Happy New Year!

We wanted to be among the first to wish you the best of New Years in 2008. 2007 was great for us, and we hope as you reflect back it was a good year for you. Now, we move into resolutions and planning, and looking forward to the seasons ahead.

We ran across a quote that struck us as very relevant for this time of year. It was attributed to Edmund Burke, and read, "The greatest mistake is made by the one who does nothing, because he could only do a little." In 2008, we want to take that idea to heart. Our resolution is to do what we can, even if it is a little, because if everyone did that--well, it's better than compounding interest in savings. The planet wouldn't be the same.

As always, welcome to those who are new to our mailing list and newsletter. We'll never spam you, or give your email to anyone else.
If you wish to be removed from the list, there are easy ways to do that, and feel free to let us know. Our goal is to keep you informed about what's happening with our music...not to bother you.

1. WAMMIE NOMINATIONS
2. BIRCHMERE DATE
3. 333 PHOTOS
4. BACA SHOWCASE
5. UPCOMING SHOWS

1. WASHINGTON AREA MUSIC ASSOCIATION

The Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) recently announced the nominations for 2007. We are honored to have been nominated for both Best Contemporary Folk Duo/Group, and Best Contemporary Folk CD for Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws. Siobhan was also nominated for Best Contemporary Folk Vocalist. The WAMMIES, as they are called, are the Washington DC area equivalent to the Grammy Awards. The awards show, where the winners will be announced, will be on February 17th. Keep your fingers crossed for us--and if you are a WAMA member, vote for us--but do it quickly. The deadline for ballots is tomorrow, January 2nd.

2. BIRCHMERE DATE

We are very excited to announce that we have been booked to open for Hal Ketchum at the Birchmere Music Hall--one of the premier music clubs in the US. It is an honor to be able to play that stage, and to open for Hal. That's not happening until May, so you'll hear more about it before the date, but we wanted you to know about it now.

3. 333 PHOTOS

We put up a few photos of our performance at the 333 Coffeehouse in Annapolis, Maryland, that we played on December 21st. It was a very nice evening, and we appreciate, Jane Meneely for inviting us. The venue and folks there are wonderful, and if you are in the Annapolis area and haven't been there to hear the music--by all means, go!
You'll love it.

We know we have a lot of photos up overall, by the way, but you'll look at what interests you, and skip the rest. We like to remember and recognize the places we've played, and hope you enjoy them.

Check them out at www.dreamersloversandoutlaws.com, and click on photos.

4. BACHA SHOWCASE

We'll be headed to Massachusetts in a couple of weeks (January 13) to play a brief set at a showcase for the Boston Area Coffeehouse Association. This showcase is important for us, because the venues--the Boston area coffeehouse coffeehouse coordinators, committees, etc., will be there to listen and deciding if they might like to have us come play at their venues. It's not a public show--open to members of BACHA only, but if you happen to be a member, we'd love to see you there...and, this is another time when we'd ask you to keep your fingers crossed for us.

5. UPCOMING SHOWS

Aside from the BACHA showcase, we'll be doing several important shows in the coming couple of months. Here's a short list:

February 9 -- Acoustic Brew, State College, PA
February 14 -- The Athenaeum, Alexandria, VA
February 17 -- Strathmore Music Hall, Rockville, MD
February 22 -- Minstrel Coffeehouse, NJ

You can check out our schedule at www.dreamersloversandoutlaws and click on "calendar/schedule" for more details on each of these, and other shows that are upcoming.

We're also pleased to announce that later in the spring we'll be opening for Colin Hay (from the band, Men at Work) at Sanctuary Concerts. We'll give you more about that--and more--later.

Finally, a reminder for all our friends from Song School in Lyons,
Colorado: remember, Song School sells out, so make your reservations now. We want to see all of you in August, and since we've just passed the season of "no room at the inn" we don't want an encore of that scenario in August, in Colorado.

Ditto, by the way, for the Swannanoa crowd. Contemporary Folk week classes do fill up, so as soon as you can, reserve your place there as well.

We'll see you all down the road--and remember, do what you can. If we all do a little, the world can change.

Siobhan and Michael

I don't know what happened, several entries here from over the summer have been lost...
Regardless, we keep the other website, www.dreamersloversandoutlaws.com up to date, with news, schedule, photos, and other info....Check it out!!! That's where you'll find the latest.

