right with his views of most topics. This is *not* George's take on Hurricane Katrina and the people of New Orleans, but it's still funny... and true... Enjoy.....
***********************************************
"SOMEBODY'S" TAKE ON HURRICANE KATRINA AND NEW ORLEANS.

Been sitting here with my ass in a wad, wanting to speak out about the bullshit going on in New Orleans. For the people of New Orleans: First, I would like to say; "Sorry for your loss." With that said, let's go through a few hurricane rules (Unlike an earthquake, we know it's coming):

#1.
A mandatory evacuation means just that: Get the hell out. Don't blame the Government after they tell you to go. If they hadn't said anything, I can see the argument. They said get out... if you didn't, it's your fault, not theirs. (I don't want to hear it, even if you don't have a car, you can get out.)

#2.
If there is an emergency, stock up on water and non-perishables. If you didn't do this, it's not the Government's fault you're starving.

#2a.
If you run out of food and water, find a store that has some (Remember, shoes, TV's, DVD's and
CD's are not edible. Leave them alone!)

#2b.
If the local store has been looted of food or water, leave your neighbor's TV and stereo alone. (See #2a) They worked hard to get their stuff. Just because they were smart enough to leave during a mandatory evacuation, doesn't give you the right to take their stuff... it's theirs, not yours.

#3.
If someone comes in to help you, don't shoot at them and then complain no one is helping you. I'm not getting shot to help save some dumb ass who didn't leave when told to do so.

#4.
If you are in your house that is completely under water, your belongings are probably too far gone for anyone to want them. If someone does want them, let them have them and hopefully they'll die in the filth. Just leave! (It's New Orleans, find a voodoo warrior and put a curse on them.)

#5.
My tax money should not pay to rebuild a 2-million dollar house, a sports stadium, or a floating casino. Also, my tax money shouldn't go to rebuild a city that is under sea level. You wouldn't build your house on quicksand would you? You want to live below sea-level? Do your country some good and join the Navy!

#6.
Regardless of what the "Poverty Pimps," Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton want you to believe, the US government didn't create the hurricane as a way to eradicate the black people of New Orleans; (Neither did Russia as a way to destroy America). The US Government didn't cause global warming that caused the hurricane (We've been coming out of an ice age for over a million years).

#7.
The government isn't responsible for giving you anything. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but you gotta work for what you want. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are always hiring. Get a damn job and stop spooning off the people who are actually working for a living! President Kennedy said it best..."Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

Thank you for allowing me to rant.
*****************************************
Thanks! I agree with everything said, but number 7 is the one I agree with most. The US has FAR too many people mooching off the good graces of the US government.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. Hope everyone is having a good day!

*this post has been edited to correct an oversight on my part. Thanks to Ryan Kruse for pointing me in the correct direction. I incorrectly labeled George Carlin as the author of this, I was wrong. I stand corrected.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2005-10-17T14:40:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody...

I'm taking a minute whilst sitting in the Newark, NJ airport to post this little nugget. I'm borrowing Sean's laptop, and I've had a few pints, so it's taking me quite a bit to post this! Got on an earlier flight from London, and it's a good thing too. Took me about an hour and a half to clear customs and get my bags re-checked in order to get to my connecting flight's gate. If I would've been on my original flight, I very well could've missed my connection to Nashville. Honestly I just can't wait to get home. I loved England and I'd like to send a heartfelt thanks out to John and Pam Russell for putting up with me for the weeks that they did, but I'm just glad to be back in the homeland. Looking forward to having a whole week to do nothing but get my stuff back in order before heading to Iowa to visit the family for a week. Well, there's not much else to say right now. I'll put up a photo gallery of all of the England pics as soon as I get them... Cheers!

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is...*

2005-10-14T00:31:00.000-05:00

So I went into London on Wednesday, saw Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, #10 Downing St. (Tony Blair's pad), St. Paul's Cathedral and the Westminster Abbey. In the process I got soaked to the skin because I wouldn't pay £5 for an umbrella. I wore my raincoat, but didn't have a hood, so my jeans, shoes and head were drenched. It's been BEAUTIFUL weather the whole time we've been here... except Wednesday. Anyway... to begin the day, the train that was supposed to take us to Liverpool Street in London couldn't get us there (due to "signaling problems") so we had to get off at Stratford instead. Then we had to pay MORE money to get a day pass for the "tubes" (subway).

Anyway... the day started great as the sun was shining and the weather was nice when we got there, so it was fun walking to St. Paul's Cathedral. Unfortunately the day started downhill then as we wanted to go in the cathedral but it was closed! So then we walked a little ways past Big Ben and "The Eye" (a great big Ferris wheel) and as we were passing it, it started to rain... and rain.. and rain.

By the time we got to McDonald's (yep.. even in merry old McEngland!) it was a downpour. Everyone wanted to keep walking though, so we walked past Buckingham Palace, TB's house, Westminster Abbey (were going to go in, but of course it was closed...) and some old barracks.

I wasn't really impressed with any of it, but that was probably since I was feeling like a drowned rat. But then again, I never was much of a history buff, and don't really get off on old buildings. Anyhow, the best part of the whole trip was when we went to the pub and I had 2 pints of Guiness.

Biggest waste of $50 I've ever had... but I guess I only get to waste $50 in London once in my life, right?? Anyway.. I just thought I'd post one more time before I'm back in the States.

We leave out tomorrow afternoon at 2pm for Wellingborough. We'll play there Friday night, then head to Fort San Antone which is between Preston and Lytham/St. Annes. We play FSA Saturday night, and then drive to Wales for our final show. After the show Sunday night, we get back in the van and drive directly to Gatwick airport.

Then I've got about an hour or two before we get on the plane to come back to the States. I've enjoyed England, I've met some wonderful people and made some great friends, but I can't wait to get back home.

Lauren and I have some R&R planned for the weekend and then on Monday I fly home to Iowa for a week. I hope all is well with everyone and I'll post as soon as I'm awake enough to let you all know I've made it safe and sound.

Cheers!
* for the uninformed, the title is in reference to the Chicago song of the same name.

Keith had a little lamb...

2005-10-10T15:48:00.000-05:00

... and BOY WAS IT GOOD!!!

Yep.. you guessed it folks.. FINALLY a food review! (Don't lie.. you know you've missed them...)

Walked into Norwich (2 miles each way.. yes, I walked!) today just for something to do, and found a great little restaurant. Imagine that. Me, finding food (strange, ain't it?). Well Wetherby's was the name (I think). I was thinking about 3 different places and my nose just led me to this place. Was perusing the menu and saw Braised Lamb Shank!

Now anyone who knows me knows that lamb is my absolute favorite form of protein on this planet, so obviously I had to order it. I'm always skeptical ordering lamb, but I figured it's a plentiful crop here so I'd be less likely to get something bad. So I strode up to the bar and ordered it (with boiled new potatoes in butter and steamed carrots and broccoli) along with a pint of John Smith Extra Smooth. It's become my favorite English beer, second only to Tetley's Bitter (which I've only had once, but I saw a pub today that had it so that's where I'm headed tomorrow...).

Sitting back down at my table, beer in hand, I people watched and sipped my brewski whilst awaiting my feast. When it came, my jaw dropped. Bone-in and HUGE! The lamb was cooked to perfection (just pink) and served with a lamb gravy that was accented by mint and rosemary. Can we say YUM? The potatoes were perfect, not too hard, not too soft, and the veggies were superb. The lamb nearly fell off the bone and it was absolutely the best meal I've had on the road. I was actually sad when I took my last bite!!

In other food news... Pam Russell (whose house we've invaded for the last week...) has cooked some amazing dishes. Some sort of beef stew with barley, potatoes and carrots that was great! And tonight we had chili, but over here they serve it over steamed rice. Don't laugh, it's GOOD!

In show news... the shows are finally coming together. Saturday night was an amazing show, both in performance and crowd response. The only drawback was that I had to play an archaic electronic drumset. That meant no brushes or nylon rods, so I had to re-invent my parts for "Fiona", "Choices" and "Infinite Love"... sounded strange but it worked.

Sunday afternoon was great too. The venue had a house sound system and the sound guy really knew how to use it. I got to use my kit (and there was much rejoicing... yeah!!) and the band was tighter than Fort Knox. The crowd was really responsive and danced to every song.

Only 3 more shows until I'm back stateside and, truthfully, I can't wait! I love traveling and being on the road, but this is really beginning to wear on me. I can't wait to be back home to peace, quiet and solitude. Sometimes it gets annoying having a guitar being played in your ear pretty much 24/7 (yes, even right now!) ... lol.

Well, gonna hit the sack now... gonna walk into town again tomorrow to get out of the house (and to save my sanity!) Much love to all y'all!

Take It To The Limit

2005-10-06T07:39:00.000-05:00

editors note: This was originally titled "Random Ramblings" until I did manage to think of a witty song title that fit with the post....

I was trying to think of a witty song title to put in the title, but alas, my brain just isn't up to the task today. I'm actually not even sure what to write about, but I felt I should post SOMETHING to let everyone
know I'm alive and haven't killed anyone yet (although it's come close a few times...).

I'd forgotten just how stressful a long tour can be on a person. Spending any longer than a week with a group of people can REALLY get to you. It's during that second week that the little quirks and habits that you don't notice on a daily basis start rearing their ugly heads.

Like phrases that are ingrained in someone's speech pattern: "like..", "y'know"... stuff like that, y'know?!? I noticed someone on the tour starting AND ending sentences with that...

Noisy eaters... another thing that grates on me. I try to not be critical, because everyone wasn't brought up the same way I was, but c'mon... you don't have to open your mouth ALL THE WAY every time you chew...

I've also noticed that I'm the slowest eater of the bunch. It seems like everyone else wolfs down their food like they're afraid it's going to run away...

Anyway, enough of that lest everyone start thinking I'm a constant complainer...

Because I know I have my faults too... like being too perfectionistic. Sometimes I just have to slap myself and say "Hey Dumbass... the crowd doesn't notice if your snare rattles a bit too much or your drums are slightly out of tune..."

But all in all the trip has been pretty cool. The people are generally friendly, the chocolate and beer are AMAZING (Cadbury in the states just ISN'T the same...). The shows are getting better all the time, and I've heard tell of someone bringing a video camera to the next couple shows... might a DVD be in the offing? Who knows... I'll keep you posted.

