Retro Meade

Here's a little song montage, with samplings from a tape I made when I was around 15-years-old. Vintage Country Pop from 1994 !



Bonnie was here for a few days. Today we went to Sine Irish Pub, where I had a pork tenderloin sandwich, and a sweet tea. We also went to the "Civil War" Museum- where the old Tredegar Ironworks. It was very nice, with the exception of some of the lies and propaganda (i.e. the war was all about slavery, etc). But you have to please the others, I suppose. Anyways, I'm so glad that nasty 'ol war is over. Richmond has come a long way since 1865.

Spring Is Here !

Today, the weather was just swell. I was able to get up in time to go to church and sing. We sang with the Karen children. I think they are from Burma. They speak Karen. Anyways, as long as they're not illegals, I don't care. After church, we had Sunday dinner at home. We had chicken enchiladas, green beans, black eyed peas, and brown rice. I sure hope the government isn't writing this all down!

Later on, I watched Mama's Family and then took a nice long nap. Then I took Mosby for a walk. I went out to Baker's Crust for dessert. I had a chocolate caramel cheesecake. It tasted a bit spongey. I really think their desserts are overrated. Then I stopped at Strawberry Street Market because I needed some sweet tea to wash it down. Yesterday we had fun going to Goodwill where I got an old LP of The Messengers- a Gospel singing family from Manassas. My favorite song so far is "Satan Give Up". I want to write them to tell them how much I love the record, but I'm not sure the postal address on the back is still in use. But I just love it when a family gets together and sings for the Lord ! Also, we got a vacumn cleaner for our mini van, and Joseph Cotten narrating the history of Virginia for the 200th Anniversary of our beloved country. We played that during our dinner.

Now, you see, I don't need Twitter to keep everyone up to date !

Stay Away From Twitter !

Twitter is a very dangerous place to use if you value your privacy and security. I joined a few weeks ago, but have seen the light after reading their privacy policy. It is just like face book only worse! Not only do they record your login information and record your preferences, every time you post something it is logged in with the time, as if they are keeping a record on everyone. This could be very easy for our Federal Government to use to keep tabs on people. It sounds crazy to some, but our personal freedoms here in the United States are in jeapordy! With the president we have in office, nothing is secure anymore. We need to take action and make sure that we are wise and informed. This has been set in place for quite awhile, but I believe its so that when the New World Order comes, it can be a form of entrapment. I am closeing my Twitter account soon, and even though I do, I'm not sure how good it will be since they already have logged my information, and I have written in it. However, at least its a step in the right direction. I thought Myspace and Facebook were evil enough, but I believe with Twitter's charm and innocent like personality, it will fool a lot more people, and may just be the thing that rides the tide into Kingdom Come.

Don't say I didn't warn Y'all !

I stink at getting gigs...

I'm not what you'd call the darling of the Richmond Music scene, or any scene really. I look at other regional musicians- ranging from the good, the bad, and the indifferent- and they all have plenty of gigs lined up on their calendars. Every once in awhile I get a humdinger like America's Cup Of Polo- in front of 10,000 people. But for me, my calender is usually wide open. A few farmer's markets every other month, a coffee shop here and there, a landromat or something. But you can bet on most Friday or Saturday nights, I'm making videos for youtube, rather than playing for a live audience. While it is frusturating, I try to look on the bright side. A few of my youtube videos have reached almost 50,000 people. Whereas a live show would get me on average 50 people at best. I could be touring every little club on God's Green earth, and still not have as many listeners. The music industry is changing, and maybe filling your calender every day of the week with a club is 'ol hat. But I sure do miss it when I'm not on stage. I usually get as nervous as a hen out of a coup- or in my case, a rooster, but the thrill of playing live cannot be beat. Go ask any musician if he prefers playing live or in the studio- and nine out of ten they will say the stage is where it feels like heaven.

So I just don't know, if I stink at booking or what. It seems like just to get a regular gig I have to grovel at people . "Oh pleeeeeease" Let me play at your hole in the wall?" But most of the time, they will tell me they prefer jazz or blues. I get so irked with this. Time for my afternoon nap!

