Blog

3-8-12: It's been a pretty busy season so far. Still a lot of winter bookings ahead. Right now I've got the window open next to me, as it is nearly 60 degrees today! I am sick of the cold weather already. This feels pretty good. I'm currently in the process of redesigning my website, and it should be ready to unveil mid April. Not a lot else to report on right now. Keep your eyes on my schedule and catch a show soon! Enjoy the day :-)

12-6-11: Bracing myself for another winter season....it looks like it will be another busy one. Already in December, I have performed 2 of 18 scheduled shows, and the remaining winter months are beginning to fill up quick. I am excited to see what the season will hold! If my schedule remains unchanged, I will end this year with 180 shows performed! A big number, but still 12 shy of last year's total. One of these days I'd like to go back through my books for the past 5+ years and see how many solo shows I've performed altogether. If I ever get around to it, I'll be sure to post the total here. Stay tuned! 

        In venue news, I'm happy to be back at the Beal House Restaurant in Littleton, NH! Thank you to Bill Sanders for doing such a great job with the place. If you haven't caught a show there, you should make a point to do so. Great food and a super relaxed atmosphere. Make sure to keep an eye on my schedule, and plan to catch a show when I'm in your area! There is no shortage of great rooms to choose from. 

        In personal news, I have recently started going to the gym. This is a pretty big deal for me. I'm not in terrible shape, but I can always use more energy. Now I just need to be consistent! Josselyn is still doing great in Kindergarten. She is such an amazing kid! I can't believe how much she's learning (and how fast). Another personal acheivement worthy of mention is that I finished reading my bible (for the 1st of what I hope will be many times) back in September! If you trace my blog back to the fall of '09, you'll see where I began this journey. I am more passionate now about my faith than I have ever been. I can tell you with absolute certainty that God is real, and He wants a personal relationship with you. But you don't have to take my word for it. You only need to read the bible for yourself to see if its true.

        I'll try not to keep you waiting so long for my next post :-)

9-13-11: The days are getting shorter and the cooler weather is moving in. As summer winds down, I welcome the slower pace. This month has brought about a huge change in my life, as my daughter Josselyn has started Kindergarten. She is doing great! I think this change has been more difficult for my wife and I than it has been for her. Our little girl is growing up, and it's happening too fast. She attended her first dance class yesterday! She wants to be a ballerina. While we're excited to see her experience life, I guess there's a part of me that wants to keep her small forever :-). I've posted pictures from her first day of Kindergarten on my facebook page. Check them out.  

       It took me a long time, but I have finally upgraded to a new guitar! Well, new to me at least. I worked like crazy this summer, saving pennies, and I recently purchased a 2005 Taylor 314ce. It just came back from the Taylor factory where the frets were replaced and the neck was reset. It's like having a "new" 6 year old guitar...lol! It's an amazing instrument and I'm looking forward to playing out with it!

       New venues that have come along since my last post include Fabyan's Station in Bretton Woods, NH; The Knotty Shamrock in Northfield, VT; and The Little Grille in North Haverhill, NH. View my schedule to see when I'll be at each of these new venues. This month also brings me back to Tuckerman's Tavern in Intervale, NH; Mulligan's Irish Pub in Barre, VT; and Tony's Italian Grille in Thornton, NH. Each of these are great rooms to catch a live show!

7-31-11: July ended up being a crazy month for me with 18 Shows performed, which brings the total number of shows (to date) this year up to 107. That's a lot of shows but believe it or not, I'm still behind last year's pace which finished with 192! If you haven't made it out to a show yet, check my schedule and plan a night out soon. With shows up and down I-93, you should be able to find one close enough to you. Catch an outdoor performance while you still can! August will find me in Wolfboro, NH for the 1st time (on the 27th) as I entertain at the Wolftrap Restaurant. Stop by if you're in the area. Last night I performed at the Grand Summit Hotel in Bartlett, NH to a welcoming audience. What a great room! This was the 1st of what I hope will be many future shows there. "Rosa Flamingos" in Bethlehem, NH has been a great time this summer, with the opening of their new patio bar. It's pretty impressive! I've been playing some last minute shows over there when the weather is good, so check back often for any midweek updates. Other great venues that are keeping me busy include The Creamery Restaurant in Danville, VT and the Little Grille in Littleton, NH, both of which feature great food and are perfect rooms to catch a live show!

