Dear Friends,

Well, here I am, Friday, June 1st at the Kerrville Folk Festival on Quiet Valley Ranch in the Texas Hill Country. It took me five days to get out here – well really only three, but I stopped for two days in Houston to play a show at JP Hops House on Wednesday night.

It’s a LONG haul from the sunshine state out to central Texas with the camper in tow. It was an uneventful trip, thank goodness, until yesterday. I was making my way out to Kerrville from Houston on I-10 when a trucker in front of me failed to notice road work and stopped traffic ahead (my view was blocked by him). He suddenly swerved left and locked up his air brakes leaving me facing the rear end of a car ahead in MUCH too short of a distance to have a prayer of stopping. I hit the brakes enough to slow substantially without locking them up and slipped off onto the shoulder, past the lane of wide eyed motorists watching in fascinated terror, and brought the big beast to a halt about 9 cars up the line. I took a deep breath and glanced at the driver of the F-150 pickup just a foot to my left. He wiped his hand across his brow in a grandly exaggerated show of relief, grinned broadly and waved me into the creeping traffic ahead of him. Needless to say the pants I was wearing have been thrown away.

I arrived at the Ranch yesterday at a little after 5 pm. I love the observed tradition of all the Festival Staff and Volunteers. Each and every person, whether it’s your first time or your 40th, whether a songwriter or a fan, young or old, is greeted with a beaming smile and the words “WELCOME HOME!” And they mean it too. Nowhere on earth have I ever been where everyone involved is so dedicated and anxious to make sure you have everything you need and that you thoroughly enjoy your time with them. You really do feel like you’re home.

For the first time since I gave up tent camping (too old for that business anymore) I’m actually staying on the Ranch. When I first started coming to the festival back in the 90’s there wasn’t much room or hookups for larger campers. And, though they now have more than 50 full hookup sites, those are, as you might guess, in high demand. So, in years past I’ve stayed at a state park about 8 miles away and just commuted, which is fine, but you aren’t in the center of things like you might like to be.

This year however, on a lark, I sent an e-mail to LizzyJane (she who reigns supreme over all things kamper related) to ask the stupid question as to whether death or other misfortune had befallen any of the reserved Kerrverts in the full hookup sites so that one might be available for me this week. I got an immediate reply that, as luck would have it, site #16 had just become available for the very time period I requested – WELCOME HOME! Site 16 is on “main street” right at the end by the Kerr-Cafe and Children’s stage. Also near the “restrooms” (2 octagonal plywood buildings with wedge shaped stalls sporting a toilet seat and necessary supplies) and the showers (two open air concrete areas with a number of shower heads around the walls – one for guys and one for gals, of course – not for the shy or modest). Great location.

I got settled in, met my neighbors and then went over to Threadgill Theater for the sundown concert from 7-9. It became old home week as I ran into old friends along the way, many from Florida including Annie Wenz, Brian Wolfson, Ellen Bukstell, Paul & Tammi (Hanna’s Whirl) and others. It having been a long, long day fraught with a near death experience I concluded that my first night should be a restful one, not a “howl at the mooner”, so I turned in early in the air conditioned comfort of my home on wheels.

Tonight my friends Ronnie Cox and Jack Williams will open the main stage concerts in the Kennedy Outdoor Theater at 7 pm, followed by Eric Taylor, Christine Lavin, Chuck Pyle and Carolyn Wonderland. Then it’s out to the camps for song circles to the wee hours. Fifty-one (51) organized camps and countless others provide endless opportunities to hear and share great original music or jam. What a place!

Stay Tuned! All the Very Best,

Doug

Notes from the Road – the Will McLean Music Festival 2012

Every year the highlight of my festival season is playing THE Florida Folk Festival, the Will McLean Music Festival between Dade City and Brooksville at the Sertoma Youth Ranch.  No disrespect to the venerable Florida Folk Festival in White Springs on Labor Day weekend, one of the longest running events in the country and the largest in Florida, but Will McLean is the Florida songwriters’ festival that truly preserves the soul of our State and musical heritage.  Organized by a dedicated core group of music lovers headed by our “Mother Superior”, Margaret Longhill, the festival has survived and thrived for 22 years without public funding.  It features all of the State’s most celebrated songwriters and musicians honoring it’s namesake, Will McLean, Florida’s Black Hat Troubadour, as well as so many others now gone including Gamble Rogers, Don Grooms, Bobby Hicks, Steve Blackwell, Jim Bellew and more whose names won’t roll off my fingers at the moment.  This festival is home for the folk music community and really should not be missed.

The Festival runs Friday through Sunday, but folks begin gathering early, some as early as the weekend before, but most start rolling in on Wednesday. It was Thursday for me and I hit the road just before noon with the camper in tow. Just 1 1/2 hours from home I pulled into Sertoma where my friends Ron & Bari Litschauer had roped off a reserved space for me.  Friends and fans Ron and Nancy Hagan were already settled in next door and Ron joked that he wanted to see how a real musician does at backing a big camper amongst the thick oaks and magnolias surrounding the site.  Little did he know that I’ve been backing trailers since before I was old enough to have a driver’s license and he was duly impressed with my prowess at putting it right in the slot without striking nary a tree.

Hellos all around with hugs for all and kisses for some. The Ashley Gang, Jackson Creek, Larry Mangum and more were camped straight across from us, great folks to be near when it’s time to get the night time jams going.  After getting set up I headed out for supplies, but was settled in to relax by 4 pm.  By then Stan & Kathy (Geberer & Wallace) had arrived, followed by Clyde & Lorelei Walker.  Dawn & Charles Dewitt wouldn’t arrive until late Friday, but we expected Bob Patterson, the last of our usual camping crowd, to get in by noon Friday.

Part of the magic of the Will McLean Festival is the feeling of family shared by musicians and fans alike in the campground before, during and after the actual performances.  Large, simple shared meals, campfire song circles, walking around the grounds and visiting with old friends, new friends and soon to be friends fill the time under the canopy of trees.  Bari and Kathy whipped up a superb stir fry for supper and soon the instruments were out.  Jamming and song swapping ran to the wee hours.

Friday dawned clear and comfortable. I made coffee in the camper and began this chronicle before venturing out amongst the people. Bari and Kathi were at the cook stand again. This morning it was eggs and fried oatmeal – yeah, that’s right, fried oatmeal. Basically you take thick, chilled oatmeal that you’ve leveled out in a pan, cut it into thick strips (think oatmeal fingers) and fry it light brown in a skillet. Add butter and syrup and eat. We used to do fried grits much the same way. It essentially serves as a vehicle to convey butter and syrup to you taste buds. And it adds fiber to your diet!

The stages opened at noon Friday and the music started to flow. I caught terrific sets by James Hawkins, Jackson Creek and Lucky Mud before heading back to start thinking about my own set list for the evening. I was honored to have a prime time slot on the main stage (the Magnolia Stage) at 8:30 pm. Ron Litschauer and Stan Geberer had agreed to join me. I settled on the following: When the Hummingbirds Return, Teppintine, Hemingway’s Hurricane, The TSA Song (You Ain’t Leavin’ on No Jet Plane), This Old House and Yellow Butter Moon. Stan would join Ron and I on Teppintine and Hemingway’s Hurricane. I ran the tunes a few times myself and then ran through them with Stan and Ron as well.

I headed on down to the backstage area around 7 pm to catch Larry Mangum’s set followed by 2 PM at 7:30 – tough acts to follow. Somewhere in here my beloved Judy and our delightful, music loving granddaughter Kendall arrived.  They focused first on getting something to eat and then I established a seating spot for them under the pavilion roof on the aisle so little Kendall, in her pink kid’s camp chair, could look down the aisle and see the stage. Then I went backstage to get ready. At Stan’s request we ran Hemingway’s  one more time and then Ron and I ran the first part of the opening song Hummingbirds to prime the pump. Showtime!