Naci Para Amarte (I was born to Love you)

I recorded this using my podcast mic. I think I can get a decent sound- but I do prefer analog. This song has a touch of Spanish in it. I sure hope I got that part right. I know a lot of my many Mexican fans might enjoy it !

http://www.streamingrichmond.com/a/81,naci-par-amarte-(i-was-born-to-love-you).html

I took my Mac computer in to Capital Mac on W. Main Street today. They can't upgrade it because its so dang old. But they said I can go on ebay and get an '05 version of Ilife which will have garageband. Which I already have done just now. Yesterday I was bored out of my mind. I ate out at Jason's Deli where I had tuna melt and some of their free ice cream. They ought to have cups or somethin' because I got it on the floor.

Well I am learning to sing some more songs in Spanish- because the way things are going we'll all be speaking it in 10 years or so !

Feista, Y'all!

You can't go home again....

The old saying is true. These video clips are a testament to that. It makes me sad to go back to these places where I once called home, and to see its simply not the same. I realize time changes, but not always for the better. That old farmhouse was where I spent most of my teen years in and I can recall that it was built with a lot of love and happy memories there. Now it sits abandoned- just waiting to be torn down- probably to be replaced by Starbucks. Sterling has over grown so much with so many people, that its a nightmare just driving around the place. I miss the area some times, but I realize, Richmond is truly my home, and I can never go back.

Sterling Trip

I was up in Loudoun today putting up some posters for my show at Market Street Coffee. While I was there I had dinner with my sister Sally who lives in Sterling. We ate at Sweetwater Tavern. We were going to try the Irish Pubs for St. Patrick's Day, but decided they would be way too crowded. Its a neat Western themed place and they had a good fare for the price. The service was excellent, but they didn't have any sweet tea. Sterling has gotten so big I hardly recognized it. The old shopping center where they had the Lowe's Theater and Erol's video is now enveloped by another one. Giant is still there, though. Gretchen came with me also and we also made a trip to Egypt Farms and to Purcellville, where I stopped to leave some posters at the coffee shop. Egypt Farms was blocked off at the front gate. so we snuck in the back way . I stopped by The Pink Shop in Leesburg and talked to the lady there about playing for First Fridays. So its all set up for April 3rd. She is really nice and gave us some free chips and peanuts. I took some video of my old stomping grounds. I don't want to ever go back to Sterling. Countryside Shopping Center is really weird to see these days. I do like Philomont though. Loudoun just isn't the same anymore. There is so much traffic. So many people. It was never like that when I was growing up. I didn't think I'd even be back to visit. The Safeway store where we used to shop is now run by people who don't even speak English. Anyways, I was all decked out in green. I have a lot of Irish heritage.

Rainy No Show

I couldn't sleep at all last night and I missed my slot today at the Glen Allen Arts Center today .Its just as well. It was very rainy and slick out. I wasn't a featured act or anything. And I really needed my beauty rest. I went out later with Gretchen to get just a plain pair of grey flat fronts. No pleats, please! I just want traditional grey flat front trousers that I can wear to church or to a honky tonk. Anyways, I couldn't find any. Zilch. Went to Stony Point and then Regency Mall. We tried Macy's, JC Penny's , and Dillard's. I suppose its a little odd going clothes shopping with your sister, but I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, and that's the best I could find in a pinch. We got hungry so we stopped at Chic-Fil-A on Pump Rd. I had a Number Two grilled chicken sandwich and a sweet tea. Gretchen had the same. Then we went to Short Pump Mall and to Nordstrom's. They didn't have my flat fronts there either. Everything was so over priced and way too flamboyant! So we stopped at the Cafe there for dessert and split a chocolate cake and washed it down with some sweet tea. Then I got desperate and got a pair of black flat fronts at Eddie Bauer's.

Anyways, I also have a Twitter Account and my New Online Gallery is up. Being a local celebrity is non stop work !

