The State of Things-UK/Ireland tour announced, Kelli Jones, ramblings

UPDATE to UK/Ireland tour– Gregor Philp from Deacon Blue will be joining us on guitar. Amazing guitar player and also serves Deacon Blue as co-writer and producer of their records. See tour dates below!

After the Garry Tallent tour in 2017 I pretty much didn’t pick up the guitar and sing for months at a time. Yes, I was busy working, but it was more than that. In a lot of ways, since Dad passed away I’ve felt like the music died with him. The only thing that made me go near a guitar was, ironically, the Buddy Holly Foundation sponsored songwriting weeks in England and twice in Lafayette, Louisiana. I’m naturally a hermit when not on the road, and in my older age…….it takes something special to get me out of the house. Those invitations to come write with young folks, and introduce them to the music of Buddy Holly and Dad were the only musical events that I could muster the desire to be involved with. Maybe it is a natural part of aging, but I think somehow felt I had lost the muse.

In those weeks though I feel some songs have been written that are some of the strongest I’ve written in years.

So, what is the logical progression of things. When I’m feeling low I have to get out of the house with the dog and go for a long, fast walk, or hit the gym. I find that those two things give me a lift and get my mind on the right track.

Records for me tend to be the same. I live life for years and then I HAVE to get into the studio and make them happen. They are stewing inside me……..developing, but unwritten and unrecorded. I start making lists of songs, or ideas……..and then think about who of my musical pals can best bring the individual songs to life. I have self doubt and banter back and forth in my own mind about whether I should make another record. I beat myself up and fight with negative thoughts, and then finally I fight through it and decide to take the plunge once again.

Once I’m in the studio……it feels like home. I grew up in the studio…..sleeping on the couch in front of the mixing board while Dad and Ernie Winfrey blasted records on the wall to wall speakers…….and as a child and teenager watching my Dad produce records…..listening to everything he was listening to, trying to figure out what he was hearing……..listening to the subtleties of what he was hearing and trying to get out of the artists and musicians he was producing. He’d say to Ernie or Gene Eichelberger “let me hear that again”…….there is a natural telepathy between a producer and an engineer and a good engineer won’t ask where to roll it back to, because they will already be on the same page. Dad would ask them to fix something, or something was so damn good he just wanted to hear it again. I would listen at the same time and try to figure out why. He was the master.

One of my favorite moments in my entire life was when Dad came to LA on official business as Head of A&R at Epic Records in Nashville. I was recording “Fear Nothing” in Hollywood at Conway Studios for A&M with Ed Cherney producing.

I invited Dad to the session. That was actually a gamble on my part, because I wasn’t always sure that Dad “got” my music. Dad could be pretty intimidating as well. He arrived in all black……his silver-hair and dark glasses……he looked like a mafia don. I introduced him to everyone. He sat quietly on the couch while we were trying to cut “Don’t Make Me Hate the Things I love”……Denny Fongheiser on drums, Paul Bushnell on bass, Al Perkins on lap steel, John Jorgenson on guitar, and CJ Vanston on piano.

Normally, if you are a guest at a recording session you need to shut up and be a fly on the wall. The last thing in the world you want to do is to interject yourself into the recording process at all. Dad was following those rules, and to be honest, maybe being a little too quiet……..as he often was.

“Don’t Make Me Hate the Things I love” was supposed to be an upbeat, rocker, but that day I started playing it slowly as a ballad, and the band just fell in around me. We always kept the tape rolling, so when we fell into something……it could possibly be the take. Well, we ended up nailing it on the first take. Everyone knew it. We all went into the control room to listen………which is tradition. Ed played it once and we all felt like THAT was the take. The song ended and Dad spoke up from the couch, and said, “let’s hear that again”…………it wasn’t a request……he suddenly switched from the guest on the couch to the producer. Ed and the engineer obliged and I believe that Dad moved to a seat between the speakers and shut his eyes. When the song ended he just said, “that’s good”……………nothing more was ever spoken. In that moment, I felt like I had his approval.

I’m not 23 anymore…….I’m 51, but I sure would like to play him a few songs…….wouldn’t even have to be my own. He was one hell of a “song” guy. Really, I’d just like to stand on the sidelines with him at one of Beau’s games so he could see his grandson play football, but that isn’t going to happen now.

So now you see why I mentioned the “rambling” part in the blog description……I’ve started to ramble.

So, I’ll be “getting out of the house” by going on tour in February. I hope I can get a record done by then, but it is doubtful, but most certainly will be playing the new songs on the tour. I’ve always prided myself bringing artists that I love to the UK/Europe to open the shows and this year is very special. I’ll be bringing Lafayette, Louisiana singer-songwriter Kelli Jones with me to open and play violin with me, AND I’m very excited to announce that Gregor Philp, songwriter/co-producer/guitarist for Deacon Blue, will be joining us on guitar.

I met Kelli in a bar in Lafayette after one of the Buddy Holly nights. I listened to her stuff on youtube and then told her she should get involved with the festival the next year. She did and I made sure we wrote together. We wrote a song that will be on my new record………..she is funny and talented. You will love her.

Tour starts in England then we head up to Scotland and then the Emerald Isle. I haven’t even really publicized the tour much and some of the shows are halfway sold out, so get your tickets today. Here are the dates.

Monday, Feb. 3rd-Brighton, England-The Greys-Buy tickets now!

Tuesday, Feb. 4th-TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 5th-Bristol, England-Hen and Chicken-Buy tickets now!

Thursday, Feb. 6th-TBA-let me know if you want to host us in your village hall?

Friday, Feb. 7th-Yarrow, Scotland-The Gordon Arms Hotel-SOLD OUT!!!!!!!!

Saturday, Feb. 8th-Glasgow, Scotland-The Glad Cafe-one of my favorite venues. Buy tickets now!

Sunday, Feb. 9th-Kinross, Scotland-Backstage at the Green Hotel-longstanding gig at a very nice hotel. Come to Scotland for the weekend. Yarrow, Glasgow, and then Kinross……….yeah baby! Buy tickets now!

Monday, Feb. 10th-Belfast, Northern Ireland-The Errigle Inn-Buy tickets now!

Tuesday, Feb. 11th-Dundalk, Ireland-The Spirit Store-One of the best sound systems in all of my touring years. It is special. Buy your tickets now!

Wednesday, Feb. 12th-I’m looking for a house concert in Ireland on this date. Get in touch.

Thursday, Feb. 13th-I’m looking for a house concert in Ireland or England. Get in touch.

**I’m toying with the idea of doing shows on Jan. 31st, Feb. 1st, and Feb. 2nd in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany……..get in touch if you want to host.

Check out Kelli Jones on Youtube.