What Happened?  A monthly journal of all the oh-so-important events in the life and times of me:
January, 2007 -  

I played local gigs and scanned the internet for playlists of indie stations thoughout N. America, Australia, the UK and Europe,
to see who was playing my CD, which I had shipped to many stations during December, thanks to a list of contacts I got
through my singer-songwriter friend from Bend, Oregon, Willie Carmichael.  Hey - I'm big in Belgium!!!

February, 2007 -  

More local gigs.

March, 2007 -

My new 'Jug Band', Joe Gee and The Boomer Busters, played our first out-of-town festival when we appeared at the Sabinal
Lions Club Wiid Hog Festival in Sabinal, Texas.  It was a Saturday afternoon gig on the same weekend as the Fred IN Texas
Weekend at Gruene Hall, at which I had the honor of emceeing both Friday and Saturday night.  I had a blast and met many
interesting musicians including Tom Russell, Bruce Robison, and Guy Forsyth.

April, 2007 -

I got to play lead guitar at a couple of gigs with my friend and singer-songwriter extraodinaire, Audrey Auld Mezera!  I played a
show with her at the River City Grill in Marble Falls, TX, and another with her and the great Darcie Deaville Casbeers in San
Antonio.  We had a great time and I was thrilled to get the chance to play with Auds again.  She had a couple of new songs
(not yet released) called "I'm Forty" and "Bread and Roses" which were both fantastic.  And, to top it off, one of the booking
decision makers from the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, Michael Nave, was at the Marble Falls show.  He complimented me on
my playing and Audrey told him that I was a fine songwriter/entertainer in my own right, so Micheal asked me to send him a
sample of my work, which I did.

May, 2007 -

I got an offer to play at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, OK, which, of course I accepted.  I played my usual
Austin gigs (BD Riley's, BB Rovers, Freda's, The Downtown Artists' Market, etc., and got ready for my June trip up to Vermont
and New Brunswick.

June, 2007 -  

I flew up to Portland, ME, on the second Thursday in June and drove over to Bellows Falls, VT for the Roots On The River
Festival (Fred Eaglesmith, David Olney, Gandalf Murphy, many others).  Stayed on the festival site in a room at the always a
trip Everyday Inn with my buddy Steve Shaw from Philly.  On Friday I played a show at the BF train station and farmers'
market, as did The Roger Marin Band and a surprise guest,
Canadian folksinger Ian Tamblyn.  This was a big honor as only two of the festival's acts get to play that show each year.  
Then Friday night I emceed under the main tent stage behind the Everyday and Saturday afternoon I played a solo set there,
too. Steve Shaw recorded both shows from the soundboard onto his hard disk recorder for me.  I left Monday morning, drove
to Cooperstown, camped at Glimmerglass State Park (beautiful) and went to the Baseball Hall Of Fame for the 1st time ever -
way cool.  Then I drove down to Sayville, NY to spend a couple of days with my sister and her family.  Thursday I I took my
Godson, Nathaniel, and his dad, Vinnie Winny to a Yankees game (they won  - boo).  From there I drove back up to Maine
and stayed overnight in a cabin near Gardiner.  The next day I drove up to Muniac Park in New Brunswick, Canada for the
2nd annual Fred's Downeast Picnic.  Maine was full of trees - the view of MT. Katahdin from I95 is pretty cool.  I didn't know
what to expect when I got to New Brunswick.  It was really pretty - I drove through the St. Johns River Valley with farmhouses
rising up on  both banks of the river.  Muniac Park itself is a smallish, pine-filled park along the main N-S road though the St
Johns River Valley.  It's a really nice place.   Brian and Mabel Glass are the Festival organizers.  Brian and his buds built a
great stage there at the Park, complete with a White Rose sign on top.  They (B and M) are wonderful folks and they treated
me like royalty.  I emceed both nights and played a solo set on Saturday afternoon, as well.  But the highlight of the weekend,
and of my entire performing life came on Friday night.  As Fred Eaglesmith (my favorite songwriter and my favorite performer)
and his band were preparing to take the stage, Fed invited me to play keyboards for them.  It was an amazing experience and
part of me is still on cloud nine and will never come back down.  Fred liked it so much that he insisted that I play with them
again on Saturday night (it didn't take much arm-twisting, that's for sure).   I had such a blast!  All the folks I met at the D.E.
Picnic were so nice; I sure hope it continues and I can be a part of it again.  I returned to Maine, spent the night near Old
Orchard Beach and flew home the next day.  Coming back to earth after such an amazing couple of musical weeks was tough.
 But I am one lucky guy so no complaints!!!

July, 2007 -  

Along with my local gigs I played at the 10th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, OK.  Okemah's Woody's
hometown - I think it would have been quite dusty if it wasn't raining.  But it was.  Pouring.  I played at the Brick Street Cafe
stage at 12:30 on Thursday afternoon.  The room was full - people seemed to like it.  I stayed for the Thursday night shows at
the Crystal Theater - Tim O'Brien, Ellis Paul et. al.  Met  lots of folks, including actor/folksinger Ronny Cox ('Deliverance',
'Total Recall', 'RoboCop' - seems like a nice guy.  I camped in a field full of water.  A big windy thunderstorm came in the
middle of the night.  Things were messy but my tent stayed up and dry.  Drove home Friday to play Friday night.

August, 2007 -

Flew to Rochester, NY.  United lost my bags - it was a big screwup which had me driving between Rochester, Buffalo,
Hamilton, ON, and back again but I did get a $200 travel voucher for my troubles.  Drove to Cobalt ON (7.5 hours northof
Toronto.  Played Fred Eaglesmith's Great Northern Picnic and it was indeed great.  Many great acts - Fred and his Band,
re-christened 'The Heat Attacks' in honor of Willie P. Bennett's recent health problem, Murray MacLachlan, The Sadies, Brock
Zeman/Dan Walsh, and many more.  Played half my set with Terry and Eva Graves' accompaniment (the Festival honchos
and my hosts during my Cobalt stay) and they were great too.  Pokey Karol and I stayed at T & E's Sunday night.  Sat on the
deck and songswapped with the incredible Washboard Hank until the Perseids meteor shower began.  We layed on our backs
on the deck and watched an incredible natural fireworks disply in the black North Canadian sky. Monday I drove down to S.
Ontario with Pokey in tow.  A real trip.  Got him to his bus to Cleveland .  Spent the week visiting Gary and Debra and Daryl
and Suzy in Mt. Brydges and Port Dover, respectively.  Went to Aylmer to the Springwater Conservation area to await the start
of Fred's Southern Picnic on Wednesday.  There was much jamming, great friends and music - Mary Gauthier was amazing
and Washboard Hank and Muriel stole the show.  Gary and I went and got Pokey at the London bus station on Friday
afternoon and so Monday I drove hm to the station in Buffalo and then to Rochester for my flight home.  Bad weather
cancelled many flights including mine.  I stayed in Rochester overnight and got a flight back to Austin the next day.


September, 2007 -

Played locally.  Made a couple of TX trips - played an in-store at Bill's Records in Dallas.  Small turnout at the new location.  I
hope it picks back up - Bill's is a great supporter of live TX music.  If you're ever in Dallas go there!  Played that night at a
House Concert at Cuervo Acres (Dana and Andy Jones' place in Culleoka), opening for Mary Cutrufello (Guitarist/singer with
Chris Wall).  If there's a finer House Concert deal goin' on than what D and A are doin' I wanna know about it.