Remember to check out the News at www.dreamersloversandoutlaws.com for the latest word.....

now, on to the newsletter

Siobhán Quinn and Michael Bowers
June 07 Newsletter

1. Welcome New Recipients
2. Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase Selection
3. Rain is a Four Letter Word-Kerrville Update
4. Northern VA Arts Festival-Wind is also a Four Letter Word
5. Folk Radio-Thanks for the airplay!
6. Guitars and More
7. Summer Schedule
8. Every Cobblestone Tells a Story-update and musings

1. Welcome—

Welcome to new recipients from Kerrville, CDBaby, and our website. If you signed up by accident, or can´t remember, or changed your mind, let us know. We´ll never spam you or share your info. And, yes, this is the June letter and it´s July. We know we´re late, and hoping that doesn´t really matter to you.

2. Falcon Ridge!!

We are very pleased to announce that we were selected to be among the 24 acts chosen as Emerging Artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. This festival is one of the premier events in the Northeast, and has a great national-actually, international reputation. This selection is not part of a "contest" in that there are no judges, but the audience does indicate favorites, who are then invited to do a tour and a round-robin at the festival next year. It's a bit odd for us to be "emerging" since we emerged onto the planet a long time ago, but since we've only been performing together a couple of years, it is appropriate, and this is definitely a big honor and recognition of our work. Thanks to those on the selection committee and Anne Saunders, the festival's director.

3. Kerrville was wet. Wet. WET!

That's a three-letter word, of course, but the reason it was wet was because of the four letter word—Rain. We were really happy with our appearance at New Folk. We played our songs, and got a very nice standing ovation. We sold lots of CDs—more than we or the folks working the CD booth had ever anticipated. And several venues have asked about booking us. It really doesn't get any better than that. We'd have wished for more time around the circles, but there was simply so much rain for the five days we were there most of us were focused on survival-keeping the instruments dry first, of course, and then the people after that. Still, Kerrville has magic that you don't just find anywhere. There are a few photos of us on the stage at Kerrville now on the website for you to take a peek at if you are so inclined. Our best to Dalis and the whole Kerrville crew, and very special thanks to Camp Sweetness and Light and Janet for such kind and generous hospitality. (Janet, we don´t have all the camp´s email addresses, so pass this on for us, will you?) You guys are too much!? For that matter, so is everyone at Kerrville—Coho, NashBill, Rouse House, Synkerrnicity (how do you spell that?)—we could go on and on….

4. Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival—

Thanks to Dan Grove and GRACE for bringing us to the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival in Reston, VA. It was fun to play, and to catch up briefly with Al Petteway and Amy White who were on before us. Rain was not a problem-but boy did the wind blow! One booth went over shortly after we finished, and while there were some photos of us there, it's a little difficult to tell who we are, because the wind was at our backs, and, well, Siobhán looks like she's hiding behind her hair (as does Michael) for most of the shots. So, we decided not to post those photos. Maybe next year?? It really is a great event, and one that any community should be proud to host. The art and the music were wonderful. (We say that as fans, not as performers-we loved listening to the other acts.)

5. Folk Radio—

We were pleased to chart in the top 20 (#18) for folk radio for the month of May with Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws. Thanks to all the DJs and fans who are supporting our music and especially this disc. All indie musicians make their discs in faith that they will be well received...the investment is all up front. We appreciate you playing and purchasing our music.

6. Guitars—

Michael is going through an "inventory turnover" as far as guitars go. Over the years, he's accumulated several great guitars, but finds that he's not playing all of them as much as they call out to be played. (And, we need to retire some debt from the album, Dreamers, Lovers and Outlaws while we´re at it!) Nothing is lonelier than an un-played guitar. The inventory that's going includes a beautiful Taylor Doyle Dykes Signature model (short scale, orange, Expression System); a smaller Taylor 413 prototype; a Martin OM28 cutaway with onboard electronics from the Martin Custom Shop, and a Webber Roundbody (David Webber is a small luthier in Vancouver known for incredible guitars, and this one is a fingerstyle beauty). None of these are exactly cheap, but they are all available at reasonable prices for the level of instrument they are. If you are curious, email us and let us know. Michael can give you all the particulars, and even photos if there is serious interest. Otherwise, they are all headed for Ebay in the next few weeks.

7. "Coffeehouse"—

We recorded video this month, two segments of the show "Coffeehouse" which is seen on cable networks in seven states. If it´s aired in your area, check us out. It should be out of post production later in the summer and in rotation.

