(this space for rent)

Into the Woods

2008-05-14T03:11:07Z

Today we took a drive thru the Smokey Mountain National Park. Beautiful, tree-covered mountains, waterfalls, swift-flowing streams rushing over rocks. On the other side of the park is the Cherokee Indian reservation and the town of Cherokee NC., where we visited a Cherokee village recreation. Took a bunch of pictures in the park and village, and took some video of some of the rapids we passed.

It ended up being a long day, but the best one since our arrival in Gatlinburg.

Boy, did I get spoiled easily

2008-05-13T01:16:27Z

So the motel in Nashville had WiFi, and it was sweet. I wrote some Email, I even watch a couple of TV shows I had missed. But now we are in Gatlinburg for the week, and unfortunately the resort we are staying at charges for the access, and it's not really worth it, so I'm back to dial-up.

Saturday was a lot of fun, as we visited the Tennessee Renaissance Festival for the first time. Got to hear some great music, met some new people, and saw a beautiful permanent/temporary faire site. I'll talk more about it when I get back.

The Gatlinburg area is beautiful, but the town itself is like Branson on steroids. We are hoping to explore some of the Smokey Mountain National Forest. I had hoped to find some locals who sang/played traditional music from the area, but except for a mountain dulcimer player I had a chance to visit with, I do not expect to have much luck.

I may write more during the week, and I will write more about the trip once I get home.

Greetings from Nashville

2008-05-09T22:14:13Z

It would have been so nice to get on the road around 3pm, so we could have avoided most of the rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, we got started around 4:30. Need I say more?

Not much to say about the first part of the trip. Between two appearances at the Fishers Ren Faire, one at the Bloomington Ren Faire, and a visit last fall to the Ohio Ren Faire, we've driven that section of I-65 a lot over the last three years.

Mary Lou enjoys eating at Chick-Fil-A (as do I), and there are a couple on the route, but we usually could not stop on our way home since they are closed on Sundays. Unfortunately, with traveling into the Eastern Time Zone, we would arrive after they closed. So we stopped at an IHoP, and when we walked in, I would have sworn I was dreaming. In one corner was a party of a dozen clowns - make-up, costume, and all - and the booth next to us had a young couple who spent the whole time talking about Dungeons & Dragons.

Good food, though.

Friday morning we drove out of Indiana and into Kentucky. Lexington is a beautiful city, and the last time we visited we found an amazing Irish pub/restaurant, with an authentic Irish menu. Unfortunately, we were passing through too early to stop. However, we did go downtown so Mary Lou could pick up a pin from the Hard Rock Cafe.

Kentucky is beautiful, even on the Interstate, but it was overcast with a low cloud cover, so many of the hills were covered in mist. Fortunately, the weather lifted as the day progressed. (BTW, we got our Chick-Fil-A in Bowling Green.)

Have I mentioned lately that I love new technology. Okay, maybe it's just new to me. But after giving one to many wrong directions in our travels (she drives, I read the map/navigate), I got Mary Lou a GPS navigator for Christmas. There are some limitations to it I don't like (I can't zoom out and scroll like on MapQuest), but the directions are reliable, and it offers a lot of perks. You can look for a category (restaurant, gas station) or a specific business (Chick-Fil-A, Murphy USA), and you can look for it either in the area or on your route. Plus, if you want go to someplace off the route, and the unit will get you to your detour and then back on your route. It actually helped us find the motel we are staying at tonight. If you don't have internet access in your car, this is the next best thing.

We got in to the motel around 4pm, and decided to make an early evening of it. Tomorrow is the Ren faire, and when we leave there, we will drive the last three hours to Gatlinburg. Probably won't see much scenery on the way, but we should have quite the view when we get up in the morning.

On the road

2008-05-08T16:54:01Z

I get off work at 2pm today, and I hope to be on the road by 3. (Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.)

I may be able to post during the trip, but that will depend on time and Mary Lou’s willingness to share her laptop.

For anyone who is interested, we plan on attending the Tennessee Renaissance Festival outside of Nashville on Saturday, weather permitting. This will be our first time at this faire, and I am looking forward to seeing Empty Hats, Porter & Stout, and Axel the Sot (who I have known for several years, but have not seen since his season at Bristol – unless that was 2004, in which case it was since my last season at KCRF). Of course, I will see Craig of Farrington as well, but none of the others will be at Bristol this year.

After that, off to Gatlinburg.

Taking a break

2008-05-03T19:49:49Z

I don’t know how much I will be able to write on this over the next two weeks. We will be leaving on vacation after work Thursday, May 8, and will not be getting back ‘til Monday, May 19. We will be heading to Gatlinburg TN, taking the trip we were planning 18 months ago when Mom turned sick. We are hoping to do some exploring/sightseeing in the Smokey Mountains, and I am hoping to find some local traditional music/musicians. If anyone has any suggestions for places to go or things to do that we have not considered or heard about, they would be much appreciated.

