No Trust Fund Tour 2008

First of all, thank you to those who came to see me this past week in AZ and Denver, and for buying Ghost Notes and Songs from Memory. I was using these dates as a guide to help me decide how I'd like to plan events for the rest of the year, and because of you I've come to this conclusion:

I want to play as much as I can in 2008, in any configuration, whenever possible.

That's how well it went.

So, you're going to see me in OKC, and Dallas (just confirmed), and probably Detroit and Des Moines and the East Coast, too.

And that's all before July.

You're also going to see me on the No Trust Fund Tour 2008.

"What's the No Trust Fund Tour 2008?" you ask.

The No Trust Fund Tour 2008 is a four-city tour from Atlanta to Chicago that will feature sets by me and co-headliner John Austin. Our fellow cohorts in laying down the law will be the inimitable Bret Hartley and the ever-funky Kevin Leahy.

Here are the dates of the tour:

March 25 Atlanta Smith's Olde Bar 9 PM

March 27 Nashville The End 10 PM

March 28 St. Louis KMOX (1120 AM) Live On-Air Performance and Chat with Jon Grayson 11 PM

March 29 St. Louis Lucas School House 9 PM

March 30 Chicago The Abbey Pub 8 PM

Check out my Web site or the individual club Web sites for more information.

In all instances, Mr. Austin will go on before me, and I after him. I'll be playing bass in John's band, and he's holding down rhythm guitar in mine.

"Great," you say. "I'll be there. But why do you call it the No Trust Fund Tour 2008?"

We call it the No Trust Fund Tour 2008 because the four of us are lifelong musicians and songwriters somewhere in our late thirties. We've all had some success in the music industry, but hardly enough to guarantee that we won't be delivering pizzas in the future.

So, we called our tour the No Trust Fund Tour 2008 to emphasize that we're on the road without a net, and that if you come, not only will you witness the law being laid down with authority, but also you'll be helping four guys do what they love to do.

"But what will it sound like?"

I'm glad you asked. To give you a hint of the full band onslaught, I've posted online the best live track from Jim Gerke's recording of the Last Exit show in Tempe last week, "Sad Songs Come and Go," the last song on Songs from Memory. It's at my MySpace Audio page, and features the ever-lovable Jim Gerke on rhythm guitar and class act Curtis Grippe on the skins. Enjoy, and get ready to duck in the second chorus when Hartley lets himself out of the cage.

It all starts in a little more than a week in Atlanta. If you're in one of these areas, come out, have a great time, listen to some great music, and know that your presence is appreciated by those playing.

Art