~Year in Photos ~

Well, these seem to sum it all up.....

All the best for the holidays!

Here's hoping that no matter where you are, the holidays are well spent with family and friends!

~ that's all the gigs for 2007 ~

This time I mean it, one last show for an important cause.

The LemonAid benefit yesterday was one last blast for good cause that we shouldn't need to be fighting. Sad that there is even a need to assemble a bunch of musicians for a benefit to protest the closing of an arts center like the Lemon Tree. Especially over a small amount of money, in comparison to the money spent by the government on other things. But, there we were, if only to show support to a place that was really supportive of our music, and the music and theater and art of all our friends.

Thanks to all of you that joined us at the Tunnels yesterday to show support. I have no idea if we even registered on the City Council radar, but we did demonstrate that support for the arts is alive and well in Aberdeen.

The Lemon Tree was one of the first places to put me on the bill as a solo act in Scotland, one of the first places to book my band. I took my kids there for theater performances, my kids were involved in student productions there, and my wife and I sat there on a regular basis to soak up the music on friday at lunch for the Friday Live series, and the regular folk and blues offerings there in the evenings. We'll miss it! Thanks to the staff for all you've done over the years to make the place what it is/was.

"You don't miss your water, till your well runs dry"

The Perfect Guitar tone...

Help the Lemon Tree benefit gig!

OK, I thought the year was over, but this is important.

There's a benefit gig at the Tunnels on Saturday afternoon. Lots of Aberdeen bands, all styles. We're there around 3. Details to follow.

You can do some christmas shopping, stumble in for a pint and help the Lemon Tree as well. Great way to kill a Saturday!

Check this space, as soon as I have details I'll post em-

More unconstructed ramblings.....

Yeah, some interesting processing for 2008 going on here. More solo gigs? Sure did play some great places this year, packing only a guitar or two. Music is good fun, more personal. Less crazy and sweaty.

the Ipod collection of 2007

If you're interested, this is what had the most air-time on my Ipod this year-

Seasick Steve
Ray Bonneville (Rough Luck)
R L Burnside
T Model Ford
Southern Culture on the skids
Kelly Joe Phelps
Blind Willie Johnson
Bukka White
Mississippi Fred McDowell
Lightnin Hopkins

Not what I expected, if I'd guessed the top 10 would have been more electric players, but the stats on the computer don't lie I guess.

and that's a wrap......

That's it, last gig of 2007 has now been played and I can get on with my Christmas shopping. Phew.

It was a great year with some great places to play and lots of fantastic people along the way. Ireland, Orkney and Shetland by ferry, Burnley by train, Alaska by plane, the Moorings by bus, the Lemon Tree on foot and lots of places by car. We got hopelessly lost on the way to Fetternear, and stuck in Customs in Seattle.

And last night was a great way to wrap up the year, sitting on a bar stool at Drummonds with Dino and Angus blasting out the Mississippi hill county slide and lap steel tunes in a 2-hour set till 1 am, to a club jammed to the rafters with happy dancers and drinkers. Great to see lots of you last night, regulars and semi-regulars all in one place.

I'm walking in my sleep, my finger tips are sore and I have no voice left. Sure signs of an extremely over the top gig.

Cheers all, see you next year in Germany, the US, the UK.....

New recordings

It was such a frantic trip that the new CD didn't get finished, but we're working on it long distance...

11 new songs in all, 10 originals and a cover. It's more 'Americana' than pure blues. Yeah, sure, there's a couple of stone-cold blues tracks. But for the first time there's tunes that are more JJ Cale, lots of lap steel.

You'll like it. But you gotta wait a bit longer.

ouch

and that's all I got to say about this one.

BFMB Pictures

Got these from Bo Rody by email. Thanks Boo!

Buy Nothing Day

Not a bad idea. The day after Thanksgiving is normally the busiest shopping day of the year in the US. But is Christmas about presents? Is it worth re-thinking the holiday, focusing in friends and family?

Buy Nothing Day

Not a bad idea....

