Sunday, September 30, 2012

Off Stage With Meyer and McGuire 8/12

Hey Folks,

Hope you are all doing well!  It's been awhile since my last post, and here's why.  My screen reading program became incompatible with the web mail program I was using, and I spent quite a bit of  time switching to a new program.  I know you youngsters are saying, "So, what's the big problem?"  Well, I am old and slow.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  So, since I last touched base with you in July, this post will be somewhat of a summary of what's been going on for Siobhan and me since then.

As many of you know, spending time with friends is high on the priority list for Siobhan and me, and the past few months were packed with some great times.  I would simply like to thank Karen and Tom, Tom and Jeanne, Tom and Martha, Ray and Dawn, Jim and Margie, Paul and Jeanne, Sharon, Billie, Deb, Brooke, and Seth, and any other friends I forgot to mention.  (I will be sixty-two this month, and the memory is not what it once was.)  We did nothing with these people, but we did it with style.  All of these people have one common characteristic.  When you meet up with them, no matter how much time has elapsed, it seems like you saw them yesterday.  I know you all have friends like this.  So, try to connect with them as often as you can.  Trust me!  They really help to increase the quality of your life.

Siobhan and I are really thankful for the number of private parties we were asked to play this past summer.  Thanks go out to Terry and Maryann, Mike and Shelly, Amie and Joe, Jerry and Stefanie, Jim and Carol, Leslie and Jason, Mike and Janeane, and Kaitlyn and Jeff.  These parties consisted of family picnics, engagement parties, and wedding receptions.  Many of the people holding these gatherings were former students, and we felt really honored to be asked to be part of these special events.  The song, "Home Town," which I wrote over twenty-five years ago, was inspired by a private party like the ones we did this past summer, and it is nice to see it is still alive and well after all these years.

Siobhan and I normally play as a duo, but every once in awhile, we have the opportunity to have some really good players join us and take our show to a higher level.  Over the past few months we have had the honor of having Perry Cleaveland (mandolin and fiddle) and Bob Spadafora (guitar) join us.  It is an absolute pleasure being on stage with these guys, and we really appreciate them understanding our musical limitations.  They are two of the most unassuming, down-to-earth guys you would ever want to meet.  So, when you see their names listed in our music schedule, come on out and see them.  You will not be disappointed!

Many of you know that siobhan and I spend a lot of time with Siobhan's mother, Joan, and my father, Frank, and we really appreciate you asking about them.  Well, they are both doing well, and they came to Canandaigua to visit us this past summer.  We couldn't quite get Joan into our swimming pool because she could not find her bikini , but Frank was a different story.  Although he has given up doing back-flips, he got into the pool every day and did some exercises.  It did wonders for his arthritis, and he agreed to come back.  In fact, Frank is planning to move to Canandaigua next spring, and Siobhan and I are really looking forward to having him near us.

As I mentioned in my last post, Siobhan and I are really enjoying coordinating the "Singer/Songwriters in the Side Room" concert series at Buffalo Bill's in Shortsville, NY.  The concerts are on the third Thursday of the month from 7 to 9 PM.  In my last post, we played you a video of maria Gillard playing her song, "Imagine My Surprise."  In this post, we have a video of Pat Maloney doing his song "Good Night Irene Again."  Pat wrote this song for his mother, Irene, who did not like Leadbelly's famous classic, "Good Night Irene."  Here is a video of Pat doing the song.  Hope you enjoy it, and I hope it encourages you to check out this venue.  We have some great songwriters in this area, and if you like original music, you owe it to yourself to experience some of these artists.  Stay tuned for more videos of other songwriters we have showcased.

Since I am on the topic of the songwriters series, I want to thank Lisa Winter, Jim Clare and Perry Cleaveland, and Leslie Lee, Steve Gretz, and Perry Cleaveland for the fine shows they did in July, August, and September.  On October 18, we are having Scott Regan, a fine songwriter from the Rochester area, do a show in our side room.  In addition to being a terrific songwriter, Scottis the voice of Open Tunings with Scott Regan.
He is also a member of the well-known group, Watkins and the Rapiers.  Last spring I saw Scott perform at Songwriters in the Round at the Tango Cafe, and I was thoroughly impressed.  I think you will be too!  Hope you can join us on October 18!

Well, once again, it's time for me to stop babbling.  I often go walking at night, and much to the chagrin of Siobhan, I am a daydreamer.  Many of you pass through my thoughts, sometimes for a fleeting moment and other times longer.  I want to thank you for being in my thoughts.  You have contributed to my life much more than you will ever know.  So, see you on the streets somewhere!