Main Street

The morning is beautiful and i spend some time in James’ garden making calls back home and staring at the oranges

The rest of the day I work and practice. In the early evening I drive to Woodland Hills where I am a featured artist at the Mainstreet Songwriter Showcase. I meet a lot of friend there that I haven’t seen since my last West Coast Tour.


The set is really nice and I have a great time playing

Derdad and Ida come to the show. They are Armenian friends of the family in Seattle and Fresno. I stay with them tonight and after we get to their house (it’s close to midnight) Ida serves a full meal and we dig in...


Oh sweet dreams....

Monday hang around

Oh how sweet an off day can be... Well, I actually work all day on the computer and do email and follow up on myspace. In the evening James, Melinda and me get in the car and drive to L.A. to meet with Ric Taylor, a wonderful singer singwriter and friend of ours.

There’s a nice diner where we have a bite and chat until they kick us out.

Look at those geeks!

Santa Monica and then I'm free to party!

I’m tired but have to get up around 6:30 am to make it to Santa Monica in time.
It’s a wonderful morning and the sun sneaks up into the dark sky.

When I drive into Santa Monica this Sunday morning, everybody seems still to be asleep.

So good to see palm trees again:)

The church is in a neat little building and looks as pretty from the inside like from the outside.

It is a very successful show and I’m thrilled about the outcome. I have now the reat of the Sunday of and my next show is not before Tuesday evening which means it is time to party!!!

We have a great time and it’s again after midnight before I crawl into my bag:)

KCSN and Russ & Julie's Anniversary

It’s way too early and I have no clue how I’m going to sing in an hour. It’s still dark when I leave Moorpark but slowly the sun is on it’s way.

It’s so much fun to see Larry again. He’s a character! We have a great interview and I play some music.

The studio is full with guests and amongst them is Julie (Russ & Julie’s house concerts) She recognizes me from FAR west and we start chatting. Tonight is there 100th concert anniversary and they have a huge line up at their house. She invites me to come over and I must say that I’m flattered. There are more than 40 people on the waiting list.
After the program is done the whole bunch migrates to our favorite Chines Buffet where we eat until nothing goes anymore:)
Later that evening James, Melinda and me drive over to Russ and Julie. Oh my, is that house packed. I see a lot of friends from FAR West. Here is James Lee Stanley, a fantastic writer and peot.

Here is my friend Mandy a wonderful producer with her artist Amy Kuney. Amy is in her early 20s and just unbelievably good!

Here is Severin Browne. He’s a great songwriter as well and his brother Jackson has been very lucky in the biz:)

Again it’s about 3 am before I’m back in bed. Now tomorrow I have an early UU show in Santa Monica and need to be there by 8 am....

Backstage in Altadena

It’s an early morning rise again - I think I’m getting used to it. Terry invites me to a wonderful continental breakfast with a great baguette and cheese - love it.

After she leaves for work I’ll stay for another 3 hours and do biz on the computer before I get into the car and start driving South.
Never really noticed the oil fields on the way.

I love to see the mountains. It has been really cold and I can see snow patches.

I get there just in time to set up and get ready for the show. James and Melinda arrive. I’m so happy to see them and am looking forward to stying with them for the next couple days. James opens the show.

After that it’s my turn:) We have not filled the house but there are enough people there to make it happen. Bob Stane expectations were low due to a massive competition that day, so i guess I’m off the hook and can come back any time. I love playing at the Backstage and have a great time.

After the show we hang a little and I chat with Bob about god and the world...

After that James, Melinda and me go to visit Simon Lynge, a very talented Singer Songwriter that just landed a major distribution deal. It’s his birthday and we party hardy.

Oh my, I have to be back in Pasadena for the Radio show with Larry Wines at 7:40 am!!!
We come back to James’ house around 2:30 am and by the time I’m in my sleeping bag it is about 3am.

Further South

I get up fairly early and work on a new tune that came up several days ago.
Then I go over to Nancy and we have some breakfast before we start playing some music together. I love sitting in her kitchen!

Then it’s time to leave, I want to be in Paso Robles early enough to set up the sound system and get in a nap. One last glance on the wonderful home and then I say goodbye and am on my way.

