Newsletter

I can't express how grateful I am to you all for making my CD release party a success! I have been blessed with so many friends and I regret that I couldn't sit down and visit with you all, for hours. I had a blast and hope you did, too. I hope you liked the original tunes and will enjoy the CD. I owe plenty of favors, so be sure to cash in soon! Have a great Mardi Gras season and I'll see you at the Southdowns parade, my gigs, or the Chinese buffet!

Welcome to the New Year, my friends. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Though LSU and the Saints faltered at the end, I can't be too down because I have exciting news (and, what the heck, life goes on). I'm almost afraid to say it………..

On Saturday, February 1st, 2003, I am releasing my first CD, at the Caterie in Baton Rouge, LA at 10pm!! I am very nervous, excited, and enthused about this. I should've done this when I was much younger and cockier! Of course, a few would say that I've never been cockier. There will be a $5.00 cover charge at the door that evening. I will have CDs and, hopefully, some other merchandise on sale there. Soon, it will be on sale on this website, as well. CDs will cost $15.00 (sorry Liz, no cassettes at this time!).

Opening the show that evening will be Emily Branton. She is a wonderful singer/songwriter who has been getting a lot of attention, lately. She has released a CD recently, "Something Good Here," and it is doing well. Check out her feature story in this month's Rhythm City Magazine (there's a story about my CD release, as well).

Let me tell you some things about the CD. It is an eclectic blend of tunes that I have written in a few bursts over the years. I tried to incorporate a lot of styles, sounds, and emotions. I used as many of my extremely talented friends as I could, still leaving room to express myself. It is not a collection of singles or hit-type tunes. The songs stand on their own, but all the tones and performances added a new dimension to my original writing, as well as to the overall texture of the disc. That's why I feel it is more of a whole than a group of songs. I am so grateful to the people who participated in the production of it.

I produced the CD mainly in my home, on digital recording equipment. I recorded the drums at Boyd Westbrook's home (Todd's Dad); recorded keyboard tracks at Matt Doran's home; and Chris LeBlanc did some tracks at his home studio. After I was finished with recording sessions, I had the tracks sent to Los Angeles, via a stopover at Rick Naqvi's studio, where we transferred my recordings to a Pro Tools recording/mixing/mastering format. Brad Cobb, of O'Dark:30 Studio in LA mixed and mastered the tracks. I went out there for three days to work with him and we both produced it from that point. I think he did a wonderful job with what I gave him.

The title track lent itself to a movie theme, so I had a good friend from my past create a B-movie poster for the cover (ala, "The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"). Kerry Porche - who I was in a band with before I knew most of you - did this for me and it is incredible! Kevin Calbert took this image, and some other photos and images, and helped me format the artwork. Good friends Bill Stafford and Clay Coleman were essential in the art process, providing photographic and graphic art talent and hardware.

Now, I just need my friends to come out to the Caterie for a great night of fun and music on February 1, 2003. You all have supported me generously for many years. I hope we can all have a blast. There will be many performances by old and new music friends, along with me, playing the tunes from the CD and some of my favorite covers. Please tell anyone who used to come out to the Caterie or Calendar's or The Mill! The good old days!

Check out the schedule for January. Nothing new this month, but the usual cool gigs. Back at the Bulldog, in New Orleans, on Thursdays. Regular gigs at Spanky's, Superior Grill, and On the Half Shell. Best to you in 2003! It's gonna start off new for me!

The website has just been upgraded by Jimmy Granier, JG Web Design. Now included are MP3 clips of the tunes and a merchandise page, along with the news and schedule. Please let me know what you think about it and if you have any problems surfing through it. Jimmy does excellent work and has many clients, if you are looking for a web designer.