It's odd waking up every morning and having no idea what's happening in your own country. I don't like to watch or read the news because all it does is depress me, but I usually spend my morning watching the 'Today' show (thanks, Mom...) to catch up on current events. Now I find myself surfing over to the Fox News website to get a little information.

I think I'll miss some of the things about England, but I'm ready to get back to Nashville. I need some barbecue and sweet tea!!

We're thinking about going to London on Wednesday, so I'll post a review in typical tourist fashion if we decide to go. Jeff brought a digital camera, so I'll try to get copies of some pics to post... Hope all is well...

Cheers!

Let Me Take You Down...

2005-09-29T11:31:00.000-05:00

"... cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields..." ~ Beatles

Went into Liverpool on Sunday and checked out the famous Cavern club where the Beatles and Queen got their start. Went to the Beatles museum and learned lots of cool stuff about them. I had almost forgotten how cool the Lennon/McCartney songs were.. great stuff! All of Liverpool is 100% Beatles 24/7. All of the famous places are marked (Strawberry Field, Penny Lane. etc...). Had a pint at the Cavern and got our picture taken on stage. Just been hanging out today, it's really nice to get some rest! Can't wait to get back to the States though. BTW: My heart goes out to any and all affected by Rita... are we done with hurricane season yet?!? Catch you all later...

photo is Billy Yates & Long Neck Jones on-stage at the Cavern Club, Liverpool, England.
left to right: Sean Patrick McGraw (lead guitar, vocals), Danny Dunn (pedal steel guitar), Billy Yates (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), Pedro (driver, roadie extraordinare), Keith Thoma (drums, vocals), Jeff Beam (bass guitar, vocals)

England Swings...

2005-09-17T07:16:00.000-05:00

"...like a pendulum do, bobbies on bicycles two by two..." - Roger Miller

Hey everybody! I'm writing you from merry old England. Crowborough to be exact. We've got a few minutes before we head to Selsey for our gig tonight so I thought I'd pop in and let everyone know I'm alive and well. The flight over was good. Continental's food is MUCH better than USAir's.... I'll post more in a few days explaining all about the flight, first days, etc... The shows are going well, and I think I'm definitely going to have fun on this tour. I've got to split for now though, so I'll say goodbye and I'll be back in a few days to tell you more about my travels. I hope all is well with everyone!

Cheers!
Keith

Across the pond...

2005-09-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone...

I know I haven't updated in awhile, but things have been crazy (what's new??). Between rehearsing with Billy and Sean, playing dates with Tequila Sunrise, playing dates in Nashville, packing for the England trip and making sure all my loose ends are tied up before I leave, I haven't had hardly any free time. Heck, I'm lucky to remember which way is up! But everything is packed now. Lauren will drop Sean and I off at the Nashville airport at 12:30 for our 3:20 flight to Newark, NJ. Then we fly from Newark to London. I can't believe I'm going to wake up in another country tomorrow... all because I can make music!!!!

Went to Ru-San's last night and had an AMAZING dinner. It's an upscale sushi restaurant here in Nashville and it is unreal. I never knew you could have hot sushi, but you can! Came home stuffed and finished packing. I hate packing, did I mention that?

Anyway... when I get back it'll be October already. Man this year has flown by. I'm hoping that by the time I return, gas prices will have gone down and some of the misplaced folks that lost everything due to Katrina will be starting to put the pieces back together. I just couldn't imagine having to start from Square One... Every morning I give my thanks to God for sparing me that horrible tragedy, and I pray for all of those who are living it everyday. Please give if you can. I can't afford to give money, so I'm going to donate all of my old clothes that I don't wear anymore.

Well... gotta run. Packing beckons and then it's off to the wild blue yonder. Oh, and maybe breakfast would be good too! Take care!

Keith

PS: I'll try to post periodic updates whenever I can get to a computer... and if you want to know where we're playing, check out BillyYates.com and click on the TOUR page.

In Heaven There Is No Beer....

2005-08-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

... but there's LOTS in Germany!! And it's really good too!!

Hey everybody. Sorry I've been so long in updating my blog, but I've been working my little butt off lately. Practicing for Germany and England on my own, rehearsing with the groups for each trip, traveling to Germany, playing with Tequila Sunrise and rehearsing for England some more... that's been my life lately.

But I know you all want to know (or at least I hope you do...) about how my FIRST EVER trip to Germany went.

Well the trip itself was great, but the flights SUCKED! I really don't mind flying, except when you're all piled into a plane like sardines and there are screaming kids all around you. On the way over, we had some issues with our party's tickets not all being on the same flight. So we fixed that. Then we tried to get on an earlier flight to Philadelphia and found that we'd have to check our luggage (which we didn't want to do), so we just waited in Pittsburgh for our later flight. THEN as we were getting on the flight in Pittsburgh we were told that the overhead bins were full and we'd have to check our bags ALL THE WAY THROUGH to Germany!!! Needless to say, I was PISSED at US Airways.

Anyway... We arrived in Frankfurt at 10:15 Friday morning and were met by Jochen (pronounced Yo-Ken) Vogel, one of Tim's friends. We then piled ourselves and our gear into a LITTLE TINY CAR, and drove 4 hours back to Schneeburg (sp?), which is where we stayed. The Pueschel family were kind enough to rent us a two bedroom apartment (fully furnished) for the length of our stay. They also stocked the refrigerator with food and BEER!! Czech Republic beer is REALLY good and REALLY strong!!! Jochen also took us out every afternoon and evening for amazing food and MORE beer... and never let us pay for any of it! THANK YOU JOCHEN!!!

We saw an amazing Lutheran church that was in a neighboring town. This place was absolutely HUGE! When I get the pictures back that we took, I'll post some. The gig itself went very well, except that our guitarist's amplifier kept going on the blink. Technical problems aside, the locals loved us and it looks like we'll be back... hopefully as soon as this winter.

I would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to all of the wonderful people that made this Midwestern boy feel right at home during my stay in Germany. The Vogel family: Jochen and his wife (sorry, can't remember your name :-( ), their daughter Ines (who is running for Parliament... GO INES!!), and their son Kaei (sp?). Also thanks to the Pueschel family: Jo, Hikea, Nicole and Carolyn. And thanks to Dajana Tischer, a friend of Ines', who helped me learn lots of good German swear words!!! Hopefully I'll get to see all of you again VERY soon... and this time, I'LL buy the beer!! :-)

At present I am in the McGraw family kitchen in Fredonia, NY. I drove up with Sean yesterday (12 hours!!) so that we could rehearse his material for England. We rehearsed tonight and are also rehearsing tomorrow morning before our Tequila Sunrise show at the Fredonia Opera House. Then it's off to Akron, OH for the Rock The Lock celebration with TS. Back to NashVegas on Saturday and a performance and the world famous Bluebird Cafe with Sean on Sunday night. Then I get to "relax" in Nashville for a week before hitting the road with Tequila Sunrise for a few more shows and then it's across the pond to merry old England.

Hopefully I'll get to go home to Iowa after the England trip... I need some "home" time!!

Catch you all later!!!

I'm a Travelin' Man...

2005-07-27T15:49:00.000-05:00

"...made a lot of stops all over the world..." -- "Travelin' Man" - Rick Nelson

It's official! From September 15th through October 15th, yours truly will be touring the UNITED KINGDOM with Billy Yates and Sean Patrick McGraw!!! We'll be in all different places in England, Scotland, and Wales. I can't wait! I've never been overseas except for Hawaii and the Bahamas, so this trip should be a blast. I'm also going to be in Germany at the Griefenstien Festival from August 11-15th with Tim McDonald and Hit-N-Run.

If you don't know Billy Yates.. you should! He's written several hit songs including the monster hit "Choices" by George Jones, which caused incredible controversy at the CMA awards not too long ago. He also has a new hit out by both Daryle Singletary and Joe Nichols called "If I Ever Get Her Back". Oh yeah... George Strait recorded his song, "My Infinite Love"... yeah, that's right... KING GEORGE!!! I'm SOOOO excited!!

I'm not sure how much Internet access I'll have overseas, but I'll try to update as much as possible. Nothing much new except that I got a gig this weekend with Dustin Bogue again. Yep, we're playing at Debbie's Place! Back to the dive! (At least I'll make $120 for the weekend!)

C-ya on the flip side!!!!

Beam Him Up, Lord...

2005-07-21T08:11:00.000-05:00

Open hailing frequencies....

Hey everybody. I don't usually write about current events, but I saw this when I woke up this morning and I had to comment. Another of the "Magnificent Seven" has passed away. James "Scotty" Doohan died yesterday at age 85.

Since 1966 he delighted audiences, portraying the wise-cracking, Scottish enginner Montgomery Scott. Trademark phrases such as "Beam Me Up, Scotty" and "I just can't do it Captain... I'm givin' 'er all she's got!!" have become part of pop culture slang.

In his younger years, Doohan was chiseled and well-built, having served in the Canadian Army and being part of the D-Day invasion on Normandy. He survived quite a bit during the war. Losing part of his right middle finger and being shot six times, the most fatal chest shot being deflected by his silver cigarette case.

Being typecast as the surly Scotsman never bothered Doohan. "I never get tired of hearing it," he said, referring to "Beam Me Up, Scotty," his trademark order. He retired from public life in 2004, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. It's almost a blessing that he passed so soon after. Hopefully he didn't have to endure any of the horror of losing your memories, as Ronald Reagan had to endure.

I'm sure the rest of the Star Trek cast will make it to the funeral. William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) and George Takei (Mr. Sulu) are all still alive. DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy) passed away in 1999 and series creator, Gene Roddenberry died in 1991.

Live long and prosper, Scotty... we'll miss you.

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple (Part 2)

2005-07-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

Hello again...

When I re-read my last post, I noticed a GLARING omission. I neglected to write about the fact that my friend Paul Cirrillo came to see the show in Queens. For those who don't know, Paulie ran lights and sold merchandise for Lonesome Road while I was with them. We became good friends and when he left LR, he told me to let him know if I was ever in NY. Well I was finally able to contact him and we were able to hang out after the show. He was just as wild and crazy as ever, as were his co-pilot Mike, and his flight attendant Heather who accompanied him to the show. Afterwards, John, Jeff and I went along with Paul and the crew to a diner on Long Island. The BEST coffee I've ever had, hands down, and the spinach and feta cheese omlette was to die for. I'm looking forward to seeing Paulie when we go back to New York in September. Now I'm getting ready to go watch the Raspberries do their soundcheck and then watch their show tonight at the Scene Pavillion in Cleveland. TS has a show at the House of Blues here in Cleveland tomorrow night, and then it's back to Nashville to rehearse with Tim's band, Hit & Run, for the Germany trip. Busy, busy, busy....

