My First Full Gig in Oregon

After months of making inquiries and checking out venues, I finally got two sets at a local restaurant bar in South Salem!

Loud but Friendly

It was certainly not a listening room, but it was packed, Okay, not exactly like this, But I enjoyed feeling the room full of people and having the time to get to twenty songs, rather than ten or fewer on a sidewalk.

Friends and Family

I also had a group of friends and curious fans who came specifically to hear Jean Marie and me run through some covers and a few originals.

A Few Small Repairs

Out of the gate, a few wrinkles: a missing connecting cable between the mixer and the PA. A broken mic stand (in mid-song!), and the necessary discovery—on the fly— of where the switch for phantom power lived on my new mixer. But we settled in, and by the second set, things felt great. The reception was very positive, too. One friend came up after “Miz’ry, my closer, and said, “I felt that!” and he shivered.

New Toys

In addition to the new mixer, I trotted out a new harmonizer, too, which occasionally made the vocals huge with just me singing. Bye, Bye Love (done as a tribute to David Lindley, who had died that day) was a standout, as was Tom Petty’s Listen to her Heart. A fun new toy!

Jean Marie Sighting!

It was also terrific having Jean Marie back on stage with me for a third of the tunes. As some of you know, we met singing, and our relationship really began that way. Now, twenty-five years later, it’s wonderful to blend our voices again. More, please!!