Doug Spears: Blog

Well, here I am and if you're not then you're there I suppose. For
those of you unfortunate not to be attending this special wildfire
induced fall version of the Florida Folk Festival it is truly awesome.
The weather during the day is very comfortable (70's) with high clear
blue skies and gentle breezes. The nights grow quickly nippy,
dropping into the 50's. The tent campers are whining just a little,
but their joy over the evening campfires is making up for it. Paul
Garfinkle of The Ashley Gang in their opening set at The Amphitheater
last night dubbed it "The Florida Frost Festival." Well, no frost
really, but you get the picture.

I didn't get what I'd call my favorite stage times this year –
yesterday 10 a.m. to open the Song & Story stage and today at 10:20 on
the Ann Thomas River Gazebo right behind Frank. I guess Elaine or
whoever the schedule master was figured old guys are up early anyway,
but I've got some news. We old guys may be up early but its only
because of certain biological necessities – then we go back to bed!!
And, our fingers don't really start working until noon. Oh well,
Sunday I have a 4 p.m. set on the Azalea stage, so that's a good one.

The good news is that the sound on the Song & Story stage is handled
by Tom Ellis, et al and the stage itself is run by Bill Messer. So I
had exceptional sound (unlike some of the other stages I heard) and
was in great hands. And, cool as it was I had a nice little crowd as
well, to my surprise actually. I played the new tune, Hemingway's
Hurricane, to excellent response, which was a little risky since I was
still tweaking the lyrics, etc. just before getting on stage!

Heard some terrific music through out the afternoon and evening.
Stand outs were M.T. Pawkets (with Katie Bailey-Waller subbing in
quite capably on fiddle for Jonathon), The Ashley Gang (sans Norm
McDonald and Mrs. Garfinkle, so it was just a trio last night), Willie
Green (though the sound mix was sub par and the cool air was really
creating serious tuning issues for him) and, as you might guess, Sam
Pacetti who, though seemingly a little blasé about the show, was the
exceptional guitar wizard we've come to expect.

Well, that's enough for a first day summary. I'm fixin' to get ready
to get started getting' packed up to head over for my sunrise set (Ok,
so I'm exaggerating) on the River Gazebo. More to come.

Well, it's been too long between postings here. I'm currently at the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs for the next three days and I'll try to keep you updated. Usually held on Memorial Day weekend in May, the festival was postponed this year due to wildfires burning very close to the festival site. So, Veterans Day weekend was the alternate. It starts this morning and the weather is BEAUTIFUL! Instead of the blazing hot (no pun intended - really) temps of the usual May date, it's cool, crisp and clear. Should make tuning quite interesting. I'll let you know more later.

In the meantime, I've got a new song and I thought I'd share the lyrics and The Story Behind the Song.

A powerful late summer hurricane is tracked for several days before it makes landfall on a southern U.S. coastline. Inexplicably, government officials fail to set an evacuation plan in motion until it is too late. Those who are able escape, but the have-nots are left behind. Roaring ashore with 200 mph winds and a 22-foot storm surge, the storm overwhelms low-lying areas. Hundreds die.

You might think I'm describing Hurricane Katrina, but I'm not. I'm talking about the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 that struck the Florida Keys seventy years to the week before Katrina. More than 250 of the 400-plus victims of that earlier storm were World War I veterans who had been sent to the Keys by the Roosevelt administration to build a highway to Key West. A relief train stood by in Miami to evacuate the men in the event of a hurricane's approach, but by the time government officials called for it, it was too late.
They were the forgotten members of the Lost Generation, traumatized veterans of the Great War, WWI who grasped for one last chance at redemption under Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Six hundred of them were shuffled off to the Florida Keys to build the Overseas Highway to Key West. On Labor Day weekend 1935, the most intense hurricane ever to strike the U.S. took aim on their flimsy shacks, and the two men responsible for evacuating the veterans from harm's way waited too long.

After the storm, Ernest Hemingway took his boat from his home in Key West to aid the veterans in the Upper Keys but he found few survivors on the wreckage. His public cries of outrage bound him forever to the storm. Outraged by the needless deaths, novelist and Key West resident he initiated a public outcry that led ultimately to Congressional hearings, which were widely condemned as a whitewash. Hemingway published a vehement protest essay in New Masses, a communist journal, and it was one factor landing him on the FBI's watch list years later.

(The foregoing taken from The Publishers Notes and a Review of Phil Scott's book, Hemingway's Hurricane, Ragged Mountain Press 2006)

After Katrina, many songs were written about the failure of the government officals to act responsibly and I was looking for a different perspective. I found this one right here at home. As we all should know by now, those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it and 70 years after the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 hostory repeated itself with a vengence in New Orleans. Interestingly, Katrina was only the third strongest hurricane to hit the US in the 20th century - the Labor Day Storm of 1935 was the strongest. So, here's the song, Hemingway's Hurricane - let me know what you think.
Hemingway's Hurricane
©2007 Doug Spears

Labor Day, '35,
Pressure falling, rising tide,
South by southeast, great wind with no name
Remembered as Hemingway's hurricane,
Remembered as Hemingway's hurricane.

Doughboys who fought World War I,
Hard times upon them, Depression brung,
New Deal jobs in the Florida Keys,
Highway to build, the Overseas,
Highway to build, the Overseas.

Now who left you there and who knows why,
Old Papa demands with a firey eye,
Careless or callous, no less blame,
After three score and and ten relive the shame,
And remember Hemingway's hurricane.

Send down the train she's starting to blow,
Too little too late no where to go,
Shacks and shanties, plywood and tin,
Oh Lord watch over the souls of these men,
Oh Lord watch over the souls of these men.

Now who left you there, who knows why,
Old Papa demands with a firey eye,
Careless or callous, no less blame,
After three score and and ten relive the shame,
And remember Hemingway's hurricane.

Labor Day, '35,
Pressure falling, rising tide,
South by southeast, great wind with no name
Remembered as Hemmingway's hurricane,
Remember Hemingway's hurricane.

Well, I’m in Brunswick, Ga. tonight and tomorrow I’ll be back on Florida soil for the first time since Friday, July 13th. I’ve traveled over 3,000 miles, touched the soil of nine different states, played 9 shows and spent 5 wonderful days working with some unbelievable songwriters and guitarists at The Gathering in North Carolina. I met many, many truly wonderful people, discovered an interesting little town in West Virginia and made many new friends. It’s been an indescribable, pleasure-filled three weeks.

The Swannanoa Gathering takes place each year in North Carolina on the campus of Warren Wilson College just outside of Asheville. It is 5 weeks long split up into various instruments and styles (including old time, fiddle, guitar, etc.). This past week was focused on contemporary folk and guitar. Seminars on various types and styles of guitar work, song writing, performance, etc. occur each day from 9 to 5 followed by concerts, open mics, song swaps and jam sessions to the wee hours of the morning. The real problem is that there is far too much to learn and do.

I spent my time in a guitar class with Brooks Williams (http://www.brookswilliams.com/) learning how to use various chord form and structures to give more color and variety to songs and arrangements. It could easily have been a 3 hour per day course by itself - fantastic! I also worked with Cliff Eberhart (http://www.cliffeberhardt.net/) looking at melodies, their structure and what makes them interesting - again, a magnificent course that could have been a retreat all by itself. And I worked separately with two superb songwriters, Kate Campbell (http://www.katecampbell.com/) and Tom Kimmel (http://www.tomkimmel.com/) and examined different perspectives of the craft of song writing, as well as methods, tools and resources. These sessions included specific song evaluations and critique. Again, tremendously fascinating.

After 5 days of pretty intense study and work (plus night time activities) I’m exhausted. I’m ready to get home and see Judy, but I have to admit that, given my druthers, I’d just do some laundry, spend a night in my own bed, pack some bags for Judy and take her back out on the road with me. And, that’s almost what’s happening. I was notified this week that I’ve been selected as one of six finalists in the Avalon Music and Arts Festival Rising Star Competition which will be held next weekend in Paw Paw, West Virginia. So, Judy and I fly out early Friday morning so I can perform that afternoon and enjoy the festival weekend. The six finalists all receive some nice prizes and the winner from those six will get some additional cash, a set on Saturday and an invitation to return as a booked performer in 2008 - Wish me luck!

Hope to see you soon!

Thursday, July 26th

Wandered down out of Thomas along Highway 219 to where it intersects Highway 33 at Elkins. Twisting, winding mountain road and very scenic. Its amusing to a flatlander like me to see signs warning “55 MPH Radar Enforced.” Hell, I can’t bring myself to get the speed over 40 most of the time given the curves and turns, sometimes hairpins doubling back in the opposite direction. But, sure enough, I look in the rearview mirror and I see a stack of 4 to six cars waiting anxiously for a straight stretch so they can blow past me. No wonder Nascar is so big up here! There is definitely LeMans talent here on these mountain roads.

Elkins is a pretty little community. I jumped off for a minute to look around and refuel when I saw a sign for gas under $3. An artsy kind of town with a small college, art shops along main street, little cafe’s, etc. Might be a nice place to live.

Next town was Buckhannon and I started to pass on by, but something just seemed to pull me back. I dropped off 33 and meandered around downtown for minute or two and it literally jsut seemed like home. Real small town America main street, brick buildings, Courthouse with clock tower kind of place. There was a little mom and pop hotel just off main street and I checked in. I’m only about 1 ½ hours from Charleston here so I think I’ll camp out here for two nights (the room rate is great and the room is very comfortable) and check this place out in more detail.

Had a bite to eat (and a drink or three) at a little place call Allbughers on Main Street. Russ, the new manager and, as it turns out, a bass player, filled me in on the area – he’s a WV native and his family has had property around Buckhannon for generations. And, they had some live music later in the evening – a blues guitar player with a harmonica accompanying. Not bad, but a little too “electric” and techno for my taste. I gave Russ a couple of CD’s – next time through who knows?

Friday, July 27th

Spent the day scoping out the area. Went over to West Virginia Wesleyan College and down to the Buckhannon River. Then south out of town out into the farmlands and hill country. Overcast, rainy and beautiful. Circled around back through town and went over to Weston. Another nice little town, but not the same feel as Buckhannon. Then wandered out along Stonecoal Creek to Stonecoal Lake - not a soul out there, so peaceful.

Went back to the room, practiced a bit, took a little nap and then walked downtown to get some supper. I’ll hate to leave this little town tomorrow.

Saturday, July 28th

Back on the road again. Rolled into Charleston at 1 pm and was lucky that my room was ready for early check-in. Realized something bad on the way over here - it looks like I left my three way guitar stand at the Purple Fiddle, SHOOT! Guess I can get them to mail it to me, but it’ll be a pain tonight without it. Even thinking about going to pick up a substitute - there’s a guitar store close by. Went ahead and re-strung. I want to go set up early at around 3:30 pm so I can shower and relax a while before the show. And, I’m interested to check out the space.

Got to BK a little before 3:30. Herb, the general manager, was there to greet me and make the necessary arrangements for me to set up. The room is very nice. Again, high, stamped tin ceilings, wood floors and brick walls. And the staff is very accommodating. I got set up, had a bite to eat and headed back to shower and get ready to go.

By 6:30 pm the house is packed. However, they aren’t there for the music, but rather the food, which I can tell you is quite good. Consequently, the room is very, very noisy and not what I’m used to playing. I have no opportunity to connect with the audience and introduce songs - at all - believe me I tried. I rolled with it, played things at low key (even when there would typically be more energy) and made the best of it. It wasn’t that no one was listening - the response was actually quite good and sold some CD’s.. But it was listening with only one ear and not my favorite atmosphere to present my material. Nevertheless, it was a profitable night $$ wise. And, Bobbie Watson’s niece, Beverly, and a friend came by to actually listen. Great meeting them. While I really like the room, it really needs to evolve more towards being a true music venue before I’d be anxious to come back. However, if you’re ever in Charleston you should check the Bluegrass Kitchen out - great food and a generous, wonderful staff

So, running out of gas rapidly and ready to get some shut eye. Tomorrow, on to Asheville, NC and the Swannanoa Gathering.

Notes from the Road - The Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV

Tuesday, July 24th

Onward. Out of Columbus I headed south-southeast dropping down into West Virginia at Parkersville. I’m surprised at how much I’m enjoying the driving. As I mentioned, I’m breaking it up into smaller chunks so that I never drive more than 4 hours in any given day (a recommendation from a veteran of the road, Diedre McCalla). I kept off the Interstates and stuck to highways that took me through beautiful farms and woodlands. Saw hawks and falcons soaring, deer alongside the roads and more corn and maze than you can shake a stick at. Decided that Clarksburg WV was a good stopping point and got a cheap room for the night.

Wednesday, July 25th

The drive from Clarksburg to Thomas (a little under two hours) was awesome. Winding, twisting mountain roads along streams and across rivers. Truly gorgeous and a bit of rural Americana. Kept passing little out in the middle of nowhere road side bars and was sorely tempted to stop – maybe on the days between The Purple Fiddle and the Bluegrass Kitchen down in Charleston.

Thomas is a tiny little town - barely shows up on the maps. If I had to guess I’d say there’s less than 5,000 people that live here - maybe a lot less. However, it is building a reputation as a tourist area and, in the winter, is a ski destination. Here in the summer season it’s quiet relaxation and the cool mountain air that provide the draw.

The Purple Fiddle itself is a treasure! If you try to imagine a Cracker Barrel restaurant that really is rustic and quaint, instead of just pretending to be, you’d be on the right track. Hundred plus year old architecture and wood work, quirky nicknacks and decor, mismatched tables, chairs, couches, church pews, school seats, all under a high stamped tin ceiling and wood floors. The room would probably not hold more than 60 seated without rearranging things a bit. It has a full, professional, raised stage with sound at the back of the room. John, the owner, runs sound - excellent.

The Purple Fiddle is in a historic building that once was DePollo’s Store, built in 1915 and a local fixture from then until 1994. The purple Fiddle occupies the first floor of the three story brick building with the owners living overhead. It became the Purple Fiddle in 2002. The PF was recently written up in Goldenseal Magazine, an eight page spread. With live music 4 to 6 nights a week this is a folk and traditional music paradise, with some blues and country thrown in for good measure.

I got set up early, settled into the Fiddlers’ Roost B&B next door (part of “the deal”), practiced a little, had dinner at the PF (also part of “the deal”), did my sound check, showered and got ready to play at 8 pm. At 8 pm straight up there were exactly two people in the room that didn’t work there - NOT GOOD. Kip, one of the staff members, said “man, this is unreal. I’ve NEVER seen it this slow. Usually we have a dinner rush, but tonight . . . oh man, I’m sorry!” You see the cash part of “the deal” was based on the cover charge at the door, so no folks, no $$. So I drug my feet for a couple of minutes. At about 8:15 we had a “burst” of about 10 folks so we were up to an even dozen. I went ahead and kicked the show aff with “Annie’s Chairs” and followed it with “Thrift Shop.” Before those two tunes were done we had over 40 folks in the place. It was like someone dropped the flag and they poured in! Terrific listening crowd – this is a first rate room. Folks are mostly tourists in the area on vacation or on their way to somewhere else and the Fiddle is the place to be. What a GREAT middle of the week crowd! I really love this place.

Thanks so much to John, Michelle, Barbara, Kip and Mike for making this a real highlight of my summer tour. Now a couple of days off before Charleston and the Bluegrass Kitchen. Stay tuned.

Notes from the Road - Rumba Café, Columbus, Ohio

Monday, July 23rd

Rolled into Columbus at about 2 pm. Something I’ve noticed about the cities north of the Mason-Dixon: while they have just as many billboards as we do, their signage off the interstate is harder to see. I don’t know if its sign ordinances, the rolling terrain or what, but you get off the highway, drive sown a side street that does not look anything like a place where a hotel would be and then all of sudden BOOM, there it is. That happened here. I’m on a little narrow side street seemingly in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden there’s the Comfort Inn.

The gig at the Rumba Café has been difficult to schedule. I was originally to be part of Jason Quicksall’s Cowtown Songwriters’ Round on Thursday, July 19th, right after Johnson City, Tn. Then they shifted the night to Monday, July 23rd. Then a booking glitch changed it from a songwriters’ round to and evening of solo longer sets. I was initially booked to start at 9:30 followed by Victoria Vox at 11:00. Then Jason emailed me that Victoria need to go on at 9:30 and I’d be on late at around 1:00 am - yuck!! I told Jason that on a Monday night that sounded really bad to me (i.e., I have trouble staying up that late). So he switched me to 8 pm. Then when I showed up last night it turned out that the fourth act of the night had gotten stuck in NY due to airport delays and there would only be three of us (including Jason) performing. So, I ultimately went on at 9 pm -which was good because the Rumba has a little bit of a later evening crowd. Did you follow all of that? Welcome to the world of booking for a solo folk singer!!

The Rumba is another TERRIFIC fledgling music room. They host a wide variety of music 5-6 nights a week, but tend towards the folk, singer / songwriter, newgrass type artists. It is “U” shaped with the stage in one corner of the base of the U. Full lights, ceiling mounted sound, excellent stage monitors and a dedicated, enclosed, center of the room sound booth with engineer. Outstanding sound!! Pretty good crowd particularly for a Monday night, a little loud (not necessarily a listening room atmosphere, but they were hearing the music and responding) and great music all the way around. I played for an hour, followed by Victoria Vox (excellent - look her up on the net!) and then Jason Quicksall, our host and the local favorite and an terrific writer and performer. I’d love to come back to the Rumba - really a great room. If you are in the Columbus area please check it out and support what they are doing. They’ve not been open a year yet, still they are building a good following and working hard to establish themselves as a home for independent music in Columbus. Columbus is lucky to have this room!

Today, I drop back down into WV by way of Tn. - I’ll pass right through Johnson City again. Wednesday night I’m at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas. Victoria Vox was just there on Sunday and she says its really a wonderful place - looking forward to it!

Stay tuned.

Notes from the Road - Connections in Pittsburgh

Saturday, July 21st

Again, a nice drive over from York to Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania is a beautiful state and I’ve only seen a narrow corridor of it. I understand that the upper portions of the state are really breathtaking and wish I had more time to wander. Maybe when I get the motor home . . . .

Now I have to admit that my first impressions of Pittsburgh weren’t stellar. My borrowed GPS routed me south of the city to the West Miflin area where my hotel is located. There are some pretty tattered looking areas that I came through to get where I was going. And, my first impression of Connections wasn’t much better. A bright blue building that sinks below street level with little signage to identify it in an old area of Pittsburgh in between the campuses of Pitt U and Carnegie-Mellon. I could only peek through the edges of shaded windows to the dark interior (it wasn’t open yet) and saw nothing inside to lead me to believe that this was going to be much of a show. I could not have been more wrong.