What a great crowd. Friday night usually has a good, faithful, but smaller crowd that doesn’t fill the pavilion completely. Not so this year – the pavilion was full and was spilling out to the back and sides. Terrific turnout!  I suspect part of the increased enthusiasm is a result of superb sound on the Magnolia Stage provided by Jeff Frieberg and crew from Eustis.  They took over the sound job on the Magnolia last year and the step up in quality was remarkable. Great job Jeff, Joe, Kaycee, Brian, etc.!

Ron, Stan and I were introduced by our friend and Florida treasure, Bob Patterson.  We had a blast! The set went well (though I fumbled a bit during This Old House at one point) and the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. It cracked me up after Teppintine when I looked back towards where Kendall and Judy were seated. Being on the aisle so she could lean out and see to the stage had not satisfied Miss Kendicane. No, she had pulled her pink camp chair out into the aisle and was hunched forward intently watching Papa Doug do his thing. People were very graciously stepping around her as needed and in fact many were taking photos. Pretty cute stuff.

The crowd particularly liked my parody of John Denver’s Leavin’ on a Jet Plane, which lampoons the ridiculous TSA full body pat downs we experience now at air ports. The song never fails to draw roars of laughter and approval. Ron and I finished with Yellow Butter Moon to thunderous applause. Great set. The Ashley Gang followed with a KILLER set of their own and then veteran headliner Rod MacDonald closed out the evening. The 22nd Will McClean Festival was off to one hell of a good start!

But, the music didn’t stop there of course. Campfire time. Things seemed a little slow to get rolling at our camp so I wandered over to Joe and Katie Waller’s (Jackson Creek) to share some tunes. Joe & Katie always have a great circle going and graciously invite me to join in. They keep threatening to add a couple of Doug Spears tunes to their set lists and I sure hope they do – I’d be honored!

By the time I headed back to home base it was well after midnight and though the music was continuing on I elected to just sit back and listen. Judy & Kendall were long ago asleep in the camper and I finished the evening sipping (ok, swilling) Irish Whiskey under a near full moon and starry skies as the jam rolled on. Soon it was yawn and crash time.

Saturday we had some wonderful coffee crumb cake that Kathi brought along, some fruit and hard boiled eggs. Dawn and Charles rolled in late Friday night and were now situated between my camper and Ron & Bari’s. Judy & Kendall got to give their official hello hugs, etc. and begin to circulate with the faithful. Plenty of friendly dogs for Kendall to pet and lots of activity for her to watch.

My day would include a 3:30 pm set on the Azalea Stage and a stint as MC on the main stage from 5 to 7 pm. I caught a little music with a blockbuster set by Brian Smalley at 10:30 on the Magnolia Stage, followed by the wonderful harmonies of Hannah’s Whirl and a great songwriters’ round with Jerry Bullard, Jeff Frieberg, Garrison Doles and Paul Garfinkel. Then it was time to get me set list together and focus on business!

I got down to the Azalea to hear Bob Patterson’s exceptional set of songs and tall tales and James Hawkin’s set which included his trademark tune Swept Away. Ron Litschauer joined me again on mandolin to make me sound gooder.  In years past the Azalea stage, the smallest of the three stages, was a somewhat lightly attended, hear as you pass by kind of stage. Not any more. Jim and Carolyn Dunn from Sarasota have taken over the sound on that stage and have done an superb job. This year all seating under the canopy was filled, folks were seated close together on both sides and to the year of the tent and the road was blocked by people standing to the rear. Incredible!

Ron and I gave them our very best on State of Dreams, Marker 26, Yellow Butter Moon, a new tune Starting Over Again, Welcome Home (for Steve Blackwell) and Steam Train. Another fun set with my very talented pal Ron and we were handsomely rewarded by applause and accolades.

After dropping my gear back at the camper and checking on Judy & Kendall (who missed the 3:30 set due to much needed naps) I wandered down to the Magnolia Stage to prepare for MC duties. Being an MC can be a tough job. You have to try to fill the space between performers while the sound guys get the last act off stage and the next act set up and dialed in. Announcements of various kinds and performer intros will fill part of it, but if you don’t have a line of patter you end up with dead space and you feel silly standing there at the mic waiting to introduce the upcoming set. So, I tore a page out of Bob Patterson’s play book (steal only from the best) and incorporated some of my own stories about Florida and family into the process.  It was my privilege over the next two hours to introduce Patchwork, Ellen & Gary Bukstel, Still Friends and the Bullard Brothers, stellar all. In between I told stories about my Grandfather Geiger and I have plenty of those! I related the tale of him building a separate Florida screen room behind his house and being asked by the Leesburg building inspector if he had a building permit – “Yeah, it’s hanging in there on my gun rack. Want to see it?” was his growled reply. Satisfied that an actual viewing of the “permit” was ill advised the city official thanked him and beat a hasty retreat. I also told of the time three out of towers tried to rob his Army surplus store on Main street. Rather than call for the police he locked the front door of the store, produced a 357 magnum from his pocket and proceeded to shoot up a lot of inventory, but failing to wound any of the miscreants who obviously had made a terrible mistake. They gladly surrendered to the police when they arrived to escape the crazy old shopkeeper!

With my MC duties complete my official role in the festival was over and I was now an avid audience member. And, the first act I saw was a special treat – my dear friends Lis and Lon Williamson from Gatorbone Lake near Keystone Heights. Lis is one of the best songwriters Florida has to offer and unquestionably one of the best vocalists anywhere. Her guitar, tenor guitar and banjo, backed by Lon’s bass, combined with sweet harmonies that come from 30+ years make for an unforgettable show. They are among my favorite people on the planet. Never EVER miss a chance to hear them either as a duo or with the full Gatorbone band.

After the set Lis and Lon were immediately heading back to Gatorbone, but as Judy had brought a lasagna with her, ready to eat, we coaxed them back to the camper for a quick bite before they hit the road. It was good to get to catch up a little face to face instead of by email or phone.

I made it back to the Magnolia (with Kendall in tow) to hear the tail end of the Dean of Florida Folk Music, Frank Thomas’ set and then settle in for everyone’s favorite, Amy Carol Webb. You can’t grade Amy’s performances – there’s just no way to differentiate levels of excellent, superb, exceptional, etc.  As always she brought the house down.

At that point Judy took Kendall towards bedybye time, but I stayed for the Aaron O’Rourke Trio. What Aaron does with a dulcimer is illegal in 23 states. He is to the dulcimer what Jimmi Hendrix was to the electric guitar or Bill Monroe was to the mandolin. Ever expanding the depth and range of the instrument he is a phenomenon to behold. This ain’t your Grandma’s mountain dulcimer. This is a high octane, immaculately clean, precisely articulated performance arranged with bass and fiddle accompaniment. Unbelievable!

Then campfire time again. We were going to lose an hour of sleep tonight due to daylight savings time so I was glad I had no set on Sunday to play. It left me free to wander and pick. I started off with Mike Jurgensen, Dan Leach, Glenn and Linda Smith, Pete Price, Bill Dudley and more. Mike didn’t last long as his voice was giving out and he had an early set with son, Ian, on the Magnolia so I was soon ambling in search of other die-hards. And, I found them. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know the names of our hosts (Ray, a great picker and songwriter was one of them) but I’ve sat at their fire before in years gone by for great tunes and homemade hospitality both human and liquid, if you get my drift. Some of the players in attendance included my pal Ally Smith, Marianne Dinella, Ray (see above), Ron and Bari Litschauer and later on we were joined by Chris Campbell on bass and my old friend David Russell, an amazing Florida guitar player now living in exile in North Carolina. It was a great song swap with much laughter and spirit. I stayed until nearly 3 am (2 before springing forward) before yawning back towards home camp. Back there the jam was running strong with Clyde Walker, Ron & Bari, Bob Patterson, Tom Shed and many, many more with dozens on listeners huddled around the circle and out into the darkness. I listened for a bit, but soon the urge to be horizontal became irresistible so I called it a night . . . uh, day . . . uh, morning . . . ah hell, I went to bed!

