Oklavania or Pennslahoma?

Check out this fella. I've spent time in both Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. In tons of ways, they are very different. But this kind of dude can be found in both places. God bless America.

That's got almost nothing to do with this post.

But I did want to let you all know that I'm 90% done planning two of the legs of the Su Casa Es Mi Casa tour. As you have probably surmised by now, those two legs will be in/around Oklahoma and in/around Pennsylvania.

Here are the basics:

I'll be in OK/KS/MO sometime around September 4-9. Maybe more days, maybe less.

I'll be in PA/NY/MD sometime around September 19-26. That tour got pushed back, for several reasons.

If you live in these areas and have contacted me about a show, but you haven't heard from me in the last couple of weeks, be patient. I'm working it out. Truthfully, I probably can't play in every single home that has requested it. But I'm doing my best to hit as many as possible. And I'm pretty sure that I'm going to do the PA/NY/MD thing twice, to try to meet the demand. I've got a good bit of flight miles, so I can do that traveling for almost nothing. So if I miss your home/venue in late September, don't worry. I'll probably come back around in October or November.

That's all I have on that for now. I'm waiting on a couple of confirmations before i post the final tour dates/stops. Hopefully I'll have that up early next week.

Also, I think I made my decision about the "extra songs" that I mentioned last week. Lance, most of your ideas weren't that practical, but I really honestly thought about eating the songs. But they're just too meaty and delicious for one man to enjoy alone. Ooooh snap!

But seriously, I'll let you guys know about that soon as well. I'm working out the details. Just know this: the punchline is that there will be free music involved, and folks like you will probably get the first crack at it. Thanks for the help in working that out.

I'm off to Mississippi for the weekend (check my website for details). If you're in the area, come see me.

thanks, etc

My dad is home and doing great. Thanks for all the prayers, encouraging emails and such.

Also, I'm really close to having the PA/NY/MD leg of the tour organized. Updates later this week. I'm so organizationally challeneged, kids. I feel like my brain is in a blender.

Blender Brain. Title for the new CD? Let's come back to that later...

The CD is moving along. Finishing vocals and acoustics this week. Rough mixes soon.

I have 18 songs that could go on this album. It's obnoxious, I know. All of them are recorded, most with fairly full productions. I'm trying to shake/squeeze/pare the project down to 12, maybe 13 tunes total. We'll see how that goes. What should I do with the extras? Have a "bonus CD"? Have an "iTunes only" thing? Freebies? Podcasts? Throw them out and/or save them for another record 4-5 years from now? Who has an idea? And don't just say "freebies" unless you have a good reason. Ross gotta eat.

Ross Gotta Eat. Title for the new CD? Let's come back to that later...

you have plenty of stuff to pray for, i'm sure, but...

I'm not big on posting personal details of my life. I'll go on and on (and on and on...) when it comes to opinions, beliefs, convictions, etc. But it's just not my way to tell "the world" (meaning anyone who happens across my various web endeavors) all about the inner, private stuff.

However, some things are going on that may keep me from posting for a few days, so I'll briefly share it here.

Last week, while I was doing a really great camp gig in Ohio, I got a call that my dad had been taken to the hospital for some fairly serious health-related stuff. Obviously it was upsetting for me, and even more so since I was a 4 hour plane ride away when it all went down.

He's been in and out of the hospital since then, and he's currently being tested for all kinds of stuff. Again, I'm not going to go thru a bunch of details, and I assume you all understand why I make that choice. But I do feel like we have a cool little community of friends here, so I wanted all of you to know about it, lest you thought I was just ignoring you or getting lazy. I also wanted you to know about it so you can pray for him if you're so inclined.

All evidence points to a full (and fairly quick) recovery for my Pop, but I'm going to be spending all my free time for a bit trying to be there for him and my mom. I love my dad, and on top of that, I just really like him. He's always been the kind of father that everybody else wishes they had. If nothing else, this is a great excuse for me to get some quality time with him. He's as ornery as ever, stuck in that hospital bed, being poked and prodded all day, and he needs his kid around to listen to his ranting and raving and smart-aleck jokes (am I my father's son or what?).

I promise I'll be back to all this soon enough. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support.

remember my other website?

You can go here and check out my "writings" page if you want. About twice a year I write something there. I just did, and it's totally rad as always. And by "totally rad," I mean that it's my typically over-analytical, ticked-off, deconstructionist looniness. Feel free to comment about it on this blog if you have thoughts on my newest rant. I think Todd, Robert, and Johnny might have some particular interest in this one.

Also, a few pieces of news:

First, the new record is sounding pretty darn good. There is a chance that I'm biased. Either way, the great Caleb Carruth came in on Monday for some background vocals, and of course it sounds awesome. And my pal Wes Lunsford (who will probably be famous pretty soon) will be in tomorrow to rub some funky vocal goodness on a few of my tunes. Rough mixes will be showing up here soon, I promise.

Second, all you PA/NY/MD folks can be on the lookout for a blog here specifically related to you. I'm getting really close to having a rough plan for my trip (or trips) to your neck of the woods.

Third, I had to take photos for the new record today. Our good friend Ari Jones, who has been my photog for the last several records, put up with me again today. I'm as vain and self-worshiping as the next guy, but I'm an unenthusiastic, insecure weirdo when it comes to photo shoots. I just keep thinking that I'm buff, bronzed and beautiful, and then I look at the photos, and I realize that the Pasty-Pudgy Train has pulled into the station and dropped off the fat kid with bad teeth. I drove Ari nuts, I think. But I paid her, so I guess it's okay.

Rough photos will not be showing up here soon, I promise.