From Out Of The West...

2011-04-20T22:21:00.001-06:00

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S

2011-04-20T22:20:00.001-06:00

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Hoodies

2010-11-23T22:00:00.001-07:00

Hooded Mergansers are pretty rare around here, so when I saw this pair near Eagle, I had to grab a hasty camera pic. Hard to see, I know, but they're such lovely birds! Wish I could have hung around to watch them for awhile!

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Product Review: Tapastring StrapKeeper

2010-11-02T19:32:00.001-06:00

Some time ago I wrote about the great guitar strap that my friend Jim made for me. Well, it's just about the greatest thing ever, and it's my "official" acoustic strap. Yep, I use it all the time!

Wait. Not quite all the time. Actually I stopped using it for just a little while. You know how it is with straps. After a while, the hole starts to work itself open a bit, and before you know it, you're thinking more about the security of your guitar and the strap, and less about what you're supposed to be doing -- playing. When Bowser came along, he became my go-to, but brought an endpin jack with him, as opposed to the sidejack that can be found on my others. Simply putting a nylon washer on it as a strap lock didn't sit well with me, so after hanging out, waiting, and making excuses, I finally started looking into the options for this application.

There aren't many. Nope, not many at all. The simplest option outside of the aforementioned hardware-store washer was a little item called the "StrapKeeper" from a small Colorado company called Tapastring. It seemed pretty applicable to my situation from the website description, so I took the ten dollar risk (to use the term rather loosely), and received it in the mail just about two days later.

It's simple, unobtrusive, effective, and (my favorite part) only took me about two seconds to figure out. If you have enough talent to slip your strap over the pin in the first place, you can figure out how to put this together. You can see from the image that it is easy on the widened strap hole, and completely out of the way, lying flat against the base of the guitar's body. The endpin isn't wearing on the hole anymore, so even if it is called into use for another guitar, it isn't currently being harmed.

It seems extremely secure, which is the point in the first place. Tapastring uses the image of a brass-bodied resonator suspended head-down by a StrapKeeper. I don't quite have that much faith in my new little piece of gear. It's not that I don't think it can hold up to the task; I just don't think I can hold my guitar like that. Call me the nervous type. In any case, I don't plan on swinging it about by the strap, so it works well enough for me. (On the other hand, viewing the site while listening to Little Big Town started making me get the "wants" for a reso. Mrs. NoGoodGuitarPicker isn't gonna like this.) For good measure, I put a regular "push-button" strap lock on the other end, but that might be over kill.

One of the best parts is that it comes from a small US company. Purchasing items from the big guys is not necessarily dissatisfactory, but there is something particularly cool about getting a great piece of guitar gear and knowing that you're not just getting another part that rolled off an assembly line somewhere. Your money isn't going to a bigwig somewhere -- it's going back into a small business in the United States. Yep, that's a fair bit of satisfaction right there.

The strap lives on.

Test Post From My Android

2010-10-29T19:17:00.001-06:00

Hoping that we'll get more consistent content if I'm hooked into the ol' Droid here.

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Failbird X

2010-10-28T22:23:00.001-06:00

Dear Gibson Guitar Company,

I like guitars. I like guitars a lot. Some people might even say I love guitars. My wife says I do, but... well, that's another story entirely.

From time to time, people ask me what kinds of guitars I like. Naturally, I give them my top two, but always manage to fall into so many others I like as well. Big fan of Telecasters. There just isn't much you cannot do with a Tele. Love Danelectro baritones, and some of the U2 and DC models. Those are fun, too. Jaguars are a hoot, Gretsches with Filtertrons are awesome, and... well, you get the point. I really like guitars.

Oh, and I like Gibsons, too! I like them a lot! In fact, along with that Tele, the other guitar in my top two is the ES-335, and that's not #1 and #2 -- they're both at the top! The ES-335 has the most soothing neck pickup tones of any guitar ever made, and great versatility in the bridge. Yep, it's a classic.

So is the Les Paul. I'm particularly fond of old goldtops and double-cut specials with P90s. Nothing like a Les Paul with P90s for that stinging sound with just a bit of overdrive to really set apart lead tone. Good stuff.

Your Blueshawk was a pretty cool guitar, and even though I can't say I'm a huge SG fan, they definitely have their place, too. And the Melody Maker! Now there was a cool guitar! Straightforward, no-nonsense single pickup simplicity. Yep, that's good stuff!

Wait, I almost forgot the Firebird! Those are amazing guitars! They have the best sustain of any electric guitar ever created, let me tell you! Yes, sir, if someone sat me down in the studio and said, "All I need is sustain, son", I'd grab a Firebird and that would be all it would take. That neck-through design with the angled headstock really is something unique, and it's a thing of beauty! I like them in red and white, but the sunburst is pretty cool, too, and black is always doable. It took me a little while to get what you were doing with the headstock shape, but eventually I saw how it complimented the body shape, and it certainly isn't confused with anything else!

So, tell me, Gibson. When it came to the Firebird X...

What the heck were you thinking?

Frankly, this is a guitar that completely befuddles me in almost every possible way. I like Firebirds, but when I clicked on that page, all I could think was, My good Heavens, that is one ugly guitar! Seriously, from the strange orangish-red finish to the mismatched fretboard wood and inlay combination to the sawed-off headstock to the hardware store selection of knobs... I mean, do any of those knobs even match each other? Holy Toledo! None of those knobs, levers, switches, or gadgets match each other at all!

Still, it's not fair to judge a book by it's cover, nor a guitar by its JPEG, so let's see what the details are.

* One of those knobs is an 11-way selector switch. Wait, but it's not the same as the 5-way selector switch? Umm, this is one of the reasons Airline Guitars by Eastwood never really "made it". I mean, they were cool, but too high maintenance and finicky. Like those old Teiscos from the 60's, remember? Too much to fiddle with on the fly. Honestly, I'm not even sure what the 11-way switch does. You might want to mention something about it on your page. More about its function might justify that "TM" symbol up next to its title.
* One of the knobs is volume. That's great because you can control the volume. Three pickups, but one volume. They also make a big deal about the (single) tone knob being a momentary switch. So... that's interesting.
* The headstock design is changed because it has a robot headstock. Oh. Maybe because the Robot Guitar was such a stunning success? Wait. It wasn't, was it? It's not that it's a bad concept, but it doesn't understand intonation, doesn't always get the top two strings, and is beastly expensive to repair. Putting a PolyTune in the chain is a much better and less expensive option, apparently.
* The toggle switches are for onboard effects. This is just a bad idea. Aside from more obvious reasons, you can set your compression, reverb, and whatnot on this guitar, but what if I decide to switch to another guitar? Do I have to play it direct into the amp? And if I'm using that Holy Grail for my other guitars, why do I need to dial in two sets of reverb settings? Or EQ? Or compression? Or...
*The neck design is mortise and tenon, which makes the least sense of anything on this guitar. The biggest feature that sets the Firebird apart is the neck-through body. Get rid of that, and you have a guitar with a Firebird shape. It doesn't even have a Firebird neck or headstock. Just the body shape. I can't call it the "Firebird". It is what it is. It's a Failbird.

Here's the worst part, though. The MSRP on this guitar is $5,570. That's right. Sticker price on the good ol' Firebird V is $2,299, but the new version is twice that. If you ask me, this is downright insulting to musicians. Most hard working musicians I know don't have 5 and a half to drop on this sort of guitar. They are doing their best to provide for their families and love playing their gigs, but this kind of thing is way out of our league. Heck, I have a wife and four kids, and can't even go poking around for new guitars that are half this price, not to mention that a nice, vintage 335 could be had for this price! I know, I know, Gibson. I'm not your target audience. You want the pro to buy this one, right? The pro who spent hard-earned cash for a real echoplex that has authentic tube warmth. The pro who saved his per diems over so many road trips to get that old Fender amp that has an oceans-deep analog reverb at the correct placement in the loop. (Last, that is.) The pro who got that antique ribbon mic from a legend who saw potential in them. The pro who gets out there and night after night gives the people what they want, just like you do Gibson.

Correction. Just like you did.

See, this really doesn't count as "bringing it". You are Gibson. You are the LP Jr. You are the Varitone. You are the PAF. You are Gibson. Have you read the comments on this new guitar? Nobody has touched one yet, and yet pages are filling up with negative comments. Why? Because your customers are getting just too used to this. We've lived through the Zoot Suit SG, the Dark Fire, the Robot Guitar, The Eye Guitar, and the Nighthawk. These are not good guitars, but they keep getting worse and worse. We have now come to expect this from you. Substandard, bad guitars.

Know what people want? Firebirds with neck-throughs with two volumes and two tones. We want Les Pauls like the great models of the 50s and 60s. We want 335s and 345s and 330s and 339s that give us a classic look with tones that range from traditional to cutting-edge. We want searing performance from SGs, and even... yes... Vees and Explorers. We want the things that made Gibson great. Not this. This is just making you a laughingstock. This is the guitar version of the now-popular "fail".

Please. Be Gibson again.

Kindest regards,

NoGoodGuitarPicker

Meet Bowser (My New Washburn Guitar)

2010-05-07T10:49:00.001-06:00

The one nightmare that might plague a musician more than anything is that of broken gear. This being the case, you can only imagine my distress when on the Friday before Christmas 2009, I set up all my gear at the coffee house, plugged in my main acoustic, and...

Nothing.

Broken gear. There was no time to cry, whine, or complain, though. It served me well while it worked, but it was time for something different, and thus the search began.

Although my ideal guitar comes from Breedlove Guitars (namely the C250/EF, J350EFe, or a concert-style cutaway with Myrtle), they're far and away out of my budget, so my search began closer to the pocketbook than the dream. About the time I began to hunt in honest, though, a guitar from Washburn called the J28SCEDL "Cumberland" came my way. Now, a year ago, I didn't even know this guitar existed, but as soon as I heard it this time, it brought to mind seeing Rodney Atkins at the fair, and how impressed I was with the Cumberlands he was playing. I had dismissed these because of the $1279.00 MSRP, but a deal came my way that I couldn't pass up... so I didn't!

The Cumberland is another of many Jumbo models that are based on the classic Gibson "J200" design, but with its own twists. It features a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, abalone inlays, Grover 18:1 tuners, and B-Band electronics system. The specific model I got is gloss black, which might be my least favorite of the common guitar finishes, but it's growing on me. Their transparent black finish must be seen to be believed, and the natural is also quite nice, showing off the highly figured maple they use for the back and sides.

As one would expect from a guitar of this size, it is a boomer. Even new-to-me with its old strings and stock hardware, this guitar was ridiculously loud when played unplugged. There isn't much for delicate work here, but for all-out chord power, it makes a person sit up and pay attention. Yes, the Queen Bee did make me stop hammering on it because the kids were asleep, in case you're wondering.

The guitar looks simply beautiful. Even in gloss black, the binding and inlays are well done -- not exorbitant, but not plain-jane, either. I immediately replaced the stock plastic bridge pins with buffalo horn, and plan to replace the nut with a horn nut I have sitting here, but I don't have the tools at my disposal right now. Stock plastic annoys me, doesn't transmit sound well, and looks chintzy, so if you happen to pick one up, do yourself a favor and grab pins and a nut, too. The saddle is Tusq, and since that material is reputed to be good with undersaddle pickups, I will probably leave that as well. My only other mod might be to replace the ebonite tuner buttons. Some of my friends really like them, but I'm not so impressed. I love the Grover 18:1s, but I'm inclined to put Imperial-style buttons on instead.

So far the electronics have been reliable and issue-free. I have played it through a variety of DIs as well as my Peavey Ecoustic 112, and everything seems to work just fine. The three-band eq with volume and presence give you plenty of tone-shaping options, and the tiny knobs keep the preamp footprint to a minimum.

The only other thing I might alert potential buyers to is the string gauges. Washburn recommends 11s on this guitar, but I moved up to D'Addario 13s with great results. Ultimately I settled on D'Addario "Bluegrass" 12s because they just seem to get the most out of the guitar, and they just feel good under my fingers. You might find your own set of favorites, but be aware that this guitar is big, plays big, and wants to keep being big, so try some nice, fat strings to help it do its job.

Not being one to name my guitars, I was a bit surprised to find that it soon started going by Bowser. This is not an instrument that will give you delicate work or much subtlety, but what it does, it does as well as any other Jumbo I've played. The number of poor reviews this guitar gets on internet forums confuses me, but reading them in detail makes me think the reviewers don't really know which guitar should be used for which purpose.

Which reminds me that I've been looking for a small-bodied, shorter-scale guitar for high-strung tuning. Michael Kelly Nostalgia 15CE anybody?

Interesting Website -- "King Quack, Jr."

2010-03-27T22:18:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd share with you an interesting little site I stumbled upon, quite by accident. It is called "King Quack, Jr." has a lot of information about hunting and fishing, but particularly compelling are the recollections of the old times, and a page full of vintage pictures like the one below. This fella took quite a share of ducks back in the '30s in Colusa, CA. That was the town where my grandparents set up shop, and I'd be willing to bet that if granddad were more willing to be photographed, he'd have a stack of snaps just like this one.

Visit the site and see if it makes you miss your granddad and his hunting stories like it did for me. Oh, and take pics when you're out with your kids doing what you do. Future generations will appreciate the world in which you lived! Thanks, King Quack, Jr.!

Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Ash Bowers in Boise, ID

2010-03-22T10:10:00.001-06:00

This is the story of a boy who knew what he wanted. This is the story of a 9 year old boy with Asperger's Syndrome who got a DVD for Christmas and surprised us all. See, this little guy doesn't talk much at all, and only when absolutely necessary at that. He doesn't like loud noises or much commotion, but he absolutely loves his music, so when we took him to the Rodney Atkins concert at the fair last Summer, it was met with minimal enthusiasm. He liked the songs, but the volume and crowd were a bit much for him, so after it was over, he let us know that he didn't really want to go to any more concerts. Fair enough -- if he's not ready, he's not ready.

Along came the Christmas of 2009, complete with the gift of a DVD of Jason Aldean in concert in Knoxville, TN. He's liked Big Green Tractor since the day it hit the radio, so we thought this might be a good one for him. (That and he's wearing out the Josh Turner soundcheck DVD he loves so much.) One run through the DVD was all it took for him to latch onto that, and then surprise us with this statement:

"I want to see Jason Aldean in concert!"

Now, statements from him in general are somewhat rare, but this one really took us unawares. Nevertheless, we honoured it by letting him know that we'd do our best to get him to one. Little did we know that within a few weeks, a March 20th show would be announced for Boise with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan! So, knowing all the while that taking him into a venue that seats roughly 10,000 people to a show that will give the mains a good workout would be a bit of a gamble, we made arrangements nonetheless, and hoped for the best.

By the time yesterday rolled around, he was beyond ready to go, as were all of us. (I think the anticipation of a show makes it all the more enjoyable sometimes.) We piled on into the arena and caught the opener, Ash Bowers, with whose work we were relatively unfamiliar as a newcomer to the country scene. His set was a quick four songs, but he did a good job with a band consisting of two acoustic guitars, bass, and cajon. With all the emphasis on the headliners, we didn't even know he'd be there, so that was an interesting little surprise.

Luke Bryan came along next with a full set -- a very full set! I didn't time how long he played, but it was all his most popular songs plus a good handful from his newest CD, and other stuff thrown in here and there. As it turns out, he's quite a funny guy with a very genuine sense about him. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand, and gave an all-out, full band performance that was quite well done. In my opinion, it might have been the better part of the show, but that's all relative to personal taste.

He acknowledged that he might not have been at the top of his game due to a mild injury, and seemed a bit frustrated when a guitar he was handled didn't play properly (sent it across the stage on its back, even!), but really put it all out there for the audience, who responded enthusiastically at all times. It was great fun, and I doubt anyone present didn't enjoy it.

My only issue with Bryan's part of the show is twofold, and both parts are similar. As a sportsman and hunter, the song Drinking Beer And Wasting Bullets has bothered me since the first time I heard it. When he got through the first chorus and the 11-year-old Waterfowling Wonder looked at me in shock, I hated the fact that I'd have to have that conversation with him. Even he knew that was a violation of one of the 10 Commandments of Hunters' Safety (namely that alcohol and firearms do not mix), and I don't think our kids need the mixed messages. The second issue I had was his comment regarding driving around Boise's backroads while drinking whiskey from a Dixie cup. Maybe I'm just taking things too seriously, but that was a bit much for me.

