I know I've been a bit out of the loop for a while, but I assure you there's NEW MUSIC on the way!
Touring with LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL has been quite the adventure to say the least, but since I'm on the production side of things with them, I haven't found s much time to think about my own music.
Well, I'm finally in a place where I'm ready to get back into it.
Happy to announce that I'm finishing up a number of new songs in the studio to be released soon! Stay tuned for official release dates, but I promise some new tunes by the end of the year regardless. There will be a series of single releases and videos coming your way in the next few weeks!
I have also announced that I'll be playing the Hotel Cafe main stage on Wed, Dec 5th at 10pm. I hope all of you LA folk can make it out to that one. It's been too long.
Thanks for all of your support. Looking forward to sharing more music with you.
As many of you might know, I am involved in all different sides of music and I love all of it. I've spent the past few months out on the road with LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL as their tour manager and sound engineer, which has been quite the rock n roll experience. Such a great band and a cool bunch of guys. We've been fortunate enough to have been on the road with Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price, Nicki Blum, Jason Isbell and even Bob Dylan! It's certainly been a trip and I've learned a lot. It's hard not to be inspired when you get a chance to reflect.
Now that I'm home for a minute, I'm dying to play some music. Join me at the Hotel Cafe Second Stage on WED, AUGUST 23RD at 10pm. I'll be playing a set of tunes from old to new and maybe a few twists. I'll have some talented friends joining me as well. Cant wait. See you there.
After a month on the road with Haley Reinhart as tour manager and sound engineer, I'm excited to play a show again. Especially since it's going to be in NYC!!
Rockwood Music Hall is the Hotel Cafe of NYC. It's an awesome place to see music. If you're in NY, come out to the show and spread the word.
ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL Stage 3 Tue, June 28th at 8pm $10
Very excited for the show tonight in LA at The Hotel Cafe Second Stage. Rehearsal felt really good last night. Joining me will be Rob Humphreys on drums, Joel Gottschalk on bass and David Steele on guitar. If you don't know these guys, trust me...they're monsters. I've been wanting to play with them for a while and can't wait for this show.
My long time friend, Wilder Embry, will be playing at 9pm. He's in from Nashville and is one of my favorite people. He's also an awesome songwriter. The night will also feature the always amazing Jesse Thomas at 8pm and Kris Orlowski at 7pm.
Needless to say, it's going to be a fantastic night of music and friends.
THURSDAY, MAY 19TH HOTEL CAFE SECOND STAGE Tickets HERE FB Event Page
Getting geared up for the show on May 19th (10pm) at The Hotel Cafe Second Stage. I've got a killer band for this one, so hope you can make it. Joining me will be Rob Humphreys on drums, Joel Gottschalk on bass and David Steele on guitar. If you don't know these guys, trust me...they're monsters. I've been wanting to play with them for a while and can't wait for this show.
My long time friend, Wilder Embry, will be playing the same night at 9pm. He's in from Nashville and is one of my favorite people. He's also an awesome songwriter. The night will also feature the always amazing Jesse Thomas at 8pm and Kris Orlowski at 7pm.
Needless to say, it's going to be a fantastic night of music and friends.
Just got back from a 10 day birthday trip to Nashville thanks to my amazing girlfriend, Nicole. It was really great to get back there after all the time that had passed. So much has changed. I was surprised at the airport by my parents disguised as an uber pick up. Nicole had been planning to have them join us for the weekend all along and I didn't see it coming. What a great surprise!
We really had a chance to get to know the city this trip. Nicole and I went out to see music every night and checked out different music venues to see what was going on. Nashville is a much easier city to get around and you don't feel like you're bleeding money like you do sometimes in LA.
I strangely ran into people I knew daily along with all of the other friends I had planned to see. Makes you realize how small a town Nashville can be. It was kind of nice in that way. Our favorite venues were The Basement and the Family Wash. Both had great sound and good artists booked, which I appreciate.
Valentine (w/ Zack Smith and Rosa Pullman)
Played a show on the 19th at the Basement that was really fun. Zack Smith from Smooth Hound Smith sat in on some killer swamp guitar and Rosa Pullman joined me on vocals. Saw some more old friends and had a good set. Luckily, my old friend Justin Bryan filmed a few of the songs! I'm posting them below for you to enjoy.
Good To Be Bad (w/ Zach Smith)
PRINCE... Last Thursday was a very sad day felt around the world. We lost one of music's biggest talents and personalities, Prince. Wow. Hard to believe he's gone. What is the world like without Prince? I guess we'll know after the shock wears off. Now, Bowie is gone. Merle is gone. Lemmy is gone. This past year has been brutal. Then you think about MJ being gone. James Brown is gone. Ray Charles. So many legends.
Prince was special all his own. Like the other legends that broke the mold, he was an example of greatness and the best of the best. Just watch his Super Bowl performance or him playing the end solo to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with Tom Petty, Dhani Harrison and Jeff Lynn. He was a living and breathing rock star. He wasn't just an exaggerated story that put him on a pedestal. He was an exaggerated story and persona and talent in real life! You could watch him embody rock n roll and masterful showmanship with your own eyes every time he performed a song.
An now he's gone. Man, what a blow.
We got tickets to see Alabama Shakes that night at the Ascend Amphitheater that night. It was a beatiful night right on the river, despite the threatening rain. That day, I didn't care about the rain. It could've come pouring down and I don't think anyone would've cared. I just hoped it would've been Purple and the Shakes gave us an epic tribute to Prince by getting the whole crowd singing Purple Rain to end the show.
They started off blasting "Let's Go Crazy" through the sound system to get everyone dancing. Then, they came out and gave us a powerful full show of Shakes new and old material. They gave a small tribute to Prince and played their song "Gimme All Your Love", which he once sat in and played with them. Unfortunately, that was all we got for a Prince Tribute. The show was awesome, but I really wanted to go home singing Purple Rain. Oh well.
All in all, we had a very nice trip to Nashville full of friends, music, history and southern hospitality. AND, I got to see my dog, Maci for the first time in 3 years! I look forward to going back. For now, it's good to be back in LA recharged and inspired.
Got a killer band lined up for May 19th at the Hotel Cafe. Rob Humphreys on drums, Joel Gottschalk on bass and David Steele on guitar. Heavy cats. It's going to be a great one. What's even better is that my good buddy Wilder Embry will be in from Nashville and playing a set at 9pm. Should be an awesome night of music and a fun hang.
Thursday, May 19th HOTEL CAFE SECOND STAGE 10pm $10
If you haven't checked out the new Second Stage, it's pretty awesome. Some good energy and excitement radiating out of that room since it opened. Mark your calendars!
