Today is the beginning of a new year, a year with many wonderful things on my calendar. We will start off with the release of the Utah Phillips Tribute CD that I worked on for most of 2010. There are approximately 30 musicians on the recording. It was quite a feat of organization and I must admit, more work than I had originally estimated. But recording projects usually do seem that way while you are in the middle of them, they "take over." The first and most elaborate CD release concert will be held on Thursday January 6, 2011, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City, UT. In honor of Utah Phillips' untiring work for social and cultural improvements, the ticket sales will benefit Salt Lake's Crossroads Urban Center.
More wonderful things are on my calendar...it's going to be a full year.

Food Banks and Kickstarters

I am raising funds for my life and raising funds for others, at the same time. Last Saturday night my music duo partner Kat Eggleston and I played holiday music at the Quartermaster Inn on Vashon Island, WA as a food drive for the local food bank. And during the past 30 days our kickstarter.com pledge drive has helped us organize a way to fund the completion of our second duo recording. It's all about ebb and flow. My job is to remain constantly in the presence of the presents, and to play beautiful music in honor of all moments.

I'm 49. That means I am going on 50. And I'm proud of that. Yes, I am. Because I now know some things. And I know myself better. I see things from a different perspective, from somewhere up a mountainside. I don't feel a day over 18 even though I sometimes feel as though I've seen enough and am ready to go. Being ready to go is ok, it leaves space for surprises and clears the weeds of personal agenda. And the best part is...when I have fun, I genuinely have more fun now, now that I am going on 50.

I've lost many performance opportunities because I am over 30, or over 40, or over whatever age it is that makes one too old to listen to, unless one is famous. Ha! The truth is...I have much to say and I say it in my songs. The best is yet to come. So listen up!

I guess the question is... "Why do we do things...anything, what we do, for fun, for a living, who we love, why, with our time, our thoughts, when, where, and for what end, satisfaction, community, family, money, environment, security, habit, dysfunction, desire..."
Well, I guess that is more than one question. But, I think about all of this while I work, on music. I work on music most of my waking hours, between the performances, the teaching, the recording productions and the private practice that I schedule in just to keep my hands in shape. Well, I do believe that when one is creating something beautiful, especially with other people, something good is happening, balancing out, not contributing to violence and destruction of our world. While attending the violin-making school many years ago, we had a graffiti statement that we would leave in the public bathrooms in Salt Lake City...make violins, not violence. I believe in that. I also believe that singing is good for humans, in many ways, and that people should sing every day...in the shower, in the car, and especially with other people.

Lunch With My Guitar

Have had a good time producing recording projects this summer, all of which will be out in 2011. There will be a new recording released with duo partner Kat Eggleston, look for news about that on our websites. Kat and I are producing singer Rose Laughlin's upcoming recording. Also in the recording stage is the Bruce "Utah" Phillips tribute CD from the Utah region. Sometimes I spend so much time in the recording studio or on the internet, that I almost forget that I play musical instruments. When I finally find time to pick one up and play again, I feel as though I'm having lunch with an old friend at a fine restaurant in Paris.

Good morning world. On this 4th of July weekend my little Sugarhouse, Utah neighborhood is hosting a 5k run, a flag-raising ceremony and doughnuts with no coffee. This activity is centered in a Mormon church parking lot across the street from my house. I hear voices there. I might join them when they break out the watermelons.

I have had a busy time performing lately for various outdoor events, the core of my playing in the summer months. The all-present sunshine and long comfortable evenings of this region are conducive to plentiful outdoor events. But as always, present here is--the Mormon/non-Mormon issue. For instance, I virtually never perform in Provo, UT. I did once many years back, at a house concert, but have not performed my own music there since. The Freedom Festival, held on the 4th of July weekend every year in Provo, has a contract that states a dress code of 'no sleeveless shirts'. I suppose because shoulders can be sexy, or not, depending on the shoulders, I guess. Although I've lived here for 30 years, I'm still perplexed to notice blank stares from eyes of Mormon church members in an audience, as I am assessed; they are trying to decide if I am "safe" to listen to or not. This phenomenon is noticed by us musicians more at this time of year when outdoor festivals bring together large audiences from different backgrounds. Necessarily my performances are primarily relegated to the areas of Salt Lake City, Park City, ski areas, Moab, and sometimes Cedar City. You can probably tell by now, that I am not Mormon. I listen to musicians of all backgrounds, and find diversity to be more interesting than not. But conceptually, I understand how the mysticism in my lyric style might not correspond with a dogmatic religious context of thought. On the worldly side of this, I have to wonder how many people out-of-state who think of hiring me, worry if I am of that religious faith. I've experienced several people who were, people who would actually come out and say so. If that is the case, there must be more who just don't mention it. And maybe some who assume and don't even bother considering me. I encountered a very friendly sound man at one of my concerts in Illinois, who mentioned that he was worried that I might be Mormon because of where I've lived for so long, and since he was gay worried about our encounter. That made me sad.

I'm an easy-going person who can get along with just about anyone and can fit in with just about any cultural group. I was raised on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. and experienced diversity from the start. I continue to perform in Utah and in the surrounding region, but it has become more difficult over time for me to do so without saying something about what I experience. And so, I am writing here, about my experience.

Last night's recording session was phenomenal. I am producing, with Duncan Phillips, a unique recording that will feature some of the more obscure Bruce "Utah" Phillips songs performed by regionally-based musicians. Wait 'til you hear this! It's going to be amazing. We've actually recorded six song basics so far, with more to be recorded in April. For me, it's an honor. For my brain, it's a lot of organizational work. Trying to get everyone into the studio is like trying to move frogs in a barrel. I also don't have time to play my instruments much once I am into a project like this. But you can hardly beat the magic that sometimes happens in the recording studio. One of these days I'll get to sing on it, too. Until then, I'm on the "bridge" with the sound engineer and those who stop by to listen. Last night we had a room full of friends; Duncan Phillips, Anke Summerhill, The Iversons, Buddy Mondlock, Hal Cannon and the engineer Michael Greene. Phillips' fans should see the project's website, www.thelongmemory.com.