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!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Come Fly With Me - Part 2
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!!
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...
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!!
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!!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Melancholy Blues
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...
KT
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Welcome Back My Friends...
“… 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…
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…
Monday, September 11, 2006
Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning...
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...
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...
Thursday, April 20, 2006
The Waiting...
".. 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!!
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!!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
That'll Be The Day...
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!
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