Aldean was next, and after the high energy and fun of the Luke Bryan set, the kids were already starting to wear down a bit. It was getting late, and they'd heard so many of their favourite songs already, it was fairly understandable that they'd be dragging. When his silhouette came up on the curtain, 12 feet tall and unmistakable, though, they joined right in with the rest of the crowd whooping and hollering, and stayed right there with him through the end of the show.

For his end of things, the concert was quite a spectacle. There was a fairly elaborate set with catwalks and ramps, curtains used to various effects, and a wall of amps and cabinets (none of which appeared to have been miced, interestingly enough). One thing I really appreciated from a visual perspective was that the light show, while fairly elaborate, was not overwhleming. It wasn't the razzle-dazzle cavalcade that distracts the audience, but a well-designed asset to the production that highlighted the performance well.

All the hits were here, well-executed by one of the tighter touring bands. "The Three Kings" of Rich Redmond, Tully Kennedy, and Kurt Allison were joined by Mike Frey and a mysterious, unnamed steel player. (He has a name, I'm sure, but wasn't introduced.) I have to say that after hearing the live sound from the DVD, the pedal steel brings an extremely compelling aspect to the overall sound. Aldean's approach has typically been straightforward rock 'n roll -- two electrics, bass, drums, and his acoustic. It certainly works for him, much the same way we observed Little Big Town's similar arrangement, but the steel lends a bit of the traditional "country" sound that had been missing on the DVD. It all works quite well together, and won't disappoint he audience looking for the rocker image or the country sound. (On a related note, I think Little Big Town could use a touring mandolin player for the same reason, and I just happen to be available!)

Gibson Les Paul models ruled the roost on his set, as one would expect for his high-gain, cranked-to-10 sound. A nice Nashville style Tele made a few appearances, a PRS or two showed up, and of course you can't play Big Green Tractor without a Strat, so there were some of them, too. It was interesting watching all the guitar changes and wondering how many of them were absolutely necessary. Sure, I'm a guitar geek, but it actually seemed a little distracting, especially when one of the changes went very wrong. Give these guys credit, though. They have their sounds dialed in, and they know exactly what it's going to take to get them from song to song. It's a very studio-worthy approach, and it works for them. Ash Bowers' bassist had made use of a lovely goldtop LP bass in their set, and an identical model (looked identical from our seats, anyways) showed up for one Aldean song, which was a nice little treat since you don't see them very often at all.

The set was about what you's expect from a Jason Aldean show. We were expecting Wide Open for the opening number, but got Crazy Town instead; a move that really works, as the latter is more of a high-energy romp, and got the crowd really worked up from the get-go. It's been one of my favourites since the first time I heard the album, so that was a pleasant surprise. We also did not expect him to cover the Bryan Adams tunes, Heaven and Cuts Like A Knife in the middle of the show, both of which were done to a high standard of excellence. Of particular interest, aside from the first two songs mentioned here, was his performance of two earlier non-singles, I Break Everything I Touch (accompanied by guitar issues), and I Use What I Got. Both are great live songs from the very beginning of his career, and I'm glad he still puts them in the setlist.

As far as putting in a cover of Kid Rock's Cowboy goes, though, that ranked way up there on my list of "what the heck?" concert moments. Still, everyone else was having a good time and enjoyed it regardless of what I thought. Consider the source of this comment, though -- I've never liked anything by Kid Rock.

And how did the kid respond to the show? He kept his fingers in his ears all night, but smiled and smiled... and smiled some more! As soon as the show was over, we asked how he liked it, only to hear him reply, "Now I'm ready to go see Josh Turner!" I guess he's hooked like us now. Cool.

Let The 2010 Fishing Season Begin!

2010-02-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing like panfish and kiddos to get you all charged up for the fishing season. Kind of makes you overly ready for Summer!

Josh Turner in Wendover, Nevada

2010-02-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I promised you that there would be a report on the new "Haywire" tour from Josh Turner, and I try to keep my word. Of all his shows we've seen (numbering five now), this one might be one of the most memorable. Naturally, the first one we saw holds its own simply because it was our introduction to his live style, and last year's trip to Evanston, WY was one of our most incredible concert experiences ever, but this one will forever hold a spot in our hearts for one main reason: our trip. Now, Wendover NV is only 320 miles from here. That should only take about five hours, but even though we left early in the morning, we didn't arrive until just slightly before the 7 PM showtime. Why, you ask? Here's why:

Yup. Car trouble. Danged thing decided to die at 75 miles an hour on the freeway when we were less than a hundred miles from home. To make a long, tedious, and extremely dull story short, we endured an intolerable wait, had the vehicle towed to Twin Falls, grabbed a rental there from the only place that was open (thank you Bridget at Avis!) and hit the road south for Nevada.

By the time we got there, we were dazed, confused, a bit tired, and had just enough time to change into our good clothes and get to the venue. Somehow we pushed through severe headaches, ignored the fact that we hadn't eaten anything of substance all day, and forgot all about everything by the time we were shown to our seats. After all, it was showtime!

This incarnation of the show is quite different from the others we've seen. This can be attributed to Turner's maturation as an entertainer as well as an artist, a slight change in stage personnel (Tim Galloway taking over the electric guitar duties for this tour), and the fact that this was the first "real" stage performance of this current show. To say that it is different is not to infer anything negative, though. Actually, it's quite good, and showcases a wide range of the artists' talents, abilities, and personalities.

The show opens with music from the new album, "Haywire". Hopefully you read the review I wrote recently, and recall that I consider this one of his strongest works so far, and the songs translate well to the stage. There is a lot of new material, including "The Answer" as the closing number, but also the classics that will always be identified with the Carolinian. Unfortunately, my favourite song of his, "Lord, Have Mercy On A Country Boy" seems to have been stricken from the setlist forever, but nobody ever asked me what he should play, did they?

One last shot... the one that didn't turn out as well. I took a few pics, but was more concerned this time around with just enjoying myself and trying to soak in every possible lick, riff, and strum pattern, and not so much with taking pictures.

Highest of the highs, lowest of the lows. In case you're wondering, we sunk a substantial amount of money into diagnostics and replacing a fuel filter only to find that the transmission is shot and we need to replace the whole car. That's nice....

Love It, Love It, Love It!

2010-02-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

From the geniuses at KLH Custom Relic Guitars, "The Continental":

How cool is that?

Josh Tuner Goes All Haywire On Us

2010-02-10T16:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday marked the release of Josh Turner's latest offering, Haywire. As they are with seemingly all releases from established artists, my hopes were high for what it might bring to the table. So far, Turner has not disappointed, but the bar was set at such a monumental level with 2006's Your Man that I cannot help but approach anything else he puts out with a certain amount of comparative skepticism. I know it'll be good, but I still ask, will it be as good as Your Man? The short answer is... it just might be!

Full disclosure, now: as much as I try to be objective when listening to music, I cannot move past the point of being a fan of certain artists. When I listen to Strait, Urban, Little Big Town, or in this case, Turner, I have to be honest with myself (and you), and just admit that I have a certain level of appreciation for certain performers. Then again, perhaps if more reviewers were just honest about their place as fans, we might get more honest evaluations. I'm a Josh Turner fan. So sue me.

Back to the point, now. Haywire is great. Truly great. Top-ten in my entire collection great. It's right there with Blue Clear Sky, Sunset Man, and The Road To Here. It has the classic Josh Turner sounds we've come to expect, as well as some new concepts. It's all over the place, but as a package of material, it's just plain great. So in case you're wondering, if you liked any of his previous records, you'll like Haywire.

Given the option between a "Standard Edition" and a "Deluxe Edition", I of course opted for the latter. After all, for an extra couple bucks, you get not only two left-over tracks from the "Long Black Train" sessions, but two live tracks as well. As such, there are a total of 15 tracks to review on this album, but you probably don't want to sit through a point-by-point analysis of that many songs, so I'll just hit the highlights. If you want to use the Standard Edition as a reference, well... just subtract four, I guess!

Here are the elements of Haywire that stood out to me:

* The first track is "Why Don't We Just Dance", his first single. It won't shock your system like "Would You Go With Me" did (there I go comparing again!), but it is a strong and familiar way to kick off the record. It also sets the tone of having fun, which is the overriding theme of this record. Besides, it's just a good song.
* There are plenty of good examples, but if I had to give someone an example of a.) singing harmony vocals and/or b.) mixing harmony vocals, I'd play "I Wouldn't Be A Man" for them. Wes Hightower and Russell Terrell are at the top of this game in Nashville, but this song really showcases their talent. Even the great Vince Gill must be sitting back and thinking, "Dang!"
* Great instrumental intros are frequent in this set. The title track, "I'll Be There", "Your Smile", and "Let's Find A Church" really let you hear the brilliance of the session players. In particular, Aubrey Haynie's mandolin work and Gordon Mote's piano are stellar. Unfortunately there is a lot of electric piano/clavinet sound, which is one of my least favourites, but your mileage may vary. Some people love it. As a sidenote, Bryan Sutton is a stud.
* Clearly someone's been listening to Motown and R&B lately. "Lovin' You On My Mind" has a lot of soul, reminiscent of not only his first #1 hit, but also "No Rush" from the same album. He really pulls it off well, without even a hint of the crossover blahs. It's country, but has all the suaveness of a Marvin Gaye or Al Green song.
* "All Over Me" has just about the coolest slide guitar work ever. Yes, I've heard LeeRoy Parnell, Derek Trucks, and all kinds of great stuff, but Steve Hinson worked up licks for this anthem to Summer fun that rivals the very best. Perhaps it's partially due to the fact that a slide guitar track is a new concept for a Josh Turner record, but it stands out, and is worth your attention.
* Of the thirteen studio songs, ten are love songs. That leaves one Comin'-To-Jesus song, one daddy song, and one workaday fun song, but listen to the ten love songs, mark out seven of those in particular, and ask yourself, does Josh Turner know how good-looking his wife is? For my money, um... yes. I think he does.
* On a similar note, if anything in "Baby I Go Crazy" or "No Rush" made you blush, you might not appreciate this man's honest, passionate approach. I won't elaborate. Just trust me.
* The two songs from the Long Black Train sessions are good, but listen to the difference in the vocals. I hadn't really noticed it, but there is a maturity in Turner's voice that really comes out when you hear him side by side with his former self. Check out the legendary guitarist Brent Mason making his way into a song, too.
* Although I do not consider myself to be a fan of Southern Gospel music, I have a great appreciation for the unabashed honesty of Turner's Christian testimony on "The Answer". Stylistic differences aside, it is a bold man who will take such a strongly evangelical approach on a release such as this. Kudos to him, the production, and MCA for putting this one on the disc. It brings to mind the text of Rom. 1.16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ...".
* Just in case the tour isn't coming anywhere near you anytime soon, the two live tracks will whet your appetite a bit. Live recordings usually aren't so great, but these sound quite good. Here's your chance to have not only Ol' Lowcountry himself, but Wilder, Click, Haynie, Mrs. Turner, Schipper, Lawson, and Derek "One Last Show" Wells playing their guts out right in your living room or pickup truck. This has advantages to the Cracker Barrel release because it contains "Your Man" which was missing from that CD, and adds banjo to "Long Black Train".

Well, that's ten bullet points. It might have been quicker to just go song by song, but hopefully you have a good idea as to what you can expect from this album. In all honesty, I cannot imagine a fan of country music not enjoying this record. From pickup trucks to pretty girls, and from deacons to dancers, it's all in here. I'm pretty anxious to hear how the new songs sound live, so the Queen Bee and myself are heading to Wendover, NV in a few days to catch the show. Something tells me you'll hear more about that just like you've heard about so many other concerts.

Copies are everywhere. Pick your favourite retailer.

There Went Duck Season Of '09-'10!

2010-01-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Duck season ended with a whimper more so than a bang. Such was the case with a rather slow season, though. There were ducks to be shot, but let's be honest: I'm a crummy shooter! As hard as I work on getting my act together, I just seem to have a heck of a time putting the beads on the birds. Maybe it's a coordination thing, but that just leaves room for me to work, and that's the fun kind of work!

As a reminder of the good times we had this season, though, here's a shot of the kid in the blind early in the season. This was the day after he passed his Hunter's Ed class. It was about 90 degrees outside, and we were sweating like crazy!

No ducks that day, either, but I'll never forget it!

My Dream Telecaster

2009-12-23T18:36:00.002-07:00

So I keep on bugging the folks at Rittenhouse Guitars about wanting to win their drawing for a custom relic'd guitar tomorrow, and I figure maybe you - and possibly even they - might want to know just what it is I'd like should fortune turn my way. Either way, it's fun to think and write about, so here's a list of my ideals in a custom guitar.

Model: You know I'm a Tele lover. That's no secret. Sure, I also love ES-335s and a few others (can't leave out the Epiphone Sheraton!), but for pure country, you simply cannot beat the sound or look of the Fender-designed Telecaster.

Finish: A butterscotch blonde with black pickguard (aka, "Blackguard") is the ultimate look for a Tele. Combined with a maple fretboard and black inlay dots, it may just be the coolest looking classic guitar ever. There is something unique about the slightly transparent appearance of the old butterscotch finish over plain-grained wood. This is not to say that the Gibson and PRS finishes over highly figured woods are not a sight to behold as well, but that simple old Tele look is one of guitardom's richest heritages. The black pickguard? That's just gravy.

Neck: All maple with a C-shape is period correct, but slightly taxing on my carpal tunnel / tendinitis. So far, the most comfortable electric neck I've ever played is a mid-70s Strat, but I would never dare to put a Strat neck on this thing, and don't know exactly what the solution should be. Probably go with a "C" and make it work.

Electronics: I like my Tele electronics nice and simple, with no real added frills. Rittenhouse uses Lollar pickups as their standard, but I'm wondering if I could talk them into using the classic T single coil models from Brian Porter here in Boise. These pickups sound like they've been lifted from antique guitars, so they compliment a vintage-looking instrument, even down to the low (5 1/2 - 6 1/2) output. Personally, I can't think of any others that I'd prefer. (Bridge and neck only -- no centre pup.) Between them and the jack, the post-1966 wiring with the single .05 cap makes everything a little easier to follow, and contributes to that classic Tele sound. Maybe I could talk my dad out of one those sweet old ceramic capacitors he has lying around to fit in there....

Hardware: Has to be chrome, right? From the Kluson tuners to the neck pickup cover, there's only one way to go on this. I prefer not to have the bridge cover, as I do a lot of palm-muting, and the cover gets in the way of a clean mute at the saddles. Speaking of which, I don't know if it's exactly right for a '66, but I really love brass saddles for authentic Tele twang.

Age: Relic'd guitars are fun, but anything that looks like it has been mishandled makes me kind of sad to tell you the truth. One of the beauties of the Rittenhouse guitars is that they don't look like they've been treated -- they just look well-used. I wouldn't want this to look like it had been used to hack through the Amazon jungle, and would probably request that the rust and dents be kept to a minimum. Not brand new, of course, but not abused, either.

Yeah, I really want this guitar.

Why I Should Win The Rittenhouse Guitar

2009-12-20T22:43:00.002-07:00

I caught a few minutes of Letterman on YouTube the other night, and it got me to thinking about how I could further convince Rittenhouse Guitars to select me as the winner of their giveaway. My love of classic blackguard Teles is not exactly a secret, and this might just be my chance. It's the closest I can think of right now anyway.

In the spirit of Dave's Top Ten, then, here they are... my Top Twelve Reasons Why I Should Win The Rittenhouse Guitar:

(Bring your sense of humour with you.)