Sunday arrived with overcast skies and damp breezes.  Breakfast was served (this one featured Dawn DeWitt at the propane stove) and greedily consumed. Others had immediate duties, but I was unencumbered. So I hustled down to the Magnolia, coffee in hand, for Mike and Ian Jurgensen’s great set, then over to the Cypress for sets from  Chelsea Saddler, Frank Thomas and Murray Palmetto’s South Florida Swamp Band.  Judy fixed us grilled cheese sandwiches back at the camper and got herself and Kendall packed to depart before we headed back to the Cypress for Still Friends (the festival favorite combination of the Blackwell and Coffey families from Punta Gorda). At that point Judy and Kendall loaded for the drive home in a light drizzle of rain.

I stayed to hear the irreverent, irrepressible and incomparable Charlie Robertson. Charlie is another one you should never ever miss. I also slipped over to the Azalea to hear a little of Jerry Mincey singing with his granddaughters – very special. At that point the drizzle was coming from nap clouds and I went back for a little restful recline in the dry shelter of the camper. But I was back up and down at the Magnolia for the Roadside Revue and Red & Chris Henry’s Allstar Band. As always the festival closed out with the Hour of Power featuring songs of Will McLean and the finale, all performers and festival organizers joining on stage for Hold Back the Waters.

And with that the 22nd Will McLean Festival drew to a close. My only regret from this year’s Fest was that I didn’t get to play the Azalea Stage where my friend Tom Ellis runs such excellent sound – always a favorite part of appearing at Will McLean. Other than that this was one of the best of the 17 Will McLean Festivals I’ve participated in. Many, many thanks to Margaret Longhill and all the staff and volunteers that work tirelessly to keep this essential Florida tradition thriving! Much love to you all.

Often some of us stay over for a relaxing Sunday evening around a campfire, but this year other duties called most on Monday morning requiring a Sunday departure. For me the drizzling rain which did not seem likely to clear was the deciding factor. So I hooked to the camper and made my way East to home in the comforting, warm glow of music, friends and family.

Will McLean will be back again in March 2013 at the Sertoma Youth Ranch. Keep in touch through their website at http://www.willmclean.com/home. I also hope you’ll consider supporting the cause by becoming a member of the Will McLean Foundation. For information contact Nikki Connors at connorsnikki@yahoo.com or 352-465-2167.

All the Very Best!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and isn’t having too much trouble getting back in the groove in the New Year. Everybody wants to be in Florida in January. Record snow fall and freezing temperatures around the country makes that even more so this year. But, though there’s been no snow, it hasn’t been exactly balmy here in the Sunshine State either. More hard freezes than usual are not doing the citrus and ornamental plant industries any good. My tangerines in the back yard have done just fine, but then they get a lot of protection from the big oaks towering overhead and the lake nearby.

My music year is off to a fast start with a very eventful January. First, the final tallies on the Folk DJ Radio Chart came out and “Welcome Home” finished as a top 40 album for 2010 based on worldwide airplay. Maggie Ferguson at WXOU in Auburn Hills, MI picked it as her Best Regional Album of the Year, Lilli Kuzma at WDCB in Glen Ellyn, IL picked it as a top 10 favorite and Al Kniola of WVPE in South Bend, IN rated it in their top 30 albums of the year. I am, to say the least, thrilled!

January has been BUSY!! Ten shows here in Florida in January is a record pace for me. House concerts have been the bedrock of the packed calendar and four of those shows (yep, four) were “virgin” house concert presenters. This put me in front of a lot of new faces and introduced them not only to my music and the rich Florida Folk music scene, but also introduced them to house concerts, the very best way to hear and appreciate original acoustic music. Thanks to Gina Killgore, Barbara Sheen Todd, Alona Smith and Pat Feeley who hosted great shows in their homes and enjoyed their introduction to the world of house concerts.

Special thanks go to Pete Gallagher and Randy Wynne of WMNF in Tampa. Both welcomed me on their radio shows to promote my packed schedule in the Tampa Bay area. Pete and Pat Barmore host the Florida Folk Nights on Tuesday and Thursday every week in St. Pete Beach and Bradenton and they were kind enough to make me the featured act at both events while I was in the area. And, another great supporter, Shelley Eckert, booked me in at Sacred Lands in
St. Petersburg and the Pinellas County Folk Festival at the Heritage Village in Largo during my Bay area run.

A real highlight was a wonderful house concert hosted by Barbara Sheen Todd at her home in west St. Petersburg. Barbara’s first house concert effort, her home on the water makes a beautiful setting. Barbara is a long time supporter of the Florida Folk scene and was the initial VP of the Will McLean Foundation. We had a full house of around 45 and Barbara marshaled a considerable corp of assistants from her friends and fellow Rotarians to prepare an elaborate spread of food and refreshment. It was a real treat and I hope to be able to share some video soon from that event. Thanks so much Barbara for a fantastic evening!

Everyone in the Tampa Bay area should know about, get tuned into and support The Hideaway Café on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg. John and Nicole Kelly have a very special room there and the line up of acoustic music they have booked (as many as 6 nights a week) is awesome. As it started out (and remains) a recording studio, the sound is absolutely stellar with John hovering over the knobs and faders with the care that only a dedicated professional sound engineer can give. Friday the 28th we recorded a live show there in front of a standing room only crowd. The Winterlings opened the show for me at a little before 8 pm and really got the crowd warmed up. In addition to the recording being done by John I was also shooting video from two stationary cameras. It would have been better if I had actually turned them on. I thought I did, really! But, you have to punch “record” twice, not just once like I did. So when I looked at them on about the third song I was disappointed to see no red lights shining.

The second set, however, did get videoed and it included a very special treat. My friend Gove Scrivenor (who has recorded with the Carter Family, Doc Watson, Emmilou Harris, John Prine and so many more and toured with Jimmy Buffett and Delbert McClinton) came to the show and did a short three song set to get the second half of the night underway. Gove, of course, was fantastic and you can look forward to seeing him at the Hideaway for a full show soon. Stay tuned for news of a potential Live CD release (if the recording works out as planned)! Get on the Hideaway Café’s mailing list, check out their website and go support this great listening room in St. Pete. Ellis Paul will be there in February – get your tickets now as he will sell out quickly.

Alice Schaeffer hosted me in her Music4Me&You series down in Ft. Myers on Saturday January 29th. Alice has hosted several Florida favorites, including Garrison Doles, Roy Schneider and Annie Wenz, as well as “foreign acts” like Stevie Coyle, Walter Strauss and more. The set up there is great and Alice has cultivated a loyal group that trusts her musical tastes. I was able to fit in a surprise guest there as well. My Nashville friend, David Llewelyn and his Swedish sweetheart and music star in her home country, Ida Kristin, were spending some time in the warmth of Naples and drove up for the show. I got them to do three tunes at the beginning of the second set to introduce themselves to Alice and her audience – they were great! It was a very fun evening with an enthusiastic crowd and I was treated to what Alice tells me was a very rare standing ovation at the close of the show. I’m looking forward to returning for more shows down in the far southwest of Florida.

This month I head out to the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis. I’ll leave on Friday, February 11th and play at the Mockingbird Café in Tallahassee that evening. Saturday I’ll stop in Cullman, AL at Berkley Bob’s for my fourth show there. Then Sunday I’ll be outside of Nashville in Whites Creek in the Treetop House Concerts series. Check my Facebook events page or my website for more details.

