February salutations, one and all.
With our country so divided in recent times (and no end in sight) just about one of every two of my countrypeople has taken a side from which there seems no return or desire for mature, respectful, and heart-felt communication. Sound-bites and pre-digested knee-jerk reactions are the order of the day. Pettiness doesn't work on a playground let alone in governance where there is sacred responsibility to our countrymen and countrywomen and to our global community.
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My goal is to remain open-minded, compassionate, kind, and thoughtful as we continue to experience these present moments and move through them towards something higher for the greater good of all. For me a healthy economy means that all are attended to, and it isn't nearly enough that people have jobs (which is how these stats are measured), but rather that they have jobs where they can earn a decent living (minimum wage is not enough to live on in many cases) and give their families healthy food, decent shelter, and basic needs for starters. Statistics don't always translate to prosperity, and it's my view that there are too many people hurting and struggling to hang my hat on "a booming economy and low unemployment". These sound like good things on the surface. At what cost? I believe there's more to take into account in a bigger picture.
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A box of CDs has arrived ~ and been disseminated ~ from Germany (with more to come) and 2020 officially ushers in my 15th studio recording courtesy of Stockfisch Records. The first review also arrives, from MUSIK Magazine in Germany - one of it's two "CD's of the Month" - off to a good start, and keeping in good company if you look to the left on the photo below. If your German is rusty, they said very nice things. So has Silk Road in China (this excerpt is courtesy of a free online language translator - you get what you pay for) : "Beautiful folk song King David Roth reunited with fans six years apart. The Latest SACD Album: "Meet You Where You Are" coming soon ~ David Roth, who has only released only three* albums in fifteen years, but all won the fantastic fan and critics! Working with tiger fish again this time will definitely make a lot of fans enjoy their ears!"
* now 4 for Stockfisch, 15 overall :-)
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I hope to have some on hand at many appearances going forward. I couldn't be more pleased with this now 16-year association with my friends in Germany at this venerated European audiophile record label.
Songs: Meet You Where You Are • They Do Not Speak For Me • Holland • Long Way Home • Nothing Like a Day on the River • Rise We Will • There But For Fortune (Phil Ochs) • It's My Job • The Roaring of Noiseless Calm • Just a Wall • Fill In All the Blanks (here's a live video from my March 2018 concert in Northeim, Germany:
https://we.tl/t-qZJel1BNbC • Until We Meet Again
Thanks always for your interest.
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This month brings trips to Rhode Island, the 16th year of Cape Cod's Full Moon Open Mic, and a "Texas Five-Step" tour over 4 days.
Of note here on the Cape, Boston's Jimmy Tingle (comedy meets politics) will join us at the open mic on February 12th in Brewster. If you've heard his name before, one reason might be that you've seen him often on "60 Minutes". I'm giving him my slot as well as the slot sometimes taken by Chulo the Singing Dog so that he can warm us up with a taste of his full show at the WHAT Theater 2 nights later on Friday 2/14. We'll be in the audience for that one...how about you?
https://jimmytingle.com/
and
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Here goes something...
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5 Branford, CT ~ private event
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17 Medford, OR ~ Rogue Valley CSL second annual...
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23 Seattle, WA ~ Bring-A-Chair Concerts ~ more info coming
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26 Havre de Grace, MD ~ songwriting wkshp/concert w/Sloan Wainwright
28 Kennett Square, PA ~ 7:30 PM @ Crosslands
AUGUST
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8-17 Cork, Kerry, Clare Ireland ~ Inishfree Music Tour (full)
24 East Lansing, MI ~ East Lansing Public Library (free)
26 Garden City, MI ~ Garden City Presbyterian (umpteenth annual)
27 Livonia, MI ~ AM @ Unity of Livonia (tent)
28 Wixom, MI ~ Wixom Elementary School Music Department visit
OCTOBER
2 Saratoga Springs, NY ~ Caffe Lena w/Anne Hills
~ starting to look for more dates w/Anne October 3-4-5 - ideas welcomed!
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Here I am with friend Jeni Stepanek after the 4th Annual UnNaugural Concert in Rockville, MD last month, produced by Maryland State Senator Cheryl Kagan...a great gathering of wonder-full souls at Montgomery College. Jeni's son Mattie did some amazing world-changing work (as Jeni continues to do) while on this planet...check it out at http://www.mattieonline.com/
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“In these dark and uncertain times, there can be great value in imagining a bit of star in each human soul. Not just that it gives some hope for humanity at a time when man’s inhumanity to man seems ever on the increase; but also because it points to an inner brightness that can light the way in dark times.”
― Michael Meade, The Genius Myth
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