12. Somewhere, a Deluxe Reverb is waiting. I'll supply the cable.
11. I've been looking for an excuse to buy a Paul Cochrane "Tim" pedal. This would be it.
10. My acoustic guitar is busted. This frees up my personalized strap.
9. My current Tele is a partscaster, made from door and reclaimed moulding pieces. Satisfying, but not exactly rockstar material.
8. I got laid off in November. "Won in contest" is the only guitar budget I have now.
7. Every country singer needs a good Tele. I'm a country singer. Do the math.
6. My Blackheart BH5H combo is set to "honky-tonk" and completely ready to take it on.
5. I also like Fiesta Red Jazzmasters and Olympic White Strats (with Tele pups). Future sales?
4. Brent Mason, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Ray Flacke would surely approve. Probably Redd Volkaert, too.
3. Rittenhouse Teles are items of great beauty. I'm pretty good-looking myself. We belong together.
2. They're giving it away on my birthday. Happy Birthday to you, NoGoodGuitarPicker!
1. It's a twang thing. If you don't get it... you probably won't get it.

C'mon, Rittenhouse!

Dear Santa (2009 Edition, Part 4)

2009-12-20T22:37:00.001-07:00

Paul Cochrane Tim Pedal

Rittenhouse Guitar Giveaway

2009-12-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

The makers at Rittenhouse Guitars have begun a giveaway for a relic'd guitar, and I have decided that I should win it. Now, the mere fact that I would love to have a replica '60s Tele in butterscotch blonde with a black pickguard ought to be enough reason to get in on the drawing. But there's another reason even greater than my love for classic blackguards....

The day on which Rittenhouse will draw the name of the fortunate winner will be December 24th. That is correct -- my birthday. What better birthday gift could there possibly be for a twangoholic than a beautiful replica of the original country machine? I can't think of very many. (Although there are some other items in a lower-budget range. Being laid off from your job will make you think of a budget in entirely different terms, and I'm there now. But hey... this would be free!)

Wish me well, and if you decide to order a guitar from Rittenhouse in the next week, please tell them I sent you. It increases my chances ninefold. Feel free to click on through to their website or plug me in any other way with them. I'm just shameless about this one.

I also like Jaguars and Jazzmasters in fiesta red, and Strats in alpine white... as long as there are fat ol' Tele pickups in that Strat!

Dear Santa (2009 Edition, Part 3)

2009-12-15T17:36:00.001-07:00

Michael Kelly Legacy Dragonfly Flame E Mandolin

Dear Santa (2009 Edition, Part 2)

2009-12-13T16:09:00.005-07:00

Rothwell Love Squeeze Compressor Pedal:

2009 WNFR Champions

2009-12-12T23:13:00.001-07:00

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is complete, and what a Finals it was! Two of my favourites, Bobby Mote and Trevor Brazile took high honours in their events, and Sherry Cervi revived her career all the way to the top! Congratulations to all!

Here's the list of the big winners, as officially recorded by our good friends at ProRodeo.com:

Bareback Riding: Bobby Mote
Culver, Ore.

Steer Wrestling: Lee Graves
Calgary, Alberta

Team Roping: Nick Sartain (Heading)
Team Roping: Kollin VonAhn (Heeling)

Saddle Bronc: Jesse Kruse
Great Falls, MT

Tie Down Roping: Trevor Brazile
Decatur, TX

Barrel Racing: Sherry Cervi
Marana, AZ

Bull Riding: J.W. Harris
May, TX

All Around Champion, 2009 WNFR: Josh Peek
(Steer Wrestling, Tie Down Roping)

All Around Champion, 2009: Trevor Brazile
(Tie Down Roping, Team Roping, Steer Roping)

Dear Santa (2009 Edition, Part 1)

2009-12-12T13:05:00.002-07:00

Breedlove Atlas Series Studio C250/EF

Sara Evans' Christmas Tour In Boise

2009-12-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

Since this is the third time we've seen Sara since last Fall, it's kind of hard coming up with something too original to say. The first show in Nampa was great, in part because we'd never seen her before, and in part because... it was just a really interesting and entertaining program! The second show in Sun Valley was possibly even more compelling due to the venue and extended set. This show's venue (the Qwest Arena in downtown Boise in half-set configuration) was so-so, the crowd was at about 40% capacity (eyeball estimate), and I'm not a huge fan of Christmas music. Still and all, though, this was a cool show, and we certainly had fun.

What we did not end up with was a surplus of pictures. The security at the venue was not entirely happy with people snapping pics, so we had to be judicious with our photo-ops. Never have I been at a show where ticketed customers were harassed for photographing the artist(s) like they were this time around. Mind you, this is not about people with fancy cameras, but guys like me with silly little digital cameras and camera phones. Ridiculous if you ask me, but then again, very few of my shots ever turn out worth a hoot. Here's one that came out okay:

The Christmas half of the show was actually fairly compelling, given that the arrangements were not mushy or sappy or in any way orchestral. Two things I was afraid of were sleigh bells and chorus pedals. Neither showed up, so everything was just fine, thank you. In fact, one my least favourite Christmas songs, "Little Drummer Boy" was actually one of the night's better offerings. Oddly enough, it was mainly guitar driven, and not too drummy!

The band was great as always. Reliable as always, Jim Bloodgood, Matt Evans, Brent Wilson, and Jonathan Lawson showed up ready to crush, bringing with them a new keyboard player to replace Jonathon Long, who is no longer on tour. (New guy has a name, but I didn't catch it.) We had seen Clint Chandler and Justin Ostrander swap spots countering Wilson on guitar, but with the latter off on another tour, we wondered who might take the vacated spot. Turns out is was none other than Derek Wells, formerly of Josh Turner's band the Tonkin' Honkies! (Whom we have also seen repeatedly in Boise, Nampa, and Evanston, WY.) Bands never ever get enough credit, and it's always good to see a crew this tight onstage.

To part, a not-so-great pic of a rare sight: an Eastwood Airline Twin tone and its player. The lighting was good, the guitar was compelling, and... it's the only other pic from the show that turned out.

Good stuff. Catch this show if you can.

If Only They Weren't Yellow and Blue....

2009-11-28T12:17:00.002-07:00

Note the potato top and centre.

The CD Has Arrived!

2009-10-18T22:17:00.001-06:00

"Don't Be Surprised". That's the name of the new album from 84West, and we couldn't be happier to introduce it to everyone out there! We've been working towards getting this record done for over a year now, and have been in the recording process since Easter time, so the release of this was much anticipated on our behalf.

We have put our ten best songs into this effort, and enlisted the help of some extremely talented friends to get it done. We consider this to be a major accomplishment for us, as we have no label backing, no endorsements, and nothing outside of our own efforts with God's help. Now, we consider that to be the greatest asset any band or musician could have, and the fact that this post is being written right now should stand as evidence to that.

Obviously, there are plenty of options shown on this page where you can purchase the CD or listen to tracks, but I wanted to give a quick rundown of the details, and credit where credit is due. In order to pique your interest, here is what you can expect to find on the record:

84WEST, the band:
Thomas C. Duncan, Sr. - Vocals, acoustic, high-strung and electric guitars, mandolin, banjo
Tim Beck - Acoustic guitars
Andy Jenkins - Bass
Phyllis Beck - Keys and piano
Danny Mogford - Acoustic, high third, and electric guitars

Additional Musicians:
Chris McHugh, Jon Wilburn, Wade Gibbons - Drums
Eric Darken - Percussion
Derek Wells - Electric and baritone guitars
Justin Schipper - Pedal steel and dobro
Jonathan Lawson and Jordan Lawson - Fiddle
Donna Gibbons - Harmony vocals

Recorded by David Goetter and Scott Pergande
Mixed by David Zaffiro at The Puget Sound and Scott Pergande at The Mix House
Mastered by Scott Pergande at The Mix House
Recorded at The Mix House (Boise, ID) and Studio 61 (Nashville, TN)
Photography by John Siewert

In case you're wondering about the title... even we're surprised!

New 84West Album

2009-09-11T23:06:00.006-06:00

Wanna get your hands on the new 84West album? It's this easy... click the button:

If You Don't Have Bluebill Decoys...

2009-08-31T23:06:00.000-06:00

... improvise.

Bluebill dekes are expensive, and we're not even sure how well they'll work on the Snake River where we hunt. Buying a dozen was not an option, but since we had an extra few of those unpainted jobbers over in the corner, we decided to try our hand at making out own. A little Rustoleum in flat black and flat white, a pint of flay grey house paint, a tube of yellow craft paint, and a sharpie, and I think we're onto something! There's a little glare showing in the photo where we put some blue on the head, but we're going to cover that up before we take them out.

How do they work? Don't know. They aren't exactly right, but I think they're close enough to fool birds since the black/white scheme is the most important part of the equation. There are a lot of divers out there, but the season doesn't start for six more weeks, and can't shoot a scaup until Hallowe'en! I'll let you know at some point in the season. It can't get here soon enough!

(If you're wondering where the hens are, you've clearly never painted these. You get started, make a nice, contrasting paint job, and started admiring your work. Before you know it, they're all drakes. Later, I suppose. Later.)

Annual Pre-Duck-Season Routine

2009-08-30T20:11:00.002-06:00

Gettin' em ready with the 10-year-old Waterfowling Wonder.

Rodney Atkins at the Western Idaho Fair in Boise

2009-08-28T23:14:00.006-06:00

Just take a look at the pic and you can pretty well guess how much we enjoyed our evening at the Rodney Atkins show in Boise. Yep... it doesn't get too much closer than that! We were about 4-6' from the stage, and Rodney and his people put on quite a performance! We were very surprised and pleased to have Shane Minor and David Lee Murphy join Rodney onstage for this performance, which was a special little treat. The band was really great, everyone onstage seemed to be enjoying themselves, and it was well done all around. I'm still not sure what the deal was with the Squier Tele in the lead player's hands, but his genuine Fender was a sight to behold, and he had great tone going. The Epiphone Thunderbird bass also didn't seem to have the punch of its Gibson uncle, but that might have been the mix... or was it? Oh, well. All of the musicians were quite good, though, and although they seemed as surprised to be playing "Dust On The Bottle" as we were to be hearing it, they pulled it off with great professionalism and style

On the other hand, this was without a doubt the worst crowd I've ever been a part of in Idaho. Never here have I experienced the rudeness, pushing, and general obnoxious behaviour that this audience showed from the time we got to our "seats" until the show was over. This reminds me: if the guy who thought it would be okay to try to push around my 7-year-old daughter to get to the stage wants to come try again, I'd be happy to let you have the pounding you so richly deserve for treating a little girl like that. As a completely nonviolent person, it is still a matter of some regret to me that the most I could do was push you back to prevent her injury, because if I could have landed that left on your chin I would have. Don't mess with a real man's little girl, fella.

Yeah, other than that, though, fun show! Two more pics, now:

Rodney makes David Lee Murphy magically appear. Okay, not really, but the pic makes it look that way!

My favourite guitar of the night, a Washburn Cumberland Jumbo. Not sure what the finish is, exactly, but it looked like a very dark, clear olive from where we were. Great guitar!

Losing A Legend - Les Paul

2009-08-14T07:17:00.001-06:00

For whatever reason, I don't actually own a Gibson LP guitar. That doesn't matter, though. What matters is that any time any of us ever plug in to play, we owe Mr. Les Paul a debt of gratitude. This giant of the music industry passed away today at the age of 94. Whilst offering condolences to his family and Gibson, it is comforting to know that this is a man whose heritage can never be forgotten.
Gibson - Les Paul Passes

Little Big Town and Josh Turner in Evanston, WY

2009-07-30T19:35:00.010-06:00

Yes, indeed! The Queen Bee and I turned around the day after our family adventure with Little Big Town in Caldwell, got in the car, and drove to Evanston, Wyoming to see... Little Big Town! This time, though, they were opening for one of our favourite performers: Josh Turner! This concert was simply so amazing, I can hardly say enough about it. These are the best photos, so hopefully they will do the talking with minimal commentary from me.

Standing in the second row. Seeing LBT twice in three days was almost overwhelming. I think I overdosed on mountain sevenths.

Opposite side of the stage from Philip this time.

Greg Hagan rocks. Still didn't get a shot of that Epi Sheraton, though. Bummer.

The man of the hour.

Ow! Ow! Ouch! Painful chord? Josh's low notes painful to the ear?

Lawson looking content to be fiddling.

Mmmm... Telecaster!

Kevin Haynie strummin' on the old banjo.

Soloing "Another Try" on the good ol' Dano baritone. This particular guitar has played some of the most amazing songs ever written!

Josh's shows get better and better every time we see him. The band is energetic and extremely talented, the songs are amazing, and the experience is good, clean, family-friendly fun. (There was another band that opened for the two acts, but we're tryng hard to wipe out that memory. The fact that they were not tight at all was one thing, the fact that their original songs were quite odd, and the fact that no one seemed to know what the other was doing was somewhat forgiveable. The fact that they covered "Baby Got Back" put us over the edge though.) Hopefully we can get Josh and co. to the Boise area soon, because they just keep improving. Next time, perhaps "Lord Have Mercy On A Country Boy" will find its way back on the setlist, as it apparently got misplaced the last couple times. It's only one of the greatest songs ever.

It was going to take a very rare show to bump the 2007 George Strait show off the top of our list of favourite events. This one, however, goes directly to the head of the list as the greatest concert we've experienced yet. Oh, and Josh Turner has barely started his career. This is going to get really good!

Last pics: can you find us in the crowd? Look lower right hand corner.

Little Big Town in Caldwell, Idaho

2009-07-30T19:17:00.006-06:00

Last Thursday we caught Little Big Town at the Canyon County Fair in Caldwell, ID. We've always wanted to see them, but haven't had the chance before this past week. We will not miss them again, though, and that's for sure! They are an amazing band, and really know how to entertain a crowd! We knew the songs would be good (LBT songs are just plain good... that's just the way it is!), but we didn't know the performance would be so energetic and technically clean. Here are the pics with some commentary:

Me and my peeps getting ready for the show. (That's blue raspberry sno-cone, in case you're wondering.) Yes, my oldest "peep" is 10.

Our first location, back in the general seating area. Yep, that's a stage way up there... looks like there might be a band on it, but I'm not sure.

When the fella walked through with a fist full of reserved tickets I asked him what the deal was. He asked, "How many do you need?" I told him four to see what would happen and he handed me... four. Sweet!

Slightly better seats this time.

This was Li'l Sis' first "real" concert at the age of 5. She stood in her chair, danced, and waved at the performers all night long. She got some waves at this distance, and since she doesn't know the difference between the "rock on" hand sign and the "I love you" hand sign. Consequently, everytime there was a "rock on" in our direction, she turned and reported in a flabbergasted voice, "SHE loves me!" Is this little girl stays hooked on music, I shall forever blame/credit LBT and Philip Sweet.

Up to the stage area for the last few songs. This is where the magic is, people! Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild here. Steve Dale is shown on bass -- this guy was SO in the pocket all night long!

Behind Jimi Westbrook and the ladies is Steve Sinatra on drums. I have never seen a show with so many hard stops, and they were all flawless. This guy is the real deal... so impressive!

Li'l Sis was in my arms, and locked in on Philip as soon as we got near the stage. Kudos to him for smiling, winking, waving, tossing her a pick, and being totally friendly, all of which made her a very excited little girl! (Fortunately I caught that pick. If I hadn't, she might have disowned me!) Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of Greg Hagan or his magnificent Epiphone Sheraton at this show.

If you haven't seen Little Big Town, just go. Seriously. We did again -- check out the next post where we see them in Evanston, WY.

Gluten Free In Wyoming?

2009-07-22T23:13:00.001-06:00

If anyone knows of a restaurant or two in or around Evanston, WY that serves some gluten-free meals, we would really appreciate hearing about it! So far, attempts to track down anything more specific than fast food have failed... and we're not really planning on a fast food weekend. HELP!

Fishing In The Owyhees

2009-07-18T13:05:00.002-06:00

Snapped a couple shots of my friend Jonathan fishing an anonymous stream in the Owyhees. The fishing was lousy, but it's a great time of year to watch the clouds roll through the canyon while cool waters flow beneath you.

For those interested, we nearly fell in... a lot!

Attempting A Post From iGoogle

2009-07-18T13:04:00.001-06:00

Hey readers! Just trying the iGoogle widget for posting. I have nothing smart to say right now, but I just have to try this! Maybe I'll be better about posting more frequently if this works.

Old New Stuff From Drake Waterfowl

2009-07-17T23:00:00.003-06:00

Just when you thought you'd seen it all, you get to see it again! From the innovators at Drake Waterfowl comes a line of clothing called "Old School Camo Apparel" based on the classic brown camo.