Folk Alliance will be busy this year as well. I overbooked my showcases and ended up with eight. But they’re spread over four days so it won’t be too bad. Memphis promises to be cold this year so I’ll start hitting the EmergenC early and taking my woolies. Here’s my showcase schedule for those of you who will be at the conference:

Wed 12:40AM Rm 1922 – Access Presents The Timothy Hay Loft
Thu 10:30PM Rm 1710 – LilFest II
Thu 12:00AM Rm 1723 – National Media/Americana Rhythm
Fri 3:00PM Rm 1827 – Cynthia’s Music/Ceili Productions
Fri 11:10PM Rm 1914 – Access Film-Music
Fri 12:10AM Rm 1929 – Texas Sugarbaby
Fri 1:15AM Rm 1927 – ListeningRoomNetwork (ConcertsInYourHome)
Sat 11:00PM Rm 1806 – Soona Songs

I’ll be back in Florida throughout March with the Will McLean Festival and a few other shows including Central Florida Folk’s “Last Sunday Concert” (formerly the Leu Gardens Series until the city trimmed its budget). Then in April I head to the Midwest for shows in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Hope it has warmed up some by then!

You can always keep track of me on my calendar which appears on all of my websites and social network pages. Drop me a note to let me know how you’re doing and I hope to see you at a show soon. Remember, the world needs more house concert hosts, even for very small weeknight shows. Take a look at this video (click the secure link to connect) from my friends at ListeningRoomNetwork.com / ConcertsInYourHome.com. It tells you how simple and easy it is to enjoy great acoustic music with good friends in the comfort of your own home. Try it, you’ll like it!

All the Best,

Doug
“It’s not how far you’ve come, it’s what you’ve done with the miles”
Doug Spears
36 Interlaken Road
Orlando, Florida 32804
407-257-4242
dcsnole@yahoo.com
http://www.dougspearsmusic.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/dougspears
http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/artists/dougspears
http://www.dinnerandsong.com/artist/dougspears.html
http://www.youtube.com/nativetroubadour
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INTERESTING FLORIDA FACTS:

•There are 882 islands or “keys” in the Florida Keys which are large enough to be recorded on the maps of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
•The total recorded length of all streams in the Sunshine State is 10,550miles.
•The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. Its length is recorded variously as 273 miles long (U.S. Geological Survey) to 318 miles long (State Board of Conservation). The reason for this confusion is that the river’s headwaters are so ill-defined that it is impossible to determine with any certainty the river’s point of origin.
•Florida has 4,510 islands ten acres or larger in size, which is the second highest total in the United States. Only Alaska has more islands.

Well, I’m sitting here in my “music room” with a cup of coffee gazing out at the sun glinting off of the fog over the lake through the cypress trees and Spanish moss and thinking about another year, another decade really, that has come and gone. Benjamin Franklin said “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” With that in mind I look back at 2010.

January 1, 2010 was the official release date for “Welcome Home,” which I say with some pride is my best CD to date. It rose to the top of the Folk Radio Charts worldwide and it appears it will end the year in the top 50 albums of 2010 in that genre based on international radio play. It received critical acclaim as an album and certain songs (“Yellow Butter Moon”, “A Mother’s Tears”, etc.) got particular attention. However, I was particularly pleased that every single track on the album got repeated radio play somewhere in the world. Most times it seems a few songs are the standouts and some never see the light of day. It’s especially gratifying that all of these songs caught someone’s attention on some level.

During the course of the year I played 96 shows and that counts festival appearances as only one show even though I may have played multiple days for multiple sets. Those performances took place in 11 different states (FL, AR, GA, SC, NC, WV, VA, AL, TN, MS and TX). Looking ahead, 2011 will include shows in all of those states again, plus appearances already booked in 9 others (KY, CO, NE, WI, IL, IN, OH, MI and LA). And, who knows what else might find its way onto the calendar!

Some of those shows were particularly special, like the show in April opening for The Claire Lynch Band and being invited back on stage during the show to perform “This Old House” with Claire and “the boys.” I returned to Suwannee Springfest after too many years away. At Will McLean I was joined for separate sets by the Gatorbone Band (in the form of Lis and Lon Williamson and Tim Higgins) and The Roadside Revue. In a Nashville house concert I was joined by 3Penny Acre and David Glasser for a lightning version of “Yellow Butter Moon.” I was backed by Brian Kalinec in my set at HP Hops House in Houston. I returned to Kerrville, the songwriter’s Mecca.

All in all the road was good to me this year. I certainly met a lot of wonderful people and was treated to kind hospitality wherever I went. I “blew a flat in Baton Rouge and had to change the tire, in the parking lot of a Big Lots discount store” (sorry Kris, couldn’t resist). Also, as I was coming over the mountains from Va. into Tn. and on to NC I realized I had steel belts protruding through the inside of a front tire – not good when you’re towing a 6,500 pound trailer behind you on winding mountain roads. But, without mishap I got it replaced with a “used” tire in brand new condition for, get this, $18 in Burnsville, NC. Gas prices weren’t great, but they were lower than they are going into 2011.

I wrote a lot new tunes in 2010, a few of which have made it onto my regular set lists – “When the Hummingbirds Return,” “I Wish,” “These Rocks” to name a couple.

In 2011 Judy and I will celebrate 27 years of wedded bliss (ok, ok, it wasn’t all bliss, particularly not for her!). We’ve lost people we love, but we’ve also gained some along the way – certainly our grandkids, Chase, Hunter and Kendall. My daughter Jessi, son-in-law Derek and Kendall have been living with us for nearly six months now as they try to buy a house in this foreclosure / short sale market. It has been among the finest times of my life getting to watch Kendall grow day in and day out and share their lives with them. Chase and Hunter joined Judy and I for part of my SE tour this year traveling with us in the camper from Nashville to WV and into VA where I dropped them all at the airport in Richmond to fly home. They can’t wait for the next one!

I’m so blessed to be surrounded by good friends and family, get to follow my heart playing my music for any who will listen and to get to share that deepest part of me with all of you. The sun has pretty much burned the fog off the lake now and the last sip of coffee in my cup is cold. Time to get to the chores of the day, watch some college bowl games on TV and prepare to start again with a fresh new chapter tomorrow – 2011. “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” ~Hal Borland. God Bless you all and I look forward to seeing each and every one of you somewhere along the trail this year.

Notes from the Road – Southeast Region Folk Alliance Conference, Mountain View, Arkansas

Wednesday, October 13 – Sunday, October 17, 2010 –

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Folk Alliance organization, their mission statement explains that “Folk Alliance International exists to foster and promote traditional, contemporary, and multicultural folk music and dance and related performing arts.  The Folk Alliance seeks to strengthen and advance organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, and professional and field development.” Since 1989, Folk Alliance has served as the headquarters for Folk Music and Dance, has over 2000 members worldwide and an annual national conference that is one of the five largest music conferences in North America.

In addition to the national conference (held these days in Memphis each year in February) FA is subdivided into 5 regions that also hold annual conferences.  SERFA (our southeast region) is one of those five.  This is the third annual conference for SERFA, the newest of the five regions organized, and the second year hosting the conference in the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Ark.  To find out more about Folk Alliance go to http://folkalliance.org and for SERFA go to http://www.serfa.org/.

This year I’m drove to Arkansas because Judy and I plan to go visit some friends in NC after the conference for some cool weather and beautiful leaves and I’ll play a couple of shows in NC on the way home.  It’s a long haul and I got started midday Wednesday making it to Birmingham at around 8:30 (with a one hour time change). I stayed with my friend Keith Harrelson who owns and operates the Moonlight on the Mountain music venue there. Keith is a true believer and a tireless supporter of independent acoustic music – one of my heroes. We had a great evenings conversation, a solid night’s sleep and a visit to the venue in the morning so I could see what he’s done with it.  If you are within 2 hours of Birmingham in any direction you need to be on Keith’s mailing list so you can enjoy one of the best listening rooms in the South and the ONLY true listening room in Birmingham.  Here’s his website: http://www.moonlightonthemtn.com/moonlightonthemtn.com.