        I want to thank Robert Rowell for taking some live photos of me at the Woodstock Station this past Thursday. I will get some pics on the site soon! I can always use more live shots, so if you plan to catch a show bring your camera. Snap a couple pics and send them my way! Many thanks in advance!!! 

6-6-11: Very busy time of year for me. Saturday night marked 7 shows performed in 7 days! While I did manage to have a night off during that stretch, a double booking on another day made up the difference. During that span, I'm excited to share that God has opened the door for me at 2 new venues! During Tuesday evening's show at the Little Grille in Littleton, the manager of "Mulligan's Irish Pub" in Barre, VT was in attendance and asked me if I'd like to perform at his venue. As a result, I will be there for the first time on Wednesday, June 15th. This is a great venue and promises to be a good time! Then, on Saturday night I performed at Tuckerman's Tavern in Intervale, NH, and the entertainment director for the "Attitash Grand Summit Hotel" located in Bartlett, NH was there. He offered me a booking at the hotel, and I will be there for the first of what hopes to be many performances on Saturday, July 30th. I am always looking for new venues, but I can't remember a time when 2 doors opened up within 1 week like this. I give all the credit to God as these new jobs are an answer to prayer. I know some will consider it nothing more than a coincidence. That's okay with me. In other news, I will be back at the Chang Thai Cafe on Main Street in Littleton this Thursday evening from 6:00 to 9:00. I love this room and I look forward to entertaining for them again. Thank you to all who support the live shows. Check out my schedule and make plans to catch a show soon! This weekend, Josselyn will be turning 5 years old! The pages within this site document stages of her entire life. It's really cool to be able to look back through some of the old photos and remember specific times. She'll be starting Kindergarten in the fall! Up to this point, she has been with me during the days (she's in her room playing as I'm typing this :-). It's sad to think she won't be with me as much when fall comes around. Also, as an update to a previous blog...the St. Patty's Day show at Patrick's Pub was a nightmare. I will never again play a show on that date. Oh well,....we live and we learn. 

3-15-11: Just taking a break from what has already been a very busy winter for me with 34 shows performed in 2011 alone. As I'm only in the middle of two consecutive days off, it isn't much of a break, but it still feels pretty good! Tomorrow starts 4 consecutive shows beginning at Rosa's in Bethlehem on Wednesday and ending at the Beal House in Littleton on Saturday. Saint Patrick's Day will find me performing at Patrick's Pub in Gilford, NH from 4:00 to 7:00. I dread this day each year...lol! Every year I say it will be my last for St. Patty's Day. I'm not Irish. I don't play Irish music. Yet people expect me to play Irish songs all night. I always manage to have a few appropriate songs ready (and I mean a literal few...3 or 4) which I'll find myself playing many times throughout the evening. One of these years I'll learn :-)  

      Ronda and I just filed our tax return for 2010 and I counted the number of shows I performed last year. The end result: 192 shows played at 32 different venues! I haven't kept track of my previous years, but this past one has to have been my busiest. Last month also marked 4 years that I have been doing this exclusively as my occupation. I've been peforming the solo shows a little longer than that, but in February of 2007 I took a leap of faith and made this my full time gig. It's been a ride. Good and bad... 