Packing list for Alaska

1 Flannel shirt, old
2 pair of jeans, faded
1 poly-fleece vest.
1 pair hiking boots
2 pair heavy socks
a strat in a gig bag
a good, long book
a heavy jacket (packed in a suitcase)
1 warm, wool sweater from Shetland


and an early-morning taxi. It's great to be going home, even if only for a bit. I think it was Oscar Wilde that describe home as "the place tha, when you have to go there, they have to take you in". He never made it to Alaska. And I'll be there in 24 hours.

I am ~so~ ready to go home for a bit, recharge batteries and not worry about my accent.

~ In the home stretch ~

Yes, yes. One week from today and it'll be all winding down, and you guys in Anchorage will be resting your feet and falling back on your favorite hangover remedy.

In case you are in Alaska but don't get out mcuh, Saturday November 10th at 7:30 is the 6th Annual Blues for My Brother benefit for the Brother Francis Shelter. Check out the poster below for the line-up and ticket outlets. If you're going to indluge in the Sumday show at the Marston, better get tickets early. It's turning out to be a popular show.

Remember this is all to help the Brother Francis Shelter provide last-ditch support services, transitional housing and counseling services to the homeless in Anchorage. It's a powerful place, and certainly worthy of your support. I'll be taking some of the musicians on a tour on Friday afternoon next week. Email me if you'd like to tag along.

Oh, and all that aside, it's going to be a great party. Great musicians, great friends, some beer, wine and food, and a big dance floor. See y'all there, stop in and say hello!

Blues for my Brother details.....

That sense of adventure

Hey Gang-

Someone at a gig asked me where had the sense of adventure had gone from the band. Well (in my best Tony Soprano voice), "I got your sense of adventure right here"

We're back as a trio, it's a great change- back to the raw, primal sounds that we started with. And we'll be at Café Drummonds next Thursday, with Angus McCurrach playing drums.....

Oh, it's a special gig- Kent Duchaine is in town from the States and playing a solo gig as well on the same night. So you can double-dip, hear Kent play some great solo delta blues, and hear us play some acoustic blues as a trio, some electric blues and LOTS of new songs that will be going onto the new CD. Hmmm, that's more of a quadruple dip.

It's been awhile. Come on by and say hello, let us know what you've been up too-

Son

Chris Simmonds packs it in...

Some of you may have seen the email that came from Chris Simmonds this week. Declining attendance and consistent money-losing gigs have prompted him to pack it in, and stop booking road bands in Aberdeen.

Say what you will about venue choice or the bands that came through town. No matter how you look it, it's a huge loss for all of us. Bugs Henderson, Mem Shannon, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Lightnin Willie and a whole bunch of others never would have had a chance to play in Aberdeen if Chris hadn't made it happen.

Thanks for all you did Chris! Sorry to see you quitting, but I understand.

Be sure to vote.....

Congratulations Al Gore!

No politics. Just congraulations to Al Gore for helping elevate global climate change to the national and international level.

As an Alaskan, the evidence is all around us- polar bears denning on land because the sea ice is no longer growing thick enough to support them, rapid glacial retreat. That's just for starters.

That's enough. Congrats Al.....

Things I'm going to do when I get home.....

In no particular order-

Eat a pizza at the Mooses Tooth.
Eat some Halibut Tacos at Humpys
Go clothes shopping at Value Village.
Climb Flattop
Drive the Seward toward Portage
Check out the view from the Glen Alps traihead
Look for Mr. Whitekeys
Have Vietnamese food with Patti and Amy so I can catch up on the gossip
Renew my driver's license
Check in with a lot of old friends
Go to Beluga Point and feel the wind on my face
Bike the Bird-to-Gird Trail
Jam with Special Ed and the guys, wherever they are

And, most of all, thank the good lord for bringing me home, even if for a short time.

No Joey....

Sorry, gang. Tickets were just too expensive for a fund-raiser. Joey and I agreed that he'd come up next year when we've got more time.

be a man....

To whoever has been molesting my web sites; If you've got a problem with me, then be a man about it

Gigs en France et en Allemagne, avril 2008

Nous programmons des gigs en France et en Allemagne pour avril 2008. Intéressé ? Email je !

