February Update (Patreon)

Hi friends! I hope this finds you happy and well. It's been a while since my last post so I wanted to update you on recently-completed projects and work that's underway here at TG central.

Patreon Q&A. Yikes! What a learning opportunity this has been, not only because of the depth of the questions (thank you, thoughtful people!), but also because answering by video is harder and weirder than I expected. My tendency to prattle on "freestyle" just about undid me, and reading written answers wasn't much better. So -- I've abandoned the video idea and am working on written answers, which I'll deliver tomorrow, 2/17. 20/20 hindsight: this should have been a Zoom conversation! Much more interactive and way more fun! But I didn't set it up that way because I assumed folks were Zoomed out. Am I right? It would help me to know. I would like to start a monthly writing sesh on Zoom but not if folks are totally over it. Let me know, please!

Social media hiatus. I have been away from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter since January 14 (with a few exceptions, like our monthly livestream and a couple key announcements). This is an experiment to repair a fragmented attention span, heal addictive/avoidant patterns, and restore my commitment to meaningful work. The results have been so surprising and happy-making that I'm re-upping my hiatus for another month. Of course, I'll go on for the February livestream 2/22 and will post timely show announcements, but I won't dawdle there like I had in the past. Time is too precious, and I'm having too much fun working!

Blueliner releases "Heart of Gold." Blueliner is my four-piece "pandemic band" with Paul Kochanski, Lorne Entress, and Jim Henry, specializing in country/pop hits from the 1970s. We just released our third single on February 14, a cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" and debuted the video on Bandcamp's fee-free Friday, February 4. 

Song commission. I was asked by a woman in Oregon to write a song to commemorate her boyfriend's 60th birthday. I had written ditties for friends but never whole custom songs, so I enlisted Jim Henry's help to get this one done. We used the framework of the fan's favorite song -- "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs -- to craft the custom lyrics, added a chorus (the original song only has refrains), and created a bouncy arrangement. He was so surprised and happy! If this sounds like a gift you might like to give at some point, message me and we'll make it happen. Happy to extend a 20% discount to Patrons!

Rehearsals and studio work. I'm part of a Dolly Parton tribute coming up March 3 at Hawks & Reed in Greenfield, Mass., and have been working hard on my renditions of "The Grass is Blue" and "The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)." Additionally, I've been creating demos in my home studio, rehearsing for the livestream 2/22, and recording harmonies for my pal Peter Lehndorff's new record. I even woke two mornings ago with a new song in my head that I LOVE -- proof positive that creativity begets creativity. So keep the ink flowing, the strings moving, and the toes tapping, friends. Your best ideas are just ahead of you.

Memoir. I've finally chosen a title that is temporal in nature and creates a workable container for the story I believe I'm trying to tell. It's hard to believe I got this far without a title, but there you go. I'm doing this all wrong. :) Gonna keep that title to myself for now -- a bit superstitious about it -- but ... it's really good!    I am currently revising two chapters -- "Ashes" and "Courage" -- to submit for publication as standalone pieces. And last weekend, I participated in an under-the-radar public Zoom reading, where I shared a five-minute snippet from the duo's last rehearsal. As soon as the organizers make the recording public, I'll share the reading with you. I think you might enjoy it. 

A musical? A fellow writer has scripted a one-woman monologue with songs -- a kind of musical -- that he'd like me to perform. This project, called "Last Request," is in its infancy but I've recorded a runthrough of the monologue and it's powerful. More on this as it develops!

Show reminders: 2/22 Livestream. 3/3 Dolly Parton tribute in Greenfield, Mass. And 3/5 Cafe Veritas in Rochester, NY -- my first solo show in two years.

Thank you again, from the bottom to the top, for being my supports and my community. I am thrilled to be here sharing the ride with you. Onward! xotg