C-ya later!

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple...

2005-07-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody...

I know it's been a couple days since my last posting, but things have been kinda crazy. The 4th of July performance at Horny Toad's in Lake Ozark, MO was interesting to say the least. The performance was outstanding on everyone's part. The stage was nice and big, but they only had 8 lights, which was a little bit of a disappointment. The load-in/out was also quite interesting as we were faced with a 6% grade going down from the parking lot to the stage area. The "band house" was another site. I've stayed in a few clunkers before, but this one was almost the best. (worst?!?) I'll put it to you this way... I'd MUCH rather take a cold shower than a scalding hot one. (No cold water for the shower!).

Anyway, after that performance, it was an 11 hour trek back to Paul's parents' house in Cleveland. We stayed there Wednesday and headed for Queens, NY on Thursday. The show was AWESOME (check the site for reviews!). We got there and the sound company had everything SET UP in position and the monitors were already dialed-in. Absolutely the easiest soundcheck I've ever had and the best monitor sound EVER, bar none. My drums sounded fantastic and the vocals gave me chills when we hit the harmonies. Those are the kind of gigs you REALLY enjoy.

Then we drove straight into hell.

What was supposed to be a 6-7 hour drive turned into a 9 hour marathon. We lost 4 hours of time just SITTING in traffic. After we got out of NYC (which has traffic, but we wrote that off because it's a given... you KNOW it's gonna be there), we got on the road and got held up by an accident. BAM. 2 hours gone. Then construction... Another hour... Then MORE construction... ANOTHER hour... We finally pulled in to Tonawanda, NY at 9 pm (we left Queens at 12), and we were supposed to be there at 7! Sound was horrendous (equipment older than the hills). I couldn't use my monitors, so I played and sang "blind" so to speak.

Finally the gig was over and we drove 45 minutes to Fredonia, NY to Sean's parents' house. That's where we are right now. Got in at 4 am and I just got up (12:30 pm). It felt REALLY good to sleep. We've got a show in Cheektowaga, NY tonight and hopefully it will be better than last night. Then tomorrow we head back to Nashville with a stopover in Cleveland to drop off Paul and Jeff. (Jeff is Bryan's replacement. Bryan had to leave the band to take a job with Dell. TennCare insurance SUCKS!)

Anyone who's interested in seeing the band... COME TO CHICAGO!! We'll be at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL on Tuesday, August 30th. Go HERE to get tickets!

Gonna go hang out at the lake for awhile... catch y'all later!

Rainy Night in Georgia.. er... Kansas!

2005-07-03T23:33:00.000-05:00

Hey all...

I'm wringing out my t-shirt as I write this post. Turns out that Tequila Sunrise has THE worst luck in terms of gigging in Kansas. We were rained on AGAIN (2 weeks prior @ Old Shawnee Days we got rained out also). But the show did go on in a manner of speaking. We grabbed an acoustic guitar and performed like wandering minstrels, weaving our way through the very appreciative crowd. We even made a stop in the beer tent (naturally...) and performed a few tunes. All in all it was a good day, except for the fact that I didn't get to play any drums. Gotta go now though cause we're leaving out at 6 AM to head for Lake Ozark, MO. Have a happy 4th of July!!

Carry on my Wayward Son...

2005-07-03T11:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok... so it's not an Eagles song, but it applies! We're in Kansas today. Playing some festival in Junction City, KS. Gonna sweat my ass off, but it's all in the name of Rock N Roll. Just heard that Queen is doing a US tour next year, so I'm psyched!! Gotta split.. check out is 12! I'll post more tonight after the show...

Take it easy....

Always Late (Part 2)

2005-06-12T17:40:00.000-05:00

Hello again...

After re-reading my last post, I noticed a GLARING omission. I totally forgot to mention the AMAZING restaurants that I ate at when I was in Florida.

The first was the Old Bay Steamer in Fort Walton Beach. We went on Tuesday night and the food was absolutely amazing. For an appetizer we had Crab & Cheese dip on crackers along with a wonderful salad. Then the main course came.

Lauren's parents were kind enough to pick up the tab (which was VERY much appreciated), and they purchased TWO of the Family Steamers. The Family Steamers were $78 a piece, but were well worth it. They came with Alaskan King Crab clusters, Snow Crab clusters, Royal Red Shrimp (with the heads on!), raw oysters on the half shell, clams and mussels. Piles and piles of everything along with boiled red potatoes and corn on the cob.

Of course we didn't bother with the corn and potatoes, as we all stuffed ourselves silly with the wonderful seafood. For those of you who've never enjoyed Royal Red shrimp, they are possibly the best shrimp known to man. They are smaller. but they taste just like lobster when dipped in drawn butter.

Lauren and I also ate at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe in the Destin Commons outlet shopping center. Not much out-of-the-ordinary, but it was pretty reasonable and the food was outstanding. It was a bistro/sandwich shop kind of a place with waistline friendly dishes. (Good for me!)

Update on my music: Played a gig last night with Dustin Bogue at Debbie's Place here in Nashville. It was right around the corner (basically) from where Lauren and I live, but it was the BIGGEST dive I've ever played. I'm really surprised that they didn't have chicken-wire in front of the stage!! The good news is that I made $65, and got to use my little Camco kit again. It was fun playing on a stripped-down kit again. It made me focus more on my timing and groove rather than being flashy. Dustin was very impressed with my drumming, singing and harmonica playing, so I think I'll be getting some more work with him in the future. Slowly but surely.... it's getting there.

Always Late....

2005-06-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

... with my postings! :-) Sorry I've made you all wait so long, but lots of things have been happening lately, and Lauren and I have limited internet at our place. Since I've been busy, I'll give you all the shortened version of what's been going on...

Had a couple shows with Tequila Sunrise in Nashville and Vegas... both shows were GREAT! Vegas was a blast, but it sucked that I was only there for a day. Came back and got settled into the Nashville life.

Played two shifts on Broadway, one with John Warren and one with Adam Wade and High Maintenance. Rehearsed for Germany. Rehearsed with Tequila Sunrise. Took a trip home for a week and brought Lauren with me.

Packed up and moved the rest of my stuff from Mom and Dad's house (:: sigh ::). As soon as we got back to Nashville, we unloaded my new 1998 Chevy Astro Van and loaded up my drums and headed to BB Kings in Nashville for a TS gig. After the gig we returned home around midnight and rose again at 7 am, loaded up Lauren's Isuzu Rodeo with our bags and took off to Florida with her parents.

Spent 2 1/2 days in Destin, Florida and got a sunburn. Lauren and I were able to have dinner with Kathy, Ron, Kiel & Katlin at the Spicy Noodle. All I can say is YUM!! Then Lauren and I went back to Destin with Kiel and his friend Kathryn. Went to Cold Stone Creamery and had some AMAZING ice cream!

Drove Lauren's mom's BMW convertible (hell, yeah!) back from Florida on a Thursday and got home at 2 am. Then I had to get up at 5:30 am to meet TS to head for a weekend of shows in Kansas.

The shows were rough because I got sick while home in Iowa and lost the top range of my voice on Sunday at BB Kings. The Friday show was odd because Kansas City was experiencing some unreal thunderstorms. We didn't even know if we'd go on because it was storming something awful. We ended up going on and playing 4 acoustic songs. I didn't sing lead in an attempt to save my voice for Saturday night. Didn't work. Played the show on Saturday and sang lead on three songs. They weren't the greatest. Sang all my backups, but had no voice on Sunday.

Lucked into a gig with Keith Driver for this past Wednesday. Loaded up on Tuesday night to head for Virginia. Keith Driver had a gig Tuesday night so we weren't able to leave until around 2 am. Drove all night and arrived in Emporia, Virginia at 3 pm Wednesday. Went to the club and set up, headed to the Pork Festival, and then went back to the club to start playing at 8 pm. Played the gig, loaded up and headed right back to Nashville. Arrived back in Nashville at 3 pm on Thursday and got a little bit of a nap before I went to Jesse Zane's Nashville Nights club to play a gig with Keith Driver. Started the gig at 8:30 pm and didn't get done until 2 am. Went home and passed out until 3:30 this afternoon... and I'm STILL tired! No rest for the wicked I guess!

Anyway... that's been my life for the past two months. Hope you've all enjoyed reading my novel... feel free to comment and PLEASE visit the TS website!

Take it easy....

Struttin' with some Barbecue...

2005-04-15T00:58:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody!

Nothing much new, but I thought I'd post anyway, just to keep everyone informed. Lauren and I did make it to PF Chang's on Sunday night. One word: AWESOME! The food was GREAT and the prices were pretty decent too. We had the Shanghai Street Dumplings as an appetizer.. they were great but you definitely need a fork and knife to eat them. They're way too big to tackle with chopsticks. For dinner I ordered the Wok-Seared Lamb, which was thinly-sliced lamb in some type of savory sauce with cilantro (YUM!) served over shredded lettuce. Lauren ordered the Mo Shu Pork. I'd never had it before and the only way I can describe it is: Japanese Fajitas. They give you these thin rice flour pancakes, plum sauce (the BOMB!) and the pork and vegetables. Then you build your own little burrito-type thing. We also had brown rice in lieu of regular white. All in all, PF Chang's rocks! If there's one in your general area, I'd suggest you go.

Tonight Lauren and I went to dinner with her friends Brittany and Nathan. We went to Jim and Nick's Barbecue here in Nashville. I've been jones-ing for good barbecue ever since I arrived in Nashville, and tonight I got it. I ordered a two-meat combo with Smoked Beef Brisket and Smoked Sausage. Both were amazing, although the sausage was a bit spicy. Lauren had the Pork Nachos, which were amazing. The meat was perfectly smoked and it melted in your mouth. They also served Cheese Biscuits with the meal. I'd never had them, but I can definitely say that I'll try them again... and again, and again, and again, and again....

TS is having a rehearsal tomorrow to learn a few new songs for the acoustic segment of our show. We're going to work on "Best of My Love", "Ol' 55", "Take It To The Limit", "Witchy Woman", and "The Long Run". Look for the show in Cleveland to be a blockbuster!