8. Summer Schedule—

We've been playing "host" to some of our friends in the past few weeks, and that will continue for a while. Dierdre McCalla was with us for three days, and in support of Joe Jencks´ new project, Pat Wictor dropped by. Then Joe himself stayed for a couple of days of recording, with Siobhan adding some background vocals and Michael doing some engineering for that part of the project. Additionally, we'll be recording to finish the "Every Cobblestone Has a Story" project funded by the city of Alexandria, helping to get the "peoples" history of the city into the record. Check it out at everycobblestone.com. And, in the middle of all that, Siobhan's voice lessons go on, until the hiatus when we hit the road.??At the end of the month, we'll be headed to Falcon Ridge, (falconridgefolk.com), then to the Swannanoa Gathering (swangathering.com) for teaching and performance, then back to DC for a gig in Rockville as one of Vic's Picks. Immediately after that, we head to Lyons for Rocky Mountain Song School and Folks Festival (bluegrass.com), where we'll both be teaching. We drop down for a couple of days in Santa Fe, then get back to the east toward the end of August. In September we head up to NY state for a concert at Sand Lake and then rush back down to play the Takoma Park Folk Festival. We'll fill you in on those things, though, long before they occur. Hopefully we'll be back to you with another newsletter before Falcon Ridge, but if not, definitely between Falcon Ridge and Rocky Mountain.

9. Every Cobblestone Tells a Story—

Siobhan's project, funded by the Commission on the Arts for Alexandria, has really been amazing. She's been able to talk to Bernie Cohen, the lead ACLU attorney in the Virginia v. Loving case--the precedent setting case on inter-racial marriage that went to the Supreme Court. Additionally we've met so many who were involved in the changes and civil rights movement here in Alexandria. You don't have to scratch this city very hard to find a color line in its history. At the same time, we've learned so much that adds texture to the stories. In the 1800s, there was a fire in the city--it destroyed about a quarter of Alexandria. The traveling circus apparently played a vital role in helping put the fire out before it destroyed more--including the trapeze artist throwing buckets of water from a church steeple. ??It's been fascinating to watch as some, particularly senior citizens of color, claim that they have no stories to tell that are memorable, either for oral history or song, only to have them hear a song from the project, and then, in reaction, just start sharing their memories of those times, or even that event. Slowly, they open up and reveal stories of challenge, dignity, and depth. Our only regret is how long it has taken to begin to get beneath the skin of the city...and there are so many other populations--recent immigrant groups, etc., that have similar stories to share. ??Combined with the loss this spring of Michael's great uncle, the last of his generation, we have a renewed appreciation for the richness of every single life. No matter how big or small anyone's place in life appears, they have a story that is a vital part of the human story. This project may come to a formal conclusion, but we hope that we, and you, will listen a bit more closely to the stories of those around us, and that together we will recognize and embrace the river of history we share, and claim our part of the story that even the cobblestones can tell.

Until next month,

Siobhan and Michael

Well, the good news seems to keep on coming. Siobhan and I were selected to be participants in the Emerging Artist Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival this July.

We'll be writing more about that over at the dreamersloversandoutlaws.com webiste, where we're keeping most everything updated, over the next few days. And if you haven't heard or bought your copy of the new disc...well, you know what to do. CDBaby, direct through us at the DLO website, or even head over to I-Tunes...yep, we're there too.

Hope everyone is enjoying a good beginning of the summer...it's off to the musical races for us. We'll be very busy playing music this summer...

Hope to see you around.

m

Hello everyone....

OK, I'm not that great about entering updates here on this site...but we are pretty diligent posting updates, photos, and other information on the site for the new disc--- www.dreamersloversandoutlaws.com. So if it looks like this is getting stale, it's only because we're entering things over there...Step on over and have a look. I think you'll like it. Drop us a line, or leave a note in the guestbook there.

Thursday we head to Kerrville, TX, for the Folk Festival and New Folk contest there. Wish us luck!

Thanks,

michael

I'm pleased to announce that Siobhan and I were selected as Kerrville New Folk Finalists for 2007. It's an honor to be selected, and we'll be performing Valentino's Ghost and Let It Come in our part of the competition. If you're in Texas on Memorial Day weekend, don't miss the Festival.

Oasis beat their guaranteed delivery time by about 10 days. The CDs arrived over the weekend, and they sound great. See dreamersloversandoutlaws.com for more info....if you want to order, let us know.