Thursday I forged ahead to Mountain View.  The route took me across Alabama, up Route 78 through Tupelo, Mississippi, into Memphis, TN and across the Mississippi River into Arkansas.  I made Mountain View by 5:30 pm and was REALLY ready to be outta that car!  My roomies, Lis & Lon Williamson had beaten me there by a scant 15 minutes and were settling into the room when I came through the door.  I hope most of you know Lis & Lon and their music that flows out of their Gatorbone enclave near Keystone Heights, FL.  If you are not then you are missing the top of the food chain – here’s their website: http://www.reverbnation.com/thegatorbonetrio.

Thursday was the beginning of the Official Showcases (mine not until Friday) so after scarfing a hamburger and getting some CAFFEINE we headed over to the auditorium.  As always, top shelf performances, some by folks I knew well, some by folks I’d never seen before.  Though everyone was stellar I have to admit partiality to Phyllis Tanner Frye in that line up.  However, I also loved the performances by Shannon Wurst, Friction Farm, Ruth and Max Bloomquist and Raison D’Etre.  I mention these only as the ones that stood out to me because every single artist was outstanding.

Afterwards the Guerilla showcases cranked up back in the cabins.  I opened Kari Estrin’s showcase and, fortunately, had found my second wind by then.  As a REAL plus I successfully begged Lis Williamson to sing harmonies with me on four songs which made the showcase quite special indeed.  Though I expected to crash early, the lure of the myriad showcases and greeting old friends kept me out and about until after 1 am.  Back at the room Lis, Lon and I shared a nightcap libation and a bit of chatter before succumbing to the sandman around 2 am.  ZZZZZZZZZZZ . . .

Friday it was up and at ‘em.  I had not had the time to prepare for this conference as I typically do so I still had much “assembly” to do for my display table which I was sharing with Lis & Lon.  So, after running up for a quick breakfast (which I shared with my friends Andina & Rich from the IL / WI area of the Midwest) I spent a couple of hours feverishly putting together my samplers, showcase schedules, etc. and got that table set up.  Then it was meeting, greeting, chatting and schmoozing – exhausting!!  By 4 pm I was in need of some down time and preparation for my Official Showcase slot that night.  I was due for sound check at 5:40 so I figured I’d practice a bit, rest, grab a bite to eat a little after five and then hit the sound check – WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE “DOWN TIME”???!!!  Ah well, that’s Folk Alliance.

As momma din’t raise no fool, I convinced Lis to join me on stage for my prime time showcase slot and lend her magnificent harmonies to “When the Hummingbirds Return”, “I Wish”, “These Rocks” and “Yellow Butter Moon.”  The Friday showcases allow for locals in the town of Mountain View to attend if they wish and we had a nice crowd in the auditorium.  My showcase time was right at 7:30 pm and, if I do say so myself, Lis and I DID NOT SUCK!  Once again, the whole line up was outstanding – Garrison Doles and Sheryl Paige joined me from Florida plus Chuck Brodsky, Daniel Boling, Kim Richardson, Ben and Kari Bedford, Annie and Rod Capps, Bill and Kate Isles, Robby Hecht and Melissa Greener – WOW!  What an honor to be in THAT line up!

Friday included two Guerilla showcases for me, the first in the Concerts in Your Home room.  Concerts in Your Home is the magnificent network created by Fran Snyder to connect House Concert hosts with the best touring independent musicians in the world.  Again, if you are not familiar with CIYH check it out at http://concertsinyourhome.com.  It is now expanding with ListeningRoomNetwork.com to provide the same superb service for listening room venues.  Fran’s co-hort, Jeff Robertson, was also on board assisting with the showcase room, etc.  Jeff is responsible for many of the advancements in the websites for CIYH and LRN.  Playing the CIYH showcase is always a pleasure.

Next I headed over to the Hillbilly Haiku showcase room run by my dear friend and house concert host Denise Williams from Nashville.  Now Denise did me dirty – she scheduled me right after my buddies Still on the Hill (Kelly and Donna) which is the highest energy duo on the planet and beyond.  I love these guys and they REALLY put on a show.  Think of energy on the level of River Dance on meth!  Just wonderful.  Well, I couldn’t think of a impactful way of following that showstopper, so I chose the blue humor angle – “Underpants of Mass Destruction”, my take on the Christmas underwear bomber.  There was a combination of raucous laughter and red faced shock, but it got the room focused on me anyway!  Much fun.  Then I got down to my more serious material, but shied away from sad songs as I had caused Denise to cry during the Official Showcase with “I Wish.”  Thus I kept it a little lighter for this late night showcase.

As before, we found ourselves still up at 2 pm back at the room.  My roomies and I opted for throat coat tea to help our voices with the dry weather and reviewed our day.  Rooming together in a small single room cabin requires a comfortable familiarity for sure.  In order to limit the possibility of disturbing each other with intermittent . . . uh . . . hmmmm . . . “night sounds” of various sources and origins Lizzie acquired us a pack of ear plugs – Lime Green ear plugs.  They did a wonderful job, but I did fear that housekeeping would knock early and, getting no response, enter the room to find three apparently dead people sprawled on the beds with some form of radioactive green ooze in their ears.  By agreement signed in blood, there will be no pictures of PJs, ear plugs or the like shared in any fashion!

Saturday – I slept all the way to 10:30!!  I felt like a new man (didn’t look any better, but felt tons better).  I did a little work over coffee in the room and headed up for lunch and the afternoon workshops.  The weather in Mountain View was absolutely stellar – cool and crisp at night, breezy and comfortable in the daytime with bright sunny skies and wonderful color in the trees.  I sat in on a workshop about surviving on the road, doing your own booking, PR, etc. then headed over to the auditorium to check out the set up for the final official showcases that night. The Folk Center has concerts every Saturday night in the main auditorium and the local population always turn out for the show.  This time, instead of a single act of the bluegrass, old time or country genres, the crowd was treated to a series of 15 minute sets by the likes of Jack Williams, Michael Jonathon, The Gordons, Lis & Lon Williamson, Ed Snodderly, Michael Reno Harrell, Jon Vezner, Si Kahn, Still on the Hill and 3 Penny Acre.  Hard to beat that!  Jack Williams was the consummate showman, Lis & Lon wowed ‘em with their smooth, intimate style and everyone from top to bottom put on their finest performance.  First rate all the way around.

Two more Saturday night showcases would fill out the schedule for me.  These were a little different.  The first, in the Shedding Dog Music showcase (the Missouri based label of Lyal Strickland) the room was set up to stream the performances live to the internet, a very interesting feature indeed.  Next was the The Artist’s Continuum SERFA Webisodes Showcase hosted by Florida’s own Sheryl Paige.  Sheryl video’d each performance and will be broadcasting them through the Artist’s Continuum website in the coming weeks.  Very cool!

I saw bits and pieces of many excellent showcase performances by folks like Richard Berman, Tampa’s own Hannah’s Whirl, Clint Alpin from Nashville and more.  I was really caught up in the touch, tone and taste of the piano and accordion play by Louise Goldberg from Oklahoma – superb!  It was an excellent night of music and I don’t think anyone wanted it to end.  And it didn’t until after 4 a.m.!  I think the last thing I remember was Lis telling Lon and I to shut up and go to sleep!!

And so it ends.  I woke up Sunday morning to Lis and Lon bustling about to get out of the room by 11 a.m. (I called for late check out at noon so I would not be in as big a rush).  Sunday morning departure throughout the cabins and parking lot is a flurry of hugs, CD swaps, goodbyes and future plans.  Having “over served” myself in the refreshment department the night before and having had little sleep I confess to some lethargy and bleary eyedness.  But, hugs, goodbyes and planning were accomplished in due course.  After quickly loading the car, a refreshing shower put me in good condition for the road and by noon I was meandering south and east through the Ozark back roads towards Memphis and NC where I’ll pick up Judy and play some gigs on the way back to Florida.  Another SERFA in the can.