I've also been rehearsing with Tim McDonald's group for our upcoming Germany excursion. The songs are coming together very well and it should be a great trip for all involved.

I may be accompanying Lauren to a dog show in Perry, Georgia this weekend. She is showing her Corgi, Padrick. He's a sweetheart of a dog and he's very responsive to her commands. It should be a good time. I love road trips and I'm looking forward to finding a nice restaurant or two to review during the drive. (I always have an ulterior motive...)

Nothing else new... check back soon for pics of my Nashville experience and other cool stuff...

Ciao!

(PS: For the uninformed: The title of this post refers to an old Dixieland Jazz tune.. you'll probably hear it at the Bix Fest this year if you're in the QC area.)

The Beat Goes On....

2005-04-08T20:06:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but things have been a little busy here in Nashville. The show at BB Kings was AWESOME. We didn't have a very large crowd, but the band was super-tight and sounded great! The soundman at BB's was great to work with and had us sounding wonderful to the audience. We had several of our friends and family attending the show, along with some pretty cool newcomers.

Met a cool girl named Lauren at the BB's show and we've hung out a few times recently. Went to J. Alexander's with her and her folks last night. (Time for another restaurant review) The food, atmosphere and pricing were all unbelievable. I had prime rib and it was almost as good as the prime rib at Gramma's Kitchen. My vegetable selection was a new one for me: Braised Red Cabbage with Maytag Bleu Cheese. Dad would've turned his nose up at it, but I thought it was great! They also have the BEST croissants, and they come drizzled with sweet icing, so it's like getting dessert in the middle of your meal! I think I'm going to PF Chang's for dinner tonight, so I'll write soon and tell you all how great it was. (Seems like my blog is turning into a series of restaurant reviews for Nashville... lol!)

Ended up on stage a few times this week (imagine that!). Sat in on drums with Jackson Hill on Sunday night, and I've sat in on harmonica with both High Maintenance and the John Warren band. Both groups are amazingly talented and they were impressed with my playing. I've also played a little bit of drums with John Warren, and it looks as if I might get a shift or two on Broadway with him sometime soon. Lauren snapped a few photos when we were out last night, so I'll post them as soon as I can get them resized.

Hope all is well with everyone and thanks for all of your prayers and support. I couldn't be doing any of this without you all... (or y'all... as they say in Nashville!)

Later on!

Keith

"Welcome back my friends...

2005-03-30T13:09:00.000-06:00

...to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, come inside come inside" ~ELP

Hello again from Nashville, Tennessee. I know I haven't posted in awhile but things have been busy here in NashVegas. The boys and I put on three incredible shows this past week and they're getting better every night!

Douglas Corner Cafe in Nashville was a pretty cool show. Nice little (keyword: little) venue, but at least I had a drum riser!! I think I wrote about Deric Ruttan sitting in with us that night, but in case you missed it... he rocks!!

Then it was off to ol' St. Louis for a Thursday night show at the Voodoo Lounge inside of Harrah's Casino. The load in was a minor pain in the posterior cause we had to go up a flight of stairs and road cases aren't the lightest things in the world! The show went well and the sound was pretty good, considering the soundman was mixing from the side of the stage. Speaking of the stage, it was over the top of the bar! Quite the interesting viewpoint for the band.

Mom and Dad came out to the show and had a great time. With the exception of getting lost in St. Louis trying to find their hotel, I think they enjoyed the trip. It was their first time seeing the band and I get the feeling that they were quite impressed. I might've even seen Dad bobbing his head a little bit!! Careful Dad... next thing you know you'll be growing your hair long, wearing flared jeans and sporting polyester shirts with massive collars!!

Friday was a travel day. I've already lamented about six guys in a Durango, so I won't mention it again. The rest of the day was cool though as Bryan, Paul, Bill (new keyboard player) and myself went to El Torero for dinner. It is THE best Mexican restaurant in Nashville and probably the best Mexican I've had anywhere (with the exception of maybe Cancun). Then after we dropped off Bill, we went to Guitar Center and drooled a little bit. (Don't worry Mom, I didn't buy anything!).

Saturday night was another stellar performance for the group. This time it was at BB King's in Nashville. This is a very cool venue, and the crowd was very responsive. I think I had my best drumming show to date and I had a pretty good vocal night as well. After the show, we headed out to the Mercy Lounge to catch the last of Bonepony's set. Kenny Wright, who I took the place of in TS, plays drums for them now, so it was very cool for me to get to actually meet him.

Last night (Tuesday) was another "off-the-chain" party at BB King's. The club is where Nashville Star holds it's after party, so the boys decided we should all go down and hob-nob. Jackson Hill was playing and they are THE best band in Nashville (besides us... :-) ). My buddy Tim McDonald plays keys for them and he always puts us on the guest list... it's great to have friends! The party was okay until Bret Michaels showed up... then it exploded!!

Bret (for the uninformed) is the lead singer for the rock group Poison, and he is also a judge on Nashville Star. He got up and performed with Jackson Hill, and ended up finishing the night when JH's singer took a spill onstage. I think he may have twisted his ankle or something, but whatever it was, it got him pretty bad. Paul ended up playing bass with Bret, as he was more versed in 80's rock than JH's bassist. Colin Raye (country singer) showed up near the end of the night, but no other celebrities of note were in attendance.

Oh, with the exception of Anthony Gomes. If you haven't heard this guy play guitar, then you'd better get out from under your rock!!! I had no idea who I was listening to until they introduced him when he was done. He is absolutely insane!!

I also forgot to mention that before BB's, Bryan and I went to dinner at Noshville which is a New York-style delicatessen. It's run by Jewish owners so everything was kosher... and it was GREAT!! FRESH pickles (they make their own), incredibly large sandwiches (I had brisket and pastrami with provolone and monterey jack cheeses on pumpernickel bread!!), and THE BEST cheesecake I have ever eaten in my ENTIRE life!!! The best thing about it though... it's CHEAP!! We also went down to the Second Fiddle club on Broadway and sat in with Bill's group on a few tunes.

Tequila Sunrise will be performing again at BB King's this coming Sunday for any of you in the Nashville area... we'd love to see you out there.

Also, feel free to log on to the Tequila Sunrise website and EXPLORE OUR MESSAGE BOARD! (Yes, I'm fishing here....) We feel lonely and would love some posts by our adoring fans...

That's everything up until today.. looking out my window I see a beautiful, sunny sky and the temp is about 75... I love Nashville!!

(note to all readers: Anything in color is a link... mouse over it and click and it will take you to the specific webpage...)

Playing with a Canadian superstar...

2005-03-20T13:13:00.000-06:00

Hey again..

Sorry I forgot to mention it, but last night we had Deric Ruttan sitting in with us as Glenn Frey. For those of you who don't know Deric (which I'm figuring is most of you...), he's a Canadian singer/songwriter who has had pretty good success in Canada. He won a CCMA (Canadian Country Music Association) award this year but I'm not sure which one it was. Check out his website and I'm sure you'll find out. He nailed all the parts and his vocal inflections were awesome.. hopefully I'll get to work with him again in the future! It was a blast! Thanks, Deric!

Flying High Again...

2005-03-20T13:01:00.000-06:00

Good day friends, family, passers-by...

I'm now back in Nashville (thank God!!). Got in town last Thursday and spent Thursday and Friday just hanging out. Spent some time with Bryan, Paul, Sean and John for St. Patrick's Day and had a few brews. All in all it's been a good trip so far.

Tequila Sunrise had a show last night at the Douglas Corner Cafe and it was pretty cool. The crowd could've been bigger, but Bryan had a lot of family there that I knew so it was almost better than playing to a larger crowd.

We've got a gig in St. Louis at the Voodoo Lounge on Thursday the 24th, and Mom and Dad are thinking about coming down... woo hoo!! I'll be sure to write back and give you all the details. Hopefully we'll have some pics from that show up on the website soon.

I'm thinking about staying in Nashville for the month until our gig in Cleveland so that the band can rehearse and get tighter. Money is an issue, but I'll find a way... donations??

Hope all is well with everyone... take it easy!

IT'S A BOY!!

2005-03-11T00:31:00.000-06:00

No, I'm not having a baby... my cousin-in-law is!! It's 12:25 am and my cousin Aaron just called to tell us that there's another little Thoma in the family. Brooke had Max at around 12:15 (I'm guessing...). Max Thoma. I believe he's named after my great-grandfather on Dad's side. If I remember correctly, Max was also percussively inclined... so maybe it will come with the name? We'll just have to wait and see. I'll get info from Mom later today about the whole ordeal and also Brooke and Aaron's address and phone if you'd like to send your congratulations! It's a happy day in Thoma-land!

All good things...

2005-03-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

... must end. :-( Unfortunately our vacation is ending today. Mom and I are flying out of Tallahassee at 5:25 this evening and returning to the frozen Midwest around 8:30. It's been a great trip with the exception of the uncooperative weather. It rained most of the time we were here, but it was nice enough to walk on the beach a few days. (Although we had to stay in our jeans and sweatshirts while we were walking...) Last night was a lot of fun. We all went out to dinner at Mori, which is a Japanese Hibachi restaurant. Y'know.. one of those places where they cook everything right in front of you and singe your eyebrows off with the flames? It was a blast. The chef had a great time joking with Mom, and I got to have Green Tea ice cream again. (Don't gag... it's good!) After dinner we all went out to a karaoke bar/restaurant. They didn't have an age limit, so Katlin was able to get in. I sang "Some Beach" by Blake Shelton and "I'm Movin' On" by Rascal Flatts. I was really impressed when Kiel got up and sang "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down. He's a pretty good singer!!! Anyway.. we're leaving in about 3 hours, so I've gotta go pack again.. :: sigh :: By the way: NEW PICTURES ON THE TEQUILA SUNRISE SITE!!! Check em out!!!

Rain, rain go away!

2005-02-18T15:32:00.000-06:00

Just checked out the weather for our Florida trip... RAIN!!! ::sigh:: I shouldn't be surprised at this. Whenever the family used to go to Clear Lake, we were lucky to get one day of sunshine while we were there. Why is it that God likes to rain on our parade?!? :-) Anyway, the trip will still be a blast, as I'm looking forward to hearing Katlin on his drums and seeing my friend Heather again will be great! Oh, yeah... and Kathy and Ron, I miss them too! LOL Not much else on the homefront.. just posting to post. Oh and if anyone wants a daily laugh -- check out my cousin Ryan's blog at www.rottenryan.com it is HILARIOUS!