That's right, brown camo. See, back when I was a kid (I hate that I can say that now, but it really wasn't all that long ago), you basically had a couple options for camouflage patterns: woodlands green, aka "army camo", or brown. Sure, you could occasionally find something in a Vietnam-era military tigerstripe or the mottled desert camo, but for the most part, it came down to woodland or brown. Along came TreBark, Realtree, Mossy Oak, and eventually a whole smorgasbord of patterns that represented extremely specific pieces of natural environs, and before long, the old mottled brown camo fell by the wayside.

Apparently, Drake was not satisfied to leave this pattern in the dust of the new runners, and has begun selling their hunting clothes with an appeal to the "retro" look. This approach has taken off recently with a number of fashion trends from throwback band t-shirts and the like, and Drake has managed to pull it off pretty successfully, too. Their clothes are known to be extremely high-tech, and bear a strongly modern sense of style, but blending the modern fits and fabrics with a vintage colour pattern makes a unique look that takes one back to the old days of Gander Mountain catalogues and dad's cap collection. It's new stuff, and yet somehow... it's old.

How good is this stuff? I must confess that I don't own any Drake merchandise. It is extremely highly technical, and as such, demands a price that exceeds my budget. Word on the street is that Drake makes a product that meets the highest standards, if not setting it, and I have yet to hear a negative word spoken by a credible source. Someday when I have a real job I'll buy some real hunting clothes and let you know.

Does the old brown camo still have a place? Probably. There was a reason it was displaced, and it's not just because people got tired of it. Sure, it's a bit bland, but we're talking about camo here, and not your best Sunday duds. Look at your blind, though. Most likely the geometric effect consists mostly of lines, and primarily vertical ones at that. The reeds, weeds, grasses, and branches of our wetlands are not extremely well represented by brown blotches on a flat tan background. Today's quasi-photographic camos are more faithful to the lines, but that's progress for you. It can't be any worse than taking a "tree stand" variety of camo in the blind or your wetlands cap into the woods.

At the very, very least, click on the link and look at the products. I won't make any money off of your visit, so I have nothing to gain on this one. It's a free trip down memory lane for you. Unless you want the vest, that is. That'll cost you 70 bucks.

Old School Camo Apparel

Keith Urban’s New Guitar

2009-06-29T18:46:00.001-06:00

I probably won't be buying one of these mirrored Teles, but it's pretty interesting nonetheless.

Keith Urban’s New Guitar Has Arrived

NashvilleGab

2009-06-28T23:22:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I'm not really much on the whole celebrity gossip thing. I could really care less who's dating whom, what the latest rumour about adoption is, and all that other stuff, but I do like some good country music news every now and again. Recently I found a nice website/blog that posts some good information and videos, along with its fair share of gossip, and I really like it. (Not the gossip -- the other stuff.) Oddly enough, it is written just up the valley from me in the 1P, so who knows whether I've run into the writer at some point or not! You might get a kick out of it, too, so here's the link:

http://nashvillegab.com

Sara Evans In Sun Valley, Idaho

2009-06-21T22:57:00.005-06:00

If previous experience at a Sara Evans concert has taught us anything, it is that we should attend one whenever possible. We really did enjoy her last Fall when she came to Nampa, so when a date was posted for Idaho's Sun Valley Pavillion, we made our plans and set them in stone.

If our experience with setting things in stone has taught us anything, it is never to set things in stone. After a series of mishaps, we almost missed the show, and at the last minute, I ended up taking my oldest daughter with me. As it turned out, this was one of the greatest times of all her 7 years, and we all agreed after returning home, that this was most certainly for the best!

The day was beautiful, the venue is a visual treat, and the music was simply superb. This was our first trip to Sun Valley for a show like this, so we weren't entirely sure what to expect, but even though the rains fell in Noahic proportions, the sound under the heavy canvas canopy was still clear and clean, and we stayed dry and mostly warm. The evening featured many new songs from the upcoming album, and did not rely quite as heavily on Sara's classic hits from the past few years. The new songs are all good, from the upbeat opener, "Desperately" to the winsome ballad, "What That Drink Cost Me", and all the tunes in between. It makes a person quite optimistic about the coming disc, and the songs on it -- particularly after the sad fortune that befell the extremely good "Low"!

The band was as good as ever, but with a slight modification. Electric guitarist Clint Chandler has opted to leave the road behind for the time being, and has been replaced by Kansan Justin Ostrander. As much as Chandler's individual playing style (and Tom Anderson Strat) will be missed, Ostrander is a fine player as well, and he gets bonus points for using an ES-335 as his sole electric during the show. The fact that the show was a fly date may have worked into his decision, but between his hollowbody and Brent Wilson's Anderson Tele, the guitars were simply topnotch. (Unfortunately, the amplification obscured the Gibson from our hearing more often than not, but what can you do?) Combine those with Jonathan Lawson's Breedlove acoustic, and you can round out the guitars as among the very finest models on the planet. Oh, and their players weren't so shabby, either.

There were just two disappointments on the evening. One simply centered on the responsiveness of the crowd. The concert was a part of the Governor's Cup, so the Pavillion was full of politicians and government officials who were trying to pass off their Wrangler jeans, yoked shirts, cowboy boots, and shiny buckles as authentic. In fact, hardly any of them that I spoke with even knew who Sara Evans was, and greeted each song with all the warmth of a mildly interested stranger. There were plenty of people present who actually knew the score and enjoyed themselves, but overall, one got the same effect as they would at an opera performance where local bigwigs gather to be seen in an upscale setting, regardless of whether they care about Rodolfo and Mimi or not. Posers....

(It was quite a treat to have our own governor, Butch Otter, who actually belongs in a room full of country folk, introduce Sara to the audience. Also entertaining was seeing the infamous Larry Craig bump into a friend from out of town. Good thing he didn't try that with me!)

The second thing that disappointed me was hearing tracked-in mandolin and steel. I know, you can only have so many people on stage at a time, but I have an adversity to tracking instruments like... well, like mandolin and steel. They were well played, and sounded just fine in the mix, but when you have some of the finest players on stage in Lawson and Wilson, you want to hear them play -- not a recording. Then again, maybe I'm just jealous that management didn't ask me to play. I was free that night!

Speaking of mandolins, mando players, and music played from a computer, it was truly a treat to be present when the pre-show PA started into "Battle Scars" by Tin Cup Gypsy only to be followed soon by their new song, "Wildfire". It didn't hurt that the songwriter/leadsinger/fiddler/guitarist is a member of Sara's band as well, but the acoustic sound fit in perfectly with the rest of the music being played, and was hopefully some great exposure for those kids from the desert who have such great talent. You all know that I'm a big fan, and I absolutely loved it!

All in all, my little girl and I enjoyed the concert immensely. "Little Mama" took her sign (reversible -- one side said "I *heart* Sara", and one side said "J-Law" for Lawson, her current crush), and after bouts of shyness, took to waving it proudly. She got smiles and waves from both, and charmed everyone she met with her smile and delicate kindness. I couldn't be prouder of her, and just love being able to call myself her dad. It was the best part of the weekend!

Pics follow. The last lesson I learned... my new camera stinks at taking concert pics! The thumbnails are actually better than the fullsized versions, so click with care.

My date was a bit impatient to get to the venue, so we were the first ones there by a long shot. No problem, though. We just hung out and looked beautiful.

Sara, backlit and almost occluded. This would have been such a cool picture.

Sara plays a little air guitar with the boys.

Lawson rocks out a little "Want You To Want Me" with the crew.

Last song of the night. That's my little girl's head you see in the middle. She was standing right at the edge of the stage, and loving every second of it!

She's coming to Boise in November. We're there.

Must Be An Idaho Thing....

2009-06-05T05:57:00.000-06:00

Ruddy Duck At The Ponds

2009-05-30T08:14:00.003-06:00

On our most recent trip to the ponds we didn't catch too many fish, but we stumbled upon a pretty rare bird for these parts - a Ruddy Duck! These aren't exactly coffee table shots, but we were only able to sneak a couple quick pics before he swam out of range. Look closely for his "smile" in this shot:

He cocked his tail up at us as he got far enough away to consider himself out of danger. You really have to squint to see it here, but we think he was definitely sending a message:

Since we hardly ever see these around this area, we were pretty excited to find this quirky little critter sitting right in the middle of our new favourite fishing hole. Next time we're going to be a bit more sneaky going in, and try to get a better shot at him. (Camera shot, that is -- it's only May, and five more months 'til duck season!)

One Flew South In Boise... Without Me

2009-05-28T22:27:00.002-06:00

This trio called One Flew South has become a favourite group of mine ever since hearing them last Fall. Since then, they've been back to town and I missed them due to a scheduling conflict of some sort -- I don't even remember what at this point. Well, tomorrow they're back in the Boise area to play again, and while I had every intention of going to see them this time, it turns out that the 10-Year-Old Waterfowling Wonder's Babe Ruth baseball team is pushing their playoffs toward the championship round. Since they won tonight, their game will be tomorrow evening, and I'm going to miss Bush, Roberts, and Reed again, dang it!

Hope it's a fun show - go enjoy it for me!

Fattest Bluegill He's Ever Caught

2009-05-27T07:21:00.000-06:00

Or so he says. Good enough for me to take a pic!

Josh Turner - Baby's Gone Home To Mama

2009-05-25T22:52:00.001-06:00

This is a pretty busy song on the album with the 6-string bass and all, so it's pretty interesting to hear it reduced to two acoustics. I like this:

Josh Turner More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

84West's Latest Studio Goings-On

2009-05-25T08:56:00.005-06:00

The past few weeks have seen 84West at Boise's Mix House Studios pretty frequently. I'll wait until the project is complete to tell the whole story, but thought I'd share some photos of the process just for fun.

We brought a bunch of guitars and amps with us, but ended up using a Bogner Alchemist 40W that was there in the studio, owned by one of the engineers. It is a thing of beauty, and let us get everything from sweet twang to some cutting, driven tones. Danny seemed to get the most out of it with his reissue Tele, as shown here.

This shot features Andy in the pocket and the reflection of Starbucks coffee in the window. Both kept us going. We're so proud of Andy, whose studio experience started on this album. After it all, we're still pretty sure we'll keep him!

This is really why I wanted to be there. Truth is, I absolutely hate my piece of junk mandolin, and would love nothing more than to replace it with a better quality instrument as soon as possible. Of course, the entire budget went into recording, though, so that will have to wait. This little A-model import is just killing me, and turns even the simple portions into a challenge.

Phyllis mastered the art of the single take. She covered piano, B-3, and the ever-popular string sound. It's amazing how so few notes can make such a big difference, and her organ stuff is going to be a real boon to the record!

Andy in the main tracking room on that eventful first day. (Long story!) My main regret was that I did not notice his position when snapping the photo. If he had moved just a couple inches to his right, that nice Peavey 5-string on the wall would have made perfect bunny ears on him! Next time, I suppose....

Thanks to my crummy mandolin, I felt really tied to my charts. This made it all very distracting, and left me pretty dissatisfied with my own work. If anyone knows where to get used mandos for a decent price (dad of four here in a construction-related job, remember!), I'd love to hear about it! No excuses, though -- I'm always dissatisfied with my playing. And my singing. And my songwriting. You get the point.

High-strung (Nashville tuned) guitar is always fun to play. We have a variety of acoustic tracks on this project, from standard-tuned to Drop-D, high-strung, high-third, and we even got to use a really cool old Framus 12-string loaned to us by a friend. We were going to throw a gut-string into one of the songs, but it never panned out. It won't matter, though. Between us, we had more than enough acoustic playing to keep us busy!

Here's the electric man with his Washburn. This thing has some hot Seymour Duncan pickups in it that really got the most out of the amps as well as Danny's nimble fingers. I played it on a couple songs, but you'll be hard pressed to single out my playing in the final mix, which is just as well.

No country album would be complete without some banjo. Don't expect to hear bluegrass style, though. It's not in-your-face, clanging banjo, but really acts as another rhythm track, almost like a guitar with serious twang.

Long days, sleepless nights, a lot of work, and a lot of money so far. Soon we'll have some overdubs in hand, and then it's on to the mixing process. This is the most frustrating fun I've ever had, and the most fun frustration I've ever experienced.

Anytime, baby. Anytime.

Keith Urban - Defying Gravity

2009-05-24T21:20:00.004-06:00

Ordinarily I jump at the first chance I have to post a review about a good album. Occasionally, though, immediacy is not the friend of accuracy, and such is often the case with Keith Urban's work. Make no mistake -- I would readily identify myself as a fan of his, for his singing, playing, songwriting, production, and a variety of other reasons. He has talent virtually falling from his fingers and vocal cords, but for whatever reason, it takes me awhile to warm up to his CDs. You can ask why, but I cannot explain.

So, a couple months later, my thoughts seem to have settled, and maybe my ideas have sufficiently formed to make a fair evaluation of the album. To tell the truth - I'm not sure why it should take me this long to like a record! This is a fine work with a variety of sounds and subjects, and it is both well-produced and well executed. All in all... good stuff!

The songs all show Urban's clever writing skills (he is credited on 8 of the 11 tracks), and carry his unique vocal and guitar stylings. The fact is, you simply cannot confuse an Urban song for anyone else's, and it is that distinction that has made him one of radio's predominant artists and a consistent stage draw. His first two singles released are evidence of this: "Sweet Thing" and "Kiss A Girl" both show his upbeat, fun-loving side, perfectly suited to introduce the disc. Neither one are particularly surprising or unusual, but they are still entertaining and interesting. The radio-friendly sound with catchy lyrics and predictably fun hooks may not be indicative of the album as a whole, but they are a good intro nonetheless.

"Defying Gravity" also contains more emotional songs like the percussive "If Ever I Could Love" and the sincere ballads "My Heart Is Open" and "Only You Can Love Me This Way". Love songs are not at all difficult for Urban to pull of with his soulful voice and inflections. This is where his vocal work may be at its very best, as his millions of female fans may attest and his fellow male vocalists display pure envy. The songs push the sappiness button just a bit on this particular record, but then again, they weren't intended to be appreciated as much by middle-aged married men, either. Frankly, even though I'm still madly in love with my wife of 12 years, I still think that if I sang one of these to her like he does, she'd say, "Come on, really, cowboy?"

The exception to this is "Thank You", a raw piece that is clearly and deeply personal to Urban, but avoids the esoteric nature that often accompanies these songs. It has much in common with "Got It Right This Time" from his previous album, both being unmistakeably directed to Mrs. Urban. If you hadn't figured it out soon enough, he spells it by calling the object of the song his wife, but it really won't take you that long. If being so close doesn't make you uncomfortable, you might just appreciate the look into what makes this artist tick. It's not a great song, but you have to respect the man's public appreciation for the woman he loves. Besides, he married Nicole Kidman!

They aren't all slow love songs, though. Urban's singing may shine on the sugary stuff, but his guitar comes to life on songs like the pop-tinged fun of "Standing Right In Front Of You" which combines the odd tandem of a laid-back feel with driven riffs. True, it ends awkwardly, but it tells a compelling story and makes you smile. Going from good to better, "Why's It Feel So Long" combines a retro steel sound with bouncy rhythms and ultimate memorability. This is the one song you will be singing over and over again, and I would not be surprised to find this as the Summer anthem of 2009... it just has that feel to it.

For my money, the best song included in the set is "Hit The Ground Runnin'" for both its unexpected lyric twist (courtesy of harmony vocalist, "The Ranch" bandmate, and apparently, songwriter, Jerry Flowers) and great guitar riffs. This song is perhaps the most musically interesting of the eleven, and gives a little bit for Urban's inner rocker. It's the kind of song that makes you want to pick up your six-string, and has probably contributed wasted movement to many air guitarists around the world. Session guitarist Tom Bukovac is certainly in on the fun, here, and can't be ignored in the process.

That takes care of ten out of the album's eleven songs, leaving just the one, "'Til Summer Comes Around". Suffice it to say that this song came off my media player almost immediately. It tells a story of lost love, but with such melodrama, it is almost unlistenable. I'm pretty sure the seagulls are the same flock from "Marina Del Ray", but maybe Urban should have heeded George Strait's regret about using bird sounds in his similar song. Fortunately it's the only one in its category, but it just doesn't work. Everything else is much, much better.

