There was Logic And Lies, the album I did this spring and summer and like most Townedgers album it was about love, failed love and then redemption and amazingly finding love at the end of the dance. That has not happened in quite a while.
Somewhere in this picture lies the one that has captured my heart. Who for the most of the year was my favorite singing partner at the local jams and somehow she thought that I was somebody worth being with. I always loved her from afar, and looked at our friendship and stage presence together being something special. Those who saw us share the stage knew we had a special bond but I was out of practice in the dating field and it showed. We did finally go out on Memorial Day, but it still took time and effort for anything to happen. Mostly on her end. I guess out of all the musicians that were available I was the one that sat in the background admiring her from a distance, but history has shown that I never been lucky in love and romance and didn't want to jeopardize what we had together. She had her own gigs, her own life, and so did I. But every time I seen her play with the Mad Dogs or D.O.A, she always sang to me with a smile and a wink, I think she sang for me. She along with the other Acousta Kitties got me to sing and play guitar on stage. I never know what I did to make her fall for me but through this year we seem to draw closer together, even though there were times that we went on our lives and we go through times which we wouldn't talk. But even then, she was always on my mind and wasn't about to go away even if I did for a while. Then when she hosted the acoustic gigs, we be back together and things were just like before. I helped out when Mike Serbousek broke his finger and I played drums for about 12 songs on Labor Day Weekend with The Mad Dogs, and helped her and Ryan when they played Anamosa and Solon in October. Then on December 3rd, she became my new love. I'm still pitching myself to see if this still is a dream.
This year I continue to do the Rumors Jam, with Terry McDowell and still got to play along with some of the finest musicians in town. But once I started doing more guitar songs and stuff, I started going to other jams. The Whittier Acoustic Showcase was one, The Artisan Sanctuary in Marion the other one, the latter more on original stuff although the Whittier jams I do more obscure songs as well. The Long Branch Jams with Tony Nickels have been a positive including a epic showcase with Tony's dad Zac playing drums. And then there's the Parlor City Blues Jam on Tuesday Nights that have been fun. And then finally I did my first Waubeek jam in November, which ended in a fight and the next month I played more drums than guitar. The original thought remains that Waubeek would be drums only and Whittier guitar. But the best fun remains the Checker's Acoustic Jam be it Cathy Hart and Lorie Parker or Julie Gordon and special guest stars. Or when Jeff Overly comes up from Fort Madison to jam.
This year, i was part of the band collective known as the EGADS! (Everything Good And Decent) and while the band was me, Belinda James, Mark Randolph, Tim Nemec and Larry Axelman, we never got to share the stage together. It was Belinda, Mark and myself when we did the Vinton benefit along with guest stars Mike Clair, Rich Toomsen, Jeff Langenberg, Barth Walter and Kim Bean. And then with the Rubies Benefit, only Belinda remained. Tim Nemec ended up leaving the band due to health issues. He was surely missed.
In July, Donna Jo hosted the annual Cabin On The River Jam and that was my first stage appearance as a solo artist. Wooden Nickel Lottery was the host band and I managed to sat in on drums on a few songs, but for my set Rich Toomsen played guitar and Mark Awad played bass and Delayne Stallman played drums. The interaction between Rich and Mark on For What Its Worth was worth the price of admission. Too bad nobody recorded it.
During Rumors jams I managed to play drums with some of the best in town. Rick Clay is one of the most bad ass guitar players out there and we connected on the song Dreams I'll Never See Again to which I managed to play in his band Four Day Creep. Terry McDowell doesn't usually have a full drum set but he did on this late August sessions to which I found myself sharing the stage with Ryan Paul, Kenny Webb and even Tim Wiley from the old Wiley Kats band that we had going in 2016. A speed metal version of Crossroads was in order. Poor Ken was trying to keep it all steady.
Four Day Creep in June 2017 at Wild Hogs
In September, I decided to take a venture into the open mic nights at the Artisan Sanctuary and managed to be a hit when I performed Logic And Lies the song and it turned into an anthem of sorts. I enjoyed the variety of people who performed, actors, poets, comedian, karaoke singers and other musicians, Phil Koening in particular. And Colton Thompson an youngster that had the best vocals I have heard from a teenager. Having time off from work made me available to do these weeknight jams, including the Long Branch Friday Acoustic Jam.
For all intent purposes, it was the Checker's Acoustic Jam that I was better known at. It started out with the Acousta Kitties and then after the breakup it became one week Hart/Parker, next week Julie Jules and Friends While I had fun jamming with the gang, the one omission was that I only did one get together with Russ Swearingen at his place while playing guitar and there was misunderstanding with Dewayne on a Rumors Jam appearance and he opted out. Russ did show up to take some pictures at a acoustic gig and managed to get the only picture of me and Julie together on stage all year. Perhaps our shining moment was when we did Gold Dust Woman for the first time and she knew where to sing the lyrics during my primitive guitar playing. Certainly there's other that can sing this song. Julie has always made Gold Dust Woman her own.