When I came back at around 6:00 pm to set up I found a truly exceptional music room. John and Esther were there and had set up their first rate sound system on the raised, spacious stage. The high, open structure ceiling offered terrific acoustics to a very comfortable room with tables, chairs, couches and upholstered arm chairs which, with folding seating (also available) could hold 120 easily. The room is provided and maintained by The New Hope Church (an independent, progressive congregation) and during the week provides a comfortable study and gathering space for students of Pitt and Carnegie-Mellon. They offer their wall space, which is substantial and appropriately lit, to local artists to display their work. They have focused their first year on the physical aspects of the space (doing a truly first rate job I might add) and are now in the process of building the weekend music program. Greg Voss is the man in charge, ably assisted by volunteers like David who video taped an interview with me before the show and recorded a pod cast which will be posted on the net in the future. Another volunteer, Ryan, manned the full coffee and snack bar in the back of the room behind the stage.

The music program is still in its early stages and has not yet built a consistent following. Consequently, the crowd for the show was small, but wonderfully attentive and appreciative. From my involvement over the years with building concert programs and small venues like this, I am well aware of the time and commitment it takes to find the right promotional avenues to produce the attendance necessary to support this type of venue long term. Greg Voss and his staff are committed and I know they are going to see the fruits of their labors very soon. I would welcome the opportunity to come back and play this room again.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area please check out Connections at 3495 Bates Street - South Oakland - 412.621.6760. They are on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/connectionscoffee and on the web at http://connections.hopepage.org/Welcome.html. As I mentioned, Greg Voss is the main man here. You can reach him by email at gvoss76@comcast.net and by phone at 412-621-6760. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CONNECTIONS!!!

Sunday, July 22nd

I’m going to wander towards Columbus, Ohio today - maybe stop in Wheeling, WV and find a cheap room with laundry facilities. I’ve got a week of dirty clothes to take care of. Ahhhh, the glamour of the road!

Notes from the Road - Beyond Coffee - York, PA

Friday, July 20th

The drive from Harrisonburg, Va. to York, Pa. was very beautiful and interesting. Rolling farm land, historic landmarks, grain silos, rivers (including the Potomac), picturesque streams and more. The roads took me through Virginia, the peninsula of West Virginia, Maryland and then into Pa. I borrowed a Garmin GPS unit for this trip (a very neat little accessory) and it routed me through Gettysburg about 50 miles southwest of York. I stopped and walked a part of the battlefield looking at the markers and historic monuments. I was surprised how much it affected me. After so many years of reading and studying the Civil War I felt a deep, solemn reverence for where I was and what had happened there in July of 1863. It almost seemed obscene to me that tour buses and hucksters were patrolling the roads through the park profiteering off the blood of our ancestors. I guess I’m just a curmudgeon, but it seems to me that given the price that was paid by our ancestors, all of them both North and South, we owe them the honor and respect of getting off our fat behinds and walking this ground (the very aged and handicapped excepted, of course) to absorb the magnitude of their sacrifice. The nature of that war and the manner in which it was fought had a profound impact on who we are today. It shouldn’t be just another tourist attraction. Ok, enough preaching.

York is an interesting place - the home of “York Peppermint Patties” and York fitness equipment (barbells, etc.). I understand that there are less than 100,000 within the city itself, but has a larger suburban population.

Beyond Coffee West is a free standing coffeehouse in West York of of Highway 74. It is relatively small, seating for about 25 - 30. My host Janice and the lovely Barista, Erin, were exceptionally gracious. Terrific coffee, sandwiches and treats. And a great burgeoning music venue - packed house and you could have heard a pin drop throughout the entire show. There’s plenty of parking and, if you are in the York area and missed this show, make sure you catch one of their live music nights - great little room! Thanks Dana for booking it an dhope to make a swing through again down the road.

Tomorrow night, Connections in Pittsburgh (Oakland area). Stay tuned.

Notes from the Road - Acoustic Coffeehouse, Johnson City, TN.

Wednesday, July 18th

The drive from Nashville was uneventful - between 4 and 4 ½ hours. A little tiring. Before I got to Johnson City I rolled over 1000 miles so far on this trip. I didn’t get started form Nashville quite as early as I had planned, plus I lost an hour as I headed east. Got into Johnson City, checked into my hotel and then headed over to the coffeehouse to grab an early dinner (part of the deal). They have a light menu of sandwiches and appetizers - pretty good.

The Acoustic Coffeehouse is two buildings side by side. One side is the café’ / beer bar area where they have performances, open mics, etc. There is indoor seating for about 50 and outdoor seating front and back with outdoor speakers to carry to the music out. There is room outside for, literally, an unlimited number of folks. The other side is a pure performance studio with stage, lights, etc. It seats around 100 and has great paneling and art on the walls.

I had my choice of which side to perform in, but since this was my first time through, had only a dozen or so folks coming to the show from my mailing list and since the music from that room does not go to the rest of the house or outside I felt like I might have trouble getting a crowd in there. So, despite the traffic in the café’ area I opted for that – an was glad I did. This little place does a whopping business on Wednesday nights - easily over 100 folks there inside and out. All seats inside remained full throughout the evening. While it was a bit noisy at times, the crowd responded particularly well. The tip jar and CD sales said they enjoyed the music and I’m looking forward to going back soon.

The Acoustic Coffeehouse is a textbook “eclectic” music venue. Johnson City itself sits in the far northeast corner of Tennessee, about an hour northwest of Asheville, NC and just a couple of miles from the Va. state line. It’s a beautiful area and everyone I talked to loves living there. In fact, it is one of the friendliest places I’ve been - everyone so anxious to help and treating you like a long lost friend.

Special thanks to Jim Benelisha and Indie, my hosts and to MySpace friends Ann, Laurie, Kathy and Daryl who came out for the show and brought their friends, family, etc. I finished up a little after 10 pm and then sat with new friends for a beer or two (excellent, wide selection of draft and bottles) before packing it in - Newcastle draft, excellent!

Thursday, July 19th

Another 4 hour drive over to Harrisonburg, Va. That’ll leave me just three hours tomorrow up to York, PA. This was a beautiful drive out through the rolling hills of Virginia from Bristol, through Roanoke, Lexington, etc. Harrisonburg is in the Shennandoah Valley. History all along the way. Enjoying the day off. Need to restring guitars tonight and practice a bit. Lots of song ideas cooking. Next, Beyond Coffee in York, PA.

Notes from the Road - Nashville, Tn.

Sunday, July 15th

I got into Nashville at about 1 pm local time (picked up an hour headed west). I’m staying right at the start of music row on Demonbreun (good luck pronouncing that). I’m going to be here for three days, so I settled in.

I went to the Bluebird from 6:30 to 9:00. It’s a really a special place. Sunday was what they call "songwriters' night" which seems redundant since that's what the place is all about. Folks from all over the country (literally - one guy was from Salt Lake City) come to auditions once every couple of months and, if selected, they come back to play on a Sunday songwriters' night (just three songs) sometime in the next 6 to 18 months. If they are well received they can then get booked, maybe, to come back for an afternoon show during the week (4 pm), be in a "songwriters' in the round" night, etc.

I walked in at a little after 6 pm - standing room only!! I got lucky and got a single seat back by the sound guy which is always the best spot sound-wise in the room. On a Sunday night for unknown songwriters (not even a list published) the crowd was unbelievable. At precisely 6:30 the lights dimmed slightly and the place went tomb quiet for the "feature" act - a Nashville country writer with his band. They were good, but loud and you couldn't hear the words very well. They were really mostly about the lead guitar, the bass and the drums, the energy which were very good. They played for 45 mins. then there was a break while they cleared out and they got ready for the songwriters.

The songwriters play three songs each and I stayed for the first 6. They go until 1 am and I was just too tired. Heard some good material and some interesting styles. I talked to the bartender (who's also a songwriter - imagine that) about the open mic on Monday. He said my chances of getting to play tomorrow night are very slim. They go on a "draw out of the hat" system, so I don't have to be there early. But, because they always have too many show up, if you've been there before and didn't get to play you get priority the next time you show up. So, first timers rarely get to play. We'll see - at least I'll get my "priority" ticket for my next trip through (perhaps on my way to Memphis next February for Folk Alliance).

I also dropped by a place close to the hotel here that has a Sunday open mic (The Hall of Fame Lounge), but it was a bit dismal - no one there, smokey bar, some teenager punk rocker types on stage fumbling around like they were lost -- I'd rather get some sleep. So I crashed.

I have to admit that being here is energizing (songwriting / music wise). I can imagine make periodic trips here for a couple of days at a time. We’ll see.

Monday, July 16th

The new CD’s arrived!! Break Some Stones is in hand! The Digipaks look great. ORDER YOURS NOW on my website and I cover the postage.

Arrived at the Bluebird Café at about 5:25. I wasn’t worried about getting there early since it’s a lottery drawing anyway. Mistake! The line was incredible, well over a hundred folks. It was hot and by the time I got inside, no seats, no standing room, nada. Sixty-three, that’s 6 freakin’ 3, songwriters showed up to play in a max of 32 to 35 slots on one song each. In the words of the younger generation - Ohmygawd. The only place I could stand out of the way of the waitresses was in front of the door to the restrooms. Apparently that’s not unusual since they have a ceiling mirror angled specifically to allow that area to see the stage! I met, personally, everyone who had to “make water” for about 45 minutes there. I hope they all washed their hands because there was no getting by without touching.