Two quick points, FWIW:

I will probably talk to Scott about those guitar lessons, either this Sunday, or after we get back. We may find that, for one reason or another, it would not work out, but even discussing it is one more step outside my comfort zone.

For those offering words of encouragement and support, they are appreciated. However, my problem is that I have heard the words before, and they have not change my self-image, and THAT is the fundamental issue I have to address. I am not totally sure why I am addressing this in a public forum, (actually, I do know part of the reason for the public forum: this is me facing my fear that I have nothing to offer other than my voice.)but taking things out of the dark and exposing them in the light is almost always a good thing. Besides, now I have witnesses to what I say I am going to do, so I am less inclined to back off. And if what I say and do can help someone else face the mirror, so much the better.

Step by step - and a door opens

2008-05-03T02:48:39Z

One morning after church, one of the members of the congregation approached me.

Y’see, I sing in the worship team, the group that leads the singing during the worship service. It’s a nice little band – the pastor sings and plays electric piano, we have drums, electric guitar, and occasionally bass. I play my acoustic 12-string guitar and sing, along with two to four other singers, but I am about the only one singing harmony vocals. We perform a mix of traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs, and I thoroughly enjoy being a part of this.

So this fella greets me after the service and asks me if I give guitar lessons. He goes on to tell me how impressed he is with my playing and just what he likes about it.

I hem and haw for a moment, and tell him I will have to think about it.

For anyone who knows me well, they know my opinion of my own playing. For the rest, I have long maintained that I am a singer who can also play guitar, that I play just good enough to accompany myself. There are times that I can recognize certain things that I do well, but ultimately I do not see myself as much of a guitarist.

But apparently other people see it differently.

While I try to be self-aware and objective in how I view myself, I have struggled with a low self-image most of my life. The last 3-4 years in particular have been tough, and my belief in myself has been battered.

However, this one request made me question my view of my skills as opposed to how this other person (or any other person) views my skills. If he thought I could teach him to play guitar, then why couldn’t I think the same? This opened the door for me to look at my self-esteem. I realized how many opportunities I had lost because I did not have the nerve, the self-confidence to reach out. I looked at how far I had come, how many risks I had taken to get to the point I was at with my music, but how fear of failure had kept me from doing more.

I don’t want my life to be run by fear any more, and only I can make the change.

Baby steps

2008-05-01T22:05:08Z

You never know what will make the difference - the thing that will open your eyes to see something in a new light. The thing that makes you rethink your life, your vocation, your dreams. It may be a little thing, but it's like turning a corner. It's the one thing that makes the addict seek help, or that makes the student finally understand a lesson they have been struggling with for weeks. And at times the "thing" has little to do with the resulting change - it is a key that opens a door to a new place.

For me, it happened when someone asked me if I could give him guitar lessons.

As a result I have found myself giving a lot of thought to my career as a musician, and coming to terms with my issues of self-doubt and low self-esteem. Among other things, I have come to realize that these are the issues that are holding me back from writing more -- fear that no one will be interested in what I have to say, or that someone will think less of me as a result of what I say.

So to overcome that, I take baby steps. This is no pity party -- this is my declaration that I will work to overcome those things that have held me back.

I have a lot to say, so it is just as well I am taking baby steps, and trying to write just a little bit every day. Something I might have put in one long post will now probably get serialized over a number of posts. 'Cause I have a lot I want to talk about -- how I am trying to pull my life together, what I hope to do with my music in the coming days/weeks/months, my vacation plans, what my friends mean to me, church, our flower garden, my favorite TV shows, what music I am listening to these days. It may be boring, but I'm not going to worry about that (as much) any more.

And believe it or not, that is a good thing.

Playing catch-up with my dad

2008-04-11T01:09:34Z

My dad will turn 73 in a few weeks. I have never been one of those my-dad-is-my-hero types, but he continues to surprise and impress me. As most of you know, my mom passed away about 16 months ago. Dad kept living, and living his life to the fullest.

I read somewhere that widows/widowers who have experienced happy marriages tend to remarry sooner. I guess for them, the experience of being married gave them enough good memories that they wanted more. So I for one was not surprised when he met a lovely woman -- only a few years younger than him -- and they were married six months later.

But the one thing that really impresses me is that, through all of this, he has been building a house. On his own. From scratch.

Now granted, he has been working on this house for probably five years now. He stated by clearing the site, then building a shed, then starting on the house while he and Mom lived out of the shed and an old RV. He based the design of the house on a plan meant for a pole barn. He works on it a little at a time, as money and stamina allows. But in his 70's he's raising studs, laying flooring, putting up drywall. He's still got a way to go, but he has put together a really nice three-bedroom house.

I was thinking about all of this the other day as I found I had a flat tire on my car. I found that the jack on my new car was missing the crank to raise it. Fortunately, our local Wal-Mart is only a mile away. Unfortunately, I have been having problems with my left heel (probably something to do with my Achilles tendon), and a couple of weeks before I had slipped on some ice and twisted my right knee. Neither infirmity was major, but I watched my shadow as I walked, thinking I looked like an old man. And of course, after I got back to my car, I still had to change the tire. So add a sore back to the mix.

Now understand, this is not me feeling sorry for myself. It was a bit of a wake-up call. I'm out of shape after a tough winter, I'm much heavier than I wish to be, and I have to stop and think of my age from time to time.

But considering what my dad can do at his age, I should be able to get myself back into the body of a fifty-year old man.

Enough awready, still . . .

2008-03-28T12:00:42Z

So it's 7 o'clock in the evening.

The sun is still up.

And I am shoveling snow.

In the near future

2008-03-26T21:57:42Z

I hate talking about events that are not yet confirmed, but I want to assure you that I am trying to get the word out. Besides, I do have one event that I can confirm, even tho I don’t yet have my contract.

I am returning to the Bristol Renaissance Faire for 2008.

There are some details to work out, so I may have another announcement down the road.

As for this spring, I am looking at getting into a few regional Ren faires. I have contacted a couple of faires in Michigan that have not gotten back to me, so I will make one more attempt. There are other faires in the region for the spring, but most of them have already booked there entertainment by now. Still, I have heard there are shows still looking for entertainers, so I might reach out to one of them.

One show I definitely will not be doing is the Wisconsin Renaissance Faire. I had approached them for the 2007 season, but they wanted a full-run commitment, and they overlap Bristol by two weeks. This year I told them I would be willing to do the full run, but they said their budget had been cut back for their third season. I am disappointed, but they do have Ramblin’ Sailors (formerly Starboard Watch) back this year, so they are not hurting for quality music.

I have also touched base with a couple of local venues about doing some non-Irish acoustic music. No response yet, but it’s only been a week, so there’s one more thing to add to my follow-up list.

Mostly I am trying to shake the winter blahs, and find the energy to learn more songs, contact more venues, and write more. So far, it’s one day at a time. But I got this written, so that makes it a good day.

Enough awready . . .

2008-03-21T20:05:05Z

. . . with the snow.

I know I haven't written about the St. Pat's Day weekend - it was mostly fun. I also know I have not been writing about a lot of things. I want this journal to be a place where people go to find out what I am doing, but also where they can find out a little bit more about me. That's been the tricky part, for a lot of reasons. Mostly I want people to keep coming back, so what I write has to do that. So far, not so much.

So I have been thinking about it. I don't need to write something profound (although it could happen). I don't always have to write about my music (although there is a lot of stuff that I have yet to address, and some of you may find it of interest). I could even write about my daily life (although I continue to assume no one would be interested in that).

The one thing I need to do is write, and post frequently. If I write something for you guys once or twice or three times a week, then maybe you (this is mostly for those not on my Friends list) will come over here once or twice or three times a week in case I did write something.

It needs to be entertaining, or at least worth reading. But it has to be there to be read.

In the meantime, if anyone has an idea, something they would like me to write about, drop me a line. You can post a reply on LJ without being signed up, and you can even be anonymous if you choose. You can also reply to my Yahoo Email address, which is also jesselinderbard.

We'll talk again. Soon.

Presenting Jesse's 1st Annual St. Patrick's Day Marathon

2008-03-04T16:03:02Z

Strap on your running shoes, because Jesse Linder will be all over the Chicagoland area for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Performing with both Cappamore and CrossRogues, as well as on his own, you can see Jesse perform at five shows at four different locations between March 14 and 17.

Beginning Friday, March 14, come see CrossRogues (minus Barb) playing at Real Time Sports in Elk Grove Village from 8:00 to Midnight. This will be the first time in a while that we have played a non-Irish bar, but since everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, we should fit right in.

After a day off (and church on Sunday morning), you can see Cappamore – Brian Leo and Jesse Linder – entertaining the crowd at Blarney Island, a/k/a Port of Blarney, on the Chain o’ Lakes in Antioch. Imagine an Irish pub in Key West, and you will get an idea of the vibe of this fun venue, actually located on an island. This will be Jesse’s first visit to Blarney Island, and Cappamore’s first St. Pat’s show, so come and show your support.

Then on Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, CrossRogues will be appearing at two of our favorite venues.

If you have the afternoon off, join us at Duke O'Brien’s in Crystal Lake from 11:30 to 2:00. Come hear Rob, Lucas, Barb, and Jesse entertain the lunch crowd.

In the mood for a little "dinner music" instead? The quartet makes its way to the incomparable Durty Nellie’s in downtown Palatine. There will be a full day of music in Nellie’s concert room, and CrossRogues gets to entertain the dinner crowd from 6:15 to 9:00.

Finally, to end the day (and the weekend), Jesse Linder will perform a solo set at Durty Nellie’s Pub Stage from 10:00 to midnight.

* * *
So here's the schedule with all the pertinent details:

CrossRogues – 3/14, 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
REAL TIME SPORTS
1120-22 West Devon Ave.
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: (847) 534-5000
www.realtimesportsbar.com

Cappamore – 3/16, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
BLARNEY ISLAND / PORT OF BLARNEY
27843 W. Grass Lake Road
Antioch, Illinois 60002
(847) 395-4122
www.blarneyisland.com

CrossRogues – 3/17, 11:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
DUKE O’BRIEN’S
110 N. MAIN ST.
Crystal Lake, IL
(815) 356-9980
www.dukeobriens.com

CrossRogues – 3/17, 6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Band Stage
Jesse Linder – 3/17, 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. – Pub Stage
DURTY NELLIE'S
180 N. SMITH ST.
Palatine, IL 60067
(847) 358-9150
www.durtynellies.com

You can go to the Web sites listed for the complete schedule, cover charges, and other details.

We hope to see you there.

CrossRogues: Barb, Jesse, Lucas, Rob
Cappamore: Brian & Jesse
Jesse Linder

Bristol performers recognized in the 2007 Renaissance Festival Awards

2008-03-01T15:11:40Z

Our home faire was well represented in the 3rd Annual Renaissance Festival Performer Awards. Congratulations to all who were recognized, and thank you all for your support.

Best Music Group of 2007

#3 Bounding Main

Call it a Bristol music fix, or a warm-up for St. Pat's

2008-02-06T15:56:23Z

Come aboard the S.S. Scholastica for your Passport to Entertainment!
Benefiting St. Scholastica Parish & School

On Friday, February 15 and Saturday, February 16, St. Scholastica Parish & School will become the most popular destination in Woodridge for those who are looking to add some unique excitement to a cold winter evening. Your Passport to Entertainment comes complete with a glittering casino room, festive food, drink, and spirited entertainment. The evening will offer something for everyone to enjoy.

The Casino will host all levels of game play - Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, Money Wheel, Dice and a Texas Hold’em tournament will entice the even the novice player. Enjoy the spirited music of The Whiskey Brothers Irish Band in our pub, as well as the fabulous harmonies of KMC & Co. singing Broadway tunes from Rogers and Hammerstein and a Comedy club to keep you entertained throughout the night.

Included in the ticket price is a mouth-watering Buffet Dinner, provided by Giovan’s Restaurant. Along with a cash bar, martini bar and coffee room, the S.S. Scholastica becomes the best entertainment value for an evening out. Friends, family and neighbors are sure to enjoy this event and must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $25.00 per person on Friday night, $30 per person on Saturday, and Casino only for $10 in advance. Tickets will be $5 more at the door. Come join in the fun! For more information about tickets and the event please call the Passport Hotline at (630) 985-2351 x 404.

Bristol music fans may want to check this out, since the Whiskey Brothers is Dan Marcotte's band, and sitting in both evenings in the pub will be other Bristol musicians, such as fiddler extraoridnaire TJ Hull. . . and me.

It never rains, but it pours. . . in the winter?

2008-01-24T15:47:55Z

I haven't written much since the first of the year. I haven't had much to say, then I was going to post about the wedding I played at last Saturday, then things got kinda crazy, but in a good way.

I need to clear my plate of a couple of things, then I will bring you all up to speed. In the meantime, remember that I will be at Reenactor Fest for the Super Bowl weekend. I may have something coming up later that month, and I am talking to people now about St. Patrick's Day.

Stay warm, everyone.

(And I know I'm not off to a good start on my New Year's resolution. I'm working on it.)

Resolved

2007-12-31T22:56:04Z

They were talking about resolutions on the Bristol Discussion Board, and I said my resolution was to not procrastinate so much. I said, “I figure if I can get a handle on that one, all the other stuff (exercise/lose weight, learn new songs, master a new instrument) will take care of itself.”

But I realize there is one goal that my anti-procrastination platform doesn’t quite cover, or at least it warrants special mention.

I commented in early November about not reaching out to my fellow performers. Well, I guess that goes for all the people in my life. I whine at times, feeling like I am cut off from the rest of the world, but I don’t make the effort to call or E-mail my friends. E-mail is free, and with today’s telephone service, “long distance” is a thing of the past, so I have no excuse on that front.

I have some wonderful people in my life. It’s well past time I start telling them as much.

One more reminder

2007-12-29T13:54:50Z

I sent out a message to my E-mail list, but it bears repeating here. You only have 'til the end of the year to vote for the Annual Renaissance Festival Awards. Of course, I would be grateful if you vote for me as Best Solo Music Act, but you can also vote for your Best Music Group, Best Renaissance Festival, Best Ren Faire Web Community, and many more.

Just go to www.renaissancefestivalmusic.com/awards/ and tell everyone you know to do the same.

I know that some of my Friends have also sent reminders. You may have a tough choice, but vote for SOMEBODY. The polls close December 31, so you don't have much time.

Darcy The Dragon (revised)

2007-12-20T16:10:54Z

Darcy The Dragon

Christmas was coming, and Darcy the dragon
Was thinking what he should do.
Go through the forest and into the village to pick up a gift or two.
For through the forest dear Darcy had friends that he loved very much
He thought it'd be fine, at Christmas-time, to give each a present or such.

But Darcy'd forgotten the very thing that makes a dragon unique.
Unlike a horse, a dragon, of course, breathes fire whenever he speaks.
Off to town dear Darcy went, but woe is me, oh lament,
Before a dragon penny was spent, he'd started a tiny fire.

He said he was sorry, our Darcy did, he helped put the fire out.
The folks forgave him, for he’d been kind, and off he went looking about.
Into the toy shop did Darcy go with thoughts of his forest friends.
“I’ll buy each a game,” he said with a flame,
And the second fire, it was then.

This time, when the fire was out, the villagers charged along,
Pursuing Darcy with angry shouts, "Be off! Away! Be gone!”
Poor Darcy sparked, “No harm I meant!” but from the village he was sent.
And woe is me and oh lament, No presents for his friends!

Darcy was sad as he sat at the edge of the forest bye and bye;
No gift would he have to offer his friends – a tear rolled from his eye.
A storm did gather and soon did hit; was a mighty wind that blew.
And Christmas snow did whirl and blow, and he wondered what to do.

As Darcy let out with a dragon cry, he opened his mouth so wide
That the wind & snow blew right down his throat & put out the fire inside!
When Darcy realized the fire was out, first a whisper, then a SHOUT!
And a laugh to know he could speak without starting another fire!

But now it was late on a Christmas Eve. he was up, and off with a roar!
He raced to the village and he cried out, “My fire! He am no more!”
From shop to shop he then did go. In each he made his choice.
Darcy was treated so kindly now, no need to fear his voice!

The villagers came to the edge of town, and Darcy waved good-bye.
“Come back again, if ever you can!” they said, and he said that he'd try.
“Merry Christmas,” all did say, as to the woods he made his way.
“Tomorrow will be Christmas Day, and a Merry Christmas to thee.”

[written by Greg Adams & Eric Robertson]

(I pulled this from online, and I suspected it might be missing some lines -- I know I had to add the last four lines myself. Every lyric site I checked out had the lyrics the same way, with the last lines missing and some weird editorial comments between verses. Finally, I just sat down and listened to my CD -- turns out the online lyrics were missing two half verses in addition to the ending. Here is the entire song for your enjoyment, AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THEE!)

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas

2007-12-18T18:44:24Z

One thing you probably don’t know about me is how much I love Christmas music.

I mean, I REALLY love Christmas music.

Over the years, I have assembled an eclectic collection of Christmas LPs, cassettes, and CDs, currently numbering over 150. I have vocal recordings and instrumentals. I have compilations and single-artist albums. I have traditional recordings and not-so-traditional. I have secular and religious. For a number of years I was drawn to albums of original songs (rather than traditional Christmas songs and carols), but either my tastes changed or the later songs sounded less . . . Christmas-y. Lately, some of the best Christmas music is coming from country artists.

I don’t know if any of these are to your taste, but here are my top five favorite Christmas CDs:

· The Roger Whittaker Christmas Album – There are a number of CDs by this mellow singer, but most are traditional collections. This is the one you want. Whittaker has such a mellow voice, perfect for the season, and the arrangements are light without sounding dated. But what make this CD stand out are the songs. Most the songs are originals, either written/cowritten by Whittaker or written for him. A great collection of songs, all sounding like they have been Christmas staples for years. My favorite is “Darcy the Dragon,” telling the delightful story of a dragon who goes to town to buy Christmas presents.

· We Three Kings / the Roches – These three sisters have amazing harmonies, but I have not always enjoyed their choice of songs. With this CD, they take a number of very familiar songs and put their unique stamp on them. Ya gotta give credit to anyone who will open their CD with a song from Handel’s “Messiah.” Also recommended is the upbeat, Caribbean-flavored title track, as well as “Frosty the Snowman,” sung with a Brooklyn accent with a group of kids.

· A Christmas Together / John Denver & the Muppets – What can I say about this one? It is so much fun, and still so heart-warming. I love hearing Animal on “Little Saint Nick,” and Paul Williams’ “When the River Meets the Sea” is a touching non-Christmas song that is a perfect fit.

· Light of the Stable / Emmylou Harris – Emmylou has the voice of an angel, especially when she is singing harmony. This was recorded at time she was exploring bluegrass music, but don’t let that put you off. The instruments are light and tasteful, and the vocals will melt your heart. The title track is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs.

· The Bells of Dublin / the Chieftains * Cowboy Christmas / Michael Martin Murphey * Christmas Time Down South / Charlie Daniels – I tried to pick a number five to complete the Top 5, but I couldn’t settle on just one. The Chieftains are joined by a number of guest artists in recreating the spirit of an Irish Christmas. The other two CDs are original collections, and the title of each says it all.

I would love to hear if any of you have heard any of these CDs, what you think of them, and what are your favorite Christmas albums.

Walk Like a Pirate, Talk Like a Pirate . . .

2007-12-14T22:52:35Z

I just got an early Christmas present.

In Wednesday's mail was a contract to perform at the 2008 Port Pirate Festival in Port Washington WI.

I had contacted them last year (actually this year, it gets so confusing this time of year), but I sent my inquiry too late, and they had already committed their budget. They also said they were interested in having me for the next year, but I was afraid they were just being polite. Turns out they were being both polite and honest.

Anyhoo, the dates are June 6-8, 2008 (although I don't know if I will be there June 6), and we will be in downtown Port Washington by the harbor. As far as I know, Bounding Main will be there, and in previous years there has been entertainment from Tourdion, the Jolly Rogers, the Scurvy Dawgs, David H.B. Drake, and others. There are not many details at http://www.portpiratefestival.com/ right now, but there should be more info as we get closer to the date.

And for anyone who is interested, I should be returning to Reenactor Fest, a convention for people interested in history, as well as historical reenactors of all time periods. This year the fest will be held February 8 - 10th, 2008, at the Sheraton Chicago Northwest in Arlington Heights, IL. I don't have my contract yet, but I have a verbal commitment. I will let you know when I am confirmed. For more info, go to www.reenactorfest.com/.

Thanks!

2007-11-22T19:54:46Z

I'm writing from my sister's home in Mt. Vernon IL. We had a lovely dinner with my youngest brother and sister (and their spouses) and my dad (and his new wife).

I don't want to take a lot of time away from the family (especially since we have to get back on the road this afternoon so I can be back at work Friday), but I did want to post a few words.

Even if we did not have Thanksgiving as a formal holiday, I think it is good to have a time set aside to reflect on the good things in our lives, and to acknowledge our gratitude for said good things. It is human nature to dwell on the negatives, the problems, the issues. (For a lot of people, LJ was created as an outlet for their complaints.) It's easy to focus on the negatives, and sometimes we need to be reminded to take time to be thankful.

For me, I forget how fortunate I am in so many ways. I could go thru a list, and it would be a long one, but I want to focus on just one thing for which I am extremely thankful.

You.

Whether you buy my music or come to my shows or just support me with your friendship, you make it possible for me to do the one thing that brings me more joy than anything else I could do (at least in public). If not for you, I would still be in my bedroom, singing songs to myself. Thru music, I have made so many good friends, and my life has been enriched in more ways than I would have thought possible. You inspire me to do more, to do better. You bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. You people mean the world to me. Thank you.

And now, dessert.

Coming soon

2007-11-13T23:03:04Z

Be watching for this compilation, to be released soon by marcgunn of the Brobdinagian Bards and the Renaissance Festival Podcast. The CD will be a fundraiser to keep the Podcast going, and a portion of the proceeds will go to worthy causes such as RESCU.

Why am I bringing this up? Because one of the songs on this compliation will be "The Leaving of Liverpool" by Jesse Linder. (Another song on the CD will be "High Barbary" by Bounding Main.)

This CD is gonna be very cool (I have heard about half of the tracks), and I am looking forward to its release. Marc is going to make the CD available on the Podcast Web site, but I hope to be able to offer the CD for sale at my shows. It's always a good thing when you can get some great music and support a worthy cause or two.

More details as they become available.

Stumbling blocks and stepping stones

2007-11-13T22:45:58Z

Mary Lou and I are on vacation this week. After having to replace my car, we decided to do the vacation "on the cheap." Later in the week we will be heading up to south-central Michigan (around Flint). But for the first few days we are staying with her family in southeast Missouri. During those visits, Mary Lou and her mom will sit at the dining-room table and talk for hours, and I am left to my own devices. Usually, that means catching up on my reading or watching TV.

Sunday afternoon I was watching "Mr. Holland's Opus." Now for the two of you that have never seen this wonderful film, it is the story of a man who loved music, but because he also loved his family, he made the difficult choices. Still, the music that he carried inside him carried him through his life, and as a teacher he was able to pass his great love on to generations of students.

I am not one for picking a favorite author or favorite CD or such, but I have decided that my two favorite movies are "Knightriders" and "Mr. Holland's Opus." (Remind me to talk about "Knightriders" another time.) Both movies address the themes of living your dreams and the way that "real life" can interfere. While "Knightriders" talks about following your dreams no matter what, "Opus" takes what I consider to be a more mature approach. In the end, Glenn Holland chooses to accept the responsibilities of being a husband, a teacher, a father. But while it seems to him that he has compromised, ultimately he finds he has lived his dream in ways he never envisioned. He has had a profound effect on so many people, and he has lived a life filled with music and love.

I am inspired by stories like this, but I also find myself envious. I am envious of the recognition Mr. Holland received. I am envious of his success, as I am envious of the success of my fellow performers. I do not begrudge any of them any level of success they have achieved, but I find myself saying, "Why not me too?"

But as I watched this remarkable film for what must have been the sixth or seventh time in my life, I became aware of some new insights. Mr. Holland made the hard choices, and he followed through on them. When he committed to something, he gave his full commitment. He worked hard, he made sacrifices, to honor his commitment. He may have complained at first, but then he put that aside and simply did what needed to be done.

It is easy to see the success of the performers I respect. What is not so easy to see is the effort that went into their accomplishments. I wish that I could write songs, but I also have to remember how much work goes into writing a good song. I wish I could play more instruments, but I know how much work goes into practice, into developing the skills and techniques necessary to master an instrument. (And as the owner of at least a half-dozen instruments that I cannot play in public, I can testify how hard it can be.)

Even for those for whom these things "come easy," it doesn't mean they haven't had to work hard to hone their skills.

I have manage to go far on (what I perceive to be) very little effort. If I have not been "more successful," I cannot blame anyone but myself. But now I have a choice -- I can wallow in recriminations, or I can take these revelations and do something about them. I can get off my ass and work on those new songs, master that new instrument, get better at the things I already do. I complain that I am not good at promotion, but so much of promotion is just getting up the nerve to get out there and introduce myself, create the promotional material, do the things to get people's attention.

I have been taking stock of myself over the last several months, especially since this season of Bristol. If I want people to listen to me, it is my job to give them something they want to hear. If I want them at my shows, I have to give them a show that is worth their attention. If I want them to buy my music, I have to make music so good that they will want to listen to it again and again (or I have to give them such an entertaining show that they will want a reminder of the good time they had). And if I want faires, festivals, pubs, or coffeehouses to hire me, I have to make them believe that I can give them a show that will reflect well on the venue.

I am the only one that can do that, and I cannot blame anyone else if I fail. But more importantly, if I really want to do this, then YOU deserve the best I have to offer -- you the audience member, you the fan, you my friend.

No more excuses, no more whining. I love music, I love making music, and the music deserves my best as well.

There are stones in our road -- we can let them be stumbling blocks, or we can make them stepping stones to where we want to go.

Hibernation

2007-11-06T13:21:22Z

I know it has been a while since I last posted. I have found myself going into a kind of hibernation mode beginning mid-October. This has developed over the years as this is the time the local Ren faires and rendezvous wrap up their seasons, and of late I have not had many gigs between November 1st and St. Pat's Day.

Last year I realized this would be the best time to start lining up gigs for the next year, but my mom's health issues put an end to those plans. (BTW, for anyone who has not heard, Dad recently remarried, to a lovely woman who makes him very happy and keeps him on his toes.)

So in hibernation mode, I am not used to reaching out to my friends, fellow musicians, or fans. But like so many things in my life, I realized I have to overcome that lethargy.

Still, I have been keeping busy. I have talked to Bristol's entertainment director, kicking around some ideas for next season. If everything falls in place, I may have something new and exciting for Bristol 2008 (its 21st birthday). I have put together a fairly comprehensive list of Renaissance faires and similar events in the region, covering 13 North Central states, and running from early April through late October. I have now started contacting events scheduled for the spring, and will continue to submit resumes to faires throughout the spring and early summer. I have just booked a private party for CrossRogues in January, and I have a verbal commitment to return to ReenactorFest in February.