But wait!  There’s news on the SERFA front.  Next year the SERFA conference will take place at the Montreat Conference Center in Black Mountain, NC (just east of Asheville).  And, it will move to the late spring, May 19 – 22, 2011.  This location is more centrally located for the region and will make the conference accessible to the entire SE.  Now, if you are a house concert presenter, venue operator, festival promoter, services provider or artist you need to block these dates on your calendar and plan to attend.  More details will come soon regarding showcase applications, rates, housing, etc. so get on the listserve for SERFA at   http://groups.google.com/group/serfafolk.

Stay tuned for more Notes from the Road as I wander through TN and NC on my way back South.  Next week I fly out to Texas for a series of shows there and will keep you posted as always.

Notes from the Road – Summer Vacation a Thing of the Past?

Well, only another couple of weeks until I head out on the road again.  After shows at the Lake County Folk Fest in Eustis on October 9 and 10 (with a dash to Jacksonville Saturday night October 9^th for a show at European Street with my friend C. Daniel Boling from New Mexico) I head out to Arkansas for the Southeast Region Folk Alliance Conference.  I’m an official showcase artist there with fellow Florida artists Garrison Doles, Sheryl Paige and Lis & Lon Williamson (my roomies).  Hannah’s Whirl from Tampa also has a Fast Pitch Showcase so the Sunshine State will be well represented.  From there I swing back through NC for a couple of shows and am home for just a week before flying out to Texas for several shows in the Austin / Houston corridor.  Many Miles!

I was reading an article in Time magazine (an issue from the summer and I’ve just gotten around to it) about the arguments being advanced to do away with summer vacation for schools.  The issue is the lack of constructive summer activity and the impact that the lack of intellectual and physical stimulation has on the ability to learn when school resumes.  Part of the concern is the ever increasing achievement gap between our students and those of nations like Japan in critical skills like math.  I haven’t fully been able to digest the article yet, but it got me to thinking about how important my summer months were in my growth and development as a kid.  There’s no doubt I would be a much different person had I not had the experiences I did during those “vacation” months.

From the time I was able, certainly younger than 1^st grade, I spent the majority of my summer on the family farm outside of Leesburg, FL.  My grandfather farmed cattle, watermelons and various truck crops while also working from time to time running fruit packing houses.  My grandmother raised chickens, occasionally ducks, and a medium sized vegetable garden and cared for my uncle, Claude, her youngest son.  Claude was a “high functioning” quadriplegic, injured in a diving accident when he was 17 in his first quarter at the University of Florida before I was born.  He had the use of his arms and shoulders, but not his hands.

Understand that in the early 1950’s no one (certainly not farm families) had health insurance.  Claude’s injury was catastrophic and required a year in a rehabilitation facility to get him to a point where he could come home.  My grandfather, a man who dealt only in cash, could not get credit though he owned land, farm equipment and cattle free of debt.  Consequently, he sold most everything they had to meet Claude’s needs.  One of the things they did for Claude in rehab was to operate on his left wrist and shorten the muscles and tendons connecting his fingers to the wrist so that when he cocked his wrist back his fingers would grip.  This allowed him to lightly grasp some things (like a garden hoe or other tools) in that left hand.

I never knew Claude any other way.  He and I were largely inseparable in the summers, unless my grandfather took me to work cows or watermelons or something away from the farm.  Otherwise, it was me and Claude roaming about the farm, him in a welder designed single seat electric golf cart.  We’d work the garden, feed the cows, work the orange grove, tend to the earth worms he raised for sale to fisherman (mostly we used them ourselves), fix fences, build gates and calf feeders, tend to the hay field (which usually meant pulling coffee bean weeds which I hated) – just whatever needed to be done.  I was the legs and hands and he was the foreman.

I learned more doing things under Claude’s direction than I’d have ever learned at a summer camp or in summer school.  I also learned a lot about over coming obstacles.  Claude had more than his share.  When he got too hot he’d wet down with a water hose – the paralysis left him unable to sweat.  He kept his water intake low since he had no control over his bladder or bowels.  I learned to help with those problems when they arose in awkward situations.  I learned to be very grateful for the very simple things I had that he didn’t.

It wasn’t all work either.  Claude could hold a fishing rod and, amazingly, a shotgun, so we spent time fishing in the summer and hunting doves and quail in the fall.  Claude had two big yellow Labradors, one after the other, the first named Big Mac and the second Major.  They were both huge and incredibly smart.  Spending 100% of their time by his side they learned to do things on his command the first time, to literally understand what he was asking them to do.  Things like sending Mac to get a hammer (took a few trips, but he finally got the right thing) and sending Major up the steps to the hay loft to retrieve a pry bar someone left up on the platform.  It was something to see.  He taught them the same way he taught me – with patience and persistence.

And my grandfather worked.  Sun up (actually before sun up) to sun down seven days a week.  He didn’t seem to resent it.  In fact, he seemed to enjoy it (not all the time of course, but in general).  After the serious expenses of Claude’s injury he still managed to help my father get through veterinary school, care for my grandmother who survived breast cancer and a radical mastectomy (remember, no health insurance) and hang onto the farm.  He did it all through extremely hard work and not getting into debt.  He wasn’t a man you messed with.  Kind and gentle to me, he was hard and harsh with those working with and under him.  You did the job right, right now, or got the hell out of his way.  He was quick to lend a hand to someone who genuinely needed it and slow to ask for help himself.

And my grandmother worked.  Same hours.  She was one of those people that no one ever had a bad word to say about – everyone loved her and she loved everyone.  No one went hungry or thirsty while she was around.  She was a church woman.  She’d go every Sunday (I can only remember my grandfather in church once or twice) and to prayer meeting / choir practice every Wednesday.  Of course, when I was on the farm she took me with her.  I guess, like so many folks, I learned to sing in church.  She played the piano by ear – I still have the piano, but I don’t play it.

They’re all gone now.  My grandfather first when I was in high school.  My uncle passed about 20 years ago now, though it doesn’t seem that long.  My grandmother was 85 when she went.  The old house is still there though it doesn’t belong to us anymore.  That’s it on the cover of my new album Welcome Home and my song This Old House is its own.  And those summers are long gone.

So as I read in Time about arguments in favor of getting rid of summer vacation I thought of all those years and what they meant to me.  I sure wouldn’t be the same person without them.

Doug
“It’s not how far you’ve come, it’s what you’ve done with the miles”
Doug Spears
36 Interlaken Road Orlando, Florida 32804
407-257-4242
dcsnole@yahoo.com www.dougspearsmusic.com
www.reverbnation.com/dougspears
www.concertsinyourhome.net/artists/dougspears
www.youtube.com/nativetroubadour
www.facebook.com/dougspears
www.myspace.com/dougspears
www.sonicbids.com/dougspears

INTERESTING FLORIDA FACTS:

• There are 882 islands or “keys” in the Florida Keys which are large enough to be recorded on the maps of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
• The total recorded length of all streams in the Sunshine State is 10,550miles.
• The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. Its length is recorded variously as 273 miles long (U.S. Geological Survey) to 318 miles long (State Board of Conservation). The reason for this confusion is that the river’s headwaters are so ill-defined that it is impossible to determine with any certainty the river’s point of origin.
• Florida has 4,510 islands ten acres or larger in size, which is the second highest total in the United States.  Only Alaska has more islands.

Notes from the Road – The Age of Entitlement

When I’m off the road and working at home on new material, recording, rehearsing, etc., I spend some time trying to work through piles of stuff that I collect at conferences and other places, reading what seems useful and tossing out what isn’t.  In a pile of material from past Folk Alliance conferences past I came across the May/June 2009 Issue of Elmore Magazine.  I took a few minutes to scan the pages and let me tell you, this is a rag worth taking a look at!  Check them out at http://www.ElmoreMagazine.com.