Later

The idea that people pay...

2005-02-17T15:09:00.000-06:00

...to watch me play music is staggering to me. Cool, nonetheless, but still pretty wild!

Tequila Sunrise crushed the Cleveland HOB again, and we're booked back on April 23rd. We're also playing another HOB-owned venue, The Madison Theater, on June 17th. This one is another 1200 seater. I could really get used to this!

One week from yesterday, Mom and I will be basking in the glow of the Gulf Coast sunshine... We're going to Florida to visit my sister Kathy and her family and I CAN'T WAIT!!! Hopefully I'll head back to Nashville with a tan!

Nothing much new... I've now completed all 3 seasons of Smallville and I'm up to speed on Season 4. Yes, I know, I have no life... lol.

That's it for now.. check back soon for more dates and Florida ramblings!

Adios

New Pictures from Cleveland!

2005-02-08T01:42:00.000-06:00

Greetings and salutations once again music lovers! The band made it back from Cleveland unscathed (although 8 hours with six guys in a Durango borders on some form of capital punishment...). The show went well and the crowd was AMAZING! It's such an exhilirating feeling to have 1,000 + people in the palm of your hand! We had members of The Raspberries at the show, which was very cool. We added Derick Brunschweiger (hope I spelled that right) on percussion and Tim McDonald on keyboards/piano/organ for the show. It was very cool getting to play with a percussionist, and playing with Timmy Mac is always an extreme pleasure. Check out his site www.ivorytickler.com for some VERY cool music. We got some GREAT footage for the DVD including soundcheck, backstage and more! Stay tuned to this site for info on the release date.

On to my original reason for posting... there are NEW pictures from the Cleveland show on the Tequila Sunrise site, including a new one of me on my bio page. You can see the new pictures in our Gallery section. Please check them out and leave comments on the ones that you like. And PLEASE sign our Guestbook and let us know that you paid us a visit.

I'll be heading home from Nashville on Thursday. Although I'll miss it here, I'll be glad to get home. Hopefully TS will get a busy schedule this summer so I can think about relocating here in the fall or beginning of 2006. There's just too many opportunities that I could be taking advantage of if I were here. Also, Mom and I will be going to Florida to visit Kathy, Ron and the boys the last week in February. I'm REALLY looking forward to that, because it's been ages since I've seen them. Plus Florida is GREAT in February, and I might get to see my friend Heather McPherson while I'm there. I'm also stoked about attending another Burning House service at Eastgate with the Cravattas. It's weird... I never thought I'd really get excited about the Lord, but I guess age really does do crazy things. (Yikes! Am I finally growing up?!?! Say it ain't so!!!!!) :-) Nothing much else going on and I've gotta get some sleep before the session. So stop by the site and say hi (yes, I'm not above a shameless plug!).

TTFN!

Better late than never...

2005-02-05T10:14:00.000-06:00

Hello again everybody!

Sorry for the extreme delay, but life's been good! (To quote Joe Walsh...) Anyway, Tequila Sunrise is playing the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio tonight and I'm super excited that my good friend Tim McDonald is going to be playing keyboards with us tonight. He's an AMAZING musician and his playing is going to definitely be a welcome addition.

The band made our TV debut yesterday morning as we performed LIVE on the Fox 8 morning show here in Cleveland. We left Nashville at about 9 pm on Thursday night and drove straight to the studio in Cleveland. We arrived around 5:45 am and had enough time to unload our gear, soundcheck and then.. GOOD MORNING CLEVELAND!

We performed 5 one-minute spots and 1 two minute spot. We performed "Life In The Fast Lane," "Love Will Keep Us Alive," "Funk #49," "Life's Been Good," "One Of These Nights," and the guitar ending for "Hotel California". The crew LOVED us and some of them might even be coming to the show. They really must've liked us because for breakfast they gave us WINGS!! They were doing a segment about the "Best Of" in Cleveland and they focused on buffalo wings. So we got to have some... YUMMY!! We also had tons of hits on our website from the station's website. Now on to the BIG news...

Tonight at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio, Tequila Sunrise will be RECORDING a LIVE ALBUM and DVD! 48-track audio recording and a 4 camera DVD (complete with "behind the scenes" footage) will be available to our adoring fans shortly!

Hope all is well with everyone and the Lord is blessing you daily. Gotta go run through it once more before showtime! Ciao!

Happy New Year!

2005-01-01T15:46:00.000-06:00

Welcome to 2005! The year started with a bang today as the IOWA HAWKEYES hung on to beat the LSU Tigers in the Capital One Bowl. (Sorry David!) Rang in '05 last night with Mom, Dad and Lori with Scrabble, Aggravation and B&B... no hangover today!! Going to go cheer on Michigan in the Rose Bowl and enjoy the final Tom & Jerry's of the season. Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve and I wish everyone all the best in 2005. One more thing... GO HAWKS!

Updates to the TS website!

2004-12-27T15:17:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm recuperating well from 3 days of drinking and partying... oh, and the Tequila Sunrise website is now updated with a mention of me on the NEWS page and also on the BAND BIO page. Check it out and sign the guestbook!

Later,
Keith

My Favorite Day!

2004-12-24T11:53:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve is finally here! Hope you all have a FABULOUS day! Dad and I are making ox-tail soup (don't retch... it's gooooddd!!) for dinner tonight and the RumpleMintze is already in the freezer! Merry Christmas!

The TRUE Meaning of Christmas

2004-12-23T21:46:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody... I promised I'd post a Christmas poem today, so now I'm doing it! I wrote this quite a few years ago when I felt disillusioned by the whole "commercialization" of Christmas. With the way that Jesus has been getting pushed out of the schools, law offices, courtrooms, government offices, and everywhere else there isn't a steeple, I think it still has relevance today. I hope you enjoy it. Have a Merry Christmas, say a prayer or two or two thousand for our troops who will lay their lives on the line for our freedom this holiday, and say "Happy Birthday" to the soldier who made the ULTIMATE sacrifice for us all. And now without further ado...

~The Meaning of Christmas~

When winter arrives and snow coats the ground,

Thoughts of friends and loved ones begin to come 'round.

Wreaths of green and bows of red,

Announcing a season that some of us dread.

Shoppers race to-and-fro, they push and they shove,

To secure all the gifts that their family will love.

Houses aglow with twinkling lights,

As children await the most famous of nights.

When a jolly, old elf will alight on their roof,

His reindeer step lively, quick on the hoof.

The old man descends,

Down the chimney he comes.

To munch cookies and milk,

To leave dolls, trains and drums.

With a flick of the nose he'll be back up the chute,

To continue his journey, delivering loot.

When morning has broken,

The children awake.

They rush to the tree,

Of the gifts to partake.

Ripping at paper and pulling on ribbon,

They don't stop to think why these gifts they've been given.

So please, won't you turn to your children and say,

"These gifts are not why we are all here today."

Christmas is not for the presents or carols or lights,

For Santa or reindeer or snowflakes of white.

But for a sweet baby, a manger-born boy,

Sent down to guide us and bring us great joy.

The angels they lifted their voices on high,

To soothe the dear child with God's lullaby.

Peasants and shepherds, mighty lords and great kings,

All came to town, great gifts they did bring.

Gold and silver, incense and myrrh,

Rubies and diamonds and coats made of fur.

All for the child, who knew not His power,

But who knew now of love in this glorious hour.

"Merry Christmas" alone does not say it all,

"Happy Birthday dear Jesus" should be what we call.

For Christmas is not just a gift-giving season,

The birth of our Lord -- now there, that's the reason!

So when you say "Merry Christmas," please remember one thing:

That this day is for Jesus our Savior

The newborn King!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Who told HIM to come?!?!?

2004-12-22T13:11:00.000-06:00

As most of you know, I'm a drummer. Hence, during the Christmas season I'm known as the "Little Drummer Boy". This has become one of my favorite Christmas carols, but apparently Dave Barry doesn't share my enthusiasm. Mr. Barry is one of my mother's and my favorite comedians, and his yearly calandar is an annual present from me to Mom. On December 14th, Dave had this to say about my favorite Christmas carol:

"I am not a big fan of the Christmas song, "The Little Drummer Boy."
Oh, sure, it's a beautiful song, for maybe the first thirty-five minutes.
But eventually it gets on your nerves, those voices shrieking "Rum-pa-pum-pum!"
For openers, drums do not go "Rum-pa-pum-pum." Drums go "Rat-ta-tat-tat."
Also, I have issues with the line that goes: "The ox and lamb kept time."
Really? How?
Did they clack their hooves together, castanet-style? Did they dance?
Are we supposed to believe that two barnyard animals with legume-level IQs spontaneously started doing the macarena?
I'll tell you this: If I were taking care of a newborn baby, and somebody came around whacking on a drum, that person would find himself at the emergency room having his drumsticks surgically removed from his rum-pa-pum-pum, if you know what I mean..."

Funny Dave... real funny. (Actually I did get a good chuckle out of it and I hope you did too... Merry Christmas!)

Home again, home again...

2004-12-22T12:58:00.000-06:00

Fiddle-de-dee! Made it safely home from Cleveland. My first show with Tequila Sunrise went okay. By okay I mean that I totally dropped the last verse from "Hotel California" (our opening song!). Other than that, I had a few minor mis-steps, but the show went well.

The crowd was VERY responsive (900 strong!), and the stage, lighting and sound were AMAZING! I wish I could've gotten pics of the drums that I played on! They sounded beautiful and looked even better. Looking forward to spending the holidays, and most of January, at home with friends and family. We are booked back at HOB in Cleveland on February 5th, so I'll be heading to Nashville around the 20th of January or so. My bio and maybe a picture should be up on the Tequila Sunrise website pretty soon.

My friend Lori, from Canada, is spending the holidays with us here in the frozen Midwest. Her family decided to go to the Dominican Republic, and rather than letting her spend Christmas alone in Canada, I invited her here for an old-fashioned Iowa Christmas. (She hasn't been introduced to family yet though, so she still may attempt an escape!) Congratulations to her on her new job! She secured a nanny position with a wonderful family from Midland, Texas. Great salary, GREAT benefits and an awesome location. Looks like the Lord is looking out for a lot of us these days!