The same session crew is back to play again. The aforementioned Flowers and Bukovac take their usual places, as do Chris McHugh, Eric Darken, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Dann Huff, and Russell Terrell. Some old friends are back, too, in the persons of Bruce Bouton and Stuart Duncan, who are certainly welcome to the traditionalist's ears! It is always interesting to follow the evolution of a set of studio players that a lead artist uses consistently, and no less so with Urban. His pattern has been to use the same session players, and it has paid off for him in spades. They're good, and they're reliable for "the" KU sound.

The biggest problem with this album is the same problem that Strait had with "Troubadour" and Josh Turner has with "Everything Is Fine". When your previous album is so remarkably good (as was "Love, Pain, And The Whole Crazy Thing"), it just makes a hard act to follow. This is not the artist's fault -- it's just a matter of timing. As long as you know this going in, you will still appreciate the disc, and any fan of good country music is bound to enjoy the album.

One last warning: it's Urban and Huff. Don't try this at home! (Okay... go ahead and try it. It's fun!)

Blogspot Wants Me To Monetize.

2009-05-24T21:15:00.002-06:00

That was a new word to me, so I clicked it to find out. Turns out, they want me to make money off you by putting ads on my page. Did you really want a list of ads on the side there? Somehow I don't think so. Besides, I don't need you to be distracted from reading all the compelling posts on fishing, music, hunting, and fine Western apparel....

Thanks, anyway, blogspot.

This Is The Post Where I Confess To Being An Enabler

2009-03-16T07:11:00.003-06:00

These two little bass were caught within ten minutes of each other. From the looks on these little guys' faces, you'd think they were 15-lb. lunkers instead of 6-inch dinks. Still, they went around all day saying "That was my first bass!" This Largemouth stuff can be addicting, I think, and they're starting kind of early.

She brings grace to even a fishing picture, doesn't she? If you look very carefully at the little finger of her left hand, there, you'll see me wrapped around it.

To My Baby Daughter:

2009-03-05T18:46:00.003-07:00

You are 4 years old, my dear. There are a lot of things you still need to learn. One thing you need to know, though. When I find these pictures of you smiling so sweetly on my "couldn't be easier" digital camera, please don't bother denying your involvement in them. It won't do any good. Additionally, should this happen again, you might want to feign a "how can I make this stop?" pose rather than flashing your pearly whites so fetchingly. These are just a few things you may want to remember should this occur again.

Love, Dad.

P.S. Yes, I know it was you.

Rascal Flatts in Nampa, Idaho

2009-02-27T23:18:00.007-07:00

As you may know, Mrs. NoGoodGuitarPicker is a big fan of Rascal Flatts. This is not to say that I don't like them at all, but if you want to know the real reason I dragged myself out of bed way too early on a freezing Saturday morning when I was too sick to even be awake, got in line for tickets, took her to the Idaho Center on Wednesday, and am writing this post, it is because Mrs. NoGoodGuitarPicker is a big fan of Rascal Flatts.

As it turns out, we ended up with fourth row seats, so any sort of concerns I had were alleviated by the fact that you almost can't go wrong when you're that close to the action. Well, that didn't take care of all my concerns. As it turned out, the opening act for the evening was Jessica Simpson, and that put a little bit of apprehension in my anticipation. This is not to say that I dislike Miss Simpson -- most of what I actually know about her comes from NFL coverage, and is less music-related and more Tony-Romo's-girlfriend-related. It would only be fair to say that I was ambivalent about the idea of spending 45 minutes of my evening listening to her, but in fairness, I was willing to listen open-mindedly, hoping to be entertained.

Sadly, she let me down in a rather noticeable way. It is not my intent to bash her or say any mean thing about her here. In fact, I honestly felt bad for the young lady after watching her on stage throughout her set. At no time did she look like she was enjoying herself in front of the fans, she never once smiled with her eyes (we used to call it a Lee Press-On Smile), and she seemed genuinely lost and out of place. From beginning to end she fought with her IFB/IEM system, and went to the drum riser for a lengthy drink between every song, so some of the distraction may have been understandable. With all this in mind, though, I truly think that in reality, she treated the crowd with disrespect by her unenthusiastic attitude and self preoccupation. She barely noticed any of the audience who crowded the stage, almost to the point of ignoring the dozens of paying customers (yes, I said customers) who were reaching out their hands to her and cheering, and seemed disinterested in engaging any of her band members with herself or the audience. The backup band was tight, and left it all out there for the fans, only to be recognized with an offhand comment as the lead singer left the stage. To top it all off, a little kid of 8 or 9 had brought his sign imploring "Dump Romo - Marry Me!", and instead of showing any sense of humour or fun, she only gave him a look of disdain and disapproval. He's a kid. He's less of a threat to her relationship than Nick Folk! I'm not making fun of her. I just wonder... why did she even bother to take the stage? Isn't performing supposed to be fun?

If you need any evidence of the above, please refer to the following fan video from that evening. From that distance it isn't nearly as obvious as it was down close, but even here you can tell that it's more strutting than anything. (Watch closely from 2:21 through 2:39 and you'll see a white cowboy hat on the lower left of the screen. By 2:25 her shoes are directly behind the hat and the shot stays there for a few seconds. Yep... that's my hat and me under it. Oh, and yes, I was watching the band. Somehow I always end up watching the band more than anything else -- couldn't even tell you what went on the video screens for the most part.

By the time "The Boys" took the stage, the "what just happened here?" effect was mostly dying out across the arena, and people were ready to be wowed and entertained. I feel perfectly comfortable saying that if there was any group capable of handling the expectation, it was Jay, Gary, and Joe Don. From the first burst of fire through the final curtain, it was nonstop action and over-the-top entertainment. It may not have been the most crisply executed display of music I've ever seen, but it definitely had more "bells and whistles" than any other concert I've been to by a very long shot!

Neither is this to say that their show was devoid of musical talent. The fellas can sing and play, sure, but they brought a pretty darn good backup band with them. I was blown away by the talent of John "Chank" Jeansonne and his hybridized style of cajun, country and classical. It speaks very highly of the band that they allow their "supplemental players" to take extended free-flight solos the way they do. Jonathan Trebing also impressed me with his standalone piece, playing slide on a Dan Armstrong plexi guitar. It didn't help that the guitar was close enough that I could see the ridges on the guitar's edge bevels. That won't make you jealous, now, will it? I originally thought that guitar was just a novelty piece, but it really sounded fat, and very impressively played.

(As a sidenote, the guitar selection for the RF portion of the show did not impress me terribly. As expected, LPs ruled the evening, with a lot of SGs to go with them. Rooney brought out a Strat for one song, as pictured, and Trebing played the aforementioned Armstrong and a Firebird in addition to the other Gibson models. LPs don't bother me too much, although I'm not really a big fan of them, but I really do not like SGs at all. They're ugly, and not tonally distinct enough from an LP to warrant that weird upper bout and the offset waist. The one axe on the night I truly, shamefully coveted was a beautiful and tasty sounding ES-335 as shown in the fiddle video above which I seriously hope you watched! Didn't necessarily expect any Teles... and didn't see any.)

If there's one thing these guys know how to do, it is to give the fans their money's worth. Their stage entirely transformed the Idaho Center into a spectacle. Usually, a single thrust is a big enough deal at a show, but they turned their catwalk into an extended stage which surrounded the entire floor level of the venue which was frankly just plain crazy. Sure, our seats were actually way down front, but from the time we walked in at the top level, we could tell that there wasn't going to be a bad seat in the house -- they moved the stage all around the crowd, giving hundreds of people the chance at front row seats rather than just a few. Almost as soon as the show started, they acknowledged the expense of the tickets as compared to general economic conditions, and profusely thanked the audience for their support. I considered this a kind gesture which seemed extremely heartfelt and genuine, but they gave a show that was consistent with the cost, and aside from the Jessica fiasco, I don't see how anyone didn't get their money's worth in entertainment. They were hand-slapping, high-fiving, autograph-signing, pick-throwing, and running around the circular stage all night long like they were little kids playing around on a grownup's stage. LeVox - unencumbered by instruments unlike his counterparts - was particularly involved in the audience, trying on fans' hats, borrowing a kid's earphones, and even pulling a little girl on stage with him and walking her around the entire floor area for "My Wish". They all seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was infectious.

Did I become a big Rascal Flatts fan after Wednesday's performance? I suppose my view on them really hasn't changed, and that isn't a bad thing at all. I've always enjoyed some of their songs like "Love You Out Loud", "Dry County Girl", "Every Day", and yes, even "Life Is A Highway". Much of a fan's perspective at a concert has to do with whether they are there for the music, or there for the show. Since I am a music listener, shows like George Strait, Josh Turner, Sara Evans, and Riders In The Sky have been more up my alley than the more spectacle-oriented concerts. The pyrotechnics are just lost on me, I guess, but if that's your thing....

The upshot? We went to learn and we went to have fun. We learned a few things and we had fun. Good enough for me.

One more video. You know where to look for the hat now -- see it at the beginning and at 7:11. (Mrs. NoGoodGuitarPicker's black hat did not show up in the crowd shots, but she's right there beside me.)

Quarterfuse - Eric Wilson and Empty Hearts

2009-02-11T19:20:00.012-07:00

Awhile back I recommended this CD by Eric Wilson and Empty Hearts to you, and you didn't pay any attention to me, did you? It's okay. I know you didn't. After all, it's an independent release - an "indie" album. You've had those recommended to you before, and when you listened to them, they stunk, right? I've had the same thing happen to me, and frankly... I might not have listened if you had written the same thing. Here's the problem with indie releases: you just never know who to trust. You've had someone give you a CD before and say, "Check this out! My friend made this CD and it rocks!" So you bear with it through its five awful songs spanning 30 minutes, and try to come up with something nice to say, like, "The album art is certainly creative, isn't it?" We've all been there.

Now that we have clearly determined why you didn't listen to my recommendation, we'll deal with why you should go and buy the CD. First off, I don't know Eric Wilson, so I have no personal attachment to his music, and my recommendation has no emotional motive. Secondly, I am not a homer for independent music. Whether an artist has been affected by "Nashvillains" or not makes no difference to me. If he is making millions off its release, or trying to get back even on his expenses down at the corner venue, I am entirely indifferent as long as the product is good. Finally, I am an intensely selective person about my music. Bandwagon stuff is not for me, and it has to be well-written and well-performed to make the grade. For me to recommend it, it must be above average by a considerable margin! So, with that out of the way, you need to know about the album now.

Trying to fit this work in a particular genre is not necessarily an easy task. The instrumentation is undeniably country, but the lyrics are folk. The vocals have a jazz-tinged edge, but there's still a pop/rock feel to the whole thing. Similarly, trying to compare this to an artist proved futile. After several listens, I still didn't come away with anything to put in the "Sounds Like:" category. Ordinarily this would be a recipe for disaster, but the seams are hard to find in these songs, and somehow it manages to come out as an organic sound, sepia-toned and clean. Wilson has captured a combination of genres, yet avoided the mediocrity of the dreaded "crossover" category, all with a talent that comes across as rare creativity rather than manipulation.

The thematic material of this disc is somewhat mysterious. There are heavy doses of historical scenarios, and yet they intertwine with standard love-and-loss fare. (I'm sure there is a great deal of metaphor present, but I have to be honest with you: I do not understand metaphors. In my view, if you want to say something, say it. Don't hide behind another story to tell your own. It's just me, I know, but I really do not understand most metaphors at all.) History buffs may get a better whiff of the powder, but the rest of us just get in on a good story-telling. The best use of the motif is found in "Red River" where Wilson ties in a tale of President Jackson - presumably his duel with Charles Dickinson - with a modern day tale of being smitten with love. In both cases, a shot to the heart is an understandable term, either for injury of attraction. In any case, the songs don't make you wish you understood them. They are simply stories told by a Southern boy as they relate to his own personal history and life.

The entire disc is not war-related, though. There are songs of all moods to be found on the record. Rather than go track by track through the ten songs, though, it might be better to highlight my favourites and try to give you a feel for them.

Quarterfuse: This is the first song, and lets you know right out of the gate that it is a powerhouse. It slides straight into "Holy Toledo!" out of nowhere and sucks you right into itself. The solo break is unique on this particular song, as everything basically drops out for the pedal steel and gradually builds back up through the continuation. Whoever designed this particular arrangement should be given a raise and promoted.

In The Corners: I have yet to determine exactly what this song is talking about, and somehow I don't care. The baseball theme is pretty cool, but the chord progressions are better. The only time I heard anything that reminded me of anything else, it was this song, and it reminded me of Sting in his post-Police days. It comes to you for a second, and then it's gone.

The One I'll Always Love: Just a cool song about lost love with a somewhat Celtic feel to it, with mandolin/fiddle work heavy throughout. It's not going to hit you between the eyes. It's just a soft lament that anyone who has lost love will understand and appreciate.

What Angels Dream: Might be my favourite of all the tracks. (It's between this one and the title track, to be sure.) The combination of deep-seated theological matter and fluffy love song is as much fun as the uptempo attitude.

The Coal Runs Through My Veins: My fears for this song subsided when I realized I didn't need to know anything about coal mining to understand it. Fact is, this should be the anthem of anyone who feels stuck in their job, career, or way of life. This is where a folk singer/songwriter is at his best: you nod your head and you just get it.

Overall, the production quality of the disc is quite high. The band is made up of musicians whose quality is as high as that of their session players, and the mixing is as high a professional quality as you will find on the shelves of your local record store. Everything is clean, but not always "perfect" in a production sense. Especially in the vocals, you will occasionally hear a little piece of humanity that you might not hear in a more commercial release. No, there aren't wrong notes or anything like that, but instead of hiding vocal character behind processing and effects, Wilson's voice is just right there in front of you, and he sounds like a person... a novel idea.

You can find this band all over the internet, whether at their website, their MySpace and Facebook profiles, their blog, and lots of other places. At most of those places, you can find a link to purchase this album or download the songs. I've given you a lot of reasons why you shouldn't buy it, but don't listen to them -- this is the album that defies the odds. If you like it half as much as I do, you'll become an instant fan, and if you listen to it half as often as I have already, you will have gotten plenty more than your money's worth.

Let me know what you think, will you?

Fishing Weekend

2009-02-10T20:24:00.003-07:00

Saturday afternoon provided a Spring-ishly familiar hours-long span of sunny weather. It was only in the 50s, but it was bright and still, and felt great after all these months of windy, snowy, freezing conditions. The first thought in our minds when we see this kind of weather is, let's go fishing! With everyone else occupied at other activities, I put the girls in the car, and took my own advice!

We fish two main spots at our local system of ponds; one is on the southernmost end of a larger pond which forms a sort of cove, and the other is on the farthest north end of a draining pond which resembles a canal to some extent. The former was too low on water to hold fish (as it always is this early in the year), and the latter was iced over enough to bounce golf ball-sized rocks off the surface. Figuring that the fishing was going to be fruitless at best, we watched ducks for awhile and headed off for other endeavours.

On the way out we checked on a section of drain we don't typically fish due to its overgrown banks and small capacity. Still, we'd seen a pair of Cinnamon Teal there before, so it was definitely worth a look for my girls who have never seen that species before. Well, there weren't any Teal, but as if to save the day, we found nothing less than a large pod of Bluegill piled up next to a submerged concrete post. No sooner had we started casting than we were bringing in perfect hand-sized fish, much to the satisfaction of my warmwater jones. Not 45 minutes later, a breeze picked up, and with it came the rather predictable disapproval of my small, suddenly cold, little cowgirl companions. I was halfway disappointed to leave until I picked up the blue bucket and remembered that the ten fish in there would be plenty for fish tacos Sunday after church. So, mentally bookmarking thoughts of potentially fishing after said meal, we went home happy.

