Introducing WillyWear! A new line of very colorful apparel, now available at my webstore. Inspired by splatters of acrylic paint that landed on David's shirt, pants, hat, you name it, while he painted in his studio, I asked him to splatter my guitar case, my Chucks, swimsuit, bag, baseball cap...and since I wear lots of black stuff, his bright primary colors were a perfect enhancement! Check it out here and send custom orders too.
Announcing the launch of Roadworks, my 5-year tour project. "American Idle" is the v.1 theme, and the current schedule is here. It includes confirmed and tentative dates (unconfirmed, but at least will let you know when I plan to be in your neck of the woods.) Check back next week when more dates are added and confirmed. "American Idle" will chronicle the times we live in; chronic unemployment, upside down mortgages, unaffordable health care, marriage inequality...you know, the blues. But it’s like I always said..."Maybe you got 'em, but at least you’re singing 'em!" I think we might collect the best songs and make a simple limited edition recording by the end of the year, available only to Roadworks ticket buyers.
Speaking of unemployment, if you really want to catch the show, but just can’t afford it, we're offering half-price tickets to the first 10 volunteers for each gig who will commit two hours of their time helping to get the word out. This can include anything you’re interested in, or are good at ie. social networking, distributing fliers, postering, radio station requests, helping at the merch table, etc. If you’re interested, please send an email to crandall@fourmortals.org indicating which show and what support you’d like to offer. We’ll reply as soon as possible, so please be patient.
As I gear up for the 2012 Arkansas Traveler 20th Anniversary, I’m looking for a few good hotlick 'bluegrass' bands (obviously, 'bluegrass' is a fluid concept with me...) If you plan to be at this year's Folk Alliance in Memphis, please send me your showcase schedule. My time at Folk Alliance is very limited but I'm willing to stay up all night to catch a great act. I'd love the opportunity to introduce great new talent as I scout for support musicians for Roadworks.
That's the big news. If you want to read further about ongoing projects, see below.
Stumbling Towards Grace is now the working title for the memoir project being published. I've completed over 40 hours of interviews; they are being transcribed and proofed even now. I hear you asking 'When can I read it?" Don't hold me to this, but possibly late fall this year or winter/spring of next year. Hey! These things take time!
Trumpet Black is the working title for my New Orleans project. A collaboration produced with Paul Sanchez and Threadhead Records, we're assembling the material and casting for the record. It basically chronicles my sojourn in New Orleans, pre-Katrina. "When?" You ask. Not sure. Perhaps early 2011, maybe in time for Mardi Gras. Maybe we’ll feature it for next year’s Roadworks v.2.
The HeART Project beats at an opening in Los Angeles on February 13th at the Rebecca Molayem gallery and I'll be performing a live set while David Willardson creates a performance on canvas. www.rebeccamolayemarts.com. For our Indelible Women collaboration, he has now completed 8 of the 10 portraits, and I've written songs for four of them so far. I'm just starting research on Virginia Woolf and David has finished the sketch. "When?" Always with the question! Patience, grasshopper. It will be worth the wait. Soon, I promise.
And that is all the news that new this month. Stay warm, stay well. Trust God and go in peace,
Follow Michelle On...
-
February 13th - Art Opening 'Icon Series' by David Willardson
Rebecca Molayem Gallery
306 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90048
rebeccamolayemarts.com
-
February 19th - Folk Alliance ASCAP Presents Performance Alley showcase
Memphis Marriott St. Louis Room
250 N Main St
Memphis, TN 38103
www.folkalliance.org
-
March 20th - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Belly Up Tavern - tentative
143 S Cedros Ave
San Diego, CA 92075
www.bellyup.com
- March 25th - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Freight and Salvage (new)
250 N Main St
Berkeley, CA 94704
freightandsalvage.org
-
March 26th - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Hop Monk
230 Petaluma Ave
Sebastapol, CA 95472
www.hopmonk.com
-
March 27th - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Moe's Alley
1535 Commercial Way
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
www.moesalley.com
-
April 2nd - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
The Compound Grill - tentative
7000 E Mayo Blvd Bldg 21
Phoenix, AZ 85054
liveatthecompound.com
-
April 3rd - Roadworks v.1 American Idle
McCabes - tentative
3101 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
mccabesguitarshop.com
-
April 16th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Swallow Hill Music Hall
71 E Yale Ave
Denver, CO 80210
events.swallowhill.com
-
April 17th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Santa Fe Brewing Company
35 Fire Place Santa Fe, NM 87508
www.santefebrewing.com
-
April 18th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Community Auditorium
133 Camino del Paseo Pueblo Taos, NM 87571
-
April 22nd -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
The Triple Door
216 Union St
Seattle, WA 98101
www.thetripledoor.net
-
April 24th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave
Portland, OR 97227
www.mississippistudios.com
-
April 25th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
tentative
Salt Lake City, UT
-
May 7th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Jammin' Java
227 Maple Ave E
Vienna, VA 22180
www.jamminjava.com
-
May 8th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Puck Live
1 Printers Alley
Doylestown, PA 18901
www.pucklive.com
-
May 9th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Watercolor Cafe
2094 Boston Post Rd
Larchmont, NY 10538
www.watercolorcafe.net
-
May 13th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Hugh's Room
2261 Dundas St W
Toronto, ON M6R 1X6
www.hughsroom.com
-
May 14 -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
tentative
London, ON - CANADA
-
May 15th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
One Longfellow Square
181 State St
Portland, ME 04101
onelongfellowsquare.com
-
May 16th -Roadworks v.1 American Idle
Johnny D's - tentative
17 Holland St Davis Square Somerville, MA 02144
johnnydsuptown.com
-
May 29th -Festival
tentative
Santa Cruz, CA
To reach Michelle directly, email her here.