Wonderful Musicians...

As I said in an interview once, the best thing about being a musician is you get to travel. And over the years, I have met so many great musicians. Many just in passing. I have met them at open mics, taverns, laundromats, hay fields, and honky tonks. At coffee shops, songwriters nights, and the famous Bluebird Cafe. I remember standing out one time for a songwriters showcase in front of the Bluebird Cafe, talking to a really pretty young gal from North Carolina, who was as sweet as pie. She had her guitar with her and was tuning up. I told her I was a tad nervous because this was the first songwriters night I had played at the famous Bluebird. She told me just to to relax and have fun, and that the audience is what matters, not us. That sure was great advice! Then there was one time when I stopped on my way to Nashville I was at this little place in Johnson City, TN, and I ran into Bill Payne. Hes a songwriter from Roanoke. We did a great show that night and had a lot of fun playing. He is a great storyteller. There are so many others, many who's names I have forgotten, or never got to meet again. But along the way, we shared a piece of the music.

Here are a few that I have been able to share the stage with, or simply was lucky enough to meet.


The Gravity Hounds: We were short lived but had a lot of fun playing Moose Lodges and Picnics all around Central Virginia.




Sonny Meade: Here I am backing Sonny Meade on the East Coast Opry. He's picture in the red coat. He is a famous fiddle player, and has even played with such legends as Patsy Cline.




Kate Lawton: I remember meeting red haired Kate back in my early days on the Floating Folk Festival circuit. I spotted her late one night at the now defunct "Fireballz", which was on Main Street in downtown Richmond. Later on, we got to work together several times. I remember doing a silent music video once for "Down and Out". She stood there wearing my cowboy hat and sang backup. Its a night I would never forget. She has a charm and charisma and an energy that lights up a room.
This was us at Innsbrooke Pavillion together back in 2002. Many a man should be lucky enough to share the stage with Kate...




Shane Cooley: Shane is a very young and very talented musician guy from William and Mary. One night I opened up for him during First Night Colonial Williamsburg. It turns out although our styles are a bit different, musically we relate well. He writes a lot of songs about not fitting in. Its a wonder to me how he manages to go to school and tour as heavily as he does. But hes quite a free spirit. I really think hes going to go places. He has the sound.




Brooke Saunders: Brooke has been my mentor for quite a long time. He introduced me to a lot of the musicians around town and helped me get my early bookings, when it was nearly impossible alone. I think he has a good sense of what good music is. Although, I don't always agree with him politically...




Dominic Carpin: Dominic is a great musician and a cool guitar player. He is of the Cashmere Jungle Lords fame. He has a great ear for music, and is a whiz at mastering. I did my very first recording at his studio in Richmond in an old warehouse. He made it sound like Sun Studios.

Teresa Storch: We were double booked one night at the Mudhouse in Charlottesville. She graciously shared the stage with me. We traded up slots. We also traded albums, and she made a new fan. Isn't she cute?





Suzy Bogguss: Okay, I never got to sing with Suzy (yet). But she was so sweet to me. I remember I had a bad day from getting a show cancelled at the Ironhorse. That very day was a card in the mail from Suzy. It was about mid December, and I was also battling a terrible cold . Anyways, she invited me personally backstage to see her at the Birchmere in Alexandria. Suzy is a real trooper, and one of the finest Country Music singers in the business. I could tell she was tired that night, but she took the time to sign autographs. She is quite a beauty! I wish I had remembered to bring her flowers...



The Blind Slye Twins: Meeting them was quite a treat! I was at my friend Billy Brett's wedding in Harrisonburg, and we got to sing a duet together. Well, I guess you'd call that a "triplette". They are Billy's Aunts- Beep and Bop- Barbara and Judy. Both blind since birth, but they sing like angels. Their voices were so perfectly harmonized and in beautiful elegant tune. It was like heaven. We did "Ten Thousand Angels". I have their record at home.