12-16-10: Winter performances are in full swing! Make sure to check out my upcoming shows and catch one in the near future. Performances have taken me greater distances recently as I have been entertaining as far north as Lo's Tavern in Newport, VT. In the opposite direction, Laconia is still filling my calendar with bookings at Cactus Jack's, Fratello's and the Lobster Pound on Weirs Beach. It would be nice if my area had more places to play, but there are few to be found...although they do exist as I have received a warm welcome locally from the owners and patrons of the Beal House Inn in Littleton, NH. This is fast becoming a favorite venue for me! It reminds me a lot of performing at the Creamery Restaurant in Danville, VT. Both rooms are ideal for dinner music which is what I enjoy playing above all else. That said, I still like getting a little rowdy with the crowds at Rosa Flamingo's in Bethlehem, NH and the Cannon Mountain View Motel (which has been recently renovated) in Franconia, NH. In the time that I have been performing solo, I have made a concious effort to learn a wide variety of popular songs, spanning several generations. My goal for the live shows has always been to incorporate countless musical styles to accommodate any audience on any given night. As such, I've been blessed to entertain at some very diverse venues. If you've ever caught a live show, you may have noticed that I rarely stick to a specific style for more than a song or two before switching it up. For those of you that remember my time as the lead singer/lead guitarist for the band Dirty Joke, you can see that I haven't strayed too far from the blueprint we relied on successfully for 5+ years. When people ask me how I'm able to make a living as an entertainer in the North Country (which is known for anything BUT a thriving live music scene), my answer is always the same. Play songs that people want to hear. It's not rocket science. 

      In personal news, apart from performing, our family is growing every Tuesday evening and Sunday morning at Crossroads Church in Littleton, NH. If you don't know Jesus Christ, there has never been a better time to get to know Him. The bible teaches that without accepting the gift of God, (that is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins), we are destined to eternal separation from God. No matter what has prevented you from opening a bible or visiting a chuch, the fact is that He is coming back. Hebrews 9:28 - "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin for salvation." I guess my point in writing all of this is to encourage you to examine the information for yourself. Whatever you do, don't fall into the trap of believing that all roads lead to God. Jesus Christ said (John 14:6), "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." A person can't say that all roads lead to God without excluding Christianity. Jesus didn't leave that option open. So, why should you believe Jesus? Because He is the living God made flesh! PLEASE, if you've never done it, get a bible and read the first chapter of John's gospel. You owe it to yourself to know Jesus Christ.

9-27-10: September turned out to be a pretty busy month for me. 14 shows performed so far, with 2 remaining before the month's end. The shows have been a lot of fun, and I am so grateful to those who have shown their support! On Sept 11th, I performed at the Beal House Inn in Littleton, NH for the 1st time. The next day I received an email from Jeff Woodburn, a reporter for www.whitemtnews.com. He was in attendance during the show, and wanted to interview me regarding my career for the online publication. I was happy to meet with him and answer his questions. Click here to read the full article. A big thank you to Jeff for his time and effort! I will be returning to the Beal House on October 16th. It's a great room with plenty of seating. Keep up with my schedule and catch a show if you're going to be in the area. Looking ahead to October, I will be back at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville, VT on Oct 1st. This is another GREAT venue to catch a show! I will be performing there on the 1st Friday of each month. In other news, my midweek schedule has changed slightly. I will be performing every other Tuesday night (as opposed to every) at The Cannon Mountain View Motel & Tavern in Franconia, NH. This is a much welcomed change of pace for me. For the midweek crowd, I can also be found every other Wednesday night at Rosa Flamingo's in Bethlehem.

8-25-10: Saturday night's show marked 12 shows performed in 12 days! I did manage to have 3 days off during this stretch, but on 3 of the remaining 9 days I performed 2 shows each. I give all glory to God for carrying me. He has sustained me all year long! I have tonight off, and 2 of the next 3 nights will find me in the Laconia area. Check my upcoming shows for a list of venues. I will also be performing my first show of the year at The Italian Oasis in Littleton on Friday from 5 to 8pm, outside on the deck. Keep your eyes posted here to stay current. Things are coming down the pipe that might create a midweek change for me. I'll post it here first, if and when it happens!

8-12-10: Wow! I've really been slacking here. With so many people using sites like Facebook to get their info these days, the blog has taken a much undeserved backseat. I apologize to those of you who have been waiting for something new. This year has been crazy! I just counted the number of shows that I've performed so far in 2010 and tonight's show at Patrick's Pub in Gilford, NH will make #125!!! I have performed no less than 15 shows each month, with my busiest month so far being July (21 shows). It's been nuts. This year I have found a home away from home in the Lakes Region of NH, with 5 new venues located off Exit 23 of I93 that have been booking me in a regular rotation. It has been a lot of fun! Check back often for updates. I promise I won't make you wait another 10 months!

