Greetings and my best autumn wishes to you all! Not much left of summer, but I want to recap a few things for you:

---I’ve had great times, great fun, great friends, and new support at lots of new gigs in the past few months. I am grateful! I am getting more in the spirit on the Monday night shows at the Caterie, and they are going well. Terry, I miss you there every week - drink tequila in New Orleans for me! Thank you Jeff, Toby, and Rhett for making me feel at home each week.

---I saw one of my heroes, Dwight Yoakam, at the Varsity on Aug. 13. I think he was spectacular, despite reports of bad sound. He played tons of hits and shook hips and legs, just like Elvis. Great, real country music!

---On Aug. 16, I did my tribute to the King. Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977. I decided to don my Elvis wig, 70’s shirt, and leather pants (ala the Elvis look in “That’s the Way It Is”) and performed as Elvis for most of my show at the Vineyard. Luckily, I had a few friends there, because I stayed in character for almost 3 hours, and a few of the customers acted like I was an idiot (true, perhaps). It was fun for me. Gerard, who dogged me and didn’t dress like the King too, came out and did some great tunes, including “Are You Lonesome Tonight.”

---I hoped to get CD reviews in New Orleans publications to coincide with a CD party in that big city, but that did not happen. Hopefully, OffBeat and Where Y’at will do that soon. I am very disappointed about that and feel the show I lined up will not be as important, but I hope we will all have fun and I can expose the original tunes to more folks there. Please click on September 7 on my calendar for details of that show. The Kingpin, Sunday, September 7 at 9pm – Lyons@Prytania. No cover charge and lots of fun in a cool, small bar.

So, I begin the fall with some usual gigs, including going back to the Bulldog for Thursdays in September. I will take a week off and try to get some relaxation and song writing time in. It’s definitely time to see how my creative side is doing. I’ve lined up some pre-game gigs at LSU, and also hope to begin work on some new band projects, which I mentioned last month. I foresee some schedule changes in the very near future, with new places coming into the picture and new friends to perform with. Please see my music links and go see all my friends playing around the area. So many talented folks are working like crazy around here. And, check this out – my old duet partner, Todd Westbrook, seems to be playing again at Beau’s, downtown under the bridge (by the Pastime Lounge).

I want to send my best wishes to Dave Long and Steve Brown, each recovering (successfully) from surgical procedures. We all think of you and hope you are feeling well.

Rhett Anthony will be substituting for me at Spanky’s on September 7 and 28. I’ll be playing in NO on the 7th and at a Saints game on the 28th. Please check out my good buddy, Rhett, on those nights at Spanky’s. But, frankly, I’m sure he doesn’t give a damn! hehe (Rhett….get it?).

Football predictions still stand: Saints 8/8, LSU 9/3 (neither will be better! they might change for the worse, though!) Early, no one has called it, dark horse, National Champion – USC! Early, I’ve heard it before, Super Bowl champs – St. Louis Rams.

Love ya,

Kirk