Sunday turned out to be overcast and ridiculously frigid. We had not counted on this arctic turn of events, and our hopes were crushed by the knowledge that temperatures around the 35 mark under overcast skies were nowhere near conducive to panfishing. The concept of not fishing was almost too cruel to be true after giving us a taste of warmer days, but there's no changing the conditions, so we ate our fish tacos, turned on the Pro Bowl and reconciled ourselves to the fact that it is only the beginning of February, after all. Around 2:30, the sun came out, but it was windy and bitter cold, and the only way you're getting us out in that weather is for an emergency... or if it's duck season. Almost two hours later, though, the wind stopped, and we took it as a sign to go without a second thought to the matter.

It turned out to be a good idea to go with our guts this time, as the same spot provided fish after fish after fish. The 10-year-old Waterfowling Wonder (birthday last week) fished a little peacock flavoured wet fly and came up with his first - and only - fish of the new year, while I wreaked havoc with a size 12 Sheep Creek Special. We caught them right up until the sun dropped below the giant clouds on the horizon at which time I consequently lost that fly with the Midas touch. The bucket held about twice as many fish on the way home this time, and with only roughly the same amount of time invested. Not bad for the dreary dead of winter!

One last note: I don't have a pic of the Sheep Creek Special fly, but you can see the pattern at Hans Weilenmann's fine website, and get the idea. I tie mine on a 3761 hook, and must have treated it with floatant at some point because until toothed to tatters, it hung in the surface meniscus beautifully. This is not a picture frame fly with classic good looks or any sort of realistic representation, but it really does catch fish out west. It isn't just a Bluegill fly, either. It may be humble, but it has pulled some amazing Trout out of tough waters!

Come on, Spring!

Dear ESPN Radio,

2009-01-22T16:25:00.002-07:00

I used to listen to political talk radio all the time. However, when ESPN Radio began broadcasting in my area, I was glad to be able to go from hearing a game now and again to having sports info at my more immediate disposal. As my interest in politics waned, my listening habits turned primarily to ESPN Radio, where I found great coverage, compelling interviews, and entertaining hosts. This was a sports fan's wish come true!

Now, I hold some very definite political views, but my desire to hear about anything in that arena is essentially nil. I know what I think, and I know what I believe, and frankly, I just don't feel the need to hear people arguing about it; it's not good for blood pressure, and it's just annoying anymore. Hence, I really love ESPN Radio not only for feeding me sports commentary, but also for the escapism it provides.

So, why, I must ask, did you at ESPN Radio decide to do wall-to-wall coverage of the inauguration on Tuesday? Every other network was in on this, so it wasn't like your listeners had nowhere else to go. Wait -- your listeners did have nowhere else to go. We had no other place where we could take a break from the frenzy. My lunch break with Tirico and Van Pelt had nothing to do with sports at all, leaving me rather confused as to why they didn't just turn it all over to ABC's political team for coverage rather than handle it from Bristol! (Asking Kornheiser to justify their decision to handle the political realm rather than sports was a curious touch. I love Mr. Tony, but... his own sports show didn't even cover sports!) Is there no refuge?

All I'm saying, ESPN Radio is: you do sports better than anybody. Please, do sports.

Kindest regards,

NoGoodGuitarPicker.

84West on Facebook

2009-01-17T18:38:00.002-07:00

So far, no followers, but if you have a Facebook account, you can always be a fan! Find us right here!

Deke of the Week

2009-01-16T16:03:00.003-07:00

We haven't had a good blackjack in a while, so here's a nice pair from George Strunk. Very elegant head shape, and even the hen is kind of... cute.

New 84West Link

2009-01-12T23:43:00.000-07:00

http://go84west.com

Go ahead, click it! You know you want to!

Randy Kohrs Video - Fun!

2009-01-08T18:22:00.002-07:00

After hearing the dobro intro to the song, "Novocaine" by Little Big Town, I had to find out who it was, and it turned out to be none other than... Randy Kohrs! It's a sweet lick (listen to it on A Place To Land if you don't believe me!), and it made me dig a bit deeper to see what else he had to offer. Not that we don't own several discs with his tracks on them, but looking around turned out to be a good thing because it led me to this song be Kohrs and his band. This one is fun!

(Is that Pam Tillis? It has to be Pam Tillis, but....)

Bright Sun, Clear Skies

2009-01-03T19:42:00.005-07:00

Fishermen make much more sense than duck hunters. Fishermen look forward to nice weather, as it brings them great results in a comfortable environment. Waterfowlers, on the other hand, relish in the miseries of winter. Results, yes, but at comfort's expense. Duck hunters makes no sense because when the sun shines, they groan.

We absolutely cannot complain about the weather after last week's snowy debacle, but at the same time, we know that typically when the day is sunny and clear, our chances of doing a great deal of shooting is pretty minimal. These kinds of days, the birds seem to spend more time over in the direction of Lake Lowell for reasons unbeknownst to us, leaving a sparse population at the river. Still, we don our camo gear and head to the river with hearts full of hope and heads full of mush.

Our morning was primarily filled with divers zipping by on their way to who-knows-where. They were utterly disinterested in our decoy offerings, and were content to look from a distance without stopping too closely to examine them. We were surprised by about eight or nine loner diving ducks coming from behind us, flying over our heads, and landing across the river. Our blind faces the river directly cross-stream with the water flowing from left to right, so the divers typically follow the direction of the river. It was extremely unusual to have these birds sneaking up on us like that, and somewhat frustrating to have no chance to even attempt a shot at them regardless of their close range. They sound like little fighter jets, though, and that was cool.

All in all, one shot was fired on the day. It was a 2 3/4" round of 4-shot, and it dropped a hen spoonie as shooting hours opened. Looking at the weather report, we figured we might be lucky to shoot even a single duck, so we weren't at all disappointed by this one. We don't shoot that many spoonies out there anyways, so it was a nice little bonus. (The kid is showing you what he considers to be the prettiest part of the bird in the photograph above. You can't blame him -- it's not exactly the nicest looking duck ever!) Quite a few wigeon passed by our way throughout the day, but avoided us, even if some came tantalizingly close. We had a heck of a time keeping floating weeds from accumulating on the decoy keels, and that certainly didn't help!

Since I take so many pictures of the kid, he insisted on returning the favour. It's an interesting study in camo patterns, isn't it? I don't think there are any two items on me with the same kind of 'flauge. Can you tell which one is my favourite and why I like it best? Sounds like fodder for an upcoming post....

I'll give you the rundown so you can take a good, educated guess:

Waders: Mossy Oak Duck Blind
Jacket: Advantage Wetlands
Gaiter: Mossy Oak Obsession
Cap: Max-4 HD
Fleece Hat: Realtree AP
Garters: Avery KW-1 (What, you can't see them under my waders? Really?)

Hunting For The Holidays

2009-01-02T10:30:00.006-07:00

The day after Christmas turned out to be a cold morning. A very cold, very windy, very snowy morning. We walked down to the blind dry as a bone, and by the time we were done setting twenty dekes, we looked like this:

(Look inside his duck calls. It was snowy!) It was way too windy to keep the decoys in order, so we didn't last very long, and didn't even have a chance to take a shot. As you can see from the next few pics, our next outing on Wednesday evening was much calmer, if not duckier.

This is half of the spread. You can see some coot decoys farthest out from the bank. The mudhens don't seem to care one way or the other (which is fine with us, frankly), but other divers really seem to take to them! You can get the individual dekes for a five-spot at our local Sportsman's Warehouse, so we pick up one every now and again. I recommend them if you have a lot of bluebills or goldeneye in your area.

My girls got me some new camouflage sunglasses for Christmas, so I had to try them. Add Mossy Oak Break-Up to my rather mottled camo outfit now.

Best pic of the day as the sun went down over the Owyhees. After this shot I told him to take off his gaiter to get a better face shot. Then my battery died. Still, this isn't bad at all!

Zero ducks.

Deke of the Week

2009-01-02T10:16:00.001-07:00

This week, courtesy of greatdecoys.com, we have a Mason bluebill. That's right, a famous Detroit Mason! Nice bird!

Best Of 2008

2009-01-01T10:47:00.003-07:00

There was a time, not so long ago, when I did not purchase many CDs. As much as I love music, it always bothered me to buy a disc with a dozen songs, only to find that four or five were worth listening to more than once. As a result, my collection remained fairly small for a long time, populated primarily by George Strait works and a few other select offerings. There just didn't seem to be much sense in paying a buck a song, but only making use of two or three... sometimes just one. I wasn't sure if I was being wasteful, or being cheated, but I just quit playing the game.

2005 was the year that finally changed that for me. For a few years I had been noticing that country artists were putting out more consistent, more interesting products that contained fewer "filler" songs and more respectable content. It isn't easy to come up with an entire disc full of good material. A great song is a rare find, so in a sense, it's hard to point fingers, but as MP3 players and computer downloads began to take over the music purchasing landscape, the pressure was on to put out better and better material. So, from Sugarland's ground-breaking album, "Twice The Speed Of Life" (released late '04) through the equally revolutionary "Your Man" by Josh Turner (released Jaunary '06), the year 2005 included such offerings as "Somewhere Down In Texas" by George Strait, Little Big Town's "From There To Here", Lonestar's "Coming Home", and "Time Well Wasted" by Brad Paisley, along with others that were remarkable in that they were full of high-quality songs from front to back. The 99-cent download might have caused producers to sweat, but it began to change things for consumers.

The upshot: I started buying more and more CDs, and regretting my purchases far less frequently. I started listening to more indie artists, and found myself truly enjoying a lot more songs than I ever had. This past year I purchased some select albums, listened to a lot more, and thought I might share with you some recommendations for what I consider to be the very best of the year. In alphabetical order, then, here they are:

Lady Antebellum. Lady Antebellum. This is a new sound for country listeners, and it defies comparison. They write their own material, and the writing on this album sounds unrushed and unpressured, giving it an organic quality. Truly innovative and fun!

Last Of The Good Guys. One Flew South. (Previously reviewed.) New stuff that's worth the purchase on the strength of three songs alone. Still, you'll listen closely to even the songs you don't "get" because they're done so well, and you cannot ignore the harmonies!

Play. Brad Paisley. It's almost all guitar, but 100% brilliant. The "Cluster" song is the most appealing for its All Star chicken-pickin' cast, but the Brad/Keith duet "Start A Band" is equally fun, and the instrumentals are very compelling. "More Than Just This Song" is not my favourite song to listen to, but has quite a story to it, and when Steve Wariner starts boom-chucking like Chet Atkins, it's a pretty neat sound.

Sunset Man. James Otto. On the strength of his first single, I was tempted to dismiss him as Warner Brothers' attempt to clone Josh Turner. It was a good single, and clearly he had talent, but preconceived notions have this way of deterring you from reality. After the concert, I had to check out more, and I'm glad I did.

Troubadour. George Strait. (Previously reviewed.) Something about these albums put out by the King of Country Music are just like your favourite old hat. You always know what you're going to get, and it's going to fit just right. Funny thing: so far they've released three tracks as singles, and they aren't even the best tracks on the disc.

In the Indie/EP category, I must also highly recommend Tin Cup Gypsy's self-titled offering, the gem grade "Quarterfuse" by Eric Wilson and Empty Hearts, and John Brown's "Plowology". Caveat: I haven't actually heard the physical CDs, but have heard the MP3 versions of the songs, and they all rock! All of them contain passionate songwriting, soulful vocals, and extremely good session work by some of Nashville's very finest players... that you might not have ever heard of (unless you read this blog).

The year's very best release? Clearly one disc is head and shoulders above the rest: the 84West demo! Songs written with visionary alacrity, sung by a heart-poundingly hot lead singer, with unparalleled twang provided by Idaho's very finest musicians! Hmmm... that may not be quite self-promotional enough, but it'll have to do for now.

Well, that's the list. I didn't listen to everything that came out this year, but got to hear quite a bit of music. Some of it disappointed my high hopes, and some of it was just plain terrible, but these are the ones I like. If you have alternate suggestions, or if I really missed one, let me hear about it. Play on, people!

Be A Follower!

2008-12-31T23:30:00.004-07:00

So... how often do you check in to see what's happening here around nogoodguitarpicker.com? You may notice to the right of your screen that there is a new section entitled "Faithful Readers". This little blurb gives you recognition for being a regular reader, it lets me know who is out there checking in now and again (important!), and lets you know who some of your fellow readers are!

The official blogspot template calls the section, "Followers", but that makes it sound more like a cult than a blog. I prefer my adaptation.

I'd love it if you'd click on over and let me know you're checking in from time to time! Be a leader... be the first follower!

Christmas Smiles

2008-12-27T10:51:00.005-07:00

Getting ready for Santa requires special attention around here. We didn't have any cookies in the house (long story), so birthday cupcakes became the snack of choice. It wasn't too hard to convince Junior that Santa really prefers Dr. Pepper to milk anyways.

Cowgirls rock. They sure do love their snap shirts and new earrings!

Inspired by the roast goose dinner, we head for a day-after-Christmas duck hunt. It was cold, but not really productive, take-wise.

Take your mask off for a picture, you character!

At the end of a cold morning in the blind, nothing (apparently) beats curling up with your cat and a princess blanket. I've never tried this myself, but it looks like it works for her!

Fun stuff. Hope your Christmas was great, too!

Deke of the Week

2008-12-26T21:02:00.003-07:00

Is it Friday? These holiday weeks always mess up the continuity of the days. Oh well... it's still Deke time around here, and it's a good week for a classic looking block! From the Black Duck Gallery in Westerly, RI (call it "Westahly" or no one will know what you're talking about!), a nice Paul Gibson drake Canvasback. King of the Ducks, folks:

One Flew South -- Last Of The Good Guys CD

2008-12-16T21:01:00.003-07:00

How did it take me this long to get my hands on a copy of One Flew South's new CD? Ever since we saw them in concert, I've been looking forward to hearing their recording. Somehow I manage to get distracted, though, and until recently, kept putting it on the "I've got to buy that" list. Well, enough of the useless procrastination, then -- I finally went out and got it!

It would be absolutely impossible for me not to recommend this album, even on the strength of four particular tracks. All of them have their place, but the title track, "My Kind Of Beautiful", "Makin' It Rain", and "Too Old To Die Young" are worth the price of admission on their own. The overall sound puts one foot in country and one in a poppy-y southern rock hybrid, but manages a nice consistency throughout. The trio, consisting of Royal Reed, Eddie Bush, and Chris Roberts, have that type of harmony that you rarely hear, and use it to maximum advantage throughout the disc. You'll hear them compared to Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Eagles, or who knows who else, but don't believe it. They have their own sound, and it won't be quickly confused with anyone else. (Okay, there was one moment where I thought Eagles, and one very confusing moment where I though Beatles. Why Beatles? I don't even listen to the Beatles!) They are at their best with uptempo, energetic material, but also show versatility on a few songs that might not be quite as "country" as some of the others. Not any less important are some great guitar riffs and licks from Eddie's capable hands, so keep an ear open for solos as well as the remarkable vocals. All under the supervision of Marcus Hummon with a crew of talented session players, it comes out edgy and new.

There are a couple songs on this record that I don't really "get", but so does almost every other one in my collection. Some of the songs seem to be less structurally sound than I prefer, but that's probably right up someone else's alley, so vive la difference! I can't tell whether it's the songwriting or production, but something in them doesn't click quite right. Even at that, though, the three-part harmonies compel you to stick close and keep listening, so don't let this mild criticism deter you in any way. Next album I want them to cut loose from start to finish, though!

Go buy the disc. Tell them nogoodguitarpicker sent you. Enjoy. You can thank me later.

Snow Day!

2008-12-14T19:02:00.006-07:00

There was a bit of snow here this morning, so the kids couldn't wait to get out there after church. Here are some random pics of the younger three having fun:

There wasn't enough snow for angels, but do you think that was going to stop the girls from trying?

Put your head down! It's going to look like a decapitated cherub!

Excellent snowball form:

This one's nearly the same as the first one, but better facial expression:

A Cowboy's Legacy

2008-12-13T23:04:00.003-07:00

I try to keep an eye on some of the site stats here at nogoodguitarpicker.com, and one of the most popular searches appears to be from those looking for information on Levi Wisness. It's interesting that I get this many hits writing such a short article about a man I never met. It was unlikely that his life should have any impact on my own, but it sure makes a person stop and think not only about the brevity of life, but about the quality that can be packed into whatever time God gives.