Frankreich und in Deutschland, April 2008

Wir legen Konzerte in Frankreich und in Deutschland für April 2008 fest. Interessiert? Email ich!

New recordings

Odd how life settles into the right groove sometimes. Could it be the sunshine we've had lately? Perhaps. I'm not sure I have an explanation, and I'm not sure I really am even worried about it. It just is. That's enough for now.

Part of the evolutionary process has really been coming to terms with the new place that songs seem to come from. It's a new voice for me in a sense, the new feel is less delta blues and more, well, me. I like the songs that are developing. They're melodic, different and honest. And, as a result, the new solo record is really feeling settled to me, like water findng it's own level. It's a good thing, too, because I'm back at Buzz's studio to record next month, back in that comfortable and familiar creative environment where it all seems to have started.

For those of you that have been listening to 'Ball and Chain' or 'Sackcloth and Ashes' for the pasy 6 months, well, I think these will have good company on this disk. Most will be solo lap steel or solo electric guitar and voice, a little harp. One or two will require a little percussion or some bass to fill them out a bit. But it's all music designed to play solo. And it all connects back to a process that started on a back porch in Argentina a couple of years ago, with some cold beer, an old marching drum and John Clarke and I playing old cowboy songs for the ranch hands, while my wife sat nearby in a rocking chair knitting.

And so, constant readers, it's a beautiful day. A good one to set a burden down and feel the sunlight on your face as the days grow shorter. Taking stock, I've got friends and enemies, family and co-workers, musicians all to share the journey with, and 19 new songs that the universe has given me to sing. It's a great place to be.


flip down the visor to meet the sun rise
cold rush of wind across my face
with the radio for company
there's 800 miles left to ride


Peace all. Time to ride a bit.

Photos from Tony Winfield!

Tony Winfield sent me some copies of the Orkney festival from a week or so ago, and who would have believed it possible- he actually captured a smile. And not once, but several times!

Thanks Tony!

Be sure and check out his work by clicking here

Kent Duchaine

Kent Duchaine is going to be at Drummonds on the 25th of October. I talked to Nathan at Drummonds last week, and it's actually going to be a double-header with your's truly. There's still a few details to work out, but it looks like the band will follow Kent and play till the early hours of the morning. So stay tuned, things may change a little.

For more about Kent, click here to go to his home page. Kent is a monster player and a great guy who puts on a good solid show. Well worth getting there for this one.

I'll have a few cool surprises up my sleeve as well.....

Dave Amos sent me some photos from the Stromness Hotel show last weekend. Thanks Dave!



What a great time that was, I love the acoustics there- lots of wood, lots of people and lots of beer (the holy trinity of a good gig). So, bags are packed, let's do it again!

Audience Harmonica?

~ Just say no ~

I know, it's a cheap instrument and fun to learn. But, please, when you come to a gig, leave it in your pocket, ok?

Last few gigs, in all kinds of odd places, there has been someone in the room playing a harmonica. Most of the time it's not even the correct key. So, please, a small favor, don't do this? OK? It makes everyone at the tables around you mad. And all I'm going to do is take out my capo and start playing in sharp or flat keys, so the C-major marine band is going to sound bad and embarass you in front of your friends.

Please, work with me on this ok? It's all I ask. After all, there's a reason why it's called a 'solo' show.

If it's a band gig I don't care at all. We're way to freaking loud for anyone to hear you blow, so save it for the band gigs if you absolutely, positively, must treat us like a harp-less karaoke track.....

Sorry Amy-

I got an email from my friend Amy Van Singel. She'd first heard about the plans for the Brother Francis Benefit show through a flyer at the trainstation that she picked up off the counter. Lots's of things you can or should learn about on the street, but this isn't one of them. So, a very public apology, Amy.....

Orkney Blues Festival: End of the ferry tour, 2007

So, the 2007 Ferry Tour is over. Ireland, Shetland, Orkney. Three great festivals, all required ferry trips. Odd how that all came about, but there you go.