10-22-09: Just getting over a pretty good cold. It's times like these that I wish I was a good enough guitarist to just play without singing! LOL! Since having my tonsils removed back in April, I had hoped to never catch a cold again. I know....that was pretty unrealistic thinking. The good news is; I'm just about over it. The last thing to come back strong is my voice. Just like anyone else, I need to rest my body to get healthy. That's not so easy, when you sing for a living. I'm constantly exposing my throat and lungs, which slows the healing process quite a bit. At any rate, October has been a very good month! It began with a triple booking on the 3rd. That day was nuts! I started out in Lisbon, as a performer for the town's annual festival of the arts. The skies looked like they were fit to open up at any moment and soak us all. Luckily, I made it through the show with no rain. Then it happened. Just after I had finished loading my gear, the rain came down....in torrents! So heavy, that the tent I was standing under to perform collapsed! Thank god no one was under it at the time. If I had stayed to play just one more song, things could've been pretty ugly. After the festival, I traveled over to Lyman to perform for a wedding ceremony at the town church. The wedding was great, but ran a little later then I expected. That left me a little pressed for time, heading to my 3rd show of the day, which was a private party in Hooksett, NH (about an hour and a half's drive south). The day was rainy from the festival on, so the ride down was rough. I needed to make time, but everyone was driving extra slow, due to the conditions. I made it there about a half hour before I was scheduled to start. The party was a blast! Thank you to the Frawley's for having me again this year (this was their second annual party). When I got home that night, after what turned out to be a 14 hour day for me, I'd never been so happy to see my pillow. The rest of the month, so far, has seen things slow down slightly. It's a welcomed change of pace though. I've started to receive a few bookings from the Mount Washington Hotel, for the Fall and Winter months. Winter dates are also set for ski resorts at Bretton Woods and Ragged Mountain. December will find me at "Tony's Italian Grille" in Thornton, NH for the first time. I also had the pleasure of performing at Walter's Basin in Holderness recently, in relief of another solo act. Hopefully I can get back there soon. I' always looking to diversify. House spots are great, but there is a definite risk involved, when you put all your eggs in one basket. "Bin 42" was a great example of how things can go south, really quick! I was left with a bunch of open dates that I was hard pressed to fill. So.....if you know of any restaurants/pubs etc, that might be a good fit for me; please pass along my website. Last night's show at Rosa Flamingos in Bethlehem was great. Tonight, I'll be at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia, NH, and tomorrow evening I'll be performing at the Crossroads Church, located at 1091 Meadow Street in Littleton. The church is hosting a "Pot Luck" dinner for the community at 6pm. I'm not sure when I'll actually be playing, but it will be a lot of fun. Please come out and see the great things that are taking place at this church. Get reconnected with your faith in Jesus Christ, or if you've never accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I would be happy to meet with you privately to share my testimony. I'm in a better place, as a result of my faith, and this is available to every one of us. Jesus shows us, through his teachings; just how trivial our worldly pursuits are. The greatest gift is; waiting for those who hold strong to their faith. For the skeptics of Christianity, you must understand that Faith, as defined in the bible (Hebrews 11:1) is "The assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld". If you can't accept this, just think about how we put faith in our governments and employers everyday. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, yet we have faith that things will work themselves out. Faith in Christ is exactly the same, only with Jesus we really have something great to look forward to. It's not a fairy tale. Society has taught us to embrace the theory of evolution as fact. It is called a "theory" for a reason. Visit youtube and search "creation vs evolution". You might be amazed by how much faith a person needs, to accept evolution as fact. I will be the first to admit, that the "Genesis" account in the bible requires great faith, but there is a wealth of current information to stongly support it as absolute truth. Don't allow society to think for you. Get resourceful and get answers for yourself. I'll wrap this blog up with one of my favorite verses in the bible. James 4:8 - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Get out, and do some good, and come out to the church Friday night for the dinner. 

