Below is my fall newsletter, which just went out to my email list. (If you didn't just receive an email from me, you're not on my email list, but don't worry. I can add you. I have that kind of pull around here. Just shoot me an email at arted@artedwards.com with ADD in the subject line, and I'll make it so.)
Here's the newsletter.
It’s been a while since I caught up with you. How have you been? I’ve had a few developments since we last touched base.
1. This past February, I played a gig in Arizona with Murphy’s Outlaw. The band consists of at least three old friends/talented musicians—Jim Gerke, Dustin Denham, and Brian Blush—and the warm reception we received made me realize I need to make music, which I’d left behind a decade ago to focus on writing. Funny, but at 40, I felt too old to make music, but 50 feels like just the right age.
My renewed enthusiasm led to me contacting my Atlanta cohort and high school friend Bret Hartley, and the two of us immediately rallied behind the idea of a new solo album. We’ve been working on it since May. All of the material is written, Kevin Leahy’s drums and vibraphone are tracked, Bret’s just about finished with guitars, and at the moment, I’m deep in bass mode. Then it's acoustic guitar, vocals, and mix. I’ve made a pact with Bret not to put a deadline on this project, but a 2020 release feels eminent. I will of course keep you posted.
2. Shortly after the Murphy’s Outlaw gig, I finished my fourth novel, which is called 19 Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band. This is an eight-year project that started as a memoir of my time in the Refreshments and ended as a wild departure from reality that bears only coincidental resemblance to anything that happened. Lots of stretchers, as Mark Twain would say. So, hey, another novel, and this one's funny!
I’ve spend the last eight months looking for a home for 19 Ways, and so far I’ve come up empty. You know that I know how to self-publish these things, so worst case scenario, you will see 19 Ways by 2021, probably early in the year.
3. Finally, the wild success of the first Murphy’s Outlaw show means the boys and I want to make the show into an annual thing. That means in a mere three months, I will saddle up my four-string and escape the Portland gloom for the Phoenix sun, and the Outlaws will do it all over again.
A venue has yet to be set, but the date of the show is firm: Friday, February 21st. Remember, Brian and Dusty are both co-founders of the Refreshments, which means you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a set or two of Refreshments material as well as plenty of other goodies. In other words, time to make travel plans!
That’s about it from my neck o’ the woods. Have a great holiday season, and if you want more frequent updates, feel free to friend me at Facebook or periodically check out my website.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
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