Check one. Test, Test. Check one.

Hello blogosphere. Thanks for stopping by. I'm not a complete newb to blogging but I've got a different reason for starting up again, one that running a blog meshes with nicely. Perhaps you can all help me with it too.

I've recently decided to step off the ledge and develop a solo, just me and the old mandolin. I've had one show already and it went well enough so that I think I can start actively looking for work closer than a 12-hour drive from home. I sure welcome any feedback from you on any aspect of what I present here. There just aren't a whole heckuva lot of solo mandolin acts out there so I'll be making up a lot of it as I go along.

My regular band is still my anchor point but since I have more time to play than the band does, I figure I better get out there and, as brother Thomas Carlyle once said 150 years ago or so:

"Produce! Produce! Were it but the pitifullest infinitesimal fraction of a Product, produce it, in God's name! 'Tis the utmost thou hast in thee: out with it, then. Up, up! Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy whole might. Work while it is called Today; for the Night cometh, wherein no man can work."

I am working on recording myself. I'll be playing originals, old time music, and some old string band blues: whatever turns my crank in other words. With luck it'll turn yours, too. I'll finish up this intro post with a couple tunes. They're not really movies but rather a static picture with a soundtrack (why in god's name does blogspot allow you to post a 20MB movie but not a 3MB mp3????). Sorry! I hope you enjoy them and hope you'll chime in and say something about them or me or whatever.

Lastly, I'm actively seeking work so if you've got a lead, shoot it along to me. Thanks!




This is a little waltz I wrote about the place I grew up the longest (dad was with IBM so...we moved). We had a place out in the country north of Byron, MN and the Zumbro River ran through our property.




This one's called "Mama Had A Baby." I tried to find an old, traditional form for some thoughts I had about parenting.

Let me know what you think and stay tuned. I'll be back soon.