July news! First, we moved the next U.K. tour to next summer, 2020 and are thrilled to be invited back again. Second, the book is coming out this October on Aquarius Press Detroit with several book signings and an opening show exhibit opening planned. Third, we have a big show with Don Was and Don’s All-Star Revue at Concert of Colors in Detroit in July over 2 nights. And, we’ll be doing a cool Poets & Pies show at the Detroit Public Library with marvelous writers in July:
We’re returning for a 3rd time to perform at Concert of Colors Festival 2019 with the The Don Was All-Star Revue Band, with many former bandmates from Detroit Energy Asylum! The show is celebrating Motown’s 60th Anniversary. Also on the bill is the legendary Martha Reeves, Mitch Ryder and more – we’ll be at the DIA Saturday night, July 13th at 8 pm, and at the Jackson Michigan Theatre on Friday night, July 12th at 8 pm. The Concert of Colors is completely free, too. Hope you can make if you’re in the area! https://www.dia.org/events/concert-colors-don-was-detroit-all-star-revue-celebrating-60th-anniversary-motown
Poets & Pies! Scott Dailey and I are doing a poetry/music fest with free delicious pie, coffee, music and poetry in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, at the St. Clair Shores Library. Featuring amazing writers and authors from San Francisco and Detroit on Tuesday evening, July 23rd at 7 pm, this should be very cool. Presented by M.L. Liebler – NOTE: This has just been moved from the Main Detroit Public Library due to air conditioning issues downtown! https://www.scslibrary.org/
There’s much more coming up and it’s a busy summer into Fall with more events being announced, and more on Earthwork Harvest Gathering Festival in September, The Pink Fund performance in October, PBS special and more shows with new songs, too. Thanks!
Happy Summer Solstice! We have a big show at Concert of Colors in Detroit in July over 2 nights! I’ll be performing on the Don Was All-Star Revue, returning for a 3rd time with Scott Dailey, and with the Was (Not Was), which includes many former bandmates from my Detroit Energy Asylum! Also on the bill are the legendary Martha Reeves, Mitch Ryder and more. We’ll be at the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) Saturday night, July 13th at 8 pm, and at the Jackson Michigan Theatre on Friday night, July 12th at 8 pm. The Concert of Colors is completely free, too! Hope you can make it. http://concertofcolors.com/
We’ve got several festival dates coming up, including Earthwork Harvest in northern Michigan in September. More details here at http://www.earthworkharvestgathering.com/ and I’ll be doing a show at The Pink Fund in October at Dancing with the Survivors./https://www.pinkfund.org/Check back for more, as there are several other festivals and 20 Front Street in Lake Orion coming up, too!! https://20frontstreet.com/
I’m working on new music after another full year of teaching! More shortly, and have a great July.
Summer news update! We will be returning to The Parliament Room at Otus Supply in Ferndale, Michigan, on Friday night, June 7th, 9 pm! We’ll be performing with Nadir Omowale! Nadir is a fantastic artist, and he and his band are joining forces with us for a super evening! It’s a big return to forever back together at Otus Supply in Ferndale, Michigan – a not to miss show ! http://www.otussupply.com/http://www.otussupply.com/
And a third time is a charm! I’ll be returning to perform with Don Was and The Don Was All-Star Revue at the Concert of Colors. Many members of the house band were in Detroit Energy Asylum way back with me. For the 2019 Concert of Colors, Scott Dailey and I will be performing with Don and the Revue at The Michigan Theatre Jackson and at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) on Friday, July 12th and Saturday, July 13th – Much more info at http://concertofcolors.com
Another new radio show is on Sunday, June 2nd where I’ll be hosting a fresh DJ show on 100.7 FM Ferndale Radio, broadcasting from The Rust Belt Market, sponsored by Axle Brewing Company. Listen in – live streaming is coming soon – 1 to 3 pm Sunday, June 2nd – new releases, local releases and gems of a mystic bent played by yours truly. http://ferndaleradio.com/
The show at Trinity House Theatre was amazing in May. Thanks to so many who came out. Mary McGuire and Chris McCall were fabulous, and Scott Dailey and Keith Malinowski, too. We’ll be back to this charming sound room again.
Aquarius Press’ Heather Buchanan and I have been working hard on finishing the book I’m doing and we’re hoping to have it out by early November with an exhibit/book release and music party. https://aquariuspress.myshopify.com/
I also have news in July on Poets and Pies, where I’ll be reading at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library in the Detroit Cultural Center, with the fabulous Scott Dailey. More details coming and more shows to be announced soon. Thanks for listening, and all the summer happiness to you!
Hail Spring! I’m happy to remind you of an upcoming live show near Detroit in early May. Mary McGuire, Chris McCall, Carolyn Striho, Scott Dailey, and Keith Malinowski performing Saturday night, May 4th at 8 pm at The Trinity House Theatre. Trinity’s an incredible music performance/showcase venue and tickets are selling fast. All info here at https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/
More live shows to be announced soon!
