What's Going On This Year

The end of 2024 marks the fourth year that I got back into my music with the intent of trying to make a living at it.  I'm happy to say I have survived.  It wasn't easy, but here we are.  I've got some plans for 2025.  I'll share some of this with you in hopes you'll want to support me in those efforts.  Thank you.

To start the new year off right, I will be releasing a new album, In the Tracks of the Black Bear, on January 31, 2024.  The album is a love letter to the Algoma Central Railway that operated from Sault Ste Marie and was built by industrialist Francis H. Clergue.  My father worked for the railroad before and after World War II.  I wrote six new songs for the album, and I recorded six more traditional railroad tunes from the old days.  Check out the singles I have released - The Washout and Take Me to the Canyon.

On March 5, 2025, I'll be performing a Hank Williams tribute show featuring his music and some of his Luke the Drifter tunes.  The second set will feature old cowboy songs and some cowboy songs I wrote.  I'll also be reading some of my Cowboy Poetry.  I hope to see you there!  We'll have a hoot!

My fingers are crossed that at least one of my applications to the many festivals in Ontario will be accepted.  I've only played small local festivals and would love the opportunity to scare the crap out of myself and perform in front of a big crowd (my definition of big is seriously skewed to the other direction).  Fingers crossed.

Come October, I will be going on tour for ten days with a great musician friend of mine, Will Gillespie will be touring Northern Ontario in support of our album MINE! and In the Tracks of the Black Bear.  Will's album deals with legends and stories from the Porcupine gold rush.  This is my first real tour and I am eternally grateful to Will for taking me under his wing and showing me how it's done.  I can't wait to see you folks out there!

As you know, I've started composing cowboy poems.  As I say that, I can hear the cowboy poets out there lamenting the fact that I'm not a real cowboy.  They are very protective, to the point of exclusion, of making sure those who do cowboy poetry are real cowboys.  Well, I got news fer ya!  Your cowboy poetry gatherings are full of grey hairs and empty chairs.  If you want your art to continue, then you will have to be accepting of us greenhorns trying to support this art.

You can read my poetry by subscribing to my Lonesome Cowboy Podcast.  I also have a podcast there where I interview some great musicians who are working in DIY careers and doing it successfully.  Subscribing is free, and you can pledge as little as $5/month to support this endeavour.

I know, for a guy who's trying to do this full-time, it certainly seems sparse.  You are correct, but I am working on booking more shows this year and spending less time playing bars and restaurants.  I have enjoyed some of those gigs.  I just hate being background noise with no one listening so I'd rather play ticketed shows that provide fewer distractions and more listening.

If you sign up for my newsletter on the main page, I promise I won't spam you.  My letters are stories about things that have affected me and I wanted to share them.  You can always unsubscribe whenever you like.  Thanks for reading!