Think about it: months after his tragic passing, people still care enough about him to log into this Idaho cowboy's little ol' blog to see what it has to say. The first thing that comes to my mind when I stop to ponder that is that I really want to leave bootprints like that behind me when my time comes. Will people care that much? It reminds me of the Little Big Town song, Vapor, which appears on their most recent release, "A Place To Land". It's a fine CD, and this song sums it up well. It meant a great deal to me as we dealt with Roy's death, and I hope it will encourage Mr. Wisness' friends and loved ones as well as poking us all in the ribs to make a difference in our own circles.

Vapor
(Little Big Town)

Sitting by the bed side, held his hand and kissed his face.
Then he closed his eyes and I watched him slip away.
Seems like only yesterday he was young as I am now,
But soon “now” will be the past.
Yeah, time is turning fast.

I want to live, I want to love
Like one more day is
Never too much and never enough
I want to drink in every minute that I can
‘Cause life is a vapor
Fire and paper
Gonna make the most of it
Before it’s gone.

When I lay my head down at the end of another day,
Did I keep it all to myself, or did I give my love away?
Did I hold who should’ve been held so they remember just how that felt?
Did I say what should be said?
Will I wake with no regret?

I want to live, I want to love
Like one more day is
Never too much and never enough
I want to drink in every minute that I can
‘Cause life is a vapor
Fire and paper
Gonna make the most of it
Before it’s gone.

There was a man who walked the land centuries ago.
He brought water to the thirsty heart and food to the hungry soul.
He was here only thirty-three years but His life changed the world.
And He gave up all he had --
I want to leave a legacy like that.

I want to live, I want to love
Like one more day is
Never too much and never enough
I want to drink in every minute that I can
‘Cause life is a vapor
Fire and paper
Gonna make the most of it
Before it’s gone.

Deke of the Week

2008-12-12T19:35:00.005-07:00

For this week, we visit the shores of Chincoteague Island, VA, and find the work of Norman Hudson courtesy of old-decoys.com. There were a lot of great old decoys on this page, but this one seemed to stick out to us more than some of the others. Who knows... maybe some of the others may show up here someday!

Decorating For Christmas

2008-12-11T22:11:00.006-07:00

Tree-trimming time! This lot of pics didn't turn out so well, but still, it was fun to watch the kiddos enjoying themselves so much! With little commentary, then...

Horrible stitching on that last one, I know, but great smiles. One last shot for an orange and blue Christmas. Why? Go Broncos!

Salmon, Steelhead, and Neil

2008-12-11T22:08:00.002-07:00

Old pal Neil has started a new blog called "Rogue River Salmon Steelhead". You should go visit it at http://rogueriversalmonsteelheadboard.wordpress.com/. Where else can you see great river bank shots like this one?

Gluten-Free Crockpot Venison Stew

2008-12-06T22:37:00.006-07:00

Time to clear up some misconceptions concerning gluten-free food.

1.) I am not anti-wheat or anti-gluten. My body simply cannot process the gluten or casein proteins due to celiac sprue. It is not my choice to deny myself, but rather, a medical necessity.
2.) You will not be healthier for going GF unless you are dealing with celiac, or similar conditions. This diet does not give a person who is tolerant of gluten any advantage over eating wheat and gluten. Truth is, I hope if you are not celiac that you'll have a Krispy Kreme doughnut and a Pizza Hut pie in my honour... I miss them!
3.) I am not a vegan, a vegetarian, an organic foods advocate, or a hippie. I eat as much meat as I possibly can, and do not see the point of organic foods at all. If you fit into any or all of the above three categories, then that's just fine for you. In this arena, what one chooses to eat, or not to eat, does not cause them to be any more or less virtuous than another.
4.) Not all GF foods are bad tasting, weak, or light. Unfortunately, a lot of commercially offered GF stuff is just terrible, but not all of it is, and if you get creative, you can make some pretty great meals. The recipe below is not for the faint of heart. It is quite rich and heavy, with plenty of meat to go around, so no timid souls or girly men need apply. The rest of us reasonable, well-adjusted folks will enjoy it, though.

Making good use of the venison from the buck I shot this past season, I decided it was time for an adapted beef stew. It was 25 crisp degrees here in Southwest Idaho today, and it just seemed like the right time for a nice, hearty stew. Assuming it's cold where you are, I am happy to offer you the recipe, such as it is. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Ingredients:

3 lb. venison, cut into stew-sized chunks
1 carton Pacific Natural Foods "French Onion" soup
6 medium potatoes, cubed
3 medium sweet onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 bulbs garlic, minced
1 small bag baby carrots
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 bay leaf
Flour mixture
(1/2 c teff flour, 1/2 c sorghum powder, 2 tbsp. onion powder, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. dried parsley)
paprika, black pepper, salt, added to taste.

Instructions:

Cut venison into stew-sized chunks. Dice onions, and place with meat in ziploc bag with half the carton of soup and a liberal sprinkling of black pepper and paprika. Seal tightly and refrigerate overnight. After marinade has had time to "set", place flour mixture in a bowl. Remove venison pieces from the refrigerated mixture, and roll in the flour, coating completely. Fry in frying pan on medium heat until satisfactorily browned, and set aside. Dice celery to desired size. Remove onions from marinade, keeping the remaining soup mix for stock. Place onions and celery in frying pan, and saute until the onions are soft, and celery becomes fairly translucent. Cube potatoes to desired size, and place in crockpot with the venison, soup stock, onions, celery, baby carrots, garlic, the remaining half of the carton of soup, and seasonings. Turn crockpot to a medium-long setting, and wait it out until it's done.

Notes:

* I hate carrots when they're cooked. This is a concession to others in my family, but I'm not eating them.
* The more garlic, the better. When in doubt, add more.
* Speaking of garlic, try removing the skins from the individual cloves, cutting the clove in half lengthwise, and simply tossing it in halved. It is better texture, and easier than chopping finely.
* Pacific Food's French Onion soup may be hard to find, but it's worth it. I don't care about all the organic stuff, but it makes a great marinade for a lot of foods!
* You can omit the flour mixture and grill the venison and onions. It has fantastic flavour, but is not quite so thick.
* Your potatoes and onions should be grown in Idaho. Otherwise, it's just not the same.

Thanks, Brad -- We Did!

2008-12-05T21:13:00.002-07:00

This is great... much better than the "official" music video. Live from Nashville, it's the best advice ever!

<

Now, check out the official clip. Yeah... like that's the sound of two Teles! Right!

Deke of the Week

2008-12-05T20:46:00.003-07:00

Spoonies are such cool birds -- why aren't they more popular? Well, Dale Dalrymple over at Dale's Decoy Den bucked convention and brings this lovely pair to the table. Very nicely done!

Country Boys!

2008-12-02T06:14:00.003-07:00

This is great stuff -- much better than the single! I live the idea of pairing two legends with two newer artists, and the obvious respect the younguns have for their elders (note Dierks smiling when George takes the lead, and Brad "giving it up" for AJ.) Also fun to hear the new Tele man showing his versatility -- playing as well as singing lead and harmony. Get in on the fun:

Alan Jackson

More CMT Music

More CMT Music Videos

Some Days You Just Can't Win

2008-11-30T07:17:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was one of those days. You wake up early, freeze your butt off, get your dekes set, and get ready... and then it all falls apart. What really set it off was the guys across the river who showed up about 20 minutes into shooting hours, making loud noises and splashing about, then proceeding to blow on their five-and-dime duck calls incessantly for the next half hour, regardless of the fact that there weren't any ducks remotely near us, trying to manage a goose call that could easily have been a kazoo in a former life, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Worst part... they had three Mojo Ducks set, so all the ducks started toward their spread before veering off to parts unknown at high rates of speed.

When the 9-year-old Waterfowling Wonder came up from removing weeds from a decoy, somewhat alarmed at the fact that he had just lost a tooth somewhere, we decided that enough was enough. The great white hunters across the river were making sure we wouldn't see anything close enough to shoot anyways, so we went home and told stories about the good fortune we had the week before.

Since there wasn't anything worth photographing yesterday, here's a shot from that banner week about which we nostalgized. No two the same:

Deke of the Week

2008-11-28T21:57:00.001-07:00

This week's decoy is a classic looking bluebill from Green Bay's Milton Geyer. I like this one a lot, and I hope you do, too:

Boise State Finishes Their Unbeaten Season!

2008-11-28T21:14:00.004-07:00

My pal Duane and I got a chance to go see Boise State try to go 12-0 this afternoon, and we weren't about to pass up on that! Turns out, we were there on an extremely exciting occasion! We were pretty impressed with our extremely-close-to-the-field seats, and enjoyed the 61-10 beatdown that the Broncos put on Fresno State's team. Even more amazing was watching Ian Johnson (my favourite player on the team) run for two touchdowns to tie the Conference record for rushing TDs. (I have a pic of him doing it, but... you'd have to trust me that the blurry part was him. I get a little excited when I'm taking pics sometimes.)

Best part of the game? After the big win, the student section rushed the field, so we watched and thought that was pretty interesting.

Soon enough, they opened the gates and let everyone down, so we figured this was our one shot, and went onto the field to see how close we could get to the action. Zach Waller was down there to greet us. He's 6'5" 270... a big man:

Tyler Jackson:

Jeron Johnson holding the WAC trophy:

Who comes through the crowd to be part of the celebration? Ian Johnson himself. I gave him a pat on the shoulder pads and got a "hello", along with this extremely close close-up:

Kellen Moore, the lefty turned around to say hi to us. We caught up with him again as he was signing autographs and taking pics. I cut someone's kid out of this one because... it ain't my kid!

George Iloka:

Ryan Winterswyk:

Took this shot of Duane on the blue turf. Forgot to get one of myself. Oh well.

What are the chances? That was an awesome evening!

Find Out Who Your (Newer) Friends Are

2008-11-16T19:26:00.003-07:00

The Tracy Lawrence song, "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" became a big hit for him, in part because of some help from his friends Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. It's a great song, and fun to hear the combination of the three stars in combination. So, it was kind of fun to find this video from Kansas City of TLaw doing the song with a couple "other" friends -- Clay Walker, and Josh Turner. The audio is not the best, but it's fun anyways:

Deke of the Week

2008-11-14T21:00:00.002-07:00

Just for fun this week, a novelty item from Lucky Duck's, the work of Bernie and Gail Corwin:

Rumley Western Guitars

2008-11-13T22:11:00.004-07:00

The title of the business sure caught my attention, so I looked them up and found http://rumleywesternguitars.com/, the home of some seriously western-looking axes! This builder isn't afraid to use rustic woods with finishes like "Agave" and "Cactus Burst", and they really have a genuine western look that I haven't seen anywhere else, really.

There are some videos on YouTube of some of these guitars being played, but the audio quality is not so great, and the style does not seem consistent with the image, so it's hard to tell just what to expect from these instruments. It's pretty confusing to me why the baritone Teles would only have a single pickup, but still... they look pretty cool!

Enabling Another Waterfowling Addiction In Youth

2008-11-08T20:40:00.003-07:00

It's my dang fault, and I'll take all the responsibility. Yessir, if anyone got these kids hooked on duck hunting, it was their pop -- me. Thing is, I'm not a bit ashamed. In fact, I'm pretty proud of them for being good learners and apt pupils, and for picking up on the hunting obsession I got from my dad who got it from his dad who most likely inherited it in a similar fashion.
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A sunny, warm afternoon, it was, so it seemed like a good time to introduce Lil' Sis to the sport. She's just 4, but has been dying to go along since the first time she saw a head full of emerald-hued feathers and put on a camouflage shirt. The day was not likely to be a stellar one for shooting, so we threw a cap on her head, and toted her along for the day's attempt.
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Sure enough, there wasn't much flying, but we managed to keep her interested nonetheless, and as we expected, she had fun. Somehow she managed to keep quiet and still the entire time, which was nothing short of a minor miracle! For her entire life, we've been working on getting her to be quiet around the house, and have never quite succeeded. It gave me an idea to take home for those moments, though: "hunting practice". It goes like this: Sshhhh... hold still... stay still, now. We took a few minutes to snap some pics since the sun was in our faces and the skies were blank anyway. As this shot was being snapped, I suddenly wondered, why is that whistling sound so close? Yes indeed, it was a gadwall over the decoys, and I mean right over the decoys and nearly committed. We tipped our hat to the visitor as it sped off, surprised by our surprised responses.
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Big brother, the 9-yr-old Waterfowling Wonder, sat close by, and kept an eye on her when I was taken away from the immediate responsibilities of the blind. His diligence and attention to the important issues never cease to amaze me, and I'm very proud of him.
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The best pic is saved for last. Some images need explanation. This one is its own thousand words:

Deke of the Week

2008-11-07T20:34:00.003-07:00

For whatever reason, I do love wigeon. They are such nice ducks with great colouration, and being decent sized eaters doesn't hurt at all either. Here are a nice pair from Frank Peeters of St. Clair Shores, MI:

Great Steelhead Fly

2008-11-06T00:00:00.002-07:00

I really like this Steelhead fly from Mike Brooks. Sweet colours, graceful lines, and perfect proportions make it a real classic. Enjoy:

Interesting Halloween

2008-11-01T21:37:00.007-06:00

I missed a Deke of the Week -- how could that happen? Well, I'm not really a Halloween person at all, so typically my evenings on the 31st are left wide open. We might go to a church event for a bit or something like that, but typically, it's not a big deal at all. However, since the last day of buck season coincides with this holiday, and since we had not bagged a hoofer this year, we decided to dress as deer hunters and give it a whirl.

So far, hunting over these sugar beet fields has proven unproductive, but mostly it was a matter of weather issues (warm!) and as hunting tends to go... timing. So, immediately after work, the 9-yr-old Waterfowling Wonder and I hit the road with mixed emotions, the clear memory of our recent history being tempered by the overcast and somewhat drizzly conditions. It didn't take long to get in position, hunker down in the weeds, and start waiting. By the time we set up, there was only an hour or so left of legal shooting time, but hope springs eternal, so it didn't bother us.

Shooting hours ended at 6:38, so when 6:30 rolled around without so much as a "what was that?", I began to think I should roll out of the weed-and-branch blind and see if I could jump anything that might be in the ditch, or just out of sight. About that time, a noise came from the opposite direction, not unlike a branch falling through the tree limbs. I was inclined to ignore it until we heard the same sound a few feet closer, then closer, then... a sure enough buck stepped right out of the treeline, and began to walk toward us. About then, I could hear the kid's heart pounding, and hoped that forky in the field couldn't hear mine. He kept coming at us, quartering, but in our direction, and the shot was made when he was about 25-30 away.

Good buck. Small rack, but nice meat. Fine end to the season. It strikes me funny that we did all that work and spent all that time grubbing in the dirt and weeds only to see our deer with only five minutes left in the season. Still, it's all worth it -- every minute of it.

We got too busy and forgot to take pics, but here's one with Little Mama from a few evenings before. She wasn't there on the day it all came together, but she sure had fun on the days she got to go!

Apparently These Guys Can Do Anything.

2008-10-30T20:36:00.002-06:00

Who would you pick to cover a Hank, Sr. classic? How about Keith Urban and Marty Stuart? Well, they might not have come to mind first, but holy cow... watch them rip it up here!

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Deke of the Week

2008-10-24T19:22:00.003-06:00

This week's deke comes from Dead Duck Decoys, and is the work of Seaford, DE's Michael Veasey. These are very, very smooth looking GEs.

Her First

2008-10-18T23:02:00.004-06:00

Our oldest daughter, at the ripe old age of 6, has gone on a few evening duck hunts with us before, but today was her first up-at-5AM, by-the-book type hunt. She did great, even though the action was slow. No ducks shot over a three hour period, but we were joined by another visitor that kept the action interesting. She had never seen one before, and was quite pleased with it!

It should make a fine meal tomorrow, although I'm torn between grilling it and roasting it. It's a win-win, I know, but it's still a tough call.

Since I didn't fall in the river this week, it was a better week than the last one. That's all I have to say about that.

Deke of the Week - Twelfth Edition

2008-10-17T22:19:00.003-06:00

Here's a swell Honker from Hardcore Decoys out of Covington, GA. If you're hunting over a block this nice, you'd better know how to blow that call that's hanging around your neck! Dang!