So, I didn’t get to play, got my stamp for a guaranteed spot the next time I come and hauled butt. I went over to Lyrix Music Bar & Café’ for another open mic. Lyrix has been around about 14 months and is building a week long live music presence. Tanya the owner, Tammy the bartender and Jack Scott the host of the open mic could not have been nicer - great folks, great location, etc. But, a major difference from the Bluebird is the audience. Lots of folks, but NOT a courteous listening crowd. On Mondays Lyrix have songwriters’ night from 7 to 10 and then an open mic following. This was definitely the type of songwriters night where each songwriter gets as many of his / her friends to attend as possible. These friends drink, talk and laugh throughout everyone’s performance, including the one they came to support, and then leave the minute their friend is off stage (unless, of course, they stand in front of the stage and rudely schmooz with their friend while the next act is trying to present their material. I really like Lyrix in terms of the room, location, staff, etc. But, if they don’t control the crowd and make it a listening room they will never be an alternative to the Bluebird for serious performing songwriters. It may be different on other nights, but Monday was not good.

I played my two songs at Lyrix and then headed back to my hotel. While I was in line at the Bluebird someone came up and handed me a flyer for an open mic at The Hall of Fame Lounge (where I stopped by briefly last night, but did not stay) and, since it is literally next door to my hotel I stopped to check it out. As it turned out it was being run by Bob Lever, originally from the St. Pete area and a MySpace friend of mine, and I got on the list as the last player. Very small, but exceptionally attentive and appreciative crowd composed mostly of other writers and industry folks. After it closed down we all sat around the bar and continued to swap tunes for a bit (as well as swapping business cards, etc.) for another hour or so, then back to the hotel.

Disappointed, but not surprised, not to get to play at the Bluebird, but all in all a good night. Yawwwwnnnnn . . . . ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Tuesday, July 17th

Took a walk this morning from my hotel down Broadway to the river, along the waterfront and back. Great architecture and history here - very interesting just looking around. Got me thinking about a song - “There’s something about this town . . .”

I’ve called in and gotten on the list to play the songwriters’ night at Douglas Corner Café tonight. The PR stuff in the city guides say “Douglas Corner Cafe is one of Nashville's most respected venues for live music, 6 nights a week! Established acts, top writers and a wide array of musical styles makes Douglas Corner Café’ a favorite among locals and visitors alike.” We’ll see.

[Hours Later] Well, they were right. What a great place! This is a songwriters’ hang out of the best kind. Respectful, attentive and very appreciative audience, great stage, lights and sound and wonderful staff. Met some great folks and made some great contacts. For the pickers / writers among you who might wander through Nashville and want to play this songwriters’ night, a little tip. The website tells you to call a number starting at 2 pm and a message machine takes your name. You play in the order that messages are received. I had already been told that if I didn’t call by 2:10 the line up would be full. I got through at 2:02 and I was 23rd on the list!!! The fella that runs it, Donnie Winters, confided in me that the line actually opens up earlier at around 1:30. So, start dialing early and often. Otherwise, you’ll be towards the end of the evening like me.

Nevertheless, many folks stick around for the whole show here. Unlike most open mic type events where each player gets up individually, this one is done “in the round” style. Four writers get up at a time and set up at four separate mics. You then play your songs “round robin.” It was a great format and made things move along a little quicker. Really loved this place and, judging from the response from the folks in charge, there’s a good chance I’ll be coming back for a songwriters’ round, showcase or something similar. Excellent night.

Gotta get some sleep and head out to Johnson City tomorrow for my show at the Acoustic Coffeehouse there. It’s about a 4 ½ hour drive so I don’t want to start too late. G’nite!

Notes from the Road - Atlanta, Lena’s Place Coffeehouse

Here is the start of my running diary of the next three weeks on the road. I’ll try to write a little every day though I’ll only post the day after each show - no sense in clogging the boards with too much drivel!

Friday, July 13th -

Fortunately I’m not the superstitious type so starting out on a Friday the 13th did not daunt me. While I did note a series of irritating little snafus that delayed me getting on the road, I’ve planned my trip schedule out so that I don’t drive more than four hours in any day. Don’t know if that negates “road warrior” status, but I want to keep this fun!

So, I’m in Valdosta for the first night. The drive was really nice. I had a connection installed in my car so that I can listen to my iPod directly through my car stereo (not the FM broadcast thing, but a real direct connection). I let it surf randomly through the more than 850 songs I have on there. Heard some great Greg Brown, James McMurtry, Cheryl Wheeler, David Wilcox, Mickey Newbury, Todd Snider, Steve Blackwell, Amy Carol Webb, Johnsmith, Tom Kimmel, Nanci Griffith, Tom Prasado-Rao, Steve Gillete, Ann Hills - and that’s just the ones I remember sitting here now. I resisted the iPod thing for a long time, but I must admit its pretty cool.

Tomorrow night, Lena’s Place Coffeehouse in Atlanta. G’night.

Saturday, July 14th

Believe it or not it’s cooler her in “Hot-lanta” than it is back home. The traffic on I-75 and I-85 (or 285 or 475 or 675 . . . oh, whatever) was a real treat. Two serious wrecks and back ups at every interchange (even on a Saturday) turned a three hour drive into a 4 ½ hour trek. But, that’s one reason why I’ve left myself reasonably short drives. Imagine if a planned 7 hour drive turned into a 10! I’d be climbing out of the car right at show time. Planning does pay.

Lena’s Place Coffeehouse is a monthly acoustic music series run by the Central Congregational U.C.C. Church and has been going strong since 1984. They provide a terrific sound system and engineer in their fellowship hall and all the comforts of home with coffee and homemade treats. It’s very similar to the Woodview Coffeehouse in Lecanto and as well attended. Sue Witty, a local Atlanta musician, started out the evening with her band and then turned the stage over to me. What a great listening group - so attentive and appreciative. What a treat! I love gigs where the crowd just becomes part of the show and when its all over spends time talking to you like old friends over CD sales and mailing list sign ups. Truly enjoyable and a great start to the tour. Since I don’t have the new CD’s in hand yet (UPS has them on the truck as I write this) I had folks fill out mailing labels and I will ship them in padded envelopes I brought with me as soon as I get the box delivered in Nashville Monday. That arrangement suited everyone just fine and I’m pleased to have a post office trip to make next week.

Tomorrow - on to Nashville

NEW CD RELEASE BY DOUG SPEARS COME OUT OF THE BLOCKS FAST WITH AMERICAN SONGWRITER MAGAZINE AWARD

Doug Spears' new 2007 release, "Break Some Stones", is coming out of the blocks fast. Just before its release in July 2007 its title track, "Break Some Stones", won the coveted American Songwriter Magazine Lyrics Contest and is published in the July / August issue of that leading publication. "Break Some Stones" is a "live in the studio" solo recording which features a straight on rendition of 14 great original songs.

Doug Spears is an Orlando, Fl. based performing songwriter whose acoustic music draws on elements of contemporary folk, Americana, bluegrass, country and folk rock. The result is a sound that is fresh and new, yet immediately familiar causing one reviewer to call it "retro contemporary, yet neo-traditional." His work combines vivid, lyrical images set to memorable melodies, delivered with a unique guitar style and powered by rich vocals often compared to John Denver.

Spears is no stranger to winning awards for his songwriting. In 2005 Doug released "Truths & Lies", a collection of 12 songs ranging from regional, historical pieces about Florida's past (including "Teppintine", "Steam Train" and "Banks of the Old St. John's") to insightful, personal pieces like "This Old House", "Mournful Eyes" and "It Must Be You." Very well received, "Truths & Lies" earned excellent reviews and songs included on that album earned numerous awards. “Banks of the Old St. Johns” won Florida’s Will McLean Award in 1997. “This Old House,” “Annie’s Chairs” and “Swimmin’ Against the Tide” earned Doug finalist slots in the 1998 and 2000 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriters’ Competition and the 2000 Suwannee Springfest Songwriters’ Competition. More recently, “A Mother’s Tears” earned top 20 finalist status in the AAA / Americana category of Unisong International’s 10th Annual Songwriting Contest for 2005-06, while another track, “Teppintine,” earned an Honorable Mention. Songwriter Universe Magazine selected “This Old House” for its “Top 5 songs of the Month” in January 2006.

In a land of transplants and transients, Doug Spears is a rare fourth generation Florida native. Born in Leesburg, Florida, his best childhood memories tie back to the farm house his grandfather built just west of Leesburg in the 1920's. He took up the guitar at age 12, learning on an old Gibson J-45 loaned to him by a family friend, and soon began writing his own songs heavily influenced by the wealth of songwriter poets of the time. Doug's songcraft has matured into the skillful painting of lyric portraits of complex characters, places and events, in both difficult and joyous circumstances, delivered with a deft and subtle touch.

Doug Spears will be touring throughout the U.S. in 2007 and 2008 to promote ”Break Some Stones”, starting with a three week tour in July and August 2007 that includes shows in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and North Carolina. His current schedule, links to purchase his CDs and booking contact information can be seen on his website at www.dougspearsmusic.com and on his MySpace site at www.myspace.com/dougspears.