Buck Gooter: These guys put on a show like nothing you have ever seen before. Billy Brett and Terry Turtle own the stage when they play. It was through them I was introduced to The Little Grill crowd. I played an open mic up there one night, and I think they came across my album, and invited me to come play some more shows out that way. Since then, I've really come to like their music and their way with a show. Billy plays a mean theremin. If you don't know what that is, look it up.

Harry Gore: Any Richmond musician will tell you Harry is one of the finest guitar players around, and a great songwriter. You can probably catch him any Sunday afternoon playing along the streets of Carytown. I have met him through Brooke Saunders, and we did a show one night at The Daily Grind. He can pick up anything


Pam McCarthy:
Pam has a voice a lot like Judy Collins meets Grace Slick. She is one of Richmond's many underappreciated talents. I have shared the stage many times with Pam over the years. She has a lot of great tunes up her sleeve

And then of course theres The Meadow Street Band- (Ron, Larry, Betty, Terry, and Kathy), Rob Lytle, the drummer, Red River Rollercoaster, Greg Harrup, Bryan Martin, Tod Woodson, Dave Berry, and countless others I have worked with over the years. Some have come to shape my sound and form me as the musician I have come to day. Others have just been there when I needed them.

SICK !

I was terribly sick yesterday with a bad case of something. While everyone else had spring fever- I had a fever, body aches, diarrhea, and stomach cramps! Yikes. Anyways, I feel much better today, but I am still feeling that feeling that you get when you have been really sick. I felt fine Saturday night at my show in Rocky Mount- it went pretty well. Not a big crowd, but I did get a lot of support. Anyways, coming home I was fine too. But it started about 5 in the morning on Sunday. So I spent all day in bed . I think it might have been something I ate. It was just awful. Anyways, all I had to eat today was a zone bar and yogurt. I managed to book several more shows, though. I am taking it easy this week. I am just gonna watch Mama's Family re-runs on my trusty VCR. I don't know what caused this. It may have been the linguine with clams at that I-talian restaurant, or some bad fruit from Ukrop's. I'm too nice to press charges, however.

Arianna's Grill

Well, Aunt Virginia made quite a mess in the kitchen last night, and we didnt know quite what to do, so I went with Gretchen to Arianna's Pizza. It was a split decision, we have never been there before, and wanted to try something new. I had the linguine with clams, and she had the manacoti. It was pretty decent. The hostess was pleasant and cute, and the waiter was very good and polite. They had sweet tea also, so big bonus points for that. I don't care for that particular neighborhood- for some reason its very dismal having so many bars in one area. Cafe Diem is down the block, as is the dreadful Bandito's Burrito Lounge. Still the atmosphere was right pleasant, and so was the food.

For the past few weeks I haven't' done much. I have been using my Mac laptop computer a lot and taking it to wi fi spots around town. I am always 5 or 6 years behind the times. Anyways its all new to me. I have never had a laptop before or experienced using wi fi in a public place. I sometimes go to Ellwood Thompson's coffee shop (which is nice, but crowded), but my favorite spot is Joe's Market on Libbie Ave. I like it there because theres plenty of space, and its not simply coffee shop oriented, so you have more people out and about shopping, and its a nice atmosphere. I usually get a sandwich there and a little piece of candy. When the weather is warmer as it is now, I can try it outside.

I have a show tonight at Via Cappuccino in Rocky Mount. Just a few hours away- although I have never seen Rocky Mount proper. From the pictures I have viewed on the net, Rocky Mount looks almost identical to Petersburg. Similar layout, similar vibe, similar urban decay. But all the while, maintaining a certain elegance and charm. Tonight I will probably do most of my newer tunes. I rarely play anything off my old albums anymore. I have actually reinvented myself- starting with 'Songs Of Love' but my favorite new song of mine is "Sweet Tea", and anything that is like it, as in "We Talk In Cirlces" has become my signature sound.

Patsy Don't Get On That Plane !