A couple of articles particularly caught my attention as they dealt with subjects that fall into my “pet peeves” or “personal soapbox” categories.  First was the regular column of Carl Gustafson, “Kickin’ in Your Stall” titled “the unwarping of entitlement.”  The theme of the piece is a rant about what we as a culture now expect from life, i.e., what we think life at a minimum owes us in today’s world.  He points out that in our modern society we enjoy unparalleled comforts and conveniences (the crummiest jalopy sure beats a horse; there is no such thing as wearing hand-me-downs these days; etc.).  In his words: “Our culture is a fireworks display of opulence and arrogance that would retro-stun the imagination of every two-legged creature back to Adam or amoeba, depending on your beliefs.”

Gustafson doesn’t feel much sympathy for folks in general in this economic climate.  In his view, the average musician has always been and always will be an expert at surviving in lean times (a constant condition for them) by managing expectations.  “I hear radio interviews where some poor bastard is crying that he has to take a job beneath his education level in order to get by.  Of course to him get by means not having to sell his boat, second car, lake cabin and having his kids actually work to get through college.  It may, God forbid, mean 13-year-old Suzy-Q has to keep the gap in her teeth until she’s old enough to get her own job and doesn’t get that boob-job that’s been the fashion these days for a graduation present.”  Tough words, but there’s a whole lot of truth in them.  I’m constantly shocked at the number of kids driving new expensive cars in high school and college that their parents obviously bought for them, setting a standard of living for them that the economy may not support in coming years.  And, people that I know don’t have the cash resources are living in houses, driving cars, dining at restaurants and taking trips that I know has to be going on plastic or some other form of “maybe someday I can pay for it, but right now I want it” currency.

There was a time when a good life was having the opportunity, with hard work, to support a family with food on the table and a roof over head (even if it was only one or two rooms) that didn’t leak.  Everything else was a plus.  Now it’s iPods, iPads, iPhones, HDTV connected to a vast array of cable or satellite gathered channels, stylish new cars (financed or leased), large houses (even the smallest hovel is grand compared to what was the norm 75 years ago), foreign vacations, Starbucks coffee, smoothies and name brand clothes.  Anything less is considered abject poverty and cause for serious depression / shame / anger / blame.

This sense of entitlement is revealed in our general tendency to avoid responsibility and look to others, principally the government, to extract us from the mess we, at least in some significant part, created for ourselves and to blame others, principally the government and anyone financially successful, for whatever financial distress we experience.  We borrowed 120% of the value of the house we were buying when any idiot with a command of third grade math could tell that when the payments reached their peak we would not be able to make them based on our income.  But when that day came it was, of course, the bank’s fault for lending us too much money.  We make choices and are largely unwilling to pay the price of those choices.  We are Enititled.  Our own government, both parties, tells us that the solution to our current recession (I think it’s a depression, but what do I know) is freeing up credit so we can borrow more and buy more.  Maybe I’m just an idiot, but isn’t that how we got here in the first place?

I’m as guilty as the next – I’ve clung far too much to material things over the years and I’m trying mightily to cure myself.  Fortunately I kicked the debt addiction in the last economic malaise we weathered and don’t have that monkey riding my back this time around.  Now I’m in the process of shearing down my burden of accumulated stuff, most of which I never needed in the first place – extra music gear, hobby gear (fishing rods by the bundle, etc.) and other assorted “driftwood” I’ve picked up along the way.  I’m trying to simplify, economize and focus on those things which are truly important and preserve those things which I truly value.

The second article in Elmore dovetails with the first and actually ties into my recent musings on the treatment of original or unfamiliar music by today’s society.  In “I Me Mine – The Economic Incentive Plan,” Alex Lyras berates the digital phenomena of “free music” as one of the symptoms of our “Entitlement culture.”  He argues that the immediate gratification of digital music available for theft through file sharing platforms and simple copying has devalued music as an art form.  While I see many benefits of the digital age of music in terms of the ability of artists to have their music heard without the backing of the commercial music industry, Lyras strikes a chord with me on the “ripping and burning” phenomena that impacts independent artists on an even greater scale than it does the monied music mainstream which has taken legal action to try to stop it.  I hope we all know better than to file share artists’ music on the internet or burn copies of their CDs for friends, family and neighbors.

Where Lyras connects with my prior musings on society’s trend to be indifferent towards music that hasn’t been played ad nauseum on commercial radio is when he quotes some philosophers that before now had escaped my attention.  Adorno and Horkheimer, key members of the Frankfurt School, coined the term “culture industry” in their book Dialectic of Enlightenment, ‘The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception’ in 1944.  Lyras explains their theory “. . . that popular culture was manufacturing standardized entertainment to manipulate the hoi poloi (us!) into complacency; the easier it is to consume these popular pleasures, the more docile and content we all become.  They admonished that mass produced products posed a direct threat to the higher arts by manufacturing false desires (“creating demand”) that mass produced, standardized products could then satisfy.  The toxic side effect is an atrophied sense of quality.”  WOW!  Now THAT says a mouthful to me and, to a large extent, provides an attractive, though tragic, answer to my question posed at the outset of my ponderings on original music – What is it that makes original music less instead of more?  DISCLAIMER: this is still NOT intended to apply to those exceptional classic songs and traditional folk songs we all know and love.  To the extent they arose out of the “Culture Industry,” let’s just say that even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then!

Lyras drives his point home with a quote from Chrissie Hynde, the leader of the rock / new wave band The Pretenders.  “Rock used to be a secret between the artist and the audience.  Now, it’s turned into a sport.  Musicians are hitting gyms because image is more important than content.”   I think we’ve all seen that happening in many, many phases of the arts – and in society in general.  We have become a very image, appearance conscious crowd as a whole.  That’s one thing I admire about nudists – they accept each other as they are without hiding behind adornments, disguises and facades.

In any event, Elmore Magazine is definitely recommended reading.  It covers the art of music across all genres (except, perhaps classical, opera, etc.) and is bi-monthly (six issues for $18).  Another new music magazine, available only on line, is Driftwood Magazine (http://driftwoodmagazine.com).  This comes from the former editors of Dirty Linen, a great print magazine which seems to have gone down the tubes.  Driftwood is heavy on music reviews in folk, world, roots, alternative, rock, and indie music.  I’ve just gotten my first weekly digest edition which features an article on Cheryl Wheeler and reviews of releases by Audrey Auld, Grant-Lee Phillips, Peter Case, The String Cheese Incident and Tom Fisch.  Subscription is (at this point) free so check it out.

Notes from the Road – What is it that makes original music less instead of more?

One of the things I contemplated as I traveled from gig to gig on this most recent tour is the reluctance or disinterest of the general public when it comes to seeking out or listening to new original music. In this context I’m using the term “original music” to mean music written by the performer which has not received extensive commercial radio play and is, therefore, generally unfamiliar to the listener – i.e., new, different, etc. In those gigs I played which were not true listening rooms (places people come to listen to music, not just to talk and drink) I invariably had someone ask if I played any songs by (insert name of mainstream artist whose songs are played twice in any given hour on commercial radio). The answer is, of course, “I can, but I don’t.” It’s not what I do or what I have of value to share with an audience.

Now, in the folk music tradition I would understand this completely if it were a case of people wanting to participate, sing along, dance, etc. However, that wasn’t the case. These requests generally came from folks who were listening to the music “with one ear” while socializing, etc.

It seems to me that the majority of our society has come to treat music unlike any other art form. Whereas we will not usually read the same poem 20 times in a week, watch the same movie 20 times in a month, read the same book 20 times in a year or sit and carefully absorb the same painting or photograph 20 times in our lifetime, we will routinely listen to the same song or group of songs multiple times in a single day and then go out to hear “live music” hoping to hear those very same songs performed by someone else who will make them sound exactly the same as what was on the radio. Even then we don’t stop and listen to it to the music, but continue our conversations over it as loudly as necessary to relegate it to mere white noise in the background. Why is that?

