Live Version of "Fortunate" up on Myspace

Check out a live track from my weekend in Port Aransas for the Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines workshop last month...we did a show that weekend and my tune was "Fortunate." That's Lloyd doing the introduction. Hear it on Myspace, yo! (And if you dig the tune, probably my favorite version so far is on Youtube with Susan Gibson and Marian Brackney jammin' along at Artz Ribhouse in Austin). (And if you really, really dig the tune...get your copy of The Early Year. Woot!)

Yay KUT!

All kinds of fun things happening today! We just had a great hang with some friends over Thai food at Madam Mam's -- red curry for me, always. They do tofu right there. Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines were on KUT's Folkways program this afternoon and were kind enough to give a jpo shoutout. Thanks, kids! That was neat. Check out the KUT site - Susan Gibson will be on this Thursday. I have a little bet with her involving her saying something on air. If she does it, I clean her van windows. The game is on. (And they used my photo from our Very Large Array trip!)

"So Long" is Up on Myspace

One of the cool things about the Life's A Song Workshop this month was recording a demo with Lloyd Maines. He's kind of one of my favorite guitarists ever. And steel guitarists. And whatever else he can pluck that has strings. In addition to being brilliant, he's a nice guy. I was nervous for about 45 seconds when we were about to record ("I'minastudiorecordingwithLloydMaaaaaaaaines!"), but he was chill and put all of us workshoppers at ease. So the product is a demo of So Long...streaming on Myspace right this minute.

New Mexico Boy Live in...New Mexico.

Live at the Santa Fe Brewing Company...for your listening (I hope) pleasure. Susan Gibson sings, too. Thank you, Ms. G! It's always nice to hear 2 voices instead of one, I think. That's why Simon and Garfunkle do so well with the kids these days.

Tools of the Trade: no more guitars?

I managed this shot with hours of set up. Actually, it was an accident, but we like it. The New York Times just published an article about guitar makers and how it is increasingly difficult for them to find wood to make the instruments so many of us rely on to make our way in the world. (Link: Saving Trees Is Music To Guitar Makers' Ears) Both C.F. Martin and Bob Taylor are interviewed...and since I play a Martin and a Taylor (one day I'll post about how certain enthusiasts would have me beaten for doing so), I am of course proud that these two luthiers are congnizant of the issue and making moves to improve the situation before we're all plunking around on wash tubs with broom handles (not that there's anything wrong with that). Even more interestingly, they've been talking to Greenpeace to try and raise awareness and find solutions. Totally better than just hoarding Brazilian rosewood in the basement until the nuclear winter is over, much like I am doing with Red Velvet Bingles. (Don't come knocking on my door when there's a Bingles shortage and you can't even get them at the Sack 'n Pack!) Here's a podcast my business partner J was part of during his time on a Greenpeace mission in Europe...they did all kinds of cool stuff, including see U2 in Amsterdam. J would tell you he did all kinds of ACTUAL useful, environment-saving stuff, which is great...but he saw frickin' U2 in AMSTERDAM. That is kick butt. Podcast Part One Podcast Part Two