Greetings folks! My goodness, things got away from me and my team but we got it under control and I am pleased to say we are ready to make a genuine effort at reviving and keeping up with the monthy newsletter. So . . . we got a lot of catching up to do – here we go.
Let me recap 2018 thus far. It began with a Blues Music Award nomination for Simmered & Stewed. Nope I did not take home a statue in May but I did win. The Souls played at the awards in May at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis - what a thrill it was. Thanks to all who voted for my album.
January also brought us back to Memphis to play our usual array of Beale St. gigs, which included hosting my 10th Annual Rum Boogie Jam for Generation Blues. We raised a little over $2400 for the cause. The Internaional Blues Challenge was a blast espcially going there riding the wave of the BMA nomination and getting some Blues Blast magazine love with my mug on the cover of their first 2018 issue.
A big chunk of my energy was focused on the June 1st release of my latest album, Memphis Song. Lots of radio play and great reviews thus far. Even more, the songs have been well-received at my summer shows.
Speaking of shows, there’s been some great one’s this year. Performances at Billtown Blues Fest, Lighthouse, Fest Pittsburgh Blues and Roots, White Mountain Boogie, Cape Music Fest, Blues in the Bay were a blast. Hit some very cool venues too – new and return engagements. This summer I even got to play a bunch of home region acoustic concerts.
As I write I am just a few minutes away from heading out on a five week Memphis Song album tour – first out west all the way to Kansas to headline the Paxico Blues Festival then south to do some work with the Augusta Blues Company and a visit to Birmingham. Next its back north to play the WBFO Blue Blast and Thorold Ontario’s Canal Bank Shuffle then south again to Florida to play Camping with the Blues and lots of cool club dates and blues in schools along the way.
Starting in October be on the lookout for “Belle” the big blue van (sneak peek below). Getting some custom work done before rolling her out. Upcoming in 2019 – a return to Memphis during IBC and a road trip to the Southwest and left coast is in the works.
~ Tas
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