May Update: Summer tour, recording, and vocation

I saw Hermanos Gutierrez the other night at Pier 62 in Seattle. Outside. In Seattle. In June. Perfect weather. It was magical. I’m so glad summer is almost here.

My next show is July 11th in Conway at the Acadia Public House (formerly the Conway Muse). Full band. Tickets on sale soon...

Summer house show tour with John Van Deusen

Speaking of summer, John Van Deusen & I are doing another Northwest house show tour in August. We’re still working out all the details, but if you’re in the Northwest it’s likely we’ll be near you.

Me and John on our last tour in 2022

Also, if you’re interested in hosting us, just reply to this email. We’re still looking for hosts in or near the following areas: Spokane, Tri-cities, Bend, Hood River, or Portland. Heck, we’d even play Olympia if someone wanted it enough!

May was a busy month

You haven’t heard much from me for what I think is a good reason - we’re making an album. Lots of late nights in the studio with Dan Folgado (producer), the Coyotes, and a rotating cast of friends coming in, bringing good vibes, and occasionally jumping in. The good news is we’re done with drums. That’s actually a big milestone. Kinda like laying the foundation when building a house. We’re seeing the layout. It’s taking shape. And it’s really, really exciting.

And soon, you’ll be able to be a part of it. I’m working on putting the finishing touches on a fundraiser so you can help bring this project to life. That’ll come soon. (Though, if you’d like to help seed a donation matching fund for the upcoming fundraiser, you can do that right now. Just reply to this email.)

Vocation and career. Or, why do I still do this?

I’ve been asking myself a lot over the past year why I still do this. I’m not young. It’s expensive. Late nights in the studio make me tired the next day at work. But I’ve come to understand that vocation and career are often times not the same thing, and music is not my career, it’s my vocation. I think in music: patterns, melody, meter, language. My brain fixes on these things. It’s useful in my career (UX Design), and so in my case my vocation and career are connected, but they’re not the same.

I still do it for a few key reasons. The first, the songs don’t stop. This sounds cheesy, but the muse does what the muse does and she’s not done with me yet. Songs come at the most random times and as long as that’s the case I’ll still write. I can’t not. And I love it.

The second reason is the people. If you remove the weight of music as a career, all that’s left is making art with people you love. I feel very fortunate that I get to do that. Brian, Jordan, Dan, Erin, Cole, Pete, Ryan, Jason, Shay, Arturo, and many others are all amazing people who are amazingly talented. They’ve all put themselves into these songs I’ve written in such powerful ways. There have been moments in the studio over the last month where I was in tears listening to someone take a song to a place I hadn’t yet imagined. The weight of gratitude was overwhelming. To be able to make something new that nobody has ever heard before along side such amazing people is a tremendous privilege. I’m so grateful for them.

Left to right: Dan; Cole; Arturo, Dan & Cole recording percussion in a bathrooom

There are a myriad of other reasons, not least is the inspiration that comes with the tools of the trade. Guitars, pedals, amps, gear...so much fun. I’m a tinkerer. These provide an endless source of tinkering, whether it’s creative or mechanical. It’s always fun. There are definitely more than a few songs you’ve heard that started as mere tinkering.

I wonder what your vocation is? Is it also your career? What brings you joy? Who inspires you? I’d love to hear about it. Drop me a line and tell me.

That’s it for now. Talk soon...

P.s. For those of you scratching your head wondering what the heck UX Design is? click here. It may not answer any questions, but you'll get a laugh out of it.