Why is “live music” in a venue considered preferable when it simply consists of a commercial radio playlist performed by a band which may or may not perform it well? Why do people prefer venues with live music when they go primarily to drink and socialize rarely focusing on the music itself? Why not just have the radio on, a jukebox or karaoke in the corner?

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the work of Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, The Eagles, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and the current parade of performing songwriters of that ilk (those that truly are songwriters) as much as anyone. I’ve spent my share of time playing their songs for loud disinterested bar crowds too. And, I begrudge them nothing of their financial success – good for them, truly! But at some point it begins to feel like commercial radio, Nashville and the established music industry (emphasis on “industry”) has trained us as a society to behave as sheep. They tell us what to listen to, determine for us what is “good” and who has “talent,” and we simply swallow that without leaving room for anything else, i.e., the independent artist plying his craft on the back roads, in the small listening rooms and house concerts. We sit at home in our Lay-Z-Boys in front of our flat screen TVs and computers while the art, the true art, of live acoustic music passes us by.

Are we, at this point, simply a culture with an ever-shrinking attention span and increasing disinterest in music that doesn’t immediately explain itself or with which we aren’t nauseatingly familiar as a consequence of continuous bombardment at the direction of a radio culture driven solely by sponsor dollars and the record industry’s dictates? I am a big fan of a large number of singer-songwriters whose CDs I own or whose mp3s are on my iPod. As much as I enjoy those songs I don’t listen to them multiple times in a month. And, I’m always most excited to hear something new from that artist. However, I seem to be in a diminishing minority in that regard and I suspect I’m preaching to the choir here inasmuch as those of you reading this are likely fans of the same music I am for the much same reasons.

Why is it that fewer and fewer people come out to hear something fresh and new in smaller, more intimate concerts by enormous songwriting talents like Chuck Brodsky, Jonathon Byrd, Jack Williams, Michael Smith, Cheryl Wheeler, etc. at a mere $10 – $25 per ticket when they continue to pay $65 – $125 and more to hear music they’ve heard incessantly on the radio being blasted at them in an arena with crummy acoustics in the midst of 10,000 screaming people who aren’t truly listening?

I’m observing, as I know all independent artists are, diminishing audiences, CD sales, etc. And, to the extent that I’m just not reaching people’s hearts and minds with my music so be it – that’s part of the deal and I have no complaints. However, since I get such gratifying feedback after every performance and I see it happening to artists, like the small sample I’ve listed above, whose work is so good that there is simply no debating the quality of what they offer, the smaller audiences, etc. must be the result of musical apathy or lethargy. Of course, the economy has its substantial effect, but it seems that money for the monthly house concert or small venue outings gets cut long before the daily smoothie, Starbucks latte and big name concert tickets. I find that disappointing, even disheartening.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts. It seems in these troubled economic times the trend would be different. It looks like people would be connecting to the grassroots, back road music that is out there. Let me hear from you!

All the Best –

Doug
“It’s not how far you’ve come, it’s what you’ve done with the miles”
Doug Spears
36 Interlaken Road
Orlando, Florida 32804
407-257-4242
dcsnole@yahoo.com
http://www.dougspearsmusic.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/dougspears
http://www.concertsinyourhome.net/artists/dougspears
http://www.facebook.com/dougspears
http://www.myspace.com/dougspears
http://www.sonicbids.com/dougspears
INTERESTING FLORIDA FACTS:
 
·There are 882 islands or “keys” in the Florida Keys which are large enough to be recorded on the maps of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
·The total recorded length of all streams in the Sunshine State is 10,550miles. 
·The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. Its length is recorded variously as 273 miles long (U.S. Geological Survey) to 318 miles long (State Board of Conservation). The reason for this confusion is that the river’s headwaters are so ill-defined that it is impossible to determine with any certainty the river’s point of origin.
 ·Florida has 4,510 islands ten acres or larger in size, which is the second highest total in the United States.  Only Alaska has more islands.

Now that the SE Summer Tour is over I’ve emptied the travel trailer and am sealing it up for a couple of months.  I have no more camper friendly events until the Sunshine State Music Camp in November where I’ll teach songwriting for the third year.  However, I have plenty of shows on the calendar between now and the end of the year and I will be adding more.  Check and see if any of these are in your neck o’ da’ woods and get it on your calendar.

I will be headed out to Mountain View, Arkansas in mid-October for the Southeast Region Folk Alliance Conference.  I was an official showcase artist last year out there and don’t know what my status on that count is this year.  However, I already have a full plate of private showcases booked and I’m looking forward to the trip.  I’ve been working on bookings after I leave Mountain View and head east.  I’m hoping to pick up something for Sunday night, perhaps in Memphis or Nashville and probably hang around Nashville on Monday.  On Tuesday I’ll pick up Judy at the Tri-City airport outside of Johnson City, TN and we’ll head to Mount Mitchell for a couple of days in the peak of the leaf change with friends who live there.  I’ve got a Wednesday gig there in Burnsville at the Mt. Mitchell Country Club.  For my return engagement, Chef Teo has planned a Florida Cracker dinner program in a separate dining area and my show will follow the meal – an ideal set up!  Friday we head down to Saluda for my return to The Saluda Inn and Wine Cellar.  This is a much better date and Joni is very pleased to have me returning for the fall season.  Saturday night is tentatively scheduled as a house concert in northern Georgia, but it is not confirmed as yet.

In November I head back out to Texas.  I’m waiting for my schedule to firm up before booking my flights so I know whether it makes more sense to fly into Houston or Austin.  Two shows are confirmed and several more are in the works.  The weekend days are not hard to book, its the week nights that are tough.  However, I have a number of musician buddies out there working on those and I’m looking for some “Dinner and a Song” gigs as well.

“Dinner and a Song” is the name put to smaller weekday house concerts by Fran Snyder of Concerts in Your Home.  Essentially, it is a brief, relaxing dinner gathering that feature music and conversation with a traveling artist. The host gathers 8 – 15 attendees for a low-effort dinner, followed by a short, unplugged concert in the living room. Attendees donate $5-10 each for the artist and also have the opportunity to purchase CDs after the performance. The host provides dinner and overnight lodging (guest room, etc.) for the artist.

Dinner and Song is perfect for you if: 1) you love the idea of house concerts but feel your space or number of friends is too small; 2)you’d like to have dinner parties but need a “Wow!” reason to do it; or, 3)you’d like to support traveling musicians and see them perform in a special environment – your house. These events are designed to minimize setup and preparation, so that you can have a wonderful, low-stress event on a weeknight – lasting only 90 minutes from start to finish.

I’ve done a number of this type show here in Florida over the years and am always available for them when I’m in your area. If you’re anywhere near my routes of travel and would be interested in hosting a Dinner and a Song evening with me just let me know.  I’m a firm believer that its the quality of your audience, not the quantity which comprises it, that makes a show rewarding.

I left September open in my schedule intentionally.  Preparing for conferences like SERFA is a time consuming process.  I’ll be recording a demo of some new songs at Gatorbone with Lis & Lon Williamson in September for Ron Litschauer to combine and master with some existing material.  This will be something fresh for me to give presenters and Folk DJs not only in Arkansas, but also in Memphis in February 2011.  Plus, there’s writing, working on the presentation of new material, updating websites, preparing PR releases and all that other stuff that comes in between the joyous opportunities to share some songs with you guys.

So, that’s how things sit for now.  Let me hear from you if you have shows you’d like for me to be part of in the coming months and on into 2011.  I’m always booking and looking for the next new gig.  Don’t be shy!  And please stay in touch!

Doug
“It’s not how far you’ve come, it’s what you’ve done with the miles”
Doug Spears
36 Interlaken Road
Orlando, Florida 32804
407-257-4242
dcsnole@yahoo.com
http://www.dougspearsmusic.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/dougspears
http://www.concertsinyourhome.net/artists/dougspears
http://www.facebook.com/dougspears
http://www.myspace.com/dougspears
http://www.sonicbids.com/dougspears