Other than that, not much new happening. Mom made another trip around the sun today... that's right -- 63! I really hope I look that good when I get to be her age. Dad and I are planning a special dinner for her and she's getting a REALLY nice gift from me (which I'll post about after it's been given). Christmas this year is at Grandma Chrystol and Grandpa Ollie's new house... so it will KINDA be like the old days.

Ta-ta for now, I'll see most of you in a few days, but for those I won't... Happy Holidays!

2004-12-22T12:55:00.000-06:00

Here's an old shot of me in the Chunkster days. Like the hat?

Fly Like an Eagle...

2004-12-16T10:43:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone... Just a little update to let you all know that rehearsals are going amazingly well. It's much easier rehearsing with the actual band than it was to practice to the recordings. The harmonies are coming easier than I thought they would, and it looks like the show is going to be GREAT! If anyone wants to take a pre-Christmas trip... come to Cleveland! But you'd better hurry cause the balcony is already sold out for the show. Gonna go practice some more. I'll post more after the show on Friday. Another perk for my weekend is that my best friend in the whole world, Monica, is coming to the show with her husband John. She's been my biggest supporter (beyond family) ever since I started trying to make a career out of music, and it's going to be really nice having her at the show. I'm also going to ride back to Grove City, OH with her and John so that the three of us can go sing karaoke on Saturday night! Fun, fun, fun!!! Catch up with you all later! Happy Holidays!

On The Road... AGAIN!

2004-12-14T06:50:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody! (I feel like Conan O'Brien when I say that...)

Just wanted to let you know that my time at home is going splendidly. I spent the majority of my week holed up in the garage learning all these darn Eagles songs (22 songs is a lot when you're cramming). Now I'm headed to Nashville this morning to rehearse. We're rehearsing today, Wednesday and Thursday and playing in Cleveland, OH at the House of Blues on Friday. You can order your tix (hint, hint) at www.HOB.com and click on the Cleveland link at the right hand side. Doors open at 8, show drops at 9. Wish me luck! I'll post as soon as I get home to let everyone know how things went!

TTFN!

(ps: Rented a Mazda 3 for the trip.. these things ROCK!)

Another One Bites The Dust...

2004-11-29T21:12:00.000-06:00

Hello all...

Just writing a quick note to let everyone know that my cell phone will be out of commission for the next couple of days. For reasons that I cannot explain, my phone has disappeared. Unless I find it when I tear the RV apart in ABQ, I'll have to get a new phone mailed to me there. Alas, I am now remembering what it was like before cell phones. Kind of nice, but also disconcerting. It's strange how accustomed we become to modern conveniences that we ourselves used to live without. Anyway, if anyone didn't get my mass email, please email your phone numbers to thekidkt@aol.com I'll make sure to post and let everyone know when I get my new phone. Hope all is well!

The Kindness of Strangers...

2004-11-26T19:12:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I couldn't get to a computer. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend it with family, or at least some close friends.

The band and I were lucky enough to be treated to an incredible Thanksgiving feast given by some very kind people we met in Elko the first time we visited. Stacy and Kim, along with their beautiful daughter Madiera, invited us over to their place for dinner.

Kim outdid herself, preparing everything expected (and a few things that weren't) and ensuring that no one left hungry! We had turkey that was falling off the bone and very flavorful, a ham studded with cloves (which I'd never had.. VERY good!) and finished with a honey-citrus glaze, cauliflower gratin, green bean casserole (complete with Durkee onions on top), mashed taters (with lumps so you KNOW they're real!), candied yams (another first) and the traditional sage dressing. Kim had never made stuffing from scratch before, and me being quite the expert, I was a little skeptical. After looking at the recipe though, which bore quite a resemblance to Grace's, I was relieved. After tasting the finished product, I assured Kim that she was, in fact, a stuffing expert!

(A tip for all you cooks out there... next Thanksgiving, do NOT put stuffing inside your bird. [sorry Dad...] Stuffing your bird can introduce bacteria from the bird's cavity into the stuffing. Plus it makes the bird take longer to cook, which dries out the white meat, and the stuffing is hard to get fully cooked. So if you want stuffing, make "dressing" instead and bake it alongside the turkey in a seperate container. Ahh, the things you learn from Food Network...)

Kim also had two WONDERFUL pies, pumpkin and apple. I, of course, gorged myself on the pumpkin pie, as it is my favorite! Kim didn't have a pie pan, so she baked it in a 9x13 baking dish. This was actually a pretty cool thing, because the pie was easier to cut and also easier to serve. All in all, it was a wonderful meal shared with great friends. I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.

This being the day after Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, I thought I would publish my Christmas List so no one has to ask Mom "What does Keith want this year?". I really don't want much except to be with my family. There are a few, moderately expensive things that I would like though, if you feel the urge to buy a gift:

An Apple iPod or the Dell equivalent. (I'm not sure what size memory though, so if anyone can help with that, please email me)

Starbucks, Wal-Mart or Best Buy gift cards. ($20 goes a LONG way at Starbucks!)

Time-Life Classic Country CD series

"Genius Loves Company" Ray Charles' last studio album

"Greatest Hits" or "The Complete Country Western Recordings" by Ray Charles

"Queen on Fire at the Bowl" DVD (probably a special order item)

"Spider-Man 2" DVD 2-disc set

Superman DVD boxed set (I think there's a set with all the movies)

Family Guy Volume Two DVD set

Smallville 3rd Season DVD set

That's all I've got for now... going to go to the Sound Stage website though, so I might find some other concert videos.. he he he! Don't feel obligated to buy a gift though, because Christmas is not about presents, it's about the togetherness of family and friends, and that is the BEST present!

Ta-Ta For Now! (TTFN!)

What'd I Say?

2004-11-23T19:31:00.000-06:00

Just saw the Ray Charles biopic, 'Ray' last night. One word - AMAZING! I couldn't tell that Jamie Foxx was Jamie Foxx until one scene where he had the glasses off and his eyes open! He did an excellent job portraying Ray, and he even sang and played piano (quite well) in a couple of scenes.

The movie did a great job on the traumatic events of Ray's life (going blind, struggles with heroin and alcohol) and also his womanizing traits. It was amazing to see just how 'normal' he was. Seeing (quite literally) this movie made me REALLY appreciate the fact that I have all four senses. Although I was a little jealous of the fact that Ray's hearing worked so well, making up for his lack of sight. I can't imagine what it would be like to be blind, or even to have that incredible sense of sound.

I've often played my drums with my eyes closed, sometimes for two or three songs, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I do sometimes think about what it would be like to lose my sight. Probably frustrating at times, but not unbearable. If I had to choose, I would much rather lose my sight than my hearing. I couldn't live without music or the ability to make it.

After viewing this movie, I'm reminded just how much of a genius Ray Charles Robinson really was. He was able to blend country, blues, rock and soul WAY before Nelly or Tim McGraw were even born. (They have a new duet out, for the uninformed).

Anyone looking to buy my love this Christmas can get me the soundtrack to "Ray" or a Ray Charles Greatest Hits, or the Complete Country Western Recordings album. I need some Ray in my collection!

Also, I'm in need of five Fleetwood Mac albums which were lifted from my collection by a keyboard player who shall remain nameless.. the albums are:
Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (green album),
The Dance,
The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (2-disc set, white)
and the self-titled Fleetwood Mac album that features Blue Letter, Landslide and Rhiannon.

Hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Random Thoughts...

2004-11-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

Hello again...

Yes, I realize that this is the THIRD post this week. I'm in Elko, Nevada... remember??? Anyway, I was doing some thinking today in the shower. "In the shower?" you may ask. Why yes, in the shower. For a couple of reasons:

There's not much else to do in there
No TV, Radio, noisy roomies to distract me
Usually I'm totally relaxed and my brain is on overload

Well anyway... I was thinking about a few things and I wanted some other people's perspectives.

Are the "Jesus is my homeboy"/"Mary is my homegirl" shirts disrespectful? I understand and dig the message, but is using hip-hop slang appropriate? I'm still undecided on that fact.

What does Jesus think about the "televangelists" on late-night cable pandering for money? Does He really feel that they are spreading the "Good News"? Does he receive a portion of every dollar? (temples, altars, sacrifice...well, okay, no sacrifices)

That's about all I had today...

Yesterday I enjoyed watching my Iowa Hawkeyes destroy the Wisconsin Badgers to become the Big Ten co-Champions! GO HAWKS! Sing along if you know it: "In heaven there is no beer/that's why we drink it here/and when we're gone from here/our friends will be drinking all the beer!" (For the uninformed: The Hawkeye marching band plays this at all games)

In other news: My best friend Mikey D., with whom I performed in Lonesome Road, has asked his girlfriend Amber to marry him. She said yes. Mikey wants ME to be best man! Talk about responsibility. I think I can handle it though, since the wedding is going to be in St. Thomas. Congratulations Mikey!

That's all the news that's fit to print for now. See you all soon and please remember to help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered! (Sorry.. Bob Barker moment!)

These are a few of my favorite things...

2004-11-20T17:34:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody!

This is your lucky week, because I, your humble correspondent (sorry O'Reilly), am posting TWICE this week! I was planning to post this two days ago, but Blogger was being fussy, so it deleted my post. I will attempt to remember everything I wrote, but I make no promises!

Sitting here in Starbucks, I am enjoying another Pumpkin Spice Latte. The latte and the joyus holiday, excuse me, CHRISTMAS music (politically correct I ain't!) coming from the overhead speakers take me on a trip back into my memories of Christmases past. I thought I would share with you some of my favorite memories of Christmas, and the hope that I might experience some of them this year.

The feeling of excitement when the first load of firewood arrives at the house (although I always put up a fuss when Dad asks me to help unload it!)...

Grinning like a Cheshire cat when the first fire is lit in the woodburning stove...

Shopping for the perfect Douglas Fir or Scotch Pine with Dad at Mr. Homegrown...

Mom bitching when we bring the tree inside because we're getting needles all over the carpet... (Mom, the carpet is green... it'll blend in!)

Excavating beneath the stairs to retrieve all of the Christmas decorations...

Mom and I spending a Saturday afternoon turning the house into a Norman Rockwell painting...
(I still don't understand why we can't leave the decorations up all year... they look so pretty!)

Waiting with baited breath for Dad to return home from deer hunting in Clermont so we can decorate the tree...

Decorating the tree to the strains of Gene Autry singing all our Christmas favorites...

Dad cussing the tangled extension cords as he wrestles with the bubble lights...

