In October 2022, Crazy Chestur spent a few days in Grand Rapids recording our new album 5X5. Producer Michael 'The Colonel' Crittenden led the guys through five tracks, three originals and two covers. Aside from recent addition, 'Drink Drank Drunk,' all these songs have become fan favorites at live shows. We had a little help on backing vocals from Kyle Rasche and The … [Read more...]
My Three Novels
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...]