Greetings. We just finished up a short run of shows in Florida: Ft. Lauderdale, Clearwater and Orlando. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather (rubbing it in here), as the rest of the country, particularly my home state of Minnesota was and is enduring one of their snowiest and coldest winters in a very long time. I remember as a kid watching live golf tournaments from Augusta, Georgia and Florida on TV with my dad in the middle of winter and seeing everybody walking around in the sunshine wearing short sleeve shirts and thinking, “How is that possible”? Well, I've since learned that it is possible and I really kind of prefer it.
In Nashville, we get just enough snow maybe once or twice a year to get the cameras out and take a quick photo before it all disappears by noon. We've already had some 70 degree days in February, so I think we'll continue to call Nashville home for a while.
Anyhoo, the Florida shows went really well. Art is singing great and our new keyboard player, Paul Beard and I are getting more and more tight with the arrangements.
The Ft. Lauderdale show was sold-out and the crowd was into it, which makes it a lot of fun. The hotel we stayed at was on one of the canals and it blows my mind the number and size of the massive private yachts from around the world that are docked there. There was one with a For Sale sign that had a helicopter on the upper deck. I seriously thought about it a bit... but then remembered that I don't have that kind of money. It was our third time back at the lovely Capitol Theatre in Clearwater for another sold-out show. Clearwater has some of the most beautiful white sand beaches and aqua blue water you'll find anywhere.
During our time off at home here in Nashville, before the Florida shows, Annie and I along with some friends went out on the town to hear Phil Solem play a set of his original tunes. Phil came out to see our show at the Ryman Auditorium in January as Annie’s guest. She had met Phil through John Cowsill, when John was here last year playing with the Beach Boys. Phil is in the band, The Rembrandts and he and his partner co-wrote the theme song, “I’ll Be There For You” for the hit TV show, Friends. Phil is a fellow Minnesotan (Duluth) and a heck of a nice guy. He just recently moved to Nashville. I'm assuming that he, like I, does not miss the snow either.
Next on our schedule are 3 shows in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, New Brunswick and Glassboro, New Jersey. Then we’re off to the United Kingdom for three weeks doing 11 shows. We start in Oxford, England and finish up in Glasgow, Scotland. This I am looking forward to, as England is my favorite country to visit and Colin Walker our soundman, and Paul Beard our keyboard player, are both from England, so a merry time will be had by all!
Check out the calendar on my website for all of the UK dates and beyond! Also, we'll be touring Germany in October!
Before you go...
Thanks for checking out my latest blog! Hope to see you at a show soon and please come up and say hello!!!
- Tab