Can't Sleep...

Its now about 7:20 A.M. and I only got 2 hours of sleep. I have been having a lot of trouble in the sleep department lately, but I suppose it comes with the territory. Ever since I got back from Nashville, I've been antsy. My feeling is now I am back in the same old patterns of life. I really wanted to break free from this, but living here has caused me to feel in a rut again. I am not making any money and I need some to my new record and other things. I am patient though and have deep faith that the Lord above will provide. Its just so hard waiting. It makes me feel like I can't do much and have nothing to offer. My days are pretty much the same old things too. I go to the bookstore at night some times and then wander downtown. I usually don't have much else to do but watch old movies. I really do hope that I can get my rear in gear soon. But maybe this is a good time to reflect on life and not rush myself so much.

Tourists are good Tippers....

I really raked it in yesterday at the Williamsburg Farmer's Market. This year was even better than last year. The nice thing about playing Colonial Williamsburg, is a majority of people are tourists, or rich folks from the area. So I make lots of money. Most people with families come and bring their children. Its very nice to see little children dancing to my music. Then they come up and put money in my jar. I sold a few albums too, and someone asked me if I may like to play at a wedding in September. Overall, I made about 90.00$ in tips, not to mention the 100.00$ for playing. The weather was perfect. Since it was my sister Bonnie's birthday, I met her there just as I closed up, and we went to Ukrop's cafe for lunch. Then I took a walk around town and relaxed. I come off a high from playing when things go well. It lasts a pretty long time. I had to get up super early , and I was pretty tired though. I played from 9 am to 12 noon. I was amazed I could get up that early, but God allowed me to do it. Otherwise, I don't think I could have. I wish everyday could be like yesterday.

Then last evening, Gretchen and I went to The Hill Cafe - a really nifty place up in Church Hill. A good musician friend of mine- Dominic Carpin used to hang out there after a recording session, when he had his studio up that way. The food tasted a tad different since they got a new chef, but it was still pretty good. I had the cajun chicken wrap. Then we went to Books-A-Million , then Barnes and Noble in Short Pump, then we stopped at the Barnes and Noble on Libbe Ave, where I bought a dvd of "The Petrified Forest". I hate corporate bookstores, but I go there because they do have a soothing quality that borders on surrealism.

Places Where I'm not Accepted.....

I often wonder at some places where they don't dig me if its really my talent or what. But then I've come to realize some venues just won't dig my music no matter how good it may or may not be. Even when I'm starting to think it could be me, I get several other places that seem interested and want me in. I've had some places they just seem to not want me at all. For example-Aroma's Coffeehouse in Williamsburg, Virginia. The owner there apparently has zero taste. I gave her a copy of "They Can't Keep Me Down- and she kept hedgeing about booking me saying that her "clientel" wanted upbeat music, and the songs were too blue. Did she even listen to it? They Can't Keep Me Down may have some blue highlights in there, but its by no means depressing. Finally, she agreed to be book me- in the most insulting way possible. She said I could play during their "down Season". In Williamsburg that means the months just after Christmas, and before March, where there are the least tourists in the area, and most college kids are busy. So as to say, I wasn't good enough to play there during the regular time.

Well, i did play there finally. This was all after sending the woman flowers. I was also rudely unappreciated by the guy she has to take care of the bookings, because he told me to call him back at a certain time. When I did he got mad at me and told me I had called during Governer Tim Kaine's inaguaration ( a guy by the way who I cannot stand). So, that was just rude. Also, I can't forget the Ironhorse. Where the reluctant Mimi finally said I could play there (this too after flowers), and buttering her place up (which its not all that great). So actually, I had played there before with floating folk festival, and they liked me. And her son said my album was his favorite. So she booked me for November, 2005 and then December. And I thought that night went well. I made 80$ in tips and I sold some albums. I had several people tell me they liked it. So when I was scheduled to play there again, I decided to go up to Ashland and leave some posters. I got a phone call later from MiMi. She said the night had apparently gone bad (she wasn't even there that night). She said when people heard I was coming they put up a fuss. She said they wouldn't even want me to play piano, let along sing there again. I find this hard to believe. I think this was done by some bad enemies of mine. Well, anyways, she refused to even let me finish the gig she had scheduled for me and wouldn't pay me.

