Newsletter

Thanks everyone for checking on my website, looking for my gigs, using the links page, and signing into the guest book. I had a nice, slow month in July and am ready to hit a lot of shows in August. I had a cool trip to Houston in July - ate a ton. I recommend Café Adobe and Empire Café for great eats and atmosphere. Both are on Westheimer, if you are ready to leave now... hehe. Didn’t get to catch the surging Astros this year.

I know we are all ready for some football. I’ve met many folks from around the country by playing at Margaritaville in New Orleans. People all over are so devoted to their teams. And the National Press is really hyping the LSU Tigers. Friends, that always makes me skeptical. I would love to see them play USC in the Rose Bowl/National Championship game, as many are predicting. A new coach and a quarterback that didn’t show me much last year doesn’t make me believe that will happen. They should be favored in every game. I think they will lose to Tennessee and be 10 -1 by year’s end. I don’t know where that will put them in the bowl picture, but they won’t be #1 or #2. I hope that changes. Regardless, it’s tailgating time!! I may play some pre-game tailgate parties and gigs around town, before and after the games. Nothing scheduled yet. Mainly, folks are booking me for the Saturdays when the Tigers are away.

The Saints should be easy to predict - 8 and 8. They will finish second in the NFC South, behind the Carolina Panthers. The NFC is pretty weak and it’s possible that the Saints could get a wild card with that record, but most likely, they won’t. Aaron Brooks will not be any better this year and it should be his last as a starter in NO. I hear all his supporters saying how many teams would love to have him as a quarterback. That is just because there are so many bad ones. That doesn’t make him a winner, and that should be why teams play - to win. Unfortunately, an NFL franchise doesn’t need to win to make millions. Can you tell I didn’t renew season tickets? I will go, at least once, to see the Saints this year. It’s fun, but it’s the Saints. I do like the new WWL radio show, with Bobby Hebert (who has taken the place of the late Buddy D.). He is funny and has great stories of the NFL. A good ole Cajun boy. "Man, you got to see dat! If you break on da post, you got a touchdon."

August is the slow month of the year for festivals. Here are a couple:

Satchmo SummerFest Aug. 5 - 7 www.satchmosummerfest.com

Gueygon Duck Festival Aug. 26 - 28 www.duckfestival.org

My sympathies go to the family and friends of Secretary of State Fox McKeithen, who passed away in July. I met him a few times. He was into music and good times, and he promoted that in this state. "That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout" is what he loved to say!

The new On the Half Shell is predicted to be open in November. It will be on Bluebonnet @ Burbank. Binx, owned by Rhett Anthony, my buddy and fellow musician, is open and will have a grand opening soon. I don’t have a scheduled show there in August, but will likely jam some with Rhett and Chris LeBlanc. I’ll get some gigs there in September, no doubt.

If I didn’t say so last month, congrats to Molly and John Ridout, my friends in Alaska, on the birth of their baby girl, Caroline. She is obviously worth the wait and effort. Proud of you and so happy for you, Molly!

I’ll be covering Wednesday afternoons for John Gros at Margaritaville this month, so find me there twice a week, from 3-6pm. I’ll make two shows with Chris at the Vineyard. Also, going back to Satterfields in New Roads, where Joe Breland will jam on percussion with me. Spanky’s remains the same on Sundays, with Charles Pierce making the occasional appearance on conga and Crown shots. I’ll show up at the Half Shell, Columbia St. Tap Room in Covington, and Superior Grill w/Matt Doran. Quite a few private parties this month, too.

AUGUST 28TH - ELVIS AND JESSE MAKE THEIR 2ND ANNUAL APPEARANCE AT SPANKY’S DAIQUIRIS IN PRAIRIEVILLE! This is my and Gerard Langlois’ yearly tribute to Elvis Presley and his music. Show should start, with an opening act, around 8pm. Wear your Elvis garb, glasses, or sideburns, and get into this with us! If you don’t like the King, you’ll still have some fun with us. We, of course, do this out of love for what he was, how he sang and performed, and how much we dig the tunes.

As always, thanks for coming to see me play. I get a little physically burned out, from time to time, but once I start singing, I really love doing the shows. I hope I’ll be busting out some new grooves soon, as well as trying to write some new songs before the end of the year. Keep in touch and come out when you can.

Kirk