9-17-09: It has been awhile since I last wrote here. A lot has changed. I am still performing an average of 4 shows each week. You can still catch me every Wednesday night at Rosa Flamingos in Bethlehem (from 8:30 to 11:00) and every Thrursday at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia (from 7:30 to 10:30). Guitar lessons have been very well received. I have 7 students currently signed up. That's just about my limit, given the available time that I have. That said, if you'd still like to learn to play, drop me an email. I will do my best to make the time available. When I say that a lot has changed, I'm referring to my relationship with God. Whoa.....That's deep! These past few months have been some of the most rewarding months of my life. I was raised "Baptist", and my mother would regularily attend church services every Sunday while I was growing up. Only recently though, have I realized how important it is to get to know God personally. Read the bible. Don't just assume that it isn't relevant....Read It. Finding a church to attend is great, and I strongly recommend it. But I've come to learn recently, that many denominations do not simply teach the bible...so be aware. One church that I've come to learn of recently, even indoctrinates their members with their own interpreted brand of moral standards that the members are expected to live by. I'm not referring to the moral standards that are supported by the bible. I believe that everyone should strive to meet these standards, understanding that God is compassionate and cares for each one of us. I'm referring to denominations that would have their congregation believe that God takes offense to such trivial things as the celebration of birthdays or holidays or voting in public elections, etc. These members are real people that have invited persecution for no good reason, because they've conformed to the moral standards set by their denomination. They are being taught that the authority of their church is God's "Only True Channel", (meaning that the "authority" is the only one who can actually communicate with God). What a claim! As such, members are taught that this authority can better interpret God's will for them, with regards to how each one should conduct themselves on a daily basis. As if God can't communicate with EACH one of us himself. This is really upsetting to me, and I feel for all of the families that have lost someone they love to such  denominational practices. If you're reading this blog, and wonder where all this is coming from, its coming from a place of compassion. I've spoken with members of this chuch recently that are being told how to live, based on the church's own interpretation and application of moral standards. In speaking with some of these church members, its obvious that they don't seem to mind being told what to do. This forced me to ask myself: "Why should I even care?" Maybe I should just let them believe whatever they want, and just worry about myself, right? The problem I have is that they've put their faith in the "authority" of their church's claim to be "God's only TRUE channel". As such, if they question any of the moral practices, they're taught that this is equivalent to defying God himself. They are also taught that outside of this congregation, NO ONE can be saved. I'm not kidding! And furthermore, they are taught that anyone who teaches different, is doing so by influence of the devil himself. As such, whenever they encounter someone outside of their church (like myself), they will be happy to talk about God, as long as you don't challenge the authority of their church. That sounds a little like a cult to me. If you've been paying attention so far, you can see that these people are being controlled by fear tactics. They don't mind, because they agree with all of the teachings, that are based on the bible. In fact, they'll probably never have an issue, provided that they don't ever question the church's authority. Now, for those of you that could care less about anything I've written so far,.......you should. If you've ever watched the news, and seen people that are being oppressed by a government, or being oppressed in any respect, you should be able to see how similar this situation is. These people are caught in a situation where they have 2 choices. They can either leave the church (which would disqualify them from receiving salvation, based on what they've been taught) or they can submit to the church's will and go along for the ride. After all, they're taught that they are part of "God's chosen denomination". Again, I'm not kidding here! And, as members of "God's chosen denomination" there is no good reason to challenge the authority of their church. Does this sound a little crazy to anyone else!? I'm not going to get all Self-righteous and start preaching the Gospel to you, but I will share 2 verses in the bible that warn us about such denominations (1st John 2:26,27) --- "These things I write you about those who are trying to mislead you. And as for you, the anointing that you recieved from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to be teaching you, but, as the anointing from him is teaching you about all things, and is true and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in union with him." --- These verses clearly discredit ANY chuch's claim to being God's only true channel. God tells us that we don't need a middle man to interpret the bible for us. God provided us ALL with the Spirit of Truth (mentioned at John 14:16,17) to help us interpret the bible. And the bible teaches that every one of us is eligible for salvation, by exercising faith in Jesus Christ. By this, I mean believing that he is the son of God, and he gave his life so that we may receive forgiveness for our sins. It doesn't need to be complicated to anything more than that. I recently spoke with one of the members of this church, who presented an argument as to why his denomination is superior to all others. I explained that denominations are unnecessary, and that they only create splits in the true church, because they each believe that they are morally superior to all others. It's important to note here, that the true Chuch of Christ is not a denomination of Christianity. Those belonging to the Church Of Christ know that we are to live by the example set by Jesus. As such, there is no need to push any additional "moral standards", that are based on the traditions of society. Striving to follow Christ's example should automatically cause a person to have high moral standards. There should be no alterior motives attached to a church, allowing them to tell you what you can and cannot do. If there are, then you risk allowing yourself to be controlled. If you've accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, then you also accepted that he took all of your sins to the cross with him. As such, we should all strive to live by his example. His standards are the only ones we should be compelled to meet. We should never allow a denomination to impose their will regarding matters that have no bearing at all on how we receive salvation. So, the next time someone from such a denomination comes knocking on your door (there's a hint to the denomination I'm referring to), don't turn them away. Share these verses from "1st John" with them. I did, but unfortunately that wrapped up our conversation real quick. I wasn't trying to make them feel threatened. I actually wanted them to justify their church's claim to be God's only true channel. Remember, they are taught that anyone that doesn't agree with their church's teachings is under the Devil's influence. I'm not making this stuff up! This is what they are taught. As such, they interpreted my challenge as a challenge coming from the devil. How crazy is that!? We all should realize that the teachings of the bible are much more important than belonging to any denomination. I believe that attending chuch is GREAT, provided that they stick to teaching the bible, and don't impose their own "interpretation" of moral values at the same time. Sometimes, when we take a stand for what we believe, persecution is justified. But if someone is being persecuted for NO GOOD REASON, then they really need to stop and ask themselves why they would submit themselves to such a thing.