Well, three terrific days over in the Tampa / Sarasota area are behind me now. It’s Sunday morning and Judy’s still sleeping. We’ll have an unhurried morning (for once) and then head back home to Orlando. What a great trip over here! So much fun and good friends – thanks so much for all of you that came out. The support and attention we received here was very special and much appreciated.

Ka’Tiki Thursday night was, as it always is, a wild, wonderful night of music and friendship. Pete Gallagher and Pat Barmore are terrific hosts and keep the deep spirit of the Bay area folk and acoustic music thriving under the big chickee over looking the Gulf, including the traditional musical tribute to the sunset. We had a big, very receptive crowd and I made a lot of new friends, reconnected with some old ones and had the privilege of sharing my music with them all. Thanks to Jak Kelley, Shelly Eckert, Lori Cherry, Ms. Goodie, Donnie Elliot (who I had not seen in many years), Annie, Fred, Dwayne Slayton, Michaela and so many others for coming out and making the evening such a treat. As an added bonus, Pete and Pat’s buddy, Robbie, was there drawing caricatures and did a couple of me – they don’t make me look like a cross between Brad Pitt and Travis Tritt as I had asked, but then that was a bit much to hope for. And, I was joined at the mic by a tremendous local harmonica player (whose name I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t get) for a rousing rendition of Steam Train as my finale number. Great night – thanks again Pete and Pat!

Friday morning Ally Smith and I were on WMNF with Bill Dudley for Live Music Showcase. We played tunes and chatted and I’ve already heard by email from many who listened in. WMNF’s studio is the most incredible live broadcast facility I’ve been privileged to play in. It’s a full sound, recording style studio set up that could easily accommodate a very large band, stage of the art gear and isolated control booth to insure the best possible live production. It really is an incredible resource for the Bay area music community. And, Bill Dudley, as always, is a most gracious and professional host. Thanks for having me on the air, Bill – hope we can do it again soon.

Friday night we headed to Safety Harbor for an evening at Taste on Main Street. This was my first time there and, honestly, I did not know what to expect. What a wonderful little place! The owners (and their immediate family) were all very enthusiastic, welcoming and accommodating. I wasn’t sure how I’d do drawing to this little café in Safety Harbor, but we packed the house! Thanks to my MySpace friend, Trish, who brought out her “blonde brigade”, Bruce (who, it turns out I was in college with and didn’t know it) and to Shelly, Tami, Paul, Richard and others who helped spread the word. As the evening progressed there was much rearranging of tables and chairs to accommodate everyone. What a treat to play for such an attentive crowd. Plus, the food there is outstanding! If you haven’t dropped in on Taste before please go check it out. There are many upcoming shows by wonderful Tampa area artists and this is a spot that certainly deserves the support of the Bay area music community.

Saturday morning we hustled down to Englewood to spend the morning with Jimmy Jay on WENG 1530 AM. Jimmy is a true old pro. So many years in the music business as a performer and he brings a great, relaxed attitude to his radio show, Who’s Home on the Suncoast, each Saturday morning at 10 am. We played tracks off my new CD which will be released in a couple of weeks, Break Some Stones, as well as Jimmy’s favorite from my Truths & Lies CD, Steam Train. Plus, we chatted through out the hour about life as an independent musician and songwriter. Jimmy, it was a true pleasure – thanks for having me in!

Saturday night we wrapped up the busy weekend at It’s A Grind on Clark Road in Sarasota. Once again, it was my first time there and I was surprised how much bigger the place looked in the internet pictures than it did in real life!! However, as usual, everyone rose to the occasion. Again, we packed the house thanks to the thriving and supportive Sarasota folk community. Particular thanks to Margaret Lewis, Brad, Doug, Diana and Dan Ost, Carl and Barbara Wade, Mike, Rich and Terri LaPenna and many more whose names, I apologize, just won’t come to my fogged and weary brain. We were bringing in chairs from outside and it was really cozy before it was all over, but what a great group to be up close and personal with! It is always such a privilege to share my work with such an attentive, receptive and appreciative group and I thank you all so much for coming. I think we kept the staff at It’s A Grind from going home on time, but all things considered I don’t think they minded much.

So, today back to Orlando and a couple of weeks “off” before we head Out on my eastern states mini-tour. As you might know from previous updates or from my website, I’m headed out July 13th for shows in Ga., Tn., Ohio, Pa., W.V. and N.C. (including a few days at the Swannanoa Gathering in Black Mountain outside of Asheville) getting back home August 6th. DiscMakers has promised faithfully that I’ll have the new CD, Break Some Stones, in hand for the trip and we’re excited about hitting all the new spots and making new friends.

All the Best to you all and see you again soon.

A local Orlando business mogul once said, "He who doeth not tooteth his own horn, his horn doeth goeth untooteth." So, in the vein of "shameless self promotion" I am happy to announce that one of my newer songs Break Some Stones has won the American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Contest and is published in the July / August edition. If you have a subscription you should be receiving it in the mail now (if you haven't already) and it will be on the news stands at the end of the month. I get some cool prizes (a basic Martin guitar, a year's supply of D'Addarrio Strings, and various other stuffs) and I'll be one of six finalists for the annual first place award. But mostly I get my song in print in the magazine all over the US and Canada.

Break Some Stones is the title cut on my new CD that is being mastered by Ron Litschauer as we speak and will go to DiscMakers next week.

Infusion Tea Show Recap

What a great room the new Infusion Tea is! Light, airy, roomy and comfortable with very music friendly acoustics. Its on Edgewater Drive in Orlando (College Park) a couple of blocks south of Princeton next to Long’s Bookstore. I really enjoyed the show there last night and appreciate all who came to out enjoy and be part of it.

Infusion Tea will now seat upwards of 40 very comfortably. I set up a minimal sound system with a single Speaker positioned so that it covered the room very nicely. My friends Paul & Tami (Hannah’s Whirl) came over to spend the afternoon with us and were kind enough to open the show with a few of their original tunes. They produce wonderful harmonies together and you should catch them at a festival or Tampa area venue soon.

We had a great crowd thanks to my MySpace friends, my folk network friends and those on my email list. I appreciate each and every one of you coming. If there was something you saw, heard or experienced that particularly “stuck with you” please leave me a note on my MySpace site or at my Yahoo Group (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/dougspearsmusic/). If you missed the show, please stay tuned for my next visit.

All the Best –

Doug

Day 1 – Friday, May 4th

Since I don’t have access to the internet this weekend in the campground (haven’t figured out how to use the new Blackjack – cell phone – as a modem yet) I’ll keep a running diary and you’ll get it all in one whack. We pulled into the Anastasia State Park at around 2:30. Back in January I had reserved on line the LAST available campsite for a travel trailer (ours is an older 24’ Coachman), but it turned out to be a decent spot, not far from the walk thru to the Amphitheatre grounds where the festival takes place. We got settled in, immediately saw some of our folkie buds, and then headed back out to find the High Tide Café’ where I’m playing Saturday at noon.

High Tide is on Old Dixie Highway in St. Augustine. It is an eclectic little café and gallery that just won the #1 spot in the voting for Taste of St. Augustine. It’s going to be an interesting set up as the café occupies and old house and, therefore, there are no larger open areas that would be an obvious first choice. Many folks set up outside on the porch, but frankly I think it’s a bit warm for that. So I’m considering doing a “strolling” type gig, room to room, and see what happens. At least that way I won’t have to set up sound and be rushed to tear down and get back for my 4:20 set on the Old Town Stage at the festival.

The new Amphitheatre is impressive. Huge covered seating area that would accommodate, I’m sure, several thousand. It made the first night crowd of a few hundred or so look deceptively small. Amy Carol Webb opened the night with her usual high energy flair. I truly envy her stage “aura” – she draws every single person in and commands your willing attention and participation. It’s like the old Jedi mind trick from Star Wars – truly mystical. Ron & Bari Litschauer joined her for one of her popular numbers (sorry, don’t know the name - the recounting of finding the homemade biscuits and the firm, but loving waitress she encountered on the way to Willfest a couple of years back) and Wishing Chair joined her for one of her two encores. For her second encore she played Steve Blackwell’s “The Real Magic Kingdom” which was a special treat and continuing tribute to our dear friend who, as always, is right here with us in the music.

I saw some new folks I haven’t seen before. David Jacobs-Strain from Oregon put on a spectacular blues show with amazing guitar work and powerful vocals. Wow! Watch for his name and check out some of his recording. I really enjoyed the warm, unassuming style and grace of Caroline Herring. She is a southern songwriter who I would liken to the style of Gillian Welch and Nanci Griffith. I can tell she’s someone who you’d enjoy sitting around the living room and swapping tunes with anytime. The Burns Sisters rounded out the night with their usual high energy and ultra tight, amazing harmonies.

Alright enough of this – I need to get focused on playing tomorrow. It’s going to be a busy day!


Saturday, May 5th –

So, I got to High Tide a little before 11 am to scope it out again and make a final decision as to whether to set up a small sound system or not. As I walked through I noticed that all the floors were wood, very little in the way of fabric on the window, etc and very high, hard ceilings – you thinking what I was thinking? Yep, the acoustics were very good and sound really carried. I got out my guitar and “sound checked” a couple of spots and made the final decision to just go acoustic. That left me time to grab a sandwich. They do those pressed sandwiches on a variety of freshly baked breads and I now know why they won the Taste of St. Augustine – it’s terrific.

