WHEW... intense times! I am just winding up a good long tour along the "Texas Riviera" with the Terry Smith show, playing acoustic guitar and mandolin leads for the show. We have also just done the big Rio Grande Music Festival, which meant doing many short shows (both Terry Smith's and mine) each day, AND a concert in some Texas town every night. We did two concerts on two of the dates. This has all been a lot of work but has been lots of fun, and comfortable too because this time I got hotel accomodations all the way.

I have to say everything has been going extremely well indeed. Music is cooking, audiences are appreciative, and large, and the new CD is selling well. I am feeling fine. My yoga and weight lifting and aerobic exercise give me considerable stamina. I just absolutely dearly LOVE what I do on the music road. Every day is a wonderful gift, an opportunity to share my music with one and all and a chance for visits with good folks, friends both old and new.

The Rio Grande Music Festival (Mercedes, Texas) was major fun. I play this event every year and so have lots of friends among the producers, promoters, and performers. There are also new performers to enjoy every year. This year my dear old friends the Kenaston family of musicians played the festival, and their hot music was a highlight of the week. Old friends Tex and Mary Schutz were there too, and their music also was a highlight. Great singer Margie LeBlanc was there as well, but for some reason we saw little of each other. She guested on one of the Terry Smith shows, but other than that we were scheduled so we couldn't interact very much.

I enjoyed a family band, the Redhead Express, and asked one of the kids to play mandolin with me on a show I did. Also had the opportunity to make some music with George Rogers on Dobro on that show. I have known George for years and years but we had not had the chance to make music together onstage before. He did a super job!

During the festival I had a great song idea given to me, and a few shows in Missouri in early June materialized. I made some connections that should prove valuable down the road. I visited with friends Bill and Fran Weber in Donna, Texas, and will catch up with other friends in the Rio Grande Valley before I leave tomorrow.

At the end of the tour, today, Terry Smith, in his usual good-natured way, took all of the band, sales personnel, and others who help with his show to lunch. This was quite a crowd of people---at least a dozen of us. I had salmon and catfish, and vegetables.

Now I'm heading tomorrow for San Antonio, then to San Marcos, and then to Austin, Texas, for a visit and a concert with Dan and Diana Ost, old Florida friends who moved to Texas a couple of years ago. Dan has been flatpick guitar instructor at my annual Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp in Florida.

Life is good!!!