"The Guitar Show"

Mike Byrnes has produced and starred in over 450 half hour live-to-tape shows where he invites guitar playing songwriters on to perform and jam. He is a picker (a la Chet Atkins) and plays along on all your songs. THIS WAS FUN. He saw the "Route 22" video and picked up the phone and booked me, all in two weeks time. We shot two half hour shows with 3-4 songs each show with interview. A great crew and easy atmosphere made it an absolute joy to be there. I was so ferklempt and not thinking that I forgot all my chords and even a working amp, but not to worry, all pitched in and we pulled off a couple of fun shows. A  youtube trailer should be up soon. Available on NY area CABLEVISION this Monday at 7 (or 7:30) and then again on Saturday evening. Check local listings. Here's Mike and the Cakeman on the set...

 

Here's the "making of..." A behind-the-scenes POV by Derek Gedney

"Route 22" tops 17,000 hits

Hey, it's not uber-viral. I get that. But for me, this is huge. And there seems to be no slacking either thanks to the team at WQQQ. Riding up there on Friday I stopped at many stores to sell the CD. McEnroe's Farm took a bunch very quickly. "Everyone's emailing us with the video...like we don't know," said Ray McEnroe, patriarch of Millerton's famed organic farm. If you know of any store that would like it, let me know as I'll be up later this week (Friday.)

McEnroe'sFarm just south of Millerton on (do I have to say it?)  Route 22

In case you missed it:

"We're Getting Monster Phones"

That's from Joe Loverro,  morning DJ at Q103, WQQQ in Lakeville, CT. and his sidekick, Marie Castagna. Responding to my viral YouTube they have jumped on "Route 22" and are getting swamped with requests. Lakeville is just over the border in Connecticut, not far from Millerton and Amenia, which is featured in the video. I went up yesterday to visit them and give them some CD's as prize-giveaways. We also discussed a summer concert in the area. This is fun.

Stream Q103 in the AM to hear the contests this week. ("Listen LIve" under the logo)

 

I Dare You Not To Cry

I am exhausted with all the rancor in the world. This video removes my second-guessing and affirms my belief in the virtues of our country...the principles which we are struggling to retain lately. Live Free or Die, seems to sum it all up. And our troops are doing the dying so we can live free.

This is a small compilation of home videos showing the loved ones' reactions to the return of the soldier in their lives. The big tough guy that I think I am can not make it past the first little girl. I will return to watch this often. I feel compelled to remember their sacrifice.

Tissues, please.

My New Drummer

Why not? He travels light, that's for sure. I especially liked the National Anthem.

I never really was a big fan but this is pure vaudevillian brilliance.