January 2010

What a year 2009 was for me! Amidst lots of interesting projects and performances, I found myself forced to deal with unexpected family and property issues in Texas. As a matter of fact, I spent a large portion of my Fall down in the Lone Star State mending fences, chasing cattle, and organizing household bills and responsibilities. October and November are normally beautiful months to be traipsing around the wooded outdoors of my inherited "spread", but this recent visit was continuously cold, rainy, and uncomfortable. Day after day, I sat in my chilly house listening to the wind and rain pound against the windows and walls. On several occasions, a hailstorm even blew through the area, causing me to rush outside frantically to move the car into shelter. I began to think that, perhaps, I was losing my mind. It's supposed to be warm and dry and comfortable in October in Texas. Had I somehow fallen asleep and entered the netherlands of some Twilight Zone episode? There I was, with nothing to wear but shorts and t-shirts, laughing at my Yankee friends for living in the frigid Northern tundra as old man winter began to rear his ugly head, and I'm the one shivering and shaking in the cold. Maybe I'll have to read Al Gore’s book on global warming after all.

Now that the new year is beginning, I am back in New York, and having survived the first major east-coast blizzard of the season, I am reflecting on what a wild year it's been and wondering what may lay in store for me in 2010. As many of you know, this year I completed my second CD, VEGETARIAN NIGHTMARE (considered by some to be the greatest CD in the history of recorded music), and I have been making a concerted effort to perform more frequently. Doing one show every other leap year is not actually the smartest choice with which to share my music with the world (or at least the two or three states which I tend to inhabit most often). So last July I did a few solo gigs in and around New York City and then took off for the beautiful state of Wisconsin in order to perform a three week mini-tour in the lovely County of Door. What a terrific experience it was for me as, night after night, I strummed and sang songs from VEGETARIAN NIGHTMARE as well as my first CD, OLDER THAN DIRT, to hundreds of incredibly kind and receptive listeners from all over the country. I was floored to have my original songs so warmly received and to see so many old friends and to make so many new ones. Thanks to all who came out to hear me and, especially, to those of you who took home a copy of VEGETARIAN NIGHTMARE or OLDER THAN DIRT to have for your very own. You couldn't support or flatter me more.

As the tour ended, I quickly shifted gears, put on my acting shoes, and flew to California to perform in a theatrical production of "Bus Stop", one of our great American classics. It was rather nice to step away from the nightly solo performing and be in the world of ensemble acting. It can get lonely up there on stage all by myself and I really reveled in my new group scenario. It's a joy to be able to do the things you love and I have to say, this is one of those times where I again realize how lucky I have been.

When not on stage in "Bus Stop", I used my time to explore the beauty of northern California. From San Francisco Bay to Sutter's Creek to Yosemite National Park, the Golden State is definitely a nature lover's dream. I hadn't been to California since I was in the fourth grade some twelve or thirteen years ago and I loved every minute of it.

With the closing of "Bus Stop", however, I knew that I had to pay some attention to my little cattle ranch in west Texas, so away I went. As I said earlier, I expected a lovely fall of hot and dry and got ambushed with nothing but cold and wet. Fortunately, the cattle are fat, the barbecue's hot and my guitar is humming with a passel of new song ideas. Now, I think I'll just hunker down here in the arctic air of the Northeast and flesh out some of these musical creations. Who knows, maybe I'll even have a whole new CD ready by the next time we meet. Until then, check out VEGETARIAN NIGHTMARE and let me know what you think. When the winter is raging, there's nothing better than sitting inside a warm cozy home and listening to some fun music.

Stay warm everybody and have a happy and enjoyable new year.

Scott

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