Mom grinning from ear-to-ear as each one of my "baby" ornaments is found and hung...
(Who says Mom's not a packrat?!?)

Dad smiling bigger than I've ever seen when the ornament with the picture of Grace and Len is found...

Feeling the lump in my throat, the tears in my eyes and the pride in my heart as I get to hang my sister Brandi's ornament at the top of the tree...
(Forever my guardian angel...)

Watching our current dog (Rex, Brandy, Frannie and now Delsie) help Dad and I hang the tinsel on the tree...

Seeing the space below the tree grow smaller and smaller as more and more gifts are placed there...

Gathering as many family members as possible to spend the night on Christmas Eve...

Dad's Prime Rib for Christmas Eve dinner...

Christmas carols by the fire...

B&B, coffee and RumpleMintz in chocolate shot glasses as we wait for Santa...
(a new tradition, but a favorite nonetheless)

Christmas morning hangovers!

Racing to the banister to see what Santa left in my stocking...

Heading downstairs with coffee in hand (hangover!) to see what Santa brought me...

Watching Allyson and Dylan pass out the gifts and remembering when it used to be MY job...

Noticing that as I get older, my gifts get fewer... (Or do they?)

Dad's famous Christmas morning breakfast and then a NAP!!

Heading to Durant for the Thoma/Hansen family gathering...

Stopping off at ITC (now the Checkered Flag) to make the next day's pizza dough...

Arriving first at Grandma Chrystol's no matter WHEN we leave our house...

Getting more and more excited as each family member arrives...

Grandma Chrystol in her red sweater with the Christmas lights on it...

Stuffing myself with Grandma's Christmas cookies...
(None will EVER be better than hers!)

Passing out the gifts in Grandma's black and white checkerboard tiled basement...
(Sadly, never to happen again... sigh...)

Returning home to unwind by the tree, watching the lights glow and smiling because I realize how lucky I truly am to have such a wonderful family...

I hope you all enjoyed my trip down memory lane... I know I did. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving.

One more note before I sign off... No matter how much the inconsiderate jerk who's in front of you at the store may upset you, or how much the stupid drivers may tee you off, don't succumb to holiday rage. Remember the spirit of this holiday... and no matter how much the media and corporate America may want to "commercialize" Christmas.. they can't change the spelling! Christmas is, was and always will be a birthday party for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season, and I, for one, will NEVER forget that. I pray that you don't either.

Adios!

Pre-Holiday Ramblings...

2004-11-19T17:28:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody!

I attempted to post yesterday, but Blogger was being finicky and it deleted my post! So here I am in Elko, NV at Starbucks enjoying a Pumpkin Spice Latte as I write.

The pumpkin flavor reminds me of how much I enjoy Thanksgiving and how much I'm going to miss being home this year. This is only the second Thanksgiving I've missed, but it's just as depressing. It's funny how holidays that are supposed to be filled with joy and happiness sometimes generate the opposite effect.

When Thursday rolls around, I will be with friends (Stacy, a security guard and friend here at Stockmen's, has invited us to his house for Thanksgiving dinner), but my thoughts will be at home.

Missing Aunt Grace's turkey and sage dressing, Grandma Chrystol's pumpkin and pecan pies, wild rice casserole, and the asparagus casserole with the fried onions on top. Hopefully I'll be able to spend next year's Thanksgiving at home. I want so badly for Dad to teach me all the tricks to Grace's turkey and dressing so that, someday, I will be able to teach them to my own children as I regale them with stories and anecdotes of Aunt Grace, the cottage at Clear Lake, and Grace's house in Clermont during the holidays. I also want Grandma Chrystol to teach me the secret to her pumpkin pie... before she's not around to teach me anymore.

I know that's kind of a morbid thing to say, but as the years press on and I get older, I begin to realize that my most favorite people in the world aren't going to be around forever.

So as not to end this blog on a sad note, I'll just close by asking you all to remember to cherish your loved ones this holiday season, and on every day of the year. Tell them how much they mean to you, and don't be afraid to show them either. I hope you and yours will have a joyus Thanksgiving, make some new memories and cherish the ones from years gone by.

Happy Thanksgiving (almost!),
Keith

"Grand" Junction... yeah, right!!

2004-11-11T00:10:00.000-06:00

Hello all… I’m a little behind on my blog, cause we’re in Jackpot, Nevada... excuse me... Bum F*ck, Nevada, and I have no Internet… OR cell phone! I’m paying the $6.00/hr. AOL surcharge right now to post this and pay bills!

Well, Grand Junction certainly wasn’t all that grand. The first three nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) we played to nobody, almost nobody, and damn near nobody, respectively! Wasn’t all that bad cause we needed the practice anyway. Friday night was a whole different ballgame. We played for 7 hours on Friday. Yeah, you read that right… SEVEN hours! Well, okay, not quite seven, but close… 479 minutes. See, they have this thing called FAC (which I never got the full name of), and it starts at 5:30 pm. People come in and pay $10 and they can eat and drink all they want until 7 o’clock. So they make the band start at 6:15 and play until 1:30 am. Talk about slave drivers. And to top it off they wanted to make the band PAY to eat!!! They told us that if we wanted to eat we had to pay $3 at the door!! Oh we didn’t just go get plates anyway?!? You’re damn right we did!!!

It was kind of fun because David let the band play the whole last set, so we just jammed a whole bunch of songs. I sang Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” THREE times that night… plus I sang Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” and “Wonderful Tonight”, along with “Jailhouse Rock”, “Low Rider” and “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors. All in all it was an interesting experience to say the least. At least the band house was nice…

We’re at the Horseshu Casino in Jackpot, Nevada this week. The rooms we’re in are about the size of a breadbox, and the water heater equals out to one of those metal Stanley thermos bottles. Luxurious. I tell ya! The beds are comfortable though, and we all have our own rooms, which gives me time to practice for my new gig.

Yep, that’s right. As of December 6th, I will be leaving David’s band. I am taking a job portraying Don Henley for Tequila Sunrise. They are an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville, and our first show will be at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on December 17th... get your tickets now!! I will be returning home to Iowa on December 7th, and then heading to Nashville one week later to begin rehearsals. This is a monstrous undertaking for me because I’ve never actually tried to sing like Don before. I just hope I can hold out singing that high all night long, but with proper conditioning, I’m sure I can do it. The greatest part is that I will be playing on a six-piece kit with only 3 cymbals and a hi-hat! That means QUICK teardown!! I will miss all my other gear, but being in Nashville, I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to use it. Another great thing is that Don Henley was never a very technical drummer. He focused mainly on groove, which means that I’ll be able to really concentrate on nailing those vocal parts. The first song every night is “Hotel California”… c’mon vocal cords don’t fail me now!!

Congratulations to Keith Urban for winning Male Vocalist of the Year at the CMA’s, he deserved it! If you haven’t picked up his new album “Be Here”, get it NOW! You won’t be disappointed.
Congratulations also go to my sister Kathy and her family on their new move. I can’t wait to come to visit and see the new house!! How’s February sound???

That’s all for now. I won’t have Internet in Elko, Nevada, but there is another casino right down the street with a Starbucks that has hi-speed access. Mmmm… caffeine AND web surfing... GREAT combo! Talk to you all soon…

Peace out homies!
Keith

On The Road Again...

2004-11-04T17:37:00.000-06:00

"On the road again/goin' places that I've never been/seein' things that I may never see again/I can't wait to get on the road again." - Willie Nelson

Greetings and salutations again from the road. I apologize for my laziness at updating, but things have been pretty hectic on the road.

We began the tour again on October 26th, headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico. 18 hours later, we arrived in Albuquerque. The ride was pretty uneventful, and quite tiring. The shows at Cowboy's went very well, and Saturday night we opened up for Jason Boland and the Stragglers, a country-rock group from Texas. The band was very good and we all had a great time hanging out together.

During the trip I also got to hang out with my friend Lori. She's a really cool girl from Canada that works for a family in Albuquerque as a nanny. Friday night we went to The Melting Pot for dinner and had an AMAZING time. The menu was a bit pricey, but when the meat course contains filet mignon, prime rib and lamb, you can understand why. The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant that is out of this world. The best course was the dessert course which consisted of some VERY expensive Godiva chocolate with carmel and pecans in it. If you ever get the chance to go to a fondue restaurant, DO IT! You will not be disappointed.

Sunday afternoon we headed out for Grand Junction, Colorado. We picked our route from the atlas... BAD IDEA!! We ended up WAY up in the mountains, where we really should NOT have been. This was absolutely the worst ride I have ever been on and I really don't hope to do it again! The climax of the trip was when we reached Red Mountain Pass with an elevation of 11,000 feet. We saw a sign that read "Unlawful to proceed without snow tires or chains". Well, I guess we're breaking the law again!!! We couldn't turn around so we had to keep going. I haven't yet mentioned that the whole trip in the mountains was in the middle of a ferocious snow storm, and by the time we got to Red Mountain, there was about 8 inches of snow on the ground!! Our brakes would only cause us to slide, so we used the weight of the trailer to slow us down... essentially SLIDING down the mountain. There was A LOT of praying during this trip and I commend David for his poise and patience during the tretcherous drive. We were definitely being looked after by Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and all of the thanks and praise goes straight to Him.

Once we reached Grand Junction, we ended up sleeping in the parking lot of the club that morning, because we couldn't get a hold of anyone to get the key to the band house. Once we got in the band house we were pleased to see it in great condition. The stove and everything else works great, so we are able to cook for ourselves and save lots of money!!

The shows are relatively boring so far because the club doesn't get much of a crowd early in the week. We're hoping the shows will be busy this weekend. David has a radio appearance Friday morning and we're headed to the college Friday afternoon to put flyers on cars.. hopefully that will drum up some business.

Hope all is well elsewhere in the world...

Keith

PS: My apologies go out to all of the Democratic members of my family (Kruses!)... FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!

Siskel & Ebert... well, not quite!

2004-10-18T16:59:00.000-05:00

What up Brothers and Sisters!!

(Sorry, I just watched "Undercover Brother" on USA... got a little soul in me now...) If you haven't seen UB, you need to rent it. It's got a great cast... Dave Chapelle (I'm Rick James... bitch!), Neil Patrick Harris ('member Doogie Howser?), Chris Kattan and the soul brother himself, James Brown! Good God.. jump back... kiss myself!! It's a HILARIOUS comedy about the melding of the black and white cultures. Great flick... two thumbs up!

