Newsletter update

Hey peeps! Happy Day Light Savings Day! Fresh off of a PACKED house concert for Bill Staines and a good 14 new emails to the list I thought I should send out a little newsletter.

First up Bill Staines wrap up:

Oh my to host a legend in real.  Bill is not a spring chicken anymore at 68 but his voice and his stories are not waning at all.  His fingers are what he finds that slow him down a bit, but truly at 68 I wish I could still play that well.  The road warrior brought songs that touched all corners of his travels and his life as a dad and a lover of his dog.... but really that's Bill.  Lori and I have known is music as long as we've known each other, and his song, "All of me" was sung at our wedding.  I would gladly share an LP import of that song and one cut from the concert, just ask.  I'm not one to fill up people's in boxes.  (Heck I email this list maybe 6 times a year)

Next up Natalie Gelman:

I am notorious for booking pretty women, but I rationalize my choice this time with the fact that Lori and I both agree that Natalie is such fun and a good soul to be around.  We've seen her twice, and last time we hosted her overnight after she played the Elmaro.  While Bill was working coffee shops in the 60's in Boston, Natalie was born to classical musicians in Greenwich Village in mid-80's.  Classically trained in Opera at Univ of Miami, this girl has some set of vocal chords, but it's her writing that got my attention.  Really many a pretty artist I run into I would book in a flash, but their music sometimes is boring.  Natalie will mix in some pop hits and covers that range from Gnarls Barkley to Joni Mitchell.  What she's really good at though is making conversation with the audience, you will leave this concert knowing you have just met a new friend.  Natalie will give you Seven Free songs if you sign up for her email list:  http://nataliegelman.com/  With a few reserved regulars and some newbies already on the list, we're at 24 of 45 spots filled.  Here's a Facebook event that you could join https://www.facebook.com/events/643549412434810/,

Fall is taking shape:

Yes BOTH spots for fall are filled.  Kelley McRae and Matt Castelein have kept in touch with me over the last two years, and I really like their sound.  Paste Magazine is a magazine that was first to promote the Civil Wars gives Kelley FOUR Stars our of four, and if you like Gillian Welch with David Rollins, you'll think this is one of the better house concerts I've booked.  Matt's guitar leads are smooth and tasteful, harmonies are top notch, and if Kelley's piercing eyes don't touch you her lyrics and singing will.  Kelley will give you a great free song if you sign up for her email list.  http://kelleymcrae.com/

The Whiskeybelles have pretty much agreed to come back too, October or November... still working out the details.  Sara's has cabin in Ferryville so maybe we'll see the husband's this time and maybe not.  Rockin good time was had last time in the fall of 2013, we just had to do this again.  Funny a regular of mine said, "I wasn't too sure about the Whiskeybelles when you booked them, but they are now my favorite of all your house concerts." http://www.whiskeybelles.com

I normally do take the summer off... there are plenty of great place to hear good music.  I love the fact that I have a bigger audience network, and I might take a flyer mid-week if the artist is really special.  I've already tossed out to SHEL and Kristin Andreassen that they are welcome any day they pass thru; heck for SHEL I'd pay them $100 just to be in the audience of our little house concert.

Finally ... two personal gigs... Lynn and I are backing up Melissa McCarthy at the Acoustic Cafe in Winona Friday March 27th, and on Wednesday May 27th I'd like to invite you down to the Wine Guyz and have a glass of wine... tips and a percentage of the wine sales go to the Great River Folk Fest.  Anyone want to book Lucky Dog just give me a howl.

I leave you with a video from the next three concert artists: