Getting back from a long, amazing trip can sometimes be incredibly depressing. I feel overwhelmed by the things I need to catch up on, but ultimately refreshed when I think back to all the wonderful things that happened to me in the past four weeks.

I have some catching up to do! Back in July, BA and I hit the road for Wisconsin, shared driving duties and a hotel room, and a lot of great laughs on our 'northern tour.' Little Feat let us be their guest for their show in Madison at a beautiful theater venue, then the next night we played in Middleton at Club Tavern. The house was pretty full, and some old friends from Chicago surprised me in the crowd, Rob Lampe and his wife Lynn drove up (eight hours) and back in one day just to make that show better - it was three guitars that night - and I marveled at their incredible friendship and devotion to the music. The next day brought us down to Mattoon, Illinois where we enjoyed playing a beautiful evening concert outdoors at Uncommon Ground. We were well fed and coffee-d, and we hope to return to that welcoming little place sometime soon. It was on to Champaign-Urbana the next night. We have several friends in that city due to gigs we've played in the past, and Gary and Dennis were there to cover merch, treat us to dinner (Gary, you're too generous) and make the night smooth. The venue was an outdoor patio with strings of lightbulbs forming a delicate canopy above our heads. We enjoyed sweating out the gig (yep - over ninety degrees at 9pm), staying up very late drinking good beer while Griff continued his DJ services from his laptop computer long after we stopped playing, and staying at his aunt and uncle's house, where we shot BBs, played with the dogs, and bonded.

One short day in Columbia and then Michael and I were off to Hawaii. My grandmother Glenda made the trip with my mom and her husband Pete, and Pete's mother Marie. My sisters Heather and Dede were there, as well as my stepbrother John and his girlfriend Cassandra. Our condo was gorgeous - Michael and I shared a loft with a gecko - he scared me the first time he dropped from the ceiling in the shower, but then I grew accustomed to him! Snorkeling was an almost daily priority, and on our first full day there we lucked onto a beach called Chang beach (discovered in the book Maui Revealed) and just a couple hundred feet offshore, hidden behind a group of rocks, were two huge old souls: sea turtles. I swam among them, close enough to touch a shell, but just observed them in awe as they nibbled at treats on the rocks. My goal for the entire trip was to see sea turtles, so finding them on the first day was perfection. Tattoo number three (and last?) might have to be a tribal sea turtle - I find them to be a connection to calm, peace and wisdom. We took the road to Hana on the third day and found a couple hidden pools where the natives go. At one of them we saw some nudists singing - we listened and swam with them (in suits :)) and then went to another place called Venus Pool. We felt like trespassers as we jumped through a fence, walked in a wheat field for a couple hundred yards, past an old abandoned bread oven, and down some steep rocks which opened into the most amazing 'swimming hole' we'd ever seen. Michael was able to cliff dive (there were perches as low as six feet and as high as thirty or forty for us to jump from) and the water was so deep that even with its clarity you couldn't see the bottom. Although the car ride home from Hana made me sick, I had some Dramamine on hand and survived! The next day we went sailing on a catamaran that had been built especially for the cove in which it sailed daily; it traveled over 20 knots (faster than most racing vessels) while we were on it getting showered and bounced by the waves and holding on for dear life - what a thrill! Although I once had a scary run-in with a catamaran, I enjoyed every minute of this adventure, and we snorkeled at Molikini with some amazing schools of colored fish, eels and other sea creatures. (My fin managed to do some damage to my heel; it scrubbed off an inch-long and half-inch wide portion of skin over my achilles tendon - I had to use Chacos as fins for the rest of the trip - the sore is just now healing almost three weeks later!) Evenings often found us playing dominoes or sitting and reading with the family, (cocktails in hand) or even trading the salt of the ocean for the chlorine of the condo's pool and the amazing breezes that would wash over us from the beach. We did our fair share of eating too - discovering one of the THE best sushi places Michael and I have ever eaten at! We couldn't have had this most perfect of vacations without the help of my mom and Pete who helped with expenses all over the place. Thanks, guys! This will always rank as one of the best times of my life. There was so much more - Big Mama's Fish House, best ice-cream sandwich ever, hippie town Paia, amazing sunrises, and a rooster that woke us up every morning before the sun - but mostly it was some of the best family time I've had in a while. Being around my sister, mom and grandmother at one time was reminiscent of family gatherings when I was a child - it was incredibly special. I could go on for hours - but I'd better not!

Then came opening for Tanya Tucker at the Sandpoint fetival - something we've been anticipating and looking forward to for months now. Right before we left, our bassist Mike Robertson got sick and couldn't make the trip. We missed him very much, but lucked out by catching Jeff Mueller and Ruth Acuff of the band Rutherford before they left on a trip to the east coast and inviting them to come along and share bassist duties. Michael, BA, Griff, Jeff, Ruth, our publicist and 'merch supervisor' Melissa, and myself piled into the fifteen-passenger Ford with instruments and luggage for a week (we must have re-packed the van five times before we figured out how to get it all in) and headed out west. The entire trip was 30 hours, but we stopped in Fort Collins to party with my sisters Heather and Dede and about forty of their closest friends! A rehearsal there at their house turned into an impromptu performance, and we had a fantastic time playing and partying. After two restful nights there in Colorado, we finished the next eighteen hours of the trip with Michael at the helm. He's a driving maniac!(Backtracking a bit, let's give a round of applause to Michael for being the most excellent captain of that ship - he got us safely though a blown tire in Kansas - scary as hell, let me tell you I screamed! Apparently, the pavement was too hot for peoples' tires - we saw evidence of more than thirty blown tires as we made our way through that hot, long state!) Griff's computer became a makeshift movie screen and Office Space and Mr. and Mrs. Smith accompanied us for part of the long drive. We talked about songs, chords, arrangements, set lists a bit as we drove, but mostly looked forward to arrival and some sleep. Arriving in the dark of night, nobody could tell just how paradisical Sandpoint Idaho is, but the shock of 45 degrees after having been in 100-plus heat earlier in the day was incredible. The next morning, everyone oooh-ed and aah-ed at the view of the incredible Lake Pend O'Reille from my grandmother's comfortable lakefront cabin. My dad and stepmother Robin had set us up with a stocked refrigerator, we had cards and poker chips, a dock, beer, and when we weren't rehearsing with a mountain view, we were swimming, sunning, kayaking, hiking. (Several of the band members went huckleberry picking on Schweitzer). It was truly paradise. Thursday night, Robin and Dad threw a BBQ party for many friends, neighbors and family members, and the band members couldn't tell me enough how welcomed they felt. Press poured in; the Spokesman Review, the Daily Bee and the Sandpoint Reader ran nice half-page photo ads and I got a great interview in the Reader. We were told this festival hasn't sold out pre-show since 2001; our show (OK it was Tanya's too!) of over 4000 people was sold out long before Friday the 4th. We were treated like kings and queens in our air-conditioned trailer with food, beer, bed, private bath, and massage therapist on hand. The crowd lapped it up; we all felt high after performing, then gorged on catered gourmet food, and I mingled with the crowd, signed CDs, and basked in the feeling of playing at a festival I've dreamed of being part of for years. Several friends and family members who have never seen me perform were able to be at this show, and that was probably the highlight of this experience for me. I can't thank friends and family enough for helping make this all happen, selling merchandise at the show, and supporting us. It took a village to make this the awesome experience it was for everyone involved. I will write a part 2 of this soon - there is much more to the story, and the fact that I stayed an extra week in Idaho after the show and got to see David Grey in concert is something I definitely want to write about. Let's see, meeting Tanya Tucker, baking biscotti, visiting Grandma, seeing my cousin and her daugher Rowan, my aunt's connections, and more! If I write the keywords down, perhaps I won't forget, and perhaps it will get you back on here to read the next update! For now, my fingers are cramping! More soon.... :)

July blog here I come! Things I need to remember to write about when I get a chance:

Four-day tour of the northern states!

Tattoos, mai tais, snorkeling and sea turtles in Hawaii!

Preparation for Tanya Tucker opening (one fun little hint - our monitor man just finished a stint doing sound for Pearl Jam and our front-of-house sound man often mixes for Pavarotti - should be some good sound, huh?)

Best fish around

Overcoming my fears of catamarans

Pupunene

All for now - have to write myself reminder notes or you'll never hear the whole story!

Two blogs in three days - it's a veritable rainshower of words! OK - just had to kid around since everyone's always on me about writing in the blog more. I have found undeniable reason to today, since 'coincidence' (which I believe is always just a convenient word used to describe something much more important) slapped me right between the eyes today as I was sitting and eating my lunch and reading 'Hammer of the Gods' for the third time.

Those of you who've read the book will understand the following story in greater depth, but for those of you who haven't read this book, if you're a Led Zeppelin fan, or a blues lover in general, you should read this book. It not only details the Zeppelin 'myth' (and some of their truths) in detail, but it outlines the birth and lifeline of blues and how it has influenced so many different styles of music from rockabilly to metal. Good read....

In any case, while digging into a tuna salad sandwich, I was just at the point in the book where they talk about the profound influence Robert Johnson has had on music, as the father of Delta blues. BOOM! First hit of 'coincidence' lands a right hook! Last night, we played at Knuckleheads in Kansas City on their outdoor stage. Following our set, which ended at 11:20, Honeyboy Edwards, the last living link to Robert Johnson, and in his early nineties, was to play a set on the indoor stage. It was legendary, and here I was reading about the 'school' he came from, and the very musicians he played with. Earlier in the night, the soundman, Pete, had said I might have to sit in and accompany Honeyboy with a little keyboard - he ended up bringing someone with him, but I came THIS close to playing with Honeyboy.

The other interesting moment of serendipity was that Van Morrison is only mentioned once in the book, and I was sitting in a restaurant that was playing an 'oldies' station. Right as my eyes scanned his name, a Van Morrison song started to play. I take these things seriously - so is this telling me I'm in the right place at the right time?

Whether it's by luck or design, we've found ourselves on a very cool blues circuit in the company of some of the best bands around. The Bel Airs played Knuckleheads the night before us, and we share a show with them and Dave Alvin next Wednesday in front of the Blue Note. In our own way, we're doing the kind of networking that these bands in the biographies I read were doing when they were struggling up through the ranks. I don't for a second intend to compare myself to the legends of music like Zeppelin and Clapton or anyone else for that matter - but it's interesting how there really is a pattern to the work and results you achieve in this business of music. You take the raw material and you mix it with stick-with-it-ness, luck, timing, and the constant small steps you are taking as you meet people who can help you with the next leap.

Jimmy Page hung out and played with Jeff Beck and Steve Winwood and the Stones and Eric Clapton before these people were known. They played colleges and dance halls and state fairs and sometimes crummy bars. They didn't always have energy, they got tired, they kicked their amps off the stage when they malfunctioned, dealt with problem crowds and crooked venue owners. Who was it who said music is such a noble art and such a sad profession?

By the way - last night everyone was calling for me to play more fiddle. The devil is commonly painted (whether visually or simply in lyrics to a blues song) as a fiddler. Does this mean my band is at the delta crossroads waiting for our guitars to be tuned by the devil? Is the soul-trade the only way to make it? :) OK - not so fast there! Read the book and you will know of what myth I speak - I've not yet been approached by a cloven-hooved man hoping to re-string my guitar, although there have been plenty of people with promises of fame and glory! I think it all boils down to old-fashioned hard work. I think it's paying off - I see exciting things happening in 2006, and in case I don't say it enough, if you're taking the time to read this blog, you've either played an important part in helping me, (so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU) or you're lurking on the net and have too much time on your hands. :) (OK - if you are reading this by happenstance, I thank you too - now go buy a CD!)

Just spent a fascinating two hours driving around with my friend and harmonica-player, Griff. We were listening to the Volume 1 live cuts CD and after every few songs, as part of a 'mini pub crawl' we'd stop and grab a brew. Mostly it was fascinating conversation - I realize time and again how lucky I am to have the great guys I have in my band not only as fellow musicians, but as dear friends.

Michael and I were talking the other day about how, if we step back and really look at things objectively, the last two months have signaled a changing tide in this 'business of music.' All of a sudden things are exploding - and I'm holding on for the ride, grinning from ear to ear as the wind whips me around, a punch-drunk smile plastered on my face from the exhileration of yet another loop-de-loop.

Certainly a focus of my excitement is the upcoming Festival at Sandpoint (Friday August 4th) at which we will have the opportunity to open for Tanya Tucker. While we've opened for people whom I consider legends in their own right (Little Feat and Beth Orton among them) it seems to be now that everyone is oohing and aaahing! :)Our desire to break into the elusive and elite festival circuit seems to be coming to fruition. I have wanted to play in the Festival at Sandpoint, not only because it's a fabulous well-known festival, but because it takes place in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and my family and friends are nearby and will finally have the chance to see me play. (Many of them have not seen me in live concert since I moved so far away from the northwest).