8-20-09: Great show at Rosa Flamingos in Bethlehem last night! I'm very excited about my new weekly spot over there. Make a note on your calendar and help spread the word ---- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT ROSA'S from 8:30 to 11:00! Great music and half priced wings all night. Can't go wrong! Tonight brings me back to the CMV in Franconia (I'm there EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT from 7:30 to 10:30), and tomorrow I can be found at the Italian Oasis in Littleton from 5:00 to 8:00. I've still got plenty of open dates for the fall, and I'm always looking for new venues. I've still got a few openings for guitar lessons as well, so if you ever wanted to learn, click here and get the details. In other news, I've just recently joined the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce. If you've got a business, and you're looking to expand, this is something you should consider. Enjoy the sun and get out to a show soon! 

8-13-09: I'll be performing at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia, NH Tonight! Showtime for my usual Thursday spot has moved from (9:00 to Midnight) to (7:30 to 10:30). Hopefully this change in time will be well received, appealing to an earlier audience. If you haven't come out to see a show there in a while, things have changed! I'm now set up on the "Bar Side", rather than the larger room with the pool tables. I think that the change in location was a good idea. A common complaint regarding the old spot was that the sound would bounce around too much. I find that the overall sound is much improved. In other news, I've updated my availability through the month of December. If you're a restaurant/pub manager that has been thinking about entertainment, now's the time to book for the fall! Don't wait until its too late. Drop me an email at  matt@onemanacoustic.com or send one through the "Contact Me" link here on the site. 

8-3-09: August already! I hope you've had a good summer to this point. If not, you've still got a full month! With plenty of shows lined up, you've got no reason to not get out and catch one soon. I'll be at Rosa's this Wednesday evening, and I will be performing there every Wednesday night, starting August 19th. So if midweek is your thing, you've got another great option for Wednesdays! Please help spread the word. See you out soon!  