Beyond that, I have been working on getting the Web site set up. I should be signing up for the hosting and getting the domain name(s) this week, and I should have the software to maintain the site shortly. (I have somebody doing the initial design/setup for the site, but I don't know if he wants to admit he's doing it for me.)

In a few days, I should have an official announcement about a new recording project, and I have a couple of other irons in the fire, one of which, if it works out, would be a fun re-release.

Of course, this is the time I should be learning some new songs, or continuing to learn new songs. I am actually trying to hone my meager skills on the bodhran. For my solo work, I can use it as an alternative to the guitar, especially on shanties. And if one of my earlier-mentioned ideas works out, well . . .

Still, there is more I should be doing. In particular, I feel the need to reach out to some of my fellow performers. Besides the obvious benefits of networking, I have been struggling with certain feelings of inadequacy, and that is just one more thing to address and overcome. I won't name names (I don't want to put anyone on the spot, especially anyone who is on LJ), but there are a number of talented musicians that I desperately want to work with -- hell, I just want to get out and play. I have gotten too comfortable just playing Ren events, and I need to get out and challenge myself again.

Hopefully, you will be hearing more from me soon, and not just LJ posts.

So we have come to an end . . .

2007-10-14T03:36:12Z

Last weekend. Stronghold. The end of my 2007 faire season.

(Sorry, guys -- my computer keyboard went blooie this week, so I couldn't write sooner.)

It's kinda hard for me to describe Stronghold, since I have been performing there for so many years. I started there (with Separated at Birth) a couple of years after we started at Bristol, and I have only missed one year (2004) when I was at Kansas City with Tippler's Way. Stronghold has been a big part of my life and my music for such a long time.

For anyone who has not been there, the site is beautiful. The land is on a wooded bluff that overlooks the Rock River. (I know that a lot of people come into Oregon from the east, but I love driving down from Rockford as the highway follows the river.) The house was built in the style of a Scottish castle, with a great hall in the middle. The castle's layout forms a shallow U, facing a courtyard with a fountain. The grounds are rolling hills, covered with trees, and are some of the most beautiful in the area. If you have not seen it, my words cannot do it justice.

One of the great things about the Stronghold experience is how laid-back everything is. The site is small, the schedule is light, and all the performers stay on site -- which means we all get to hang out after hours. The problem is, we're all getting older, and the Faire opens at 9am the next morning. But the atmosphere is relaxed, and everyone gets a chance to see and do things that they don't get to see at Bristol.

The Olde English Faire has five stage areas, and every one was filled continuously throughout the day. I had three stage sets, all in the Courtyard. Other music acts included Molly & the Tinker, T.J. Hull, Grey Aengus, and Merry Measure. T.J. asked M&T and I to sit in on one of his sets each day, and that was a blast. Finally got to hear pieces of various Merry Measure sets -- good sound. I also got to spend some time talking with Molotov, which I thoroughly enjoyed (and I hope will be the first of many conversations).

But the high point, for me, took place Sunday morning at 10am. That was when we had the Separated at Birth reunion. Jim Peterson, my first performing partner, has continued playing at Stronghold like me, first as one half of Market Goose, then solo as Grey Aengus. After some cool-off time, we became slow more comfortable with each other. But this year I felt like we needed to try to put our differences behind us. We talked for a while Friday night, and to my surprise, he was the one who invited me to sit in on one of his sets.

The set was fun. I was mostly just accompanying Jim (or Grey) on a half-hour of some of his regular tunes, but it was very relaxed and very comfortable. We kidded each other (a lot of old-man jokes), and had a lot of fun. Later, we talked a little bit about a couple of future projects.

The other high point of the weekend was seeing Mike Wisdom from Hearthstone Arts. He has had some major health issues that kept him away from Bristol all season (except for one day). But he was at Stronghold and looking better than anyone could have hoped. He and his lovely wife Sarah have been good faire friends, and were early supporters when I started working solo in 2004.

Of course, everyone talked about the weather. Over the years we have had heat, cold, rain, and even one day with snow flurries. I suspect that this was not the hottest Stronghold we have experienced, but it was certainly the most humid. The weather threw a lot of people, because the humidity was taking more out of us than we realized. (Fortunately, I thought ahead and picked up some Gatorade Friday night, and Elizabeth, helping out at Mockingbird Studios, came through with some more.)

It used to be six weeks between Bristol and Stronghold, but with Bristol's later schedule, now it's only a month between. It feels less like a reunion and more like a coda, especially this year with the heat and humidity. Still, every year something new and special happens. For me, it was initially a tough choice, since the Fishers Renaissance Faire was held the same weekend this year. But I am glad it worked out that I ended up at Stronghold. It was a great faire, and a great way to close out my faire season.

EDIT: I messed up -- that was Jim PetersEn. I knew better.