As always I had a great time in Orkney. All kidding about seasickness aside, I love getting to the ferry terminal and the natural conversations that happen with people getting set to make the crossing. And once there, it's so much like being home for me that I find myself just relaxing in ways I'd forgotten about.

The festival was a great time. Two gigs, one at the Stromness Hotel and the other at the Ferry Inn. It was a chance to try out all the new material from my solo CD and check reactions. Also had a chance to hang out with Gerry Jablonski and Kate, Dave Amos and the tribe and a raft of other old friends.

Gerry, in particular, was in killer form. I think the gig of his at the Standing Stones was one of the best I've seen. Got a chance to see a couple of other bands as well- BlueBelly, Mean Business. Great weekend of music, sad to leave. Thanks to Walter, Graham and all the organizers for all the hard work in making this happen. If you see them, pat 'em on the back because they sure do deserve it.

Oh, on an odd note- take a couple of aging die-hard guitar players like Gerry and I and put them together over beer, and what do we talk about? Women? Wild Parties? Nope. We talked for a long time about how heavy our PA's are. If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is. I'm still laughing......

Joey Fender take 2

Blues for my Brother, Anchorage Alaska November 10, 2007?

Yeah, Joey is up for this. It's a huge party now. Better start banking sleep!


Note added: Man, I woke up laughing this morning. I spent way too much time on the phone with Joey last night getting caught up. It's like talking to my kid brother, with tatoos and profanity. This is really going to be a great gig, you sure don't want to miss this one!

Orkney Blues Weekend

Everything you need to know is right here

So great to see this festival back on-line again! I have a feeling it's going to be fun. Check out the schedule and come by and see me!

3 SONGS A WEEK

That's my goal.


Three songs a week between now and November. I already have a bunch of new stuff for the band to work through (and the problem is time right now), but you can't ever have enough. Plus, there's always these ideas kicking around that need to be put on paper. Is it an arbitrary exercise, or a recognition that this is probably the number of throw-away songs that happen in the course of a day, and what I'm after is capturing at least a little more of it.

Stay tuned. I did write two songs this weekend, and I'm off to write down the 3rd. So it can be done, and it's only Sunday...

re-thinking my pa

OK, I'm tired of all the heavy lifting. Time for the heavy speakers to go, the only thing they ever amplify is my voice and an acoustic guitar. for most of the rooms where I need a PA I can make do with something really tiny. And light, light weight is the key.

So, the agony of not having any place to try this stuff in Aberdeen. It's not like you can just order off the web and be happy. I need to amplify my lap acoustic, but retain all the detail and clarity that I hear in the guitar. It's no small task. Great sound, light weight.

All I know is this- I need to get this worked out because my wife is sick to death of hearing me drone on and on about cabinets and power amps....

Final BFMB Line-Up

It's all settled now, here's who'll be there, the Saturday of Veterans Day Weekend in November:

Headliner: Bob Hall, amazing boogie-woogie keyboard player, one of the best in the business in fact. Played with everyone. It's going to be a great non-stop dance till you drop thing.

Melissa Bledsoe Fisher and the band. What can I say here? She's a favorite of mine, a great blues player and she brings that ultra-hip jazzy edge to things.

Lulu Small and the Aquanets. The best all-grrrl band in the business, killer harmonies, great playing and style baby. Brace yourselves.

Monica Lettner and the band- a partial reprise of the golden days of Killer Rabbit, Moni has grown to be an international headliner on her own, just back from a headline tour of Italy.

Bob Parsons- smooth, cool Bob opens things up with some solo jazzy blues guitar.

There may be a rare appearance by Joey Fender? Will wonders never cease?

Oh, yeah, I'll have my trio there too. All new material you guys haven't heard yet, all solid dance stuff. So, once again, it'll be a great night of dancin, drinkin, and singin.

And, as always, the big monster jam at the end.

Tickets go on sale soon....

As if we didn't have enough wrong in the world...