7-17-09: July has been a busy month for me. Weddings, private parties and even Sunday brunches. This Sunday, I'll be at Rosa Flamingo's from 11am to 2. Get an early lunch and shake off that Saturday night hangover. I still have a few available dates this summer if you're thinking about a private party. Drop me a line! Tonight I'll be at Alburritos in Littleton. Great room. The weather's beautiful (at the moment), so maybe it'll be an outdoor show. I guess you'll have to come out and see. I'm still accepting students of all ages for guitar lessons. Check the link above for more info. I want to thank the "Bridge Weekly Sho-Case" for some great press. Thank you to Andrea Fitzgerald, who wrote a feature article about the live shows. I'm not sure how long they'll keep the article on their website, but it's there right now (Click Here). Enjoy the day!  

6-19-09: Crazy north country summer.....yet again! With 10 days left in June, I don't think we've had 2 consecutive days above 70 degrees. Summer schedule is in full swing. Plenty of live shows to attend. Family life is good....Josselyn just celebrated her 3rd birthday. Looking back, I can't beleive how much life has changed since she's arrived. I started doing this solo gig the same month that she was born (June of '06), and played my first solo show when she was 1 month old. Around that same time, I ended a 5 year run as the lead singer of "Dirty Joke", and took a huge leap of faith by quitting my day job to pursue music full time, in early '07. To date, I've performed more than 200 solo shows! If you've been a visitor of this site, from it's conception, you've witnessed many changes that have taken place, over this period of time. If you're a new visitor, you can get up to speed by clicking "The Past", at the top of the page. It's been a crazy run. I feel like I've changed more in the past 3 years, than I did in the previous 28. Yeah, that makes me 31.... (Although, some days I feel more like 51). Tonight, I'll be at Woodward's Resort in Lincoln, NH. If you're looking for something to do.....make the trip over. It's a great room, and should be a great time!

6-6-09: Just got in from my 4th consecutive night of performing. Great times! Thank you to everyone that made it out. Also, a big thanks to Paul for getting me a last minute gig at Cactus Jack's this past Wednesday in Laconia, and to John Alberrini for my Friday night show at Alburrito's in Littleton. Both shows were a blast. Tonight's show at the CMV in Franconia was nuts! There was some sort of rugby convention going on!? Tons of people. High energy, good vibes, and plenty of liquid courage to go around! What else do you need???  

5-25-09: This past weekend was a great opportunity for me to get back into performance mode. Saturday began with an afternoon wedding at the Sunset Hill House in Franconia, NH, and ended with an evening performance in Lisbon, for the town's Lilac Festival. Both of these shows were a lot of fun! Thankfully, mother nature didn't ruin either of the outdoor events. The skies were dark all day. If they had opened up....we would have all been in pretty bad shape! Sunday afternoon brought me back to the Crazy Horse Campground in Littleton. This was the first of 6 scheduled shows with them this summer. Great people, good times! I'm looking forward to another great season over there. Thank you to Barb and Joe for welcoming me back. Looking ahead, I still have some available performing dates for the summer months. Check my upcoming shows for a complete list. I'm always looking for new venues and new audiences, so if you know of any....please help spread the word! If you've made it out to a show recently, thank for your continued support. I really appreciate it! Enjoy the nice weather. 

5-15-09: It feels good to be back! Last night's show at the CMV in Franconia was my first in over 5 weeks. I'm happy to say that the voice held up nicely. Not perfect, but that's to be expected. It will take a little time for me to really get comfortable with my newly "tuned up" pipes. I had my follow up appointment with the doctor that performed my tonsilectomy yesterday, and was glad to hear that everything is fully healed. We recalled how I used to complain of irritation on the right side of my throat. Sure enough, once the tonsils were removed he was able to confirm that I did in fact, have tonsillitus on my right tonsil. Apparently it was just far enough back that he was unable to see it, prior to the surgery. I KNEW that something was wrong, and it's nice to feel like I've been vindicated. In the months prior to the surgery, I SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED QUITTING the live shows, as it just wasn't worth it to be miserable all the time. To get ready vocally, for each show was such a challenge. And even then.....I STILL wasn't singing at the level I knew I was capable of. And the nights that I really struggled....were just plain embarrassing! Through it all, I'M SO GRATEFUL that my wife has a lot of patience! I don't know how she put up with my rollercoaster emotions, during that stretch. This past winter was a very discouraging time for me, and I know I wasn't the easiest person to be around. Now, I feel like I've been given a clean slate, and I'm hoping that I can get back to really enjoying what I do for a living! Make plans to catch my next show, at the CMV on Saturday from 5 to 8. Hopefully the weather will allow for an outdoor show!

