Well, that was interesting! Yesterday we did two concerts at the Legacy Theater. The matinee went great! Fifteen minutes before the evening show, the tornado sirens went off. Ugh! With a deluge of rain already happening, the wind then started whipping around. Crazy! Then the hail! Crazier! Then the power went off throughout the entire city.

Needless to say, most of the audience stayed in their homes, but a few (maybe 20-25?) were already in the parking lot of the theater when the chaos began.

Within 45 minutes, the storm subsided. With the emergency generator providing one fairly bright beam of light just off the front of the stage, we asked the small but loyal audience, "Do you still want a show?" Absolutely, it was unanimous. So we disconnected the guitars on stage and moved to that area between the first row and the front of the stage at ground level, where the one light was shining.

Daryl brought down his conga, djembe, Cajon and other percussion toys, too. With no electricity to power the sound system, we treated it like a rehearsal with a bunch of friends coming over to my house.

Halfway into the set, the generatgor gave up, leaving us in the true darkness of the theater. Out came the cellphone flashlights, and onward we continued. It was magical. We loved it as much as the audience did.

Someday, I hope we make it back to it up right. We appreciate the folks who stayed and made the best of it. At the beginning, not knowing if the storm would rebound, we felt a bit like the Dance Band on the Titanic, to quote a Harry Chapin song. But all was calm, and we had a lot of fun.

The power came on again as we were finishing up the load out afterward. Just in time to see what we missed packing up all the gear by flashlight.

I always promise my audience a memorable show. I didn't disappoint tonight!

April 3, 2026
Clearwater, MN

One of the cool things I'm fortunate enough to be able to pull off is to perform a concert for kids during the day, then a community concert for adults (family-friendly) in the evening. Theaters are finding value in this as they help sponsor the kids' programs. It gets a young audience into their space for a very fun and enlightening event. This is my 20th year going into schools during the daytime when I'm already in the area for an adult concert. The kids and teachers find value in listening to my truth about being bullied when I was in school. Besides the seriousness of the topic, we laugh, we sing, and we share an important moment neither of us forgets.

The next couple of days, I'll spend on the phone doing interviews with local media in communities I'll be visiting this month. Talking with local media gives me a sense of what's going on in their town. We have many good off-the-record conversations as we get to know each other. Interviews always go better when you feel like you're talking to a friend.

Tomorrow I'll be live in the studio on the KVSC Frets Program with host Justin Helmer. This is the oldest-running program I've been a guest on, dating back to 1985 when Wayne Bergeson was the host. It was also the FRETZ program back then. I'm not sure when the station changed the spelling! It'll be fun to be in the studio with Justin. He's been a great addition to KVSC.

February 24, 2026
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Tammy and I are having a tremendous time on this trip. We spent the first several days in Seoul, South Korea, getting a great introduction to their culture and history. We were given a tour of the DMZ, that line in the sand dividing North and South Korea. South Korea is, of course, a friend to us. North Korea is led by a dictator who would likely not hesitate to harm us or anyone who gets in his way. We saw firsthand the signal-jamming towers in North Korea. Media broadcasts, cell phone signals, social media, etc., are not allowed into North Korea, and these towers make sure of that.

I also found a favorite coffee shop in Seoul, across from one of the numerous Buddhist Temples, cleverly named Brewda Coffee. I love that South Korea takes its coffee seriously, with many places offering great lattes.

We got on the plane and landed in Bangkok. After a few days of exploring, we hopped the night train to Chiang Mai, 12 hours to the north. We've been hiking in mountains, feeding elephants, and eating truly incredible food. A couple of days ago we gave a fantastic concert in the Old City of Chiang Mai. A lot of expats and tourists in the audience. The locals were gracious in their comments. We've found the people in Thailand welcoming and generous. We feel safe. Today we met with several teachers at a primary school. They are interested in bringing the "Beads on One String Project" to their kids in the next school year. I don't know if we'll be able to go back. We have a lot of travel ahead in the next 12 months, including Portugal, Spain, and South Africa- part II. We'll see what happens! 

January 24, 2026
Clearwater, MN

Well, this is probably the first time in my career I've canceled a show due to illness. Sorry, DeKalb, Illinois. I love playing for you in your nice little theater. This is not a fun way to start off the winter concerts. Today is Saturday, and I should already be in DeKalb. On Thursday, I felt a little glitch in my throat, but still had most of my vocal range. But yesterday, trying to do my warm-ups I was down to less than a one octave range (normally three). Making the call to the venue was difficult. They have invested a lot of money and time in promotion, getting things ready for me. I also have money invested in social media ads. Sam, my contact and friend at the venue, was naturally disappointed. Me too.

From DeKalb, I was heading to Nashville for business meetings and potentially co-writing. I don't know if it's laryngitis, a cold, or even worse. I'll get with my doctor on Monday and figure out what I have to do. Stay healthy, everyone.