We are SOOOO close with the disc. In fact, it is now out of our hands. It is mixed, mastered, the artwork is finished, and it's all off to Oasis for replication...due back just in time for the CD Release show at Cafe Lena March 31. It sounds stellar. Roman Klun did a marvelous job mixing, He sent us a soundscape that was bright and complex. Then, Charlie Pilzer at Airshow in Springfield, VA, just brought everything to life with his mastering work. It is amazing how much that process shaped the sound and made it so present. Stay tuned, the way to pre-order will be coming soon....and it's not to early to think about Christmas/holiday gifts! Buy early and often, so we'll be able to retire the costs of this disc, and begin the next one (which we are are starting work on now!).

If you haven't yet, go to the website for the disc, dreamersloversandoutlaws.com, and listen to clips...Those are still the rough mixes we made prior to Roman's excellent work, but by the end of the week we hope to have the final mix/mastered clips up for you to hear. I'll be curious how big a difference there is with streaming audio in the two versions, and what you hear....let us know.

Also, we've made arrangements again to participate in the Rocky Mountain Song School in Lyons, Colorado, August 12-16. If you've never been, it's a highlight experience, guaranteed to stimulate creativity and help you in the business aspects of music. Prior to that, Siobhan will again be teaching voice at the Swannanoa Gathering's Contemporary Folk week, July 29-August 4. We love the Asheville area, and are looking forward to spending some time with our Alexandria VA, neighbor there, Tom Paxton, among others.

That's the short story for today....and the long look to the end of summer. Now, we're going to hunker down for a bit of snow that is forecast, and wait (impatiently) for spring and the return of our discs. Have I mentioned those?

more later,

m

I received a call today from my mother that my great uncle, Earl, the last of his generation, passed away this morning. Earl Bowers was one of the characters who, if it were not so close, would definitely deserve a song on the disc Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws.

Earl was, no doubt, a man of his time--he lived for 96 years in Northern Alabama, and saw the world change dramatically during his life. But he wasn't just trapped by the generation that shaped him. He was kind-hearted, generous, inquisitive, and quick with a joke or a laugh. He remained playful until very shortly before his death.

He was also a worker of wood--a cabinetmaker by trade (although those who know realize that he did not make "cabinets"---he made fine furniture as well as art pieces, bowls, boxes, etc., that would sell for what they were--fine art) and he remained active until the last month or so of his life in his woodshop.

I'll miss him. In January we lost our friend Frank Meyer (see entry below). Right at the end of February/beginning of March, I lose the last of a generation in my family. But the good ones are never lost. We'll carry their spirit with us and trust that our spirits will meet again somewhere in the future. Goodbye, Uncle Earl. Godspeed.

m

Well, we've returned (finally) from the Folk Alliance conference. We were scheduled to return yesterday, but serious snow and ice in DC forced us to stay in Atlanta overnight. We really wanted to get home, but the side benefit of being stranded in ATL was seeing Siobhan's brother Aidan and his partner Christine, the great duo, Friction Farm.

First, about FA, we want to thank the NERFA Board for their support of our appearance at FA in Memphis. We couldn't have gone without them, and we were really humbled to be able to represent NERFA at the event.

Second, we were very pleased with the reception to our performances and the roughs of our new disc that folks listened to while we were there. We played several different showcases, from Fox Run (thanks Neale and Laurie), Vic's Kick Ass Women (Michael was an honorary woman for that one), the formal Performance Alley showcase, FOCUS (the Washington DC organization promoting live folk music presentations here in our home town), the Kyser Short Cut Capo showcase suite, and the Help Me Rhonda suite of showcases. In every event we had venues approach us about booking, and also some DJs asking us when our disc would be ready. It is humbling and exciting to see the good response to our music. And, we want to thank those with whom we showcased this year--Red Molly, Amy Speace, and Corrinne West--it was great fun. Thanks also to Charlie Pilzer for sitting in with us on upright bass for one of our showcases.

Now, we're on to the followup, making sure the dates and routings will work when we put tours together, and doing the final work on our disc (we finish mixing in the next couple of days, Charlie at Airshow masters on the weekend, and replication begins Monday). We should have them in fine time (barring any disaster) for our release show at Cafe Lena March 31.