5-5-09: Fully recovered and ready to perform! While I have enjoyed some time off, I am eager to get back. The original plan was for me to start up again on May 7th at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication between the owner and myself this is not going to be the case. I will be resuming my every Thursday night spot at the CMV on Thursday, May 14th. Keep your eyes on my upcoming shows, and plan to get out to one soon!

4-16-09: Wow! It's been awhile since I've written anything here. Sorry for the long abscence. I'm currently taking some time off to recover from a surgery to have my tonsils removed. I had the procedure done on April 6th, so as I'm writing this, I'm 10 days into the healing process. I've got to say, that first week was rough! I expected some pain, but I got a little more than I bargained for. Fortunately the doctor hooked me up with some pretty good pain meds! I was also given 10 days worth of antibiotics that were not so cool. Between the pain pills and the antibiotics, I have been nautious as hell! So, to sum it up so far......Not much fun. The good news is that I'm feeling much better, these past few days. The pain is tolerable. I'm back to eating pretty much whatever I feel like. I actually sang a few notes yesterday, and was surprised to find that it didn't hurt so bad. That said, it was still a little uncomfortable. Right now, I'm slated to start up again on May 7th at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia. I'm thinking there's a chance that I might be able to go even sooner.....so, keep your eyes on the site, should any last minute shows pop up!

2-12-09: Looking forward to tonight's show at the Cannon Mountain View in Franconia! Show starts at 9:00. Come early and get some good food in you. They've added a second pool table! Okay..........so I know it isn't much, but this is the North Country. We'll take what we can get! I just picked up a last minute show at the Tamarack Grill in East Burke, tomorrow night (Friday the 13th!!!). That show starts at 8:00. I was really glad to see so many from the Littleton area make the trip over there last week. I had a great time! In other news.....completely changing the subject (sorry, I'm kind of a scatter brain)...... I'll be getting my tonsils taken out, mid April! Crazy, right!? I've struggled with sore throats most of my life and when you sing for a living, that can make for some difficult nights. So, I'm hopeful that after the surgery, things will be better. Due to the recovery time though, I won't be performing for about 4 weeks. I've decided to hold off until the end of ski season to have the surgery, as this is a pretty busy time for me. I look forward to seeing you all come out to the shows between now and then!      

1-24-09: 3 Shows down, in a 4 day stretch. Last night's show at the Tamarack in East Burke, Vt was a blast! Thank you to everyone that made it out. Great energy!!! You guys kept me going all night long. I also want to thank everyone that made it out Friday night to the Cabot Lounge in Lancaster, NH. The Cabot is fast becoming one of my favorite venues! If you haven't caught a show there yet, make plans to come out to the next one. In other news, I've added a new link to the site..."Your 2 Cents"! If you've been out to a show, please take a second to answer some questions. I want to know what you think! 

1-16-09: Just got in from my show at the CMV in Franconia. It's 1:00am. I envy you, if you're sleeping right now. The temperature outside is a blistering cold 16 below zero!  Man, I was born in the wrong part of the country.

1-12-09: With the new year, I've decided to stop the monthly news pages. Instead, I'll be posting things throughout each month right here. So far, this year is not off to a very good start. For myself or my family. We've had a bug that has kicked our asses! SICK....like I haven't been in years. I actually had to cancel my 1/8 show at the CMV in Franconia. That is only the second time I've had to cancel, since I began performing solo. I did manage to make it out to the Cabot in Lancaster for my show on the 9th. I was weak! Physically. But, I managed to get through it. As a result, I feel like I took 2 steps backwards in my recovery process. Entertaining for a living is tough, when you're sick. My job doesn't come with "paid" vacation days. I've got a few days off right now though, and I'm using them wisely. Much needed REST! I'll need it, as I'll be starting a triple header later this week. The CMV on the 15th, the Eastgate on the 16th and a wedding on the 17th.