From now on, I'm making a contract so that no one can just cancel me like that. Anyways, those are really the two bad experiences I've had. most places just don't even get back to me or ignore me. I have come to learn that in this business, you have to really be tough and not take what people say with much clout. I also have learned that some people will like you, some won't. But I was hoping some people would have better taste.

Disturbing Last Night...

About 2 A.M . I heard this girl scream and she was sobbing and said "somebody help me". So I couldn't really see and then I saw her yelling at someone in the parking lot out back. So I called 911 and I told them about it. The police came out pretty fast for Richmond Police. My sister talked to them at the front door. She heard it too. I think the girl was okay and she was just yelling at her boyfriend or something. But they found them down the street and told us they would talk to them.
She seemed very upset, and you just never know about these things. I was tempted to go out and see if she was alright, but it wasn't really safe.

Anyways, that was the excitement last night. Yesterday I went to the music store and ordered a new case for my keyboard. The new one I bought doesn't fit. These things only seem to last a year or so. I bet they're made in Japan . I watched "All About Eve" twice in a row again. Its a really good film.

Watermelon......

I played at the Watermelon Festival this year. I had skipped last year, and the year before that I had a big plug in the local paper. I dressed better this time for the heat. Since I'm a musician who likes to be decked out for a performance (some guys actually play in the summer time in shorts and flip flops), Im able to make something lighter that doesn't have me drenched by the time I'm finished. So I had on my short sleeved western shirt, my cowboy hat, lots of sun screen, blue jeans, boots, and a great big smile . I had missed my morning slot, but I got there later with the "Floating Rock Band". Brooke Saunders got sick early, so I took over solo til about 3 . The thing I don't like about the Watermelon Festival is 1. the heat 2. too crowded 3. its too dang crowded. I listed the 2nd one twice, because its true. The upside is you have 1,000's of people that can hear you at once, the downside is its just plain pain to play in that environment. And I have played every year except 2006, since the year 2000, and I never end up getting to taste and watermelon. I did pretty good and got some nice comments. This one lady pushing her elderly husband had to push by me on the side walk when she could have gone around and actually interrupted me during a song. I was polite and all when she kept saying "excuse me". But it was actually very rude of her. It was her way of saying she really didn't care I was singing or playing. I was playing on the side walk in front of Nacho Mama's. There was lots of stuff around me, so folks should get the idea you can't really pass lightly there.

Anyways, the Watermelon Festival leaves you hot and usually without much success- although few people did cheer me on as they made their way through cary st.

Loving Nashville

I'm having a phenomenal time in Nashville, Tennesee. Here I am this afternoon at Egdehill Studios Internet Cafe . So far, this has been a pretty swell experience. I did a nice set over in Johnson City with Bill Payne at Acoustic Coffeehouse Friday night and got into town Saturday night. The Bluebird Cafe was packed when I played Sunday evening. I was lucky number 7. I did "They Called Me Porker", "From The Outside Looking In", and "Shopping For Love". I got a pretty warm response. I'm not sure if the audience was with me all the way, but it wasn't bad. Now I'm just doing all the tourist stuff that I didn't quite cover on my previous three trips to town. Today I visited Trinity Broadcast Network's facility in Hendersonville. It was a pretty neat place. Its on the grounds of Conway Twitty's former home. They have excellent recording studios there, as well as a large auditorium for performers. Johnny Cash's house (the one that burned down) was just adjacent to it. Monday I went out to Opryland and visited Opry Mills mall which must be 2 miles long. I ate at a retro hamburger malt shop called Johnny Rocketts. At 2 pm the kitchen crew did a floor show to "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees. The place I'm staying is pretty comfortable . I am walking a lot around town. I even to the bus a few times. I checked out Ernest Tubb Record Shop. To my dismay, they don't carry vinyl. But a few doors down they do. I picked up an Lp by The Carter Family and The Judds. Last night I played the open mic at Douglas Corner Cafe. It was kind of a bar place and I'm not a fan of those, but it went pretty well. It was writers in the round. The way it works is one songwriter plays a song then the guy/gal next to him and so on until they're back to the first guy. Then everyone gets one more tune. They do it in rounds of 4. I hope my show at Borders books goes well. They have huge posters of me all over the place in there. I wasn't prepared for that.