I'm excited to be headed back to the studio with my good friend Brother Jon Rabideaux (www.brotherjonband.com) to record two new songs that I wrote. The first one is called “Love You Like Chicken” and is a shout out to all of you and to the clubs and venues that continue to keep this whole thing going by hiring me and letting me do what I love for all of you. It's just a big circle.
The second one is entitled “Minneapolis” and is my tribute to the good people of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, where I lived for three years while I studied law. It's borne of my experience driving through the metro during the ICE protests that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In it I sing "I never thought that I'd live to see such a wicked scene as this." It's not meant to be a political statement, but it is meant to convey my feelings about the entire situation, which I find absolutely abhorrent. Nobody had to die, and it's a crying shame that our government is terrorizing its own citizens.
All of that said, music is for everyone and I hope that it continues to bring people together, regardless of how they feel about what is happening in the world. I think it helps us understand each other. I hope that my music helps folks feel better and maybe a little bit more understood.
I'll be recording at Sweet Tease Studios (www.sweetteasestudios.com) this time in Minneapolis with Sam Licari (Sami Licari & the Sweet Tease, Irie Minds, Matt Schatza Trio, Red Eye Ruby, Trent Romens Band) who also recorded Brother Jon's most recent release Dark Side of the Room. By the way, check that record out if you haven't done so already - it's great!
As open water appears in the bay and the snow disappears, I'm excited about the upcoming 100-day (summer) season. The calendar is starting to fill in, and I hope to see you at a show!