I also watched "Save The Last Dance" last night. I had forgotten how great this movie was, but I was quick to remember. Even if you left out the fact that Julia Stiles is in it, she's my "movie-star crush," it would still be a great movie. I won't give away the story in case you haven't seen it, but it is a "white girl ends up in Chicago and struggles but thrives in the end" kind of movie.

The main reason I like this movie is because it deals with the arts, of which I'm very supportive (as if you didn't know...). The main message is not to give up on your dreams, which is the mantra that I've lived by all my life. It also has a secondary storyline dealing with breaking the racial barrier for a common goal. I only wish I could dance like that!

Thanks to everyone for the kind posts. It means a lot to know that I have friends and family out there that care so much. I try not to make this blog a self-pity soapbox, but sometimes everyone has bad days.

And I feel I should introduce the girl who made the last comment on the site... Maggie Gardner is a wonderful young woman whom I met while performing in Elko, Nevada. She is beautiful and brilliant, studying to be a nurse , but also getting her Bachelor of Nursing-Science degree at the same time. She has an incredible workload and I admire her greatly for attacking it with such vigor. Perhaps someday (after she graduates) we may be able to have a relationship, but for now I will settle for having one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Thanks for everything, Maggie!

To all the other family and friends who read this: I couldn't have done any of this without all of you. You all mean the world to me and I promise to remember you when I get famous.... :-) Hope you're all enjoying the frigid weather back home in Iowa... I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt!! HA!

TTFN!

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon....

2004-10-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

"Bicycling on every Wednesday evening/Thursday I go waltzing through the zoo/ I come from London town, I'm just an ordinary guy/Friday I go painting in the Louvre/I'm bound to be proposing on a Saturday night/and I'll be lazing on a Sunday afternoon" -- Freddie Mercury (Queen)

Bon jour ladies and gentlemen...

Sunday afternoon means one thing... football!! I actually missed the Raiders game, so I'm searching for the score... hopefully they won.

This weekend was kinda cool. Friday night we played in Baton Rouge at a club called The Station. Nice little bar, pretty good turnout. It was our last show with Kevin Hare on bass guitar. I'm going to miss playing with him. For the difficulties that we had in the beginning, we ended up as a pretty tight unit. Hopefully Mike and I will gell just as well.

Saturday night was David and Elizabeth's engagement party. I felt a little underdressed because I didn't bring any really nice clothes on the road with me, but I looked my best. Luckily for me, both families were very outgoing, so I wasn't a wallflower all night. I had some good discussions about the election with quite a few people, and I was pleased to learn that only three people that were at the party were Democrats!!! The food was amazing, and the wine was even better. They had the whole Yellow Tail menu there, so I was able to gorge myself on barbecued brisket and Shiraz!! I had meat pies for the first time too. They're pretty good. Kinda like a poor man's Beef Wellington.

And now it's Sunday and I'm chilling out at a local hotel. It's nice having time to myself, but after awhile I'm longing for some companionship. This weekend should be fun. We're playing two clubs in Baton Rouge that are on the LSU campus. That means one thing... college honeys!!! But then again, no one looks at the drummer.... ;-) Not much else going on, so I'll sign off for now. Thanks to all who are reading and posting, it's nice to feel loved!

Keith

PS: Let's all pray that O'Reilly beats the rap...

Cabin Fever

2004-10-14T15:32:00.000-05:00

Hey all...

Not much new news (say THAT five times fast!), but I wanted to post to let everyone know that I'm still alive. Nothing new going on here in LA. Pretty boring actually. Now I know why I really love being on the road. There's always something new to do or somewhere new to go. I can't stand being in one place for too long.

We played the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans Tuesday night and that was pretty fun. It was Country Night, so we focused our sets on predominantly country music. Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I had a GREAT time that night. I love playing and singing country over any other kind of music. The only bad part about the gig was that I couldn't use my in-ear monitors, which are like a combination of earplugs and headphones. I couldn't use those and I didn't have any earplugs with me, so my ears suffered for the whole night. It sucked!! You can bet I'll always have my earplugs with me from now on. Lesson learned!

I watched a little bit of the debate last night, but CMT had a Keith Urban special on, so I watched that instead... priorities!

We're playing tomorrow night at The Station here in LA, and then Saturday night is David and Elizabeth's engagement party. Then I have another whole week to hang here (and try to find a place to stay without getting in anybody's hair), we play the weekend, and then leave for tour on Wednesday.

I'm thinking I'll come home after our last gig, December 5, but I'm not sure yet. I may possibly be playing on December 18th at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH with Tequila Sunrise, but I have to send them some demo material first. I've been talking with a few members of the group and they sound pretty interested. The only issue is that I don't want to leave David without a drummer, and I also don't want to turn down guaranteed work for a band that doesn't have a set schedule yet. Decisions, decisions...

That's about all for now. Please keep posting, I love to hear from all of you!

Hanging in Baton Rouge

2004-10-11T16:56:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody.

Just dropping a little note to let you know that I'm okay and that Baton Rouge didn't get much rain to speak of. Well, okay, that's not true... it rained like cats and dogs all weekend! And to make matters worse, the ceiling in the rear of the RV is all rotted out because of 3 years worth of water damage! It's always something! So I'm living in the front of the RV for now while David works to repair the ceiling before we go back out on the road again.

We're playing at the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans tomorrow night and they have a house drum kit, so I don't have to bring anything! Ha! Maybe someday, ALL my gigs will be like that!

This weekend went fairly well. Friday night we played at O.B.'s in Lake Charles, LA. It's a nice little sports bar with a pretty decent size stage. The crowd was jumpin' by about 11, and it was SRO (standing room only) by 12. Saturday night we played at Bailey's in Marksville, LA. That was a VERY interesting gig. Bailey's is a nice old theater that was converted into a bar. Big stage, wood floors and paneling all over... only one problem -- they have a leaky roof and it rained ALL weekend!!! I've never played on a stage with buckets before... until now! We're lucky someone didn't get shocked!

Our new bassist, Mike Toller, came out Saturday and played two sets with us. We're going to start rehearsing with him next week... things should be pretty tight by the time we head out. I'll try to post again tomorrow... adios until then!

No Rest For The Wicked!

2004-10-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

Hi all...

Just wanted to post before the weekend to let you all know that I won't be able to update until Sunday. We're headed to Lake Charles, LA for a show tonight and then over to Marksville, LA for a show Saturday night. We did FINALLY find a bass player (whew!), so the Fall tour will go on as planned. Got an email from an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville today called Tequila Sunrise... they're looking for a drummer. Me as Don Henley?? Could work... I'll keep you posted. Check out their website and let me know if they are any good. (just click on the name). Catch you all on Sunday! Wish Dubya some luck in the debate tonight. After last debate's showing, he needs it!! Kerry is so very.... LAME!! :-)

Less than three,
Keith

In (blank) We Trust?

2004-10-07T17:37:00.000-05:00

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?" -- Thomas Jefferson

I know this is kind of an old topic, but after reading Bill O'Reilly's new book, Who's Looking Out For You?, I have the urge to opine.

Bill writes about many topics including the removal of the Ten Commandments from an Alabama courtroom, and the banning of a student-supported pre-game prayer.

The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution with the idea that God had a major role in the furthering of the country. They didn't want any particular religion to be chosen over another, and neither do I, I just wish the nutbags at the ACLU and other crackpot organizations would realize that they are going directly against what our country was built upon.

If we don't trust in God, then in whom can we trust? Ourselves? Certainly not. Are humans perfect enough to create the Earth and all that is in it? Heck no. Then why do some think that humans are perfect enough to reign over the world without the need for belief in another deity? You got me on that one.

I, for one, think it does no harm if students want to pray before a sporting event. They're not holding a gun to your head and making you say the words, are they? Even if you were a non-believer and spoke the words, without belief they are just empty words. So what's the harm in that? If you don't want to believe, just close your ears!

If they want to separate church and state, then why do they make you swear on a BIBLE when you sit in the witness stand in court? You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you WHO? Yep, that's right. So help you God!

Why do you have to get a marriage license and pay marriage taxes (which are all related to the government) when marriage is a RELIGIOUS event??

I just don't get it.

Perhaps we'd all be in a better place if everyone would've listened to Ben Franklin in 1787 when he said at the Constitutional Convention:

" I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and it's blessing on our deliberations, be held in the Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this ciry be requested to officiate in that service."

Another head-scratcher for me is this: If the urge to separate church and state is so strong, then why does the President need a spiritual advisor? Couldn't he just call Miss Cleo??

Ok, sorry for the rant... I feel much better now. ::cleansing breath::

For all interested parties, I am currently hanging out in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We are scheduled for two gigs this weekend and three next week. We then leave for our six-week tour, which isn't long enough if you ask me! We will be headed to the wonderful states of Nevada and New Mexico. I will attempt to update daily to give you the lowdown on road life. Till then...

Keith

And so it begins...

2004-10-07T16:18:00.000-05:00

My "virgin" post on my very own blog, can you feel the excitement?? I'm as giddy as a little schoolgirl (well, okay.. not THAT giddy, but you get the point).

I'm not sure what to write about so I suppose I'll just rant about how frustrating it is to try and make changes to this page when I don't know JACK about HTML code.

I wish that Blogger would have a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get), type of editor for the whole page instead of just the post section. I'd love to change things like my background and everything and be able to see the changes right away. Not having to know all those crazy combinations of letters and numbers would help too. I'm getting flashbacks of Algebra class... wait, I only made it to Pre-Algebra... umm.. well, okay.. whatever, you get the point!

If ANYONE is good at this junk or knows of a shortcut for me, PLEASE help!

I suppose that's it for this post. I'll try to make the next few a little more interesting.

Hasta la pasta...

Keith

At last, my time has come to enter cyberspace!

2004-10-05T18:22:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody!

After dragging my feet for awhile, I finally decided to start my own blog. Now all of my family and friends (and maybe even some enemies) can keep up with all of the comings and goings of my life on the road. You'll be able to see my current playing schedule, as well as some pictures from the road, and maybe even listen to some sound bytes.

For those who don't know, I am currently performing as drummer/vocalist for David St. Romain. He is based out of Louisiana and seems to have a pretty good shot at "making it".

I'm going to post this now, and then begin my rhythmic ramblings in another post, so as not to confuse our new readers (aren't I nice??). Catch you on the flip side!

Less Than Three*,
Keith

*For info on this, click here