For Sale: Ballcap. Used. Cheap

2008-10-16T21:56:00.004-06:00

How I ended up being the coach of the Yankees is beyond me. I guess being the only dad who could make all the games and all the practices made me a prime candidate, and landed me the position. Still, if I had known it would have been the Yankees, I might have just plain refused.

Fact of the matter is, I'm a Dodger fan, and a true blue one at that. I also have a soft spot in my heart for the Red Sox, though, and if there is one team I root against with heart and soul, it is the New York Yankees. Wearing that NYY cap every week just killed me, so I've reached my decision now that the season is over: it's going on eBay.

No, I'm not really enjoying the LCSes this year. And a 1-6 season for our Babe Ruth players was hard to take. They're all great kids, and they deserved better.

That's the kid at left there, batting. It's an awkward stance, but I like this pic because it's from my season-long position coaching first base.

Next year.

Digital Rodeo

2008-10-15T20:52:00.003-06:00

Here's a new one for us -- a page on Digital Rodeo! This is a pretty cool site devoted to country music, so we decided we had better get on board! If you have an account, be sure to send us a neighbour request, and if you don't have an account... start one and find us first! Fun stuff.

Click the fancy little moving GIF and come see what we're doing over there!

Deke of the Week Returns!

2008-10-10T07:32:00.003-06:00

Duck season opens tomorrow, and that means that once again it is time for... (fanfare, please) the Deke of the Week! To open the new year of hunting, a pair of redheads from an unspecified builder in an unknown date and an unstated location. They're cool, though:

Sara Evans - Low

2008-10-08T18:43:00.002-06:00

Great song - great performance. We heard this first at her concert, and couldn't wait for it to start being distributed. I don't know who's playing dobro, but it rocks.

Jordan Valley Show - 84WEST

2008-09-28T13:30:00.007-06:00

A couple weekends ago, we were afforded the opportunity to play a show in Jordan Valley, OR. This is a really fun little town, so we were very excited to go play there. It turned out to be even more fun than we thought! Here are a few pictures from the evening's action for you to enjoy, starting with our stage for the evening, an 8x20 trailer off the back of a pickup. This thing rocked... no, really, it rocked up-and-down, back-and-forth all night!

Outdoor shows are so cool. I think this was our opening number, "Psalm 5".

Andy covers the bass, and throws some vocals in as well.

Playing "How Can I Stand". It's a slow, sad one as if you couldn't tell.

Danny on a roll.

He's a Tele man... my kind of guy!

Phyllis takes a break from keeping us in line to play the B3 and piano.

Tim sits in on drums. Big finish now....

All of us rockin' the high desert.

This was way too much fun. We'll go play JV again anytime!

(Note: I wanted to make the thumbs larger, but clicked the "small" radio button on the upload form. If anyone knows how to correct this now that they're already posted, please let me know.)

Amen, Brad!

2008-09-25T21:05:00.000-06:00

"When I get to Heaven and I hear the angels sing, if they are anything less than Alison Krauss, well, I’m going to have to come back." Brad Paisley, in a GAC interview.

Amen, brother!

Rainy Dove Hunt

2008-09-20T23:32:00.006-06:00

What do you do when the morning's baseball games are cancelled due to stormy weather? You go hunting, of course! Are there really any other options? Well, not for us, there aren't. Dove season is almost over, and we've only managed one day out so far. True, that day held a limit for us, but it's still been awhile, and the closer is coming fast!

Today was a particularly rainy day in Idaho's Treasure Valley, with portions of Nampa and Caldwell getting upwards of 1.5" of rain. This always catches us by surprise here in the desert, and especially since we got a third of that rainfall in a ten minute period. Although we didn't know it at the time, those clouds behind the 9-Year-Old Waterfowling Wonder in this picture were just waiting to pour down copious amounts of the wet stuff on us. We did get a bit wet, but fortunately, were gone by the time that gullywasher hit.

As far as the hunting went, the optimist's way of looking at it would be to say that no shots fired equals no shells wasted, but I'm not so sure I can stretch it that far. We saw a grand total of two doves the entire time we were there; one as we were still getting our gear out of the vehicle, and one that flew just out of shotgun range. This weather system must have put them down for the time -- we just didn't see the birds.

Well, it beats working, so even a wet, birdless day is better than the alternative. As that new commercial on the radio puts it, "I'd do it again!". Why not? I've done it enough times before! Something tells me this won't be the last rainy day we return home with empty bags. Still, though, we will keep up the pursuit. We must be crazy, but we're loving it!

To close, a montage of the kid enjoying his day. He thought we were having a discussion about where the birds were, and didn't know the camera was clicking. We should all have this much fun out there!

No doves were harmed in the making or content of this post. Dang it!

Sara Evans, James Otto, and One Flew South... in Nampa, Idaho!

2008-09-13T22:12:00.006-06:00

They all thought they were in Boise, but fact is, all these acts assembled right here in beautiful Nampa, Idaho for the annual KQFC listener appreciation concert. That meant free tickets if you could win them! We had to be patient and lucky, but we got ours, and got ready for a night of fun.

Of course we are very familiar with Sara Evans. Anyone who listens to country radio for a half-hour is bound to hear her traditionalist sound, with quite a collection of hit singles to her credit. She is among our favourite female artists, so we knew we were in for fun with her show. James Otto made a huge name for himself with "Just Got Started Lovin' You", an enjoyable and catchy song that made us wonder what else he had in him, so that gave us high hopes for his presentation. As for One Flew South, they are so fresh and new that we had no way of knowing what to expect there, so the anticipation was high all around.

On a beautiful mid-September evening with temps around the mid-70s, we took to the Idaho Center's outdoor amphitheatre and made a spot in the general seating area (read: sat on the grass) just a few dozen feet from the stage, and in front of the assembled crowd. The seats were actually pretty good for general admission, as we were able to see pretty much everything we wanted to see... and there was plenty to see!

First, the new group, "One Flew South". This is a trio that really seems to have it together. They have tight three-part harmonies, catchy songs, and engaging personalities. I love seeing these "hungry" groups come out to open for big names because they always seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves and the experience so much. These guys were relishing their opportunity, and for Montanan Chris Roberts, it was a semi-homecoming which only sweetened the pot. Also of note was Eddie Bush's Carvin "Tele" which is a thing of beauty, tone-wise. I hope we hear a lot more from this group, and I recommend that any reader who has the opportunity to see them takes it. What a welcome surprise! Here's the one shot I was able to get of them. Really, it's grainy, but it is One Flew South -- I wouldn't lie to you about this.

The radio program director, emceeing for the next portion of the program, said James Otto was 9'7" tall. He might have been exaggerating by 3'2", but the man certainly filled up a stage! This was definitely the rockers' part of the evening, as he brought a driving, blues/soul approach, taking the lead with a Gibson Explorer. Yes, that last sentence said he was playing a Explorer. I've seen a lot of things at country concerts, and now I've seen... a Gibson Explorer. Something in me wonders if John Rich put him up to that?

His first three songs were pretty rockin', and were a stretch for me, personally, but then things came down to my level with a Bob Seger cover, and his newest country tunes. Steel virtuoso Sasha Ostrovsky got to shine a bit during the latter portion (covering dobro, pedal, and lap steels!), and Otto's vocals were at his best, in my estimation. Overall, it might have been a bit much for me, but no question: he's a heck of an entertainer.

If I convinced you of the validity of the earlier photo, then hopefully you'll believe me when I tell you that this is James Otto:

That's a LP double-cutaway in the hands of Tyler Cain, there. Pretty cool. Also fun how far away you can see the bullseye on Kyle Whalum's bass.

The headliner for the night held the biggest anticipation for us. She had the most potential for a straight-up, stone country sound, but when someone with her level of notoriety hits the stage, you expect the most bang for your buck. (Even with free seats. I believe it was the second act of the night who reminded the audience how much they paid for their tickets. Ummm... not really, but okay.) She and her band did not remotely disappoint. I'm privileged to know one of the members of her fine ensemble, and enjoyed the opportunity to put our heads together earlier in the day. He is a fine young man with considerable talent and even more humility. All the musicians were high-caliber, and did a bang-up job on all the Sara favourites, along with her new stuff. I was a bit surprised to see Clint Chandler playing a Strat most of the time (a sweet Tom Anderson model if my eyes did not fool me), but it was still good -- I'm just a Tele fan, and am more accustomed to seeing them in traditional country settings. He was driving his amp pretty heavy for most of the night, though, so that may have something to do with the decision. His counterpart, Brent Wilson, went with a PRS for the most part. (I was on the other side of the amphitheatre from him, but I could still see the signature figured wood on the top.) He switched between that and a Tele, and also had a Danelectro baritone that he was tuning prior to the start of the show, but I never saw it come out again. Jonathan Lawson was clearly having the most fun up there, though. His energy on fiddle, acoustic guitar, bgvs, and stage athletics bring a lot of extra fun to the show. Topping it off, they actually played during the band intro, which gave them a quick moment to shine, and added something to the mix.

The songs were great -- especially "Born To Fly", "Suds In The Bucket", and "I Keep Lookin'", -- the sound was crisp and clean, and the experience completely enjoyable. This is another show that I am happy to recommend to readers and their families. Anytime I can tote the 9-year-old Waterfowling Wonder along to a concert and not be worried what he'll hear, I'm happy. (One opening act aside.) I did not get a single image of Miss Evans (aka Mrs. Barker?) good enough to post here. Sorry.

Two other quick observations:

1.) Why is it that the people who are the first ones to dance are the ones that should never ever dance at all? (Shiver)
2.) Why do the young yuppie townies think it's funny to stomp and clap, hoedown style, to the newer artists? Does it really make them feel better about themselves?

These are things I don't understand. Ultimately, the three acts left me with a lot of questions. Why did they do this? Why did they play a particular song the way they did? Did I hear music tracked in on a certain song? On and on my questions go, and that's what I love about all this. There is so much to learn! One of the things I love about attending concerts is that they give a concentrated opportunity to soak in so much information in such a short amount of time. Sometimes I forget to clap, stay seated during particularly exciting moments, and do other anti-performance-ish things because I get so caught up in the details, but I simply love it, and wouldn't have it any other way. (Not true -- I'd rather be on stage playing if you really want the straight skinny. They live my dream.) I imagine that if I looked out from the stage and saw myself sitting, seemingly detached from the show, even while focusing so intently on it, I'd wonder why I wasn't reaching myself. So, to all performers that might catch a glimpse of me... I'm sorry. Unless I'm frowning, I'm probably loving it.

Before we left, we caught quick pics with Jonathan. This one is probably the better shot:

Still, I had to include this one, that was actually taken first. The thing I noticed immediately was that my kid's eyes are not on the camera. Then I noticed that he is looking at me. Then I noticed how goofy I look when I'm really having a great time. The caption comes from what must certainly be his thought: "Dad, you're embarrassing me!" I love music, so sue me!

That's Jonathan. The only man I know who can wear the t-shirt, reversed ball cap, cravatte, and jacket, and still look that cool. Because of him, I'm inspired to grow my hair out, and get a couple earrings.

Okay, maybe not. I'll probably just stick with Wranglers, silver buckles, and pearl snaps. They seem to fit me better.

What a night!

Bittersweet Week

2008-09-13T00:02:00.002-06:00

What a crazy week this has been, with extremes in both the good and bad departments.

First, the bitter: It was with great sorrow that I learned this Wednesday of the passing of my dear friend and mentor, Erik Buck Townsend of Modesto, CA. Eleven years ago I walked into his vocal studio, and was never the same because of him. He was my boss and teacher, but became my friend while we worked together. As our ways parted geographically, I realized that he had become a hero, and he always will be. He taught me everything from "Ne cieli bigi" to "The Bluebird Of Happiness", and taught me to be myself. He took lessons from Samuel Ramey and applied them to a youngster who wanted to wear a cowboy hat even though he was singing in French, and I will always be a better man because of him.

Thank you, Buck, for taking an autistic "high maintenance" case into your life and under your wing. You may be gone, but you will never leave me. Thank You, Lord, for one last chance to see him before he went on to You.

Enough with the bad. There have been too many passings to report lately around here. It's time for some good stuff. Tonight was our chance to hear some great artists right here in town. It was time for the KQFC listener appreciation concert, which meant free tickets to see Sara Evans, James Otto, and One Flew South! I'll write more about the show at a later point, but my ears are still ringing from Sara's rockin' band, and I have a game to coach in the morning, so it will have to wait.

Simplifying... Labels

2008-08-28T21:06:00.002-06:00

How did I end up with so many tags to these posts? It's too much! The time has come, then, to simplify the terms, and cut down on the excess verbiage. For now we'll try to get by with the following...

Hunting
Music
Rodeo
Fly Fishing
Family
Autism
Blogology
Food
Deke of the Week (returning soon)

I'm about half done with the label editing as of this post. It might take awhile!

Mutton Bustin' at the Snake River Stampede

2008-08-27T18:59:00.006-06:00

From this year's opening night performance of the Snake River Stampede, here's the finest little mutton buster ever! The fact that she is my daughter does not taint my objectivity by any means, of course!

American Cowboy Coffee Redux

2008-08-24T23:02:00.004-06:00

Just when I was cutting back on my coffee intake....

So, I heard that the US Basketball men were playing the gold medal game at 12:30 AM MDT, and wasn't sure whether I should stay up to watch it or not. After all, that's pretty late, and rolling into a Sunday morning church service on such a small amount of sleep isn't always a great idea. Boy, once the game got going, though, I didn't even so much as nod off until the national anthem was done. What a great game!

The alarm went off earlier than I would have hoped. Still, it's always earlier than I would have hoped, so that shouldn't surprise anyone. For a few moments, seeds of regret began to germinate in my mind concerning my television decisions. Too late to change that, though. Only one thing was going to help at this point.

The good people at American Cowboy Coffee decided I needed to give their Rodeo Blend java a shot, and I wasn't going to argue with them. A nice bag arrived in the mail the day prior along with some promotional products that won't go to waste, either. (Only select decals go on the guitar case, but this one just might make the grade.) Since I'm not a coffee drinker in the afternoon or evening, I had set the bag aside after deeply inhaling its contents (what is it about the smell of coffee beans that is so much better than the already-great smell of brewed coffee?), and waited until morning rolled around. I had bought into the brand's hype in my head already, but my head is a much easier sell than my taste buds, so it was time for the rubber to hit the road.

Now, I've read coffee reviews, and to tell you the truth, I don't always understand them. True coffee reviewers have palates that determine the slightest of influences in a wide range of tastes, but mine is not so sensitive to the details so much as it is to the difference between "like" and "don't like". While I can tell you that I like this coffee, I don't know if I can really use the correct terminology to tell you why. My efforts would probably include phrases like "hints of chuckwagon with overtones of campsite" or "wakes you up like an overcharged arena PA system" or "round-bodied tones that surround the flavour like the piping on Gene Autry's best floral shirt" or stuff like that.

If you didn't know before, the point has now been sufficiently made that I am not a coffee expert. So, I'll let the connoisseurs do what they do best, and I'll do what I know. Personally, I'd rather just drink the coffee and enjoy it than try to find every little technical merit. What I do know is that it's an American grown, American processed product (Hawaii may not be the most rodeo-infiltrated state, but it's still one of our 50!) that doesn't try to be more than what it is. Perhaps one of the things I like best about this coffee is that it doesn't try to be revolutionary -- it's just coffee for coffee's sake, and I like that. Does it really have to be more complicated? Well, for me it doesn't. I like it, and that's good enough for me! When this bag is done, I'm going to try the darker roasts, as they really are my favourites, and my hopes are high for this brand.

Did it keep me awake for the rest of the day? Heck, no! It's not a miracle product, but it got me through a fine sermon on Zechariah, and clear through 'til naptime. I don't need caffeine influencing my naps - particularly when my late night TV viewing has wreaked havoc on my senses - so I was fine with it wearing off by lunch.

Pretty cool -- American Cowboy Coffee is the official coffee of the PRCA, and it's about to become the official coffee of the NoGoodGuitarPicker household. (Mrs. likes it, too!) Next up... coffee club, I think. Christmas is coming soon enough....