Halloween, November & West Coast Wrap-Up
I hope everyone had a terrific Halloween weekend! Things have been super busy starting in late September 2016 with my big Hardly Stricly Bluegrass Festival after-party show and just haven’t stopped! Throw in a lost voice, prepping for five days of tracking in mid November 2016 for my fourth, full-length album, and I’ve been running around like a chicken with his head cut off!

A Spooktacular, Solo A-BOO-Stic performance kicked off this Halloween weekend at HopMonk Tavern in Sonoma, CA.
At the time of this post, I’ve performed 135 times for the year, so far. I’m a little behind plan due to catching a gnarly cold or two earlier in the year, and then there was this latest bout with a lost voice this October, but it’s looking like it’ll be a 150-date year, all in all, when the ball drops at midnight on January 1st, 2017 – I’ll take it. That said, I’m due for a small break from the road and, lo and behold, we’re at that time of year when I head back to Nashville, TN for a little bit to get some more writing done and (surprise) record a new, full-length album! I’m fired up to be working with Richie Biggs (producer and engineer) for this one and a cast of some of my favorite, Nashville musicians to round out the sound. This is going to be an entirely different adventure than my last few recording projects, and I frankly can’t wait to get started! More on that later, so stay tuned.

No voice? No problem. Just a little salt water therapy at a secret spot earlier in October 2016 when I put myself on vocal rest and canceled a few gigs to get back to baseline. One of the perks of being on the road in California. Photo: Blain LeBlanc
So, after three fun performances this past Friday through Sunday, I’m looking at a few days off this week to get my California affairs in order (and some laundry), then two final West Coast gigs for the fall in Truckee and Calistoga, CA this November 4th and 5th. After that, it’s off to cross this great country of ours (with a few of my favorite food stops along the way) in my big old van to get back to Nashville, TN to write some music, record a new record, and rest up for a busy 2017! It’s going to be an exciting final two months to 2016, so stay tuned here, via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and come along for the ride! In the mean time, if you’re a surfer, skier, and/or mountain biker on the Left Coast, be sure to save some turns for me! I’ll be looking forward to be a BIG winter when I come back next year. Be well, be safe, and have fun, friends!
BIG THANKS, as always, to my friends at Taylor Guitars, Deering Banjos and Elixir Strings for their on-going support.