It’s a beautiful day for a drive and I wish my cruise control would work and I could rest my legs on the dashboard:)

I’m passing all these great wineries that are on 101 and it’s tempting to do some tasting but...
I’m playing at a Co-housing community and am impressed with their wonderful community building.

I have my own little guest room and am looking forward to some rest after i set up the sound system.

My back is hurting badly and I’m in pain for several weeks now. I had a couple of massages but fear that a disc is out of alignment or something like that. I can’t really bend and move like an old man - oh well...
After a dinner with half the community they put the chairs in order and I start playing.

It’s another great show in a wonderful environment. I’m thinking of doing more housing communities!

After that I’m ready for bed, I need to get up early and drive to L.A.

House Concert in Palo Alto

I’m a little hung over when I wake up - well a good coffee will do:) After that I’m on my way to Palo Alto where I play Nancy Cassidy’s house concert series. Darn, I almost missed my exit...

Nancy lives in a wonderful Southern style home with her husband Cass and kids. She has a guest house in the garden which is simply beautiful. I feel at home instantly!

It’s a living room with a small kitchen area around the corner and a separate bedroom.

The concert itself in in her garden house which looks like a part of a mexican hacienda. That is one of the coolest places i have played so far and it has a very cozy atmosphere.

The people are very nice and appreciate my music. We all have a great time in the break and i get to chat with almost everybody. Later that night i hang out with Nancy, Cass and their niece.

Off Day

I have today off and spend it just working all day on the computer

Later in the evening Phil, Kristine, Calla and I are playing card games and drinking several bottles of wine - lol
After that I fall asleep on the couch

Phil's birthday and the San Jose Sharks!

In the morning I go over to Matt’s and Treya’s house. I love Co-housing, what a great way to built “real” community in a wonderful surrounding.
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I have the most intense breakfast ever with a huge steak, 3 eggs, a bowl of cottage cheese and a huge hunk of home made bread - I was certainly not prepared for that but am starving and manage to finish it clean:)
After that I’m on my way down to San Jose to stay with Phil. I have a couple days off and am looking forward to staying in one place. Here I’m crossing the Richmond Bridge.

It’s Phil’s birthday today and he almost made it a secret but... So for “his” birthday gift to himself:) he bought two tickets for the Hockey game of the San Jose Sharks tonight at the HP Pavillion downtown. I’m completely floored and realize that it is about 30 years ago that I saw a big sports event live! We have fantastic seats in the sixth row right behind the players. Before the game I fool around and try to shoot a nice pic with Phil and me but man, is that hard...

Then the game starts - unbelievable how athletic those players are and the speed in which they go - it is too cool.

There are a couple of German players in the San Jose team. It’s so fun watching and I get completely absorbed in the craze of the stadium.

After the first 20 minutes San Jose leads with 2:0 and in the end they win 3:1. It was a fantastic game and I guess I have a new favorite sport!.
Phil and me are talking on after it’s over. We take a ride home in the light rail. Both of us are starving and the only place still open is... guess again:)

That was another full day and I fall asleep just like that! I even forgot that my back is still hurting like crazy.

An early and full Sunday

Oh my, it’s way too early! I’m so tired but I have to get up and pack the car and then drive to Hayward where I play a Service at the Starr King UU Church. It is very chilly and my car is frozen over. I have a hard time scraping all the ice of the windows.
Why didn’t I book a flight to Florida and tour there?

I start the car and warm up in Tom’s kitchen.

Then I get going. The nice thing is that at that time no one is on the road and there are no traffic jams. I arrive in Hayward and have a look around the church

I’ll play two Services and the theme on this day is Martin Luther King Jr. It’s his birthday! Rev Kathryn Kandarian does a great job and I enjoy listening very much. She’s a wonderful person:)

After that I have to dash out and drive back North where I play in Cotati. I’m the featured artist in a new concert series and am excited about it.
Teresa Tudury and Matt Kramer are the ones who brought this to life.
Here they are with one of the songwriters.

It’s a Round Robin for the first hour and then they have a featured traveling artist that follows it with a long set.

It’s a wonderful show and I’m received very well. Everybody loves it and I’m very inspired - I’m also totally exhausted and glad that I can stay in the guest room of Matt’s Co-housing community.

After a long nap, Matt and his wife Treya take me out to a party where I play again about five songs and make some more friends:) - Wow, what a day! I’m so done and as soon as I hit the bed I’m in dreamland.