Southwest Airlines has declared war on attractive women passengers. Here's a picture of Kyla ebbert, dressed EXACTLY the way she was dressed the day Southwest Airlines attempted to get her off a flight because f the way she was dressed. They don't seem too worried about beating the living crap out of my luggage, or on-time departures. They don't seem to care about much these days. But they did make a mess of poor Kyla's trip.

For my money, she doesn't dress any differently than any college girl or young woman travelling on other airlines. Hang your head in shame, Southwest. Worry about getting your planes out of the gate on-time and getting my suitcases to me and having your gate-agents behave like members of the human race.

Until then, I'm not flying with you guys anymore. Take that!

Getting ready for Orkney

Man, do I ever love the Islands here. First Shetland, now back home to Orkney in a couple of weeks.

My friend Chris Simmonds described Orkney as a magical place several years ago, and he couldn't be more correct in my book. From the Stenis Stones to the Historical sites and the Twatt church, I love goin to Orkney.

Expect some new songs, including one or three that I wrote on the Shetland Ferry- really new songs. Some stories to tell, some friends to get caught up with.

Ahhh, what a great life. And the weather? A little rain is great with me. I'm an Alaskan, and if you need some persoective on my definition of bad weather, go read 'To Build a Fire' by Jack London

But I digress- looking forward to seeing some old friends, playing some music and drinking some beer and sitting in at the jam. See y'all soon...

why I love my life.....

I know lots of cool people
I go to great places
I'm from Alaska, so I'm ready for everything.
I can hold my alcohol
Seasick? Me?

And, for some reason, I have an amazing wife that puts up with me.

Some Shetland Jam Photos

These just in from Dave Arcari, Saturday jam action photos.....

Shetland Blues Festival

Man, just off the boat back from Shetland from the blues fetival, what a great time had by all!

Jimmy and Steve met all the travelling bands at the Ferry terminal on Thursday night to escort us on the boat (and make sure none of the sea-sick prone muso's could bail at the last minute). It was a great ride up, about 12 hours on the ferry and a smooth crossing. As you might guess, the bands closed down the bars on the ship.

I didn't get too much of a chance to touch base with the other guys till the ride home, playing 4 gigs in 3 days to crowds of great people in different rooms all over the island. Weather was kicking, just like being back in Alaska again for the summer. I think the others would have described it as cold and wet. I was looking for the sunscreen.

Had a great jam on saturday afternoon with Sandy Tweedale and Dave Arcari in the Lounge in Lerwick, a real relaxed time with beer and tunes. Nice folks there too.

Hmm, the one thing I was glad I had, well, two things? A mobile phone and a GPS to navigate with. Tools of the trade in this day and age. Lots of unmarked roads. Good phone coverage, however.

Couldn't have had a better time. Shoot, one of the organisers even moved back in with his mother so my wife and I could have the run of his house. Is that awesome or what?

Phew. Back to the big city and the crowds and congestion. I can see why people live there. Thanks guys! Let's do it again!

Bellrock blues, Day 2

Life is like one of those animal shows on discovery channel. Sometimes you ride the rhino, and sometimes you get your jeep knocked around. Sunday the jeep took a beating.

I'm not sure what the deal was, but it all started to go sour with a broken string on my lap steel on the first song. From there, the rest of the first set was dogged by PA problems, and even after completely rewiring the cables it was still dodgy. So, I dod the only thing I could think of, and that was point the monitor out at the folks in the bar (it was the one working speaker) and carry on.

For some reason it all cleared up for the second set. And I touched nothing to make that hapen, just switched everything on again, and off we went.

Oh well. I got a chance to try out some new songs, a couple of odd guitars. All fine. So, thanks t those of you that stuck with us through all this! Great weekend all in all, and the fish-n-chips in Arbroath is worth the drive alone.

Bellrok Blues Festival, Day 1

Well, we're one day into the Bellrock Blues festival. Thought I'd write a bit before heading back to Arbroath for my last solo slot.

It's been an interesting festival. It's a different feel from the former Smokie Blues, and I can't quite put my finger on it. But that said, it was an odd experience being on my way to a gig for an 11 am downbeat. I think we playwed well,. Mike Oxley, covering for Dino, in particular, did a stellar job, and it was a great chance to try some new stoff on the fly.

