As many have developed new habits, good and bad, during the pandemic era, I dove into writing fiction. Since childhood, I have dreamed of working as a writer, a novelist. Over the years, I had written several short stories and three-page vignettes, but never anything more than a few thousand words. Once I began the process of putting together full-length stories, I … [Read more...]
Asleep at the Audition
In March 1980, I took a trip to visit friends in Colorado. Pat Sheeran and Joanie Howland in Cortez, Tom Simpson in Denver, and my long-time musical collaborator Sharon Archambeau (aka Shar, Sher) in Denver. Shar was booked to open for Asleep at the Wheel in Vail, and she invited me to join her on the trip as well to accompany her on the piano at her show. My … [Read more...]
Mr Easy
Earl Haynes (1929-2011) was a jazz guitarist, an entertaining storyteller, and an all-around good-time chum to everyone he met. I had the good fortune to become a close friend, and to play in several bands and combos with Earl through his last couple decades. Earl Haynes enjoyed playing music most of all, but he was also quite fond of drinking Budweiser and swapping … [Read more...]
New Releases
In January, I went into Michael Crittenden's Mackinaw Harvest Studios in Grand Rapids to record a few songs. Kyle Rasche helped out with some backing vocals, Michael "The Colonel" played everything except my piano and vocals. We recorded four songs, "Piano Man Blues," "Vampires," "I Wish I Never (Junkie's Blues)" and "You Walked Away." I recently released Piano Man … [Read more...]
Arkansas
Late in 2014, I had a dream that I called my friend Larry McCray on the phone. Larry answered and told me he was in the middle of a rehearsal. In my dream, Larry was singing a song..."I was born in Arkansas, feedin' hogs and bailin' straw.." In my dream, I thought, "Damn, I wish I had written THAT song!" I woke startled, jumped up and wrote the first draft lyric for … [Read more...]
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