Folks started flowing in at noon and I picked a spot near the two largest areas where sound would project well down a hallway between. It was an unusual situation for me in that I wasn’t introducing songs or having my usual patter with the audience. So I just played and played. The audience, as they came and went, were very appreciative and complimentary, stopping to ask the “who, what, when, where” and buying a few CD’s that I had placed on a table near the main traffic area.

I picked up one true fan there. A young man (Trace, aged approximately 6 or 7 years) was absolutely transfixed. He kept edging out of the “kids” area in the very back of the café, where his mother had him and his younger sister, so that he could see me down the hallway. He finally convinced mom to let him take his small chair and put it in a corner just a few feet from me. He planted himself there and sat stone still and wordless through at least 8 songs, eating the sandwich that his mom brought to him and clapping after every tune. I suggested that he should get his mother to bring him out to the festival, but he explained quite solemnly that he couldn’t because he had “lost his privileges” (his words exactly). He wouldn’t tell me what he’d done, but I commiserated and told him that I occasionally lose my privileges too.

So, as it turned out, The High Tide Cafe was a very relaxed (and profitable – always good) two hour warm up for my 4:20 pm set back at the festival. If you’re up this way, check them out – great food and very nice folks working hard at a tough, tough business.

My set back at the festival went exceptionally well. It was at the only indoor stage (that translates to air conditioning!!) which is in the Amphitheatre building. The sound was excellent and I got to debut a new tune “Sinner’s Song” which was very well received. So well, in fact, that I might make it the next installment in my “The Story Behind the Song” postings coming soon.

We went out for an early dinner with a group of friends, Chuck and Patricia Spano (whose Live at Eagle Rock series I will open for Laurie McClain next Friday in Ormond Beach), their family and two folk “super fans,” Bill and Barbara Derby. We ate at the famous (or infamous) Gypsy Cab Co. It’s yet another spot you shouldn’t miss in St. Augustine.

The evening performances were superb. I will admit to another personal favorite – VTW. Lis and Lon Williamson with Gabe Valla (but absent my friend Jason Thomas who has been drafted as the new fiddler for the Claire Lynch Band – way to go Jason! You’ve earned it) were joined by Tuck on Dobro. These guys are TIGHT! Lis (this year’s Will McLean Award winner) is a rock solid rhythm guitar and banjo player with a stunning voice. Lon is equally rock solid on bass and showed off his own pipes on a couple of tunes. I like that they are playing more original stuff and I particularly liked a couple of Lon’s tunes, including “Under the Radar.” I expect that now that Lis is concentrating more on writing that we’ll get to hear a lot of her work too. Gabe Valla is absolutely “knock your socks off” spectacular on lead guitar. These folks, besides being extraordinary musicians, are just great people too. If you ever get a chance to see VTW (which stands for Valla, Turner, Williamson) in any format do not, I repeat DO NOT, miss them. You will instantly be a devoted fan I guarantee.

VTW was followed by 17 year old Josh Pinkham and his family. This kid has been playing mandolin since he was 11 and I doubt there are many veteran pickers out there who can keep up with him. Very impressive. The Burns Sisters then came on for another stellar set. The legendary Michael Smith followed and had the whole amphitheatre singing the chorus on “The Dutchman,” possibly one of the greatest pieces of musical poetry ever written. And, The Lovell Sisters rounded out the evening.

Judy retired early at that point and I wandered over to Ron and Bari Litschauer’s campsite. We never got out a single instrument, but instead sat and told stories, made jokes (most of which can’t be printed here for sure!) and laughed until the wee hours. Much fun with good friends.

Sunday, May 6th

I got drafted as a judge in the “I Remember Gamble” songwriting / storytelling contest with Charlie Simmons and Jim Carrick. 12 terrific entrants played songs and told stories over the course of an hour and a half and three winners were chosen. Sorry, but you’ll have to visit the festival webpage for the announced winners.

Well the rain held off Friday and Saturday, but today it struck fast and hard right about 1 pm. A torrential drenching with an impressive lightning display put an early end to Wishing Chair’s set on the main stage. Even under cover the wind drove the rain in on sound equipment as everyone capable scurried to help the crew cover speakers, etc. with tarps to protect them. But the rain lasted less than an hour and things picked back up. I caught a show on the Old Town Stage by my old friend, Don Oja-Dunaway. Great set including a couple of my favorite tunes. Don is the resident musician at the Milltop Tavern in St. Augustine. If you’re up there, stop in and catch his show. Ask for “Halloween in Marblehead” and tell him I sent you.

With the sky still looking questionable I figured discretion was the better part of valor. We loaded the camper and headed out sorry as always to be heading back to the real world, but already looking forward to:
Friday, May 11 – Live at Eagle Rock in Ormond Beach
Saturday, May 19 – Infusion Tea in Orlando (College Park)
Friday – Sunday, May 25 – 27th – Florida Folk Festival in White Springs

Ain’t May a great month! See you soon.

Notes from the Road – Collings Shop Tour and Last night in Austin

Well, its time to pack up and head back to the sunshine state. I’ve really enjoyed Austin, but it’ll be good to get home and start preparing for Gamble Rogers and other upcoming events and projects. I’ve finished a couple of new songs while I was here and will be polishing them to get them “performance ready” (i.e., get to where I remember all the words and chord changes).

I went and toured the Collings Guitar shop yesterday southwest of Austin. It was pretty interesting to see where my OMH2 was made and see the whole process. Collings is particularly painstaking about building their instruments. Whereas the big boys (Martin, Taylor, Gibson, et al) will finish hundreds of guitars a day, Collings finishes just 6 per day. In their words they have only one standard – perfect. They profess not to ever send out an instrument that has any flaw in its construction whatsoever and they are very sensitive about that. As an owner I find that reassuring.

A couple of interesting things. First, while terribly expensive, Collings is still producing as many Brazilian rosewood instruments as the market calls for. The wood does not come form long held stashes of the wood as I had believed (since harvesting those trees is no longer permitted). Instead, it comes from forms of reclamation of still existing wood in Brazil – stumps of trees that were previously cut, logs found in river beds, etc. Some of the graining in these woods is quite dramatic (as in my 2004 model) and, due to its natural aging, it has some of the best tonal qualities of any instruments they’ve produced.

Also, Collings entered the mandolin business about 5 years ago and their models are now among the most sought after for their quality on sound. Last year Collings began making electrics, both hollow body jazz models and solid bodies. Their “niche” in the solid bodies is producing a much lighter weight electric than the other makers do.

After the tour I came back to the hotel, got Judy and went downtown to see the Bats take off at dusk – Austin has the worlds largest urban bat colony in the world. Sure enough just at dusk tens of thousands of bats flowed from beneath the bridge over the river right downtown while hundreds of folks stood and watched – happens every night, pretty cool.

We strolled the main music district drag down 5th and 6th streets and caught some acts here and there. Its mostly rock, a lot of punk and hip hop too, some country, etc. I was a little disappointed that there weren’t more singer / songwriter or acoustic acts, but then it was Friday night in a tourist / college town – what was I thinking?

So now we’re packing up and will head to the airport in an hour or so. See you soon!

Doug

Notes from the Road – Cheatham Street Warehouse, San Marcos, Texas

Well, I saved the best for last. Last night, Wednesday April 25th, Judy and I trekked down to San Marcos, Texas, about 45 minutes south of Austin towards San Antonio, for Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at the Cheatham Street Warehouse. The Warehouse is a true, beer soaked into the wood, Texas honky-tonk. Don’t let the ramshackle exterior or rough, weathered, seemingly makeshift interior fool you – this is a revered music room that has stood the test of time. Stealing freely from their website, Kent Finlay opened the doors of Cheatham Street Warehouse in June of 1974 as a music hall, to develop, perpetuate and promote Texas music in its most natural state - the honky-tonk. During the last three decades, Kent has earned an impressive track record for developing new writers and artists - George Strait and Ace in the Hole played their first 50 or 60 gigs on this very stage. A myriad of others have graced this stage including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, Gatemouth Brown, Asleep at the Wheel, Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Butch Hancock and on and on and on and on . . . .

Cheatham Street Warehouse is renowned for its quality sound and it seems that the old wooden walls enhance the sound like an old beloved fiddle. Al Barlow said, “Cheatham Street Warehouse is the Ryman Auditorium for Songwriters.” Kent Finlay, who has himself been called the “Godfather of Texas Songwriters,” hosts one of the premier songwriter nights in Central Texas. It is the nucleus of Cheatham Street Warehouse and while the packed houses and sold out advance tickets for big shows may pay the bills, the Songwriter Circle is the reason Kent continues to keep it open. The songs must be original compositions by the performer, no cover material whatsoever. And here’s the very best part - The songwriters who perform at Kent’s Songwriter Circle have always been treated as equals – and with equal reverence. It is a “golden rule” listening night – and Kent begins the night with a polite but stern admonition that everyone who attends pay as much attention to the artist on stage as they would expect others to listen to them. This has kept it from becoming one of those places were people go to play and then pack up and leave as soon as they finish performing. The pool tables shut down, cell phones are off and people shut up – conversation during the music is clearly not welcome or tolerated. It is heaven on earth for a performing artist!!