Tonight is one of those nights where I sit back, and in full beer-soaked appreciation (I promise I am not drunk - but the beer was delicious) I realize that the dreams I've had, by day, by night, or in my secret heart, are coming true on a daily basis.

SEH - you are watching over me, Magellan. I know this all is because of you.

Colin Hay sings in my ear....

I drink good coffee every morning
Comes from a place that's far away
And when I'm done I feel like talking
Without you here there is less to say
Don't want you thinking I'm unhappy
What is closer to the truth
Is that if I live 'til I was a hundred and two
I just don't think I'll ever get over you

Wow...I love music. I am reflecting on the trip my band and I took two weekends ago. We played West Plains Friday night, Houston Saturday night, and Earth Day in Columbia Sunday afternoon. To bring so much music to so many people in such a concentrated period of time brought home to me that THIS IS IT! Touring is exhausting but thrilling....

The theater in West Plains was beautiful and modern, the crowd was beautiful and timeless. I am constantly honored by the opportunity to play my music for people, and consistently shocked by the capacity of the heart to embrace it.

The local commercial radio station interviewed me, played a couple of my songs, and also ran a station-identification promo for me all the next day, two times an hour, as an advertisement for my Houston show that night. It was great to get such support. The band was ON...almost all of our Floating World CDs were sold that night on the basis of how we performed 'Gravity' that night.

We stayed that night after the West Plains show with a friend of ours, Spencer, who took us to a little house in Van Buren, in a beautiful tree-filled plain. We were up until the wee hours driving there, and then eating cardboard box pizza (no food had ever tasted so delicious at that point) and then we crashed. The next day Spencer took us to this amazing Spring (Big Springs was the name, I think) which is this gigantic rush of gorgeous blue water... while I've heard many people say they feel small and insignificant around natural wonders such as this, I instead feel an incredible calm at the purposefulness of everything around us. Small we are....insignificant, no.

Saturday night in Houston was something special. I will never forget it. It was in an old church, hence the name 'Stained Glass Theater.' Unfortunately, our show was to be the last in this venue. (Not enough community support to justify the renewed grant, plus the owners of the church were moving elsewhere - arts must be supported -it's dire!) The crowd was immediately responsive and it was so comfortable playing for them. As soon as I said 'good evening', they said 'good evening' right back, much as you might imagine a church congregation responding to a pastor's welcome. From then on out we were like old friends. At one point my voice failed me (I sprouted a cold the next day) and I re-started a song. I've never had to do that in a show, and rather than feeling mortified, these people made me feel it ENHANCED the show...they clapped laughed and supported. A highlight of the evening was being offered an artist's trade: my CDs and a tee-shirt for a beautiful hand-etched silver bracelet. I've worn that bracelet almost every day since.

I learned a lot about my two band-mates BA and Rob on that trip; Rob likes to eat lots of junk food when travelling, and BA doesn't love it when other people drive! But you know, we got along well - they really took care of me. I felt so good that this time around I could actually pay them well (these gigs were through the Missouri Arts Council, hence grants paid us nicely) but I also realized they will suffer almost anything, for little to no pay, just to play music with me. I couldn't ask for anything more...in fact, it'd be a SIN to do so! :)

Earth Day was a glowing example of all that is right with Columbia. The park was full, the sound was great, Loyd was back onstage with us (I have missed him) and the weather was heavenly.

Since then we also played the Hep C awareness gig at the Martini Bar, and met a very nice group called Kelly's Lot who has invited us out to LA in October to play a telethon and also to perform in some cities around the LA area, through their connections. It is great to start networking like this, but more importantly I so respect these people for bringing awareness through music, and using their talent to put as much good into the world as possible.


This week I will be heading to Nashville - a solid week of writing sessions and recording vocal tracks. There is some possiblity of one of the tracks being shopped to movie soundtracks - always a great way to get 'discovered' and make some money so I can keep touring. We shall see how it goes.


Now it's Simon and Garfunkel:
Tom, get your plane-ride on time
I know your part'll go fine

Until next time!