Among the more eccentric guitar players, Ed Butler has the best songlist that I have heard in the times he done the Rumor's Jam and one epic performance at the Long Branch. His version of Wicked Game you have to hear. Plus he did Matty Groves one day. Ed knows music.
A year after coming out of the bedroom to play guitar and the results were beyond my wildest dreams although it's all exposure and no money to be made. Karl Hudson was kind enough to tip me 10 dollars on his acoustic jam at Gilligan's this spring. The Whittier Jams were fun to participate in. David Lau a great host. The stage fright has always been there but the support of friends and fellow musicians I could overcome that fear. I think I made a list of each and every musician whose names I knew I gave thanks tor sharing the stage with. They did manage to make me sound that much better in due time.
As for The Townedgers, I thank Geoff Redding and Martin Daniels for their support in turning my ideas into great songs. Terry Bainbridge instrumental in capturing that drum sound that's hard to get. I thank Diggy Kat for his support of the music of the TEs and myself.
Here's hoping that 2018 will continue to bring out the surprises and good vibes that I enjoyed in 2017. The future looks bright.
This year, i was part of the band collective known as the EGADS! (Everything Good And Decent) and while the band was me, Belinda James, Mark Randolph, Tim Nemec and Larry Axelman, we never got to share the stage together. It was Belinda, Mark and myself when we did the Vinton benefit along with guest stars Mike Clair, Rich Toomsen, Jeff Langenberg, Barth Walter and Kim Bean. And then with the Rubies Benefit, only Belinda remained. Tim Nemec ended up leaving the band due to health issues. He was surely missed.
In July, Donna Jo hosted the annual Cabin On The River Jam and that was my first stage appearance as a solo artist. Wooden Nickel Lottery was the host band and I managed to sat in on drums on a few songs, but for my set Rich Toomsen played guitar and Mark Awad played bass and Delayne Stallman played drums. The interaction between Rich and Mark on For What Its Worth was worth the price of admission. Too bad nobody recorded it.
During Rumors jams I managed to play drums with some of the best in town. Rick Clay is one of the most bad ass guitar players out there and we connected on the song Dreams I'll Never See Again to which I managed to play in his band Four Day Creep. Terry McDowell doesn't usually have a full drum set but he did on this late August sessions to which I found myself sharing the stage with Ryan Paul, Kenny Webb and even Tim Wiley from the old Wiley Kats band that we had going in 2016. A speed metal version of Crossroads was in order. Poor Ken was trying to keep it all steady.
Four Day Creep in June 2017 at Wild Hogs
In September, I decided to take a venture into the open mic nights at the Artisan Sanctuary and managed to be a hit when I performed Logic And Lies the song and it turned into an anthem of sorts. I enjoyed the variety of people who performed, actors, poets, comedian, karaoke singers and other musicians, Phil Koening in particular. And Colton Thompson an youngster that had the best vocals I have heard from a teenager. Having time off from work made me available to do these weeknight jams, including the Long Branch Friday Acoustic Jam.
For all intent purposes, it was the Checker's Acoustic Jam that I was better known at. It started out with the Acousta Kitties and then after the breakup it became one week Hart/Parker, next week Julie Jules and Friends While I had fun jamming with the gang, the one omission was that I only did one get together with Russ Swearingen at his place while playing guitar and there was misunderstanding with Dewayne on a Rumors Jam appearance and he opted out. Russ did show up to take some pictures at a acoustic gig and managed to get the only picture of me and Julie together on stage all year. Perhaps our shining moment was when we did Gold Dust Woman for the first time and she knew where to sing the lyrics during my primitive guitar playing. Certainly there's other that can sing this song. Julie has always made Gold Dust Woman her own.
Among the more eccentric guitar players, Ed Butler has the best songlist that I have heard in the times he done the Rumor's Jam and one epic performance at the Long Branch. His version of Wicked Game you have to hear. Plus he did Matty Groves one day. Ed knows music.
A year after coming out of the bedroom to play guitar and the results were beyond my wildest dreams although it's all exposure and no money to be made. Karl Hudson was kind enough to tip me 10 dollars on his acoustic jam at Gilligan's this spring. The Whittier Jams were fun to participate in. David Lau a great host. The stage fright has always been there but the support of friends and fellow musicians I could overcome that fear. I think I made a list of each and every musician whose names I knew I gave thanks tor sharing the stage with. They did manage to make me sound that much better in due time.
As for The Townedgers, I thank Geoff Redding and Martin Daniels for their support in turning my ideas into great songs. Terry Bainbridge instrumental in capturing that drum sound that's hard to get. I thank Diggy Kat for his support of the music of the TEs and myself.
Here's hoping that 2018 will continue to bring out the surprises and good vibes that I enjoyed in 2017. The future looks bright.
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