Because I had been warned that the performer’s list fills fast Judy and I got there early and caught the end of a local band that had played from 5 to about 7:30 for happy hour. Songwriters toting guitars began filing in and just before 8:00 the bartender, with appropriate ceremony, picked up a clipboard and whacked hell out of a cowbell hung over the bar – sign up had begun!! Have you ever seen a nonchalant stampede? Well that’s what I’d call it – everyone trying to look cool and not over anxious, but wanting to be sure to get on that list. Fortunately, I had chosen a seat near the bar so I was able to easily get in the first part of the line. At that, I was still 9th on the list that only had 18 two song slots, many were disappointed not to get to play.

The show started promptly at 9 with a good crowd of performers and listeners and ran until midnight. It was my best performance of the three nights. I played That Old Songwriter’s Gone, my tribute to songwriting great and Texas favorite, Mickey Newbury, and This Old House. The response was incredible and I made many new friends, including Kent Finlay who was very complimentary. At midnight I would have gladly pulled up a ring of chairs and swapped songs with Kent and the other writers until all hours. I hated for the evening to end. If you are out in the Austin / San Marcos / San Antonio area DO NOT miss the Cheatham Street Warehouse!

No place to play tonight. I might go catch some music at one of the hundreds of choices. On Friday I’m going to tour the Collings Guitar factory and take my OMH2 for a little check up. I’ll let you know how it goes.

All the Best –

Doug

Notes from the Road – Ruta Maya Coffee House – Austin, Texas

Last night I dropped in on another legendary acoustic music venue in Austin - the Ruta Maya Coffee House. It is located in an eclectic arts center just southeast of downtown. The complex houses Clear Channel Radio (5 stations broadcasting from one location), a Gibson Guitar showroom of vintage instruments, arts instruction in acting, writing, etc., a theatre and a playhouse, and more. Very Interesting architecture makes the center worth arriving early and strolling about. We even sat in on a few minutes of an acting / screen writing class.

Whereas the Cactus Café is more of a straight up singer-songwriter venue, Ruta Maya is very counter culture and off beat - think Austin Coffee and Film in Winter Park times twenty (both in size and vibe). The stage is huge (I did remember the camera this time, but can’t download the pic’s from it until I get home) with a back of the room full time sound engineer who records your mini set if you like for a $5 donation – great sound. The room is huge, kind of warehouse style with high ceilings and open duct work, pipes and wiring. In addition to the first floor seating there is also a balcony over the bar area that itself would seat at least 30 or more.

The house band opens the open mic and will back anyone in the OM that wants them to – they are quite good, though as you might expect their style tends toward modern rock, punk, etc. However, I heard them back some much more delicate styles of music very well and could see they were clearly excellent, well rounded musicians. Tuesday night at Ruta Maya is kind of a “double open mic” – it starts with a poetry OM from 6 – 9 and music from 9 – 12. We got there a little early and caught a few of the poets. Some were actually quite good while others seemed intent on finding all the possible rhymes for the F word – bongos and berets would have been appropriate for some. I’ve seen a couple of bumper stickers out here saying “Keep Austin Weird.” Well, these folks were doing their part.

My 3 song set went very well. I played On the Other Side, One Last Selfish Act and This Old House. If the recording turned out decent, I’ll post it so you can check it out. I did not have the band back me (seemed a little risky on original tunes), but a couple of the band members tracked me down afterwards to get names and emails, compliment me on the tunes and take a long, loving look at my Collings OMH2. I suspect that the former was merely an intro to the latter. Nevertheless, I had a great time and recommend Ruta Maya to you if you’re out this way.

Tomorrow night – Cheatham Street Warehouse. Stay tuned.

All the Best –

Doug

Notes from the Road – Cactus Café, Austin Tx

Hey Guys!

Last night, Monday April 23rd, I dropped in on the Open Stage at the Cactus Café located in the Student Union Building at the University of Texas here in Austin. This is one of the premier acoustic music rooms in the country. Austin's Cactus Cafe has played host to a veritable who's who roster of singer/songwriters. That roster includes Townes Van Zandt (who called it his home), Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, John Gorka, Ellis Paul, Loudin Wainwright and on and on. It's one of those venues that, as a fan, you could probably show up at any night and expect great music. As a performer, you can rest assured that the sound system wasn't made for rock bands (something you come to relish on the road), and they actually know how to make acoustic guitars sound as great as they should. It did not disappoint.



Open Stage on Mondays there is hosted by Graham Weber and Abi Tapia. Graham was manning it alone last night and is a gracious and efficient host. This is a strictly enforced listening room with a full bar and a good crowd even on a Monday night. The talent was typical for an open mic type event, everything from beginners to professionals with CD's, etc. dropping in on their way through town. Judy and I had a great time. I played my newest song, Break Some Stones, and then my older standard, This Old House, with great crowd reaction. Graham told me after my mini-set that he wished I was going to be in town longer so they could have me back – maybe in the future!



I forgot to bring my camera (idiot – I always forget that) but Judy took a pic with my cell phone. I'll post it in my pic's if I can figure out how to get it onto my computer. More to come!



All the Best –



Doug

Well, another Barberville Spring Frolic has come and gone. If you made it to the festival, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you missed it then I hope you feel appropriately disappointed and vow to make sure and attend the Barberville Fall Jamboree in November. As always, Joe and Katie did a magnificent job of putting the music together and it was another very special event.

If you are unfamiliar with the Barberville festivals, Barberville is about 14 miles north, northwest of DeLand near the intersection of US Highway 17 and State Road 40. The Barberville Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts is west of US 17 on SR 40. It is located on the grounds of former Volusia County Schools surplus property known as the Central School of Barberville (c. 1919), which was first leased from the Volusia County School Board in the year of the Settlement's incorporation, 1976. The Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts, Inc. was established as an educational institution whose general nature and objective is to render constructive, educational, and cultural services to the community through collection, preservation, conservation and exposition of objects which are the cultural heritage of the community. It consists, in part, of many historical buildings moved to and maintained on the property including the following (showing the year they were moved to the site as well the original year of construction):

1982: Pierson Railroad Depot (c. 1885)
1983: Astor Bridgekeeper's House (c. 1926)
1984: Turpentine Comm./Store (c. early 1900s)
1988: Turpentine Still (c. 1924)
1989: Pottery Shed (c. 1920s)
1992: Lewis Log Cabin (c. 1875)
1994: Midway United Methodist Church (c. 1890)
1996: Huntington Post Office (c. 1885)
1997: Quarters House (c. 1920s)
1998: The Pastime touring boat (c. 1910)

There is also the original schoolhouse that has been fully restored and other outbuildings of various types. The music takes place in some of these buildings as well as on festival type tent stages set up specially for the events. In the fall, demonstrations of blacksmithing and other historical trades take place throughout the weekend.

Saturday started out with a major faux pas on my part. I had noted that I had two shows scheduled, one at 1:30 and one at 2:30 --- wrong! I also had one at 11:00 on my favorite stage, the Church (wonderful acoustics!!). So, when I showed up at about noon thinking I was plenty early I was immediately greeted by fans and other musicians asking if everything was alright and where I had been! Very embarrassing, I’ve never done that before! But the group before me and the group after filled in nicely and the show proceeded without a hitch. My afternoon shows went very well and I enjoyed seeing familiar faces and new ones alike in the audience. The weather was a bit on the warm side, but nice breezes kept it very comfortable in the shade and in the buildings.

Sunday started out UGLY. Frog strangling rain and thunderstorms drove the crowd to cover in the morning and disrupted the schedule a little. But, by noon the rain was over and the skies began to clear. The rest of the day was beautiful and very comfortable, if a little precarious as a result of strong gusting winds that made things interesting at times. In fact, the tent type stages had to move to more stable structures as the wind quickly threatened to turn the tarps into steel framed kites! I had two shows and a songwriting workshop and enjoyed them all immensely.

Terrific performances by so many that as usual its hard to list all of the great acts I saw bits and pieces of. I continue to be very impressed with the sound of James Hawkins and Cold Harbor – really superb. Also, M.T. Pawketts with Jeff Frieberg, Kace Montgomery, Wayne (brain won’t give me the last name), Joe Ramierez and Jonathon and Sherri Hodge, never disappoint. By specially noting those two I don’t mean to slight anyone else – there was just so much great music all around on every stage its impossible to fairly list and comment on them all. Be assured if you missed it, you REALLY MISSED IT!!!

Thanks again to Joe and Katie for all your hard work and for all who came out to this wonderful event. See you again soon.

I was just notified that Outbound Music has selected my CD, Truths & Lies, as one of their featured albums on their home page from now through April 9th. Check it out at http://www.outboundmusic.com. Outbound has great internet radio programming so bookmark the page while you're there so you can go back and listen again and again.

Thanks for Listening!

There’s simply no way to succinctly describe the experience of the annual Will McLean Festival at the Sertoma Youth Ranch near Dade City. I’m back home and exhausted, but filled to the brim with the friendship and music shared over the weekend. If you weren’t there you missed a terrific festival and should make your plans right now to be sure to be there next year. Here’s a recap.

I went over Wednesday morning a dropped my camper off in a good site. I’m glad I did because all of the sites went quickly and by late afternoon Friday people were already being turned away if they needed water and electric. Tent campers can always find a clear piece of ground somewhere. I came back Thursday afternoon to settle in and get into Willfest mode. We had a nice relaxed song circle at Ron & Bari Litschaer’s campsite Thursday night and turned in at a reasonable hour for a good night’s sleep.