From there we packed up, finishing at 1 and me scrambling over to the Newgate bar to get set up for a 2 pm gig. Talk about a panic- lots of traffic, impossible parkin situation and one-way streets. Wasn't sure that I'd make it. But Mike, sensing the stress level, volunteered to help me get there and settled before heading for home. Talk about a friend, someone that will sacrifice a sunny day to help you move gear. What can I say but thanks Mike!

Newgate was a great time, once the football match was over. Nice to get a chance to play a solo show that's more than one set long! It was also the first time I've been able to play lots of the new solo stuff for y'all in a sitation where the acoustics and the PA were up to the task. I ended up in the sidewalk for about a half-hour playing and warming up, talking to the smokers, while we all wated for the football to end.

And then off to the Station Bar for a second 2-hour show. I like that little pub, it's hard to set up there, but you jam 100 blues lovers in there and it's a rockin good time. That show was over before I knew it.

So, 3 down and one to go. As promised I'll play some different stuff at the Newgate this afternoon, more of the new solo stuff. Grab a bottle of sun tan lotion and head on over! I'm starting at 1 pm, and there will be pleanty of time to enjoy a cold beer and some warm sunshine.

OK, gotta run!

some Larne images....

Some photos from the Chaine Music web site. What a great time!

some Larne images....

Some photos from the Chaine Music web site. What a great time!

Blues Hall of Fame

Well, this is cool. Got this in the mail today, here's the key details, but the rub is that I'm now a blues hall of fame'r. Today is one of those days where it's good to be me!

Thanks for the honor guys...

-------------------------

Hello Son Henry,

This is Johnny Mannion Blues Hall Of Fame® Ambassador at Large.

It is with great pleasure that I inform you that you have been inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame® as Ambassador to Alaska.

We welcome you to the BHF family and invite you to become involved in the BHF. You were nominated for Ambassador and your nomination went before the BHF Ambassador Board of Directors. You received the unanimous yes vote required for ambassadorship. Congratulations.

Congrats,


Johnny Mannion

Big time in Larne

First Chaine Folk and Blues Festival is now just an aftershock after the big rumble. What a great shakin time it was, and never mind the weather.......

So, we left town Friday night and drove to a hotel close to the ferry terminal to be ready to catch an early ferry the next morning to Ireland. Picture a van with an Alaskan, and Englishman and a Scotsman all unsure of the need for a passport when getting off the ferry. Talk about an interesting conversation, it was like that millionaire game show where your last lifeline is phoning a friend. We did finally get the answer, it's a little embarassing how many people we needed to call to get a definitive one!

But, be that as it may, we made it. Plenty of time, ferry crossing was a snap and it was a short hop to the venue and the hotel.

Thanks to all of you that came to my workshop on slide guitar. I hope that you goet something of value from it. I know I enjoyed hanging out with you all and talking guitars and slide technique.

The gig? Great fun, and we did over-run the curfew by a *bit* I supose. But hey, what were they going to do, arrest all of us that were making too much noise?


See y'all next year. In the meantime, keep in touch!

Goin Back to Alaska!

Yeah, it's true, but only for a visit!

Plans are coming together for this years Blues for my Brother benefit for the Brother Francis Shelter. The show will be November 10, starting around 7. I'm not giving anything away at this point, but it sure is going to be a good show. Spread the word!

Ireland, here we come!

Off to the Chaine Folk and Blues festival in Larne real soon. It's our first trip to Ireland, and I've always wanted to go there. Am I excited about this? Yeah!

The Festival Web Site is here: http://www.chainemusic.com/index.cfm

As part of the festival I'll be doing a lap steel and slide guitar workshop at 2:30 on Saturday the 18th. Check the festival web site for the location. For all you guitar players it'll be a change to pull apart some of the the basics of electric slide guitar, in the styles of Elmore James right through to Duane Allman.

See ya'll there, be sure and say hi!