I was supposed to be in Massachusetts*1 today but I had to cancel because of the airline canceling flights from omicron and a good thing I did, one of the venues got back to me and the booker- he's positive too.
But I’m going to spin this, I’m going to be positive in the good way. Looking at all opportunities and 2022 as half full.
- From now on all music downloads free/pay what you want - see below.
- I’m in the process of rescheduling my trip back east and will be rocking those places soon.
- I’ve been booking a tour up the west coast from February 18 thru March 7. San Fran, Berkeley, Cottage Grove, Portland, Eugene, Seattle. I still have some openings so if you’d like a house concert or something, let me know and I’m also looking for some places to stay if that’s at all possible.*2
- Tracy and I will be heading to Arizona the beginning of April for a show in Prescott and two*3 in Tucson. Then back up the west coast around the 15th.
- I’m booking a big tour in June hitting CA, NV, TX, TN, OH, WI, AL and more. I would love to play wherever you are, hit me up for a show or again, if you got a couch I can crash on, that’d be cool.
- Our online benefit for Women’s Transitional Living Center raised over $300.
- I’ve had three meetings with booking agents and two have gone really well*4. They ask me why I need them and I tell them to get on bigger tours as an opener and to fill in dates I can’t book. We’ll see how that goes but I talked to one of them for 90 minutes on an actual phone call.*5
- Europe in September/October. I have dates already booked in Vienna and Steyr, Austria, Lübeck, Kühlungsborn, Bremen Germany. Looking to book more.
- I started a Patreon, also below.
- I was published in a literary journal this month.
So I’ve been thinking about my music in the digital world. I get regular notices showing me places online*6 that are giving my music away for free so I figured I’d cut out the middle man. From now on all digital downloads will be “pay what you want” on my website. If you want it for free, you got it. If you want to buy it for $10, that’s cool too. If you feel like it deserves more, I’m not going to stop you. Physical cds and albums will stay the same but if you just want the download - have at it HERE.
I started a Patreon*7. This has been a challenging thing for me to do mentally but it’s good, it’s simple and rewarding for all. I have released 4 albums and 2 EPs in the past 5 years. So for 2022 I have decided that I am going to concentrate on performing, touring and promoting all of these to the utmost I can. That said, my Patreon will be releasing a new recording every month of 2022. This will culminate in a covers*8 album by the end of the year. If you’re a Patreon pledger, you will get them every month and a CD at the end of the year with your name in the credits. These recordings will not be released on my website.*9
Oh and we have a Fallen Stars show booked on January 22nd at Bobby V’s in Anaheim, CA but I’m skeptical it’s going to happen. The venue hasn’t updated their website since June, their facebook page doesn’t work and their Instagram page hasn’t been updated since October.
I had planned to tell you all this yesterday and get ready to share my first song on Patreon but instead I decided to clean my studio in the most un-economical way possible - I flooded it by overflowing the shop sink for over an hour. I spent yesterday and today ripping up carpet and drying out rugs. The good news is that it is now super duper clean, the bad news is my back hates me right now. I was thankful to have one remaining thc infused peanut butter cup to help me thru last night.
BTW - been reading Dave Grohl’s book “Storyteller.” It’s so good. My mom got it for me for Christmas and before she did she asked me if I knew who Dave Grohl was. She was like “He used to be in Nirvana…” It was so cute. Yeah mom, I know who DG is.
I’ve also been listening to Rhett MIller’s “wheels off” podcast. Also excellent. I need to let my mom know who Rhett Miller is.*10
Musically I've been listening to my friends The Odd Birds and they have their music as "pay what you want" as well on their site. Totally worth checking out, listen to "drowning rain" or Ok, that was a lot for today. I hope you’re staying safe and healthy and I look forward to seeing you all later this year!
xo
~Bobbo
P.S. The free download today is the album Motel Americana. The album that re-launched my solo career and starts with my favorite love song "hold me."
*1- It is a funny word when you’re drunk.
*2- I am, of course, double vaxxed and boosted and would be respectful of your needs.
*3- Well, we haven’t heard back from the Tucson Folk Fest yet but fingers are crossed.
*4- One agent actually told me I had the best looking pitch she’s ever seen but wasn’t taking on new clients because of
*5- I never talk on the phone.
*6- Usually in far away places formerly in the Soviet Union.
*7- Patreon is an American membership platform that provides business tools for content creators to run a subscription service. It helps creators and artists earn a monthly income by providing rewards and perks to their subscribers.
*8- The covers - I haven’t picked them all out yet. My goal is to share some music that you may not have ever heard before, things a little off the beaten path, some will be friends, some classics, new wave and all done in a (hopefully) unique way.
*9- I’m working on some other treats as well!
*10- But you know who Rhett Miller is, right?