Also in the works is another new U.K. tour we’re working on for next summer. We’ll be on the East Coast later in the summer, arm permitting. Scott Dailey and I have been on tour in Europe many times, and I have a torn rotator cuff injury after a violent fall on the ice this winter, so it’s making it a bit tough on live shows these days.
New Recording News
Yet, work is moving ahead on our new album tentatively called “14 Miles (of Bad Road)” and it’s sounding really cool. It’s got a mix of organic fuzz guitar with blending of a B3 organ sound, but also, synthesizers and some surprising originals. Slated for a 2020 release, Scott Dailey and I have begun work on several songs and are working on finalizing writing on more tracks. Grateful to be back in the studio!
Also, I got word there’s a new vinyl release from Orchide Records of a new Detroit Energy Asylum album. DEA was a vehicle for my vocals, songwriting and musicianship for many years. Besides my many originals, we did several versions of some gorgeous cover songs, and producer and ex, Freddie Brooks and Orchide Records, have released a limited edition red vinyl of “Recreation.” Recreation features stalwarts Dave McMurray, Luis Resto, Joey Mazzola, and Wayne Gerard, among many others, including the iconic rock and roll poet and legend, Patti Smith. https://orchiderecords.bigcartel.com/
New Book release coming this year
Also, my new book will be coming out later this year as part of the Aquarius Press/Willow Books “Living Detroit” series. Aquarius Press is celebrating 20 years of publishing, and I’m excited to be working with Heather Buchanan with my book. I’ll also be reading some of my poetry/writing at several events, too, in advance of the new book with Aquarius Press. Also, one of my poems is included in a Detroit/Michigan anthology from poet M.L. Liebler coming out this Fall on Michigan State University Press with a short reading by poets and musicians on Tuesday April 23rd at 12:30 pm at Wayne State University. And for more on Aquarius Press, please check https://aquariuspress.myshopify.com/
2019 Detroit Music Awards Nominee
It’s an honor to be in the final nominations for the 2019 Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Rock Songwriter and Outstanding Rock Vocalist. This is nice news, and there’s incredible amounts of amazing musicians in Detroit and the world. Thanks for the new nominations! https://www.detroitmusicawards.net/
New Radio shows
Finally, I’ve got 2 new DJ shows coming up on Ferndale Radio 100.7 at The Rust Belt Market and Axle Brewing in Ferndale, Michigan. Tune in on Record Store Day on Saturday, April 13 from 1 to 3 pm and Saturday May 18 from 3 to 5 pm where I’ll be broadcasting live with new releases from The Raconteurs, Bettye LaVette, Lily & Madeleine, Ziggy Marley, local artists Detroit Energy Asylum, Tracy Kash and much, much more. Tune in if you’re in Ferndale! http://ferndaleradio.com/
It’s March, and time for spring…well, we can dream! Scott Dailey and I will be playing several new songs this Sunday March 10th in Royal Oak, Michigan at Steve Taylor’s Dixie Moon Saloon’s Songwriter Sunday 6 pm to 8 pm. It’s an early Sunday show for all us sleepyheads teachers/artists/musicians who teach and rock during the day too. I’m looking forward to hearing some new artists I’ve not met yet, too. We’ll be with great songwriters Barelyon and Mike Gailbraith with more info here: http://dixiemoonsaloon.com/
Also, a really cool save the date in May at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia Michigan with Mary McGuire, Chris McCall, Scott Dailey and Keith Malinowski, Saturday night May 4th, 2019 – 8 pm show with some surprises, too! Tickets on sale shortly and more on this show soon at http://www.trinityhousetheatre.org
Also in March, I’ll also be back with a fresh DJ show on 100.7 FM
Ferndale Radio on Saturday, March 16, 2019 3 pm to 5 pm – tune in if
you’re in the Ferndale, Michigan area, at The Rustbelt Market from Axle
Brewing! http://ferndaleradio.com/
And I’m working on recording my new album for a release late in the year or early 2020, with “14 Miles of Bad Road”, ”Gracious Spoke” and more new tracks, possibly a vinyl and CD release.
A big announcement is coming soon on my first book release this year with Aquarius Press “Living Detroit” Series. This is exciting news and something I’ve been working on with my writing. I’ll be reading some of my poetry/writing at several events, too!
Also this year, I’m on the Second Ballot again in the 2019 Detroit Music Awards in Rock and General categories, and Scott Dailey is on the Ballot for Americana. Percussionist Ron Wolf also received a submission for Americana. We also received a Nomination for Best Live Act for Carolyn Striho (thanks!) and Best Live Act for The Triple Goddess/Midsummer Night Dream shows with Barbara Payton, Mary McGuire and Carolyn Striho w/Scott Dailey and Ron Wolf -Thanks again, I’ve grateful for a great run of Detroit Music Awards. https://www.detroitmusicawards.net/
So be safe and well in the Ides of March, New Moon, Spring Equinox, St. Patrick’s Day and the Mercury Retrograde. Cheers to all who create in the wild world of music and Happy International Women’s Day!