The real crowd really swelled Friday morning and the Cypress stage opened at 1 pm. Now, I’m not going to run through all the great performances I saw for fear of leaving someone out. However, I have to say that James Hawkins and Cold Harbor really impressed me with a really tight set - escellent! But all of the music, and the sound by Tom Ellis, was exceptional throughout the afternoon. Then at 7:30 pm the Main Stage opened with a set from Chris Kahl followed by wonderful performances including Val C. Wisecracker, Cathy DeWitt’s exceptional group, Patchwork, and special guests for the festival, Still on the Hill. If you are reading this and not recognizing these names then you should know that you are missing the very best in folk and acoustic music and entertainment around. Get away from your TV and conventional, industry controlled radio stations and get out amongst the people!

Friday also included a “new talent” showcase on the Azalea Stage. Congratulations to my good friends Paul and Tami from the Tampa area who were selected best new talent in the showcase and invited to perform the next day - way to go guys!

Friday night also included the usual campfire pickin’. Two great friends I made last year at Willfest, Tisa and her daughter Cassaundra, camped near to my trailer and invited my buddy Ally Smith to bunk in with them. So, Friday night we sat around Tisa’s fire and played tunes to the wee hours (about 3 am), but still managed to get a good night’s sleep and prepare for Saturday.

Saturday was truly wall to wall folks!! So many good friends and fans of this music that it was hard to find time to get to spend a moment or two with them all. Again, just terrific performances on all stages all day long. I followed my buddy Bob Patterson with a set on the Azalea stage and was joined, impromptu, by Ally Smith on This Old House - she is simply one of the best vocalists around and her harmonies are to die for - thanks my friend! Saturday night’s Main Stage line up included stellar performances by Rod MacDonald, Amy Carol Webb, Magda Hiller (whose very small daughter Wyatt joined her on stage for a song that stole the show) and Grant Livingston (Grant - never follow children or animals on stage!!!!).

Saturday night also included a special tribute to Steve Blackwell with many family and friends presenting his songs and honoring the spirit of this very special friend who left us last year. It was a celebration that proved that Steve is not gone, he’s right here with us always.

Now, the Saturday night campfires were really great. I stopped in and played some tunes with James Hawkins and his crowd, then wandered over to the Blackwell Punta Gorda Guitar Army encampment for a bit. Then, with all good intentions of turning in at a reasonable hour (particularly with the time change) I strolled back towards home, stopping a Tisa and Cassaundra’s campsite to chat a minute and say good night. Well, I did get the guitar out and play a tune or two. Then a group of folks including Emmett Carlisle, Dennis Devine, Raven and few others ambled in. Ally Smith got her violin out and more folks joined the circle. Before I knew it it was 4 am! I started to put away my guitar when out of the darkness strolled two of my favorite incorrigibles, Bari Litschauer and Dawn DeWitt (sans their husbands who had the good sense to leave them to their own devices and go to bed) and kicked the party into a new gear. There was much hootin’ and howlin’, some dancin’ and side bruising laughter. I finally stumbled back to my camper a 6 am and they were still going!!!

One thing you have to remember about camping at one of these festivals is that you could end up next to a late night, raucous group like this making sleep somewhat difficult. I advise a good set of foam ear plugs and perhaps a shot or two of your favorite sleep aid before turning in. Just ask Bill and Eli Perras who were camped just across from the site of all this early morning merriment and had to open the Cypress stage at 10 am Sunday morning!!! But, the Cypress stage is right where Tisa, et al were camped and thus revenge was sweet. Eli opened their set at 10 am by screaming into the microphone Wake up over there, get moving, come out and let’s see you, you kept me up all night and now its my turn WAKE UP!!! Eli, you’re a piece of work girl!

Desperately needing intravenous caffeine and sugar I was invited to Mark Harris’ motor home for his special twisted egg bread french toast - WOW! Ably assisted by his main squeeze, the lovely and vivacious Josie, the stuffed many of us full of syrup laden french toast and I finally got to where my eyes would stay open and actually communicate to my brain what they were seeing. Now, cooking is only one of Mark’s talents. He is also one hell of a musician playing bass, percussion, guitar, mandolin, flute and probably just about other instrument you stuck in his hands. He sits in with a number of groups, principally the Peters Road Swamp Band, but freely assists others (inculding me from time to time) as a backing musician. He played with Ally Smith all weekend in her sets and they were terrific!

Sunday was, again filled with non-stop exceptional entertainment on all three stages and great workshops as well. I performed on the Main Stage at 2:30 and, with the able assistance of Ally Smith, played my tribute song written for Steve Blackwell, Welcome Home. The festival wound down to the finale at 5:30 pm with all available performers gathering on the Main Stage with the heart and soul of this event, Margaret Longhill, to sing Will’s great song Hold Back the Waters. Then it was time for many, many goodbyes, hugs and handshakes before turning to the chores of loading up the camper and heading home.

So, sadly, its over again for another year. If you missed Will McLean this year, don’t make the same mistake next year. Mark the dates off on your calendar now and start the anticipation clock running. Hope to see you there.

Coming up next for me . . . Yalaha Country Bakery on April 7th and The Barberville Spring Frolic on April 14th and 15th. Stay tuned.

Yesterday (Sunday, March 4th) I went down and performed at the Myakka River Seafood Festival hosted by Clear Channel's KIX 98.9 FM radio at the Charlotte County Fairgrounds. What a blast! The show was put together by local Charlotte County musician and instrument builder, R. J. Malloy, (and one of my MySpace friends) and Kix 98.9's Downhome Cookin host, Larry Temko (also a MySpacer bud of mine). They did a great job putting together the show. The sound was superb (Thanks Wayne!!), the weather was perfect and the crowd was wonderful! The seafood was pretty good too!

You should tune in to Larry T's show - he's really playing some great music, including independents like yours truly. Read his blog at http://www.larryt989.blogspot.com/ . I'm looking forward to doing more shows with Larry in the future.

There was also a great write up promotion the festival in the Sun Herald by Chris Porter. You can still read that at
http://www.sun-herald.com/letsgo/LGNewsstory.cfm?pubdate=030207&story=lg12.htm&folder=NewsArchive
It was truly a wonderful day. Thanks to Kathie, my MySpace friend of the month, who brought her family all the way from Okeechobee (a 1 1/2 hour drive) just to see my performance - now THAT's a fan!!

The sound engineer, Wayne, recorded the show and if it came out well I'll try to post some clips when i get them.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!!

Doug Spears On The Road - Folk Alliance Diary - Day 4

Well, it’s a wrap. I made Judy drive for a while this morning I jotted down my thoughts (blearily I might add after another night of short sleep) and listened to some of the CD’s I picked up from various artists. We went downstairs this morning to get the last breakfast buffet, say our goodbyes and share last minute contact info with anyone we somehow missed. As always it’s a mixture of relief to be going home to get some rest and disappointment that its over.

Yesterday, the final day of music events, etc., was not a wind down, but a finale. Finally comfortable in my surroundings and used to the routine I was able to “work the room” much more effectively in the Exhibit Hall than I had any of the prior days and with great results. I met many wonderful people and left an impression with them of myself and my music that I think will stick, particularly with some follow up. I made many new friends that I can help get introduced to our folk scene in Florida and help bring their music to you - very exciting and satisfying.

You will be pleased to know that the perception of the Florida Folk community is very, very good. People who were at this conference like Gloria Holloway, Michael Stock, Randy Wynne, Cathy DeWitt and others have represented us so well over the years. I heard many others mentioned by name as folks who’ve been so active and have given us a truly sterling reputation. We owe much thanks to those I’ve mentioned as well as Robby Greenberg, Amy Carol Webb and many, many more who I’m too sleep deprived to name at the moment (and to whom I apologize for failing to give credit where so richly due) for putting our best Florida foot forward in past years.

It’s a little surprising to me that we are perceived as having such a wide spread, strong folk music market and community in Florida. Sure, I have always appreciated the number of well run festivals we have each year. But, I guess, as is human nature, I always imagined that the “folk grass” was greener elsewhere in terms of venues who regularly support this music on a weekly basis and house concert series with a lasting track record. I have come to appreciate, from listening to attendees from all over the country, that we are blessed with a vibrant folk community that, while it can always build and grow, we should be very proud of and should jealously protect. I repeatedly was asked about the Will McLean Festival, Gamble Rogers, the Florida Folk Festival and the South Florida Folk Festival. Many lamented the closing of Main Street Café’ in Homestead, but also heard a lot of encouragement regarding other venues, including Leu Gardens in Orlando and the many UU Church series’, including Octagon Arts that are so well regarded. I think I’m more happy than ever to be a native Florida Folk Musician.

As you might expect, the level of talent here is astonishing. So many great musicians, writers and amazing singers from all parts of the country, Canada and abroad. The is an ever growing wealth of diversity in musical roots, genres and styles that are finding a home under the folk banner. There were special tribute programs to Mickey Newberry, Townes Van Zant and a couple of others.

Well, so its over for a year. I’m definitely planning on returning next year now that I’ve “learned the ropes” a little. And, depending on other time commitments, I may try to hit one or more of the regional conferences - but I suspect that time will get too tight for that. I highly recommend the conference to all organizations, venues and promoters and fans of this music and to artists who are at the point where they want to take their career experience to the next level. It is not cheap by any means, but it is well worth the time and investment.

See you back at the ranch!