If i could go back to March 5th , 1963 on a chilly Kansas City, Mo day, I would tell Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and their manager, to please not ride on that tragic plane that would kill them all. For it was on that fateful day, 46 years ago, that patsy cline and 2 other country legends, as well as Randy Hughes, PAtsy's manager, all met the most grewsome fate.

So much has been said about when Buddy Holly died in his plane crash. So much has been said just about every Rock n' Roll entertainer that ever lived. But Patsy Cline, with possibly the best set of pipes ever on record, is shamefully overlooked.

I suppose because they were all Country Music entertainers, their deaths don't count. As if somehow Rock n' Roll stars get a presidence over Country.



On March 5th , 1963, we lost a voice that will tragically never be replaced. And along with 2 other Country legends, it was an end of an Era.



Forget Buddy Holly and his gang. Patsy Cline's death, was the day the music died!

Who exactly is my audience?

I used to think my audience was strictly people over 60. I remember when I was entertaining first at the retirement homes- even though I was doing mostly standards, I figure that's where I belong. But when I got more and more into the scene in Richmond and beyond, I was singing in front of young people , and they were buying it. They were eating it up. But then again, its not like I feel that's where I should be either.

Lots of bands seem to know their audience right away. I mean if a Punk Rock or Emo group is playing- they can be sure they'll be at places such as Nanci Raygun- playing to 18-24 year olds decked out in black and tattoos or piercings. For me, its simply not that easy. I have no idea who is going to like it, because I never have figured out my audience. I figured my audience would be mostly like myself. Relatively young professionals, who were raised in small cities or towns, and watch CMT. I certainly dont feel at home with The NASCAR lovin' crowd. Not that there's anything wrong with them or NASCAR. I just know that I've tried the honky tonks and bars and it just doesn't work out.

Whatever God has in mind- it surely wont be conventional. I have seen so many people of so many walks of life at shows that I have performed. I have the church groups, the hip groups , the not-so-hip groups, and the broken hip groups. Seniors Citizens, Hipsters, Good 'Ol boys and gals, Young Democrats, Young Republicans, you name it. I'm not saying they all really like me either. But thats who comes out to see me, and thats who I have met along the way. I suppose it really doesn't matter. I do have a feeling my audience will not be anything like I thought it would be.

Retirement Homes were always good to me....

Going back over my musical performances, most of my early bread and butter came from the retirement home circuit. At the age of 16, I began this. I was much too young to get into any clubs, and I didn't yet have my diver's license. So my sister or dad would drive me all around the tri-state area. I would play in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, at all kinds of nursing and retirement homes. Word spread around , and I quickly began getting paid. It was a very good experience and a good start for me. Although I had been in school plays and such, I had never really performed music live very much at all until that time. Most of my performances were for close friends, in my garage, or in the barn with the horses. The old folks really seemed to appreciate the music, and it gave me a good platform. I learned all these older songs from the 1920s ,30s, and 40s. I learned a lot of Classic Country Music this way, and it fermented my style. Even though some members of my audience were slumped over in a wheel chair and covered in their own drool, it was nice to know I could actually do this and get paid. I remember fondly, my first open mic night at Lucketts Community Center, in Lucketts, VA- just 10 miles north of Leesburg. I sang a whole slew of Western swing numbers, Rockabilly tunes, and then I would always close with a Gospel song. I was such a hit, they had me back as showcase. There were many people there. I played from Winchester to Fairfax and anything in between.


My first big radio interview was at WKCW 1420 AM in Warrenton, VA. It is now an all Spanish Radio station, but back then in 1996 it was Classic Country. I was interviewed and they played a tape of me singing Jim Reeves type stuff. I was just 17 years old, but I felt that I had arrived. I had an offer from an older lady to be my sponsor, but unfortunately, she had died that summer, so there went that. It was during this time, my drive to head for Nashville was strong. Living in the same very area that Patsy Cline got her start, was quite something. But then I remembered, how we moved to Richmond when I got just out of high school, and fate did not have me go to Nashville to live. But Richmond did welcome me with open arms. More or less...