We also spent time learning and sharing about many other aspects of the business while we were there. Siobhan presented on the impact that song contests can have on a career. We sat with major music managers (thanks for the time, Tom Simonson), talked with the cooperative label Azalea City, listened to presentations on radio play, promos and press, and other aspects of marketing. We also sketched out a new project with Mae Robertson for later this year....stay tuned for word of a new and different recording project coming soon on the heals of Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws, but very different in nature. All in all, it was a great learning experience, and a positive exposure of our music to those who will book us to present, or play us on the radio. Thanks to everyone who came and listened to us...we were honored that among so many hundreds--yes hundreds--of outstanding acts over a three or four day period so many came to hear us present.

It seemed from watching that people were moved by Let It Come, entertained and intrigued by Valentino's Ghost, especially. If you haven't yet, click over to the music section of dreamersloversandoutlaws.com and listen to clips of early mixes of those and other songs there.

That's it for now. We'll be writing more soon....music stuff, life musings, etc.

m

OK, we've created a website with a lot of information AND CLIPS (yes, you can hear rough mixes of some songs) at dreamersloversandoutlaws.com. Step on over there (or better yet, just click on over there) and see what's in store. We're pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

And now, it's off to Memphis for Folk Alliance.

Michael

We'll be seeing many of you at the upcoming Folk Alliance conference in Memphis. Check out our showcase schedule at dreamersloversandoutlaws.com, the new website for our upcoming cd (titled, appropriately, Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws). Clips are available there also. We'll be releasing it in April. Get your orders in now!!

m

Well, I've been so remiss in writing that I don't know if anyone is still out there...but that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of news.

First an update on what has happened, then a little about what is going to be happening.....

In November, Siobhan and I were featured in a Tri-Centric Showcase at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference (NERFA). We had great fun, and have had many inquiries about the possibility of us playing gigs at various venues. We are still following up on those, and you'll be hearing about them as the dates are finalized. Subsequent to that, we were selected to receive the NERFA scholarship and be the NERFA representatives to the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis in February, 2007 (more about that below).

In December, we began a crash schedule of recording a new album. It went from being a "bare bones" get it done, to the biggest project either of us have ever been involved in. We decided to go for broke (literally?) on this one, to see how good we could make it. It's kind of "folk on steriods" or acoustic rock...but not really rock.

The disc will be titled, "Dreamers, Lovers, and Outlaws," and is scheduled for release this April. I think the collection of songs may defy a single word desciptor---it's almost exclusively acoustic, although you'll hear an electric lap steel on three songs or so, and a Taylor T5 (a hybrid electric/acoustic guitar) on one. Other than that, it's a very "woody" album, with acoustic guitars, upright bass and acoustic bass, mandolin, violin, and some keys and woodwinds (sax and clarinet). Oh, and there are drums....a kit on a few songs, shakers, and a wonderful Taos drum setup on many of them.

Here's how we did it and who plays:

First, Tom Prasada-Rao did major production and engineering on this...Showing all of his musical instincts, the dedication of a saint, and serving as counselor, advisor, and negotiator at times, Tom did a brilliant job getting us through to the mixing stage of the project. On this disc you'll hear him adding some guitar parts, keys, bass, and sitar. I do not have enough good words to say about the man. Anyone who knows our music likely knows Tom's music as well, so you know what a treasure he is. We were privileged to work with him.

Jerry Marotta plays all the drums....Jerry has recorded or toured with Peter Gabriel, The Indigo Girls, Hall and Oates, Tears For Fears, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, 10,000 Maniacs, Suzanne Vega and Joan Armatrading to name only a few. Jerry was beyond great for this project--everything changed when he layed down the percussion parts. Needless to say, he gives this disc some real energy and a great vibe.

Charlie Pilzer, Grammy nominated artist (good luck this next weekend, Charlie!!!) played upright bass on some of the songs. While most know him as a stellar Mastering engineer for Airshow Mastering, we were pleased he agreed to come over and play on a few tunes for us.

Steve Szymanski of Planet Bluegrass recorded the mandolin parts in Colorado, and his parts really give spice and glue to the songs. We love Steve and the Planet Bluegrass folks, and make the annual pilgrimage to Lyons every summer for Song School and the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. Those are experiences not to be missed, and I encourage everyone who's ever even thought about writing a song to attend the Song School. It's guaranteed to change you in many good ways.

Chris Rosser played keys in North Carolina, and shipped them up to us. Again, if you know our music, you probably know Chris' as well. He's part of our Kerrville connection, and is a stellar musician. He gave us the Hammond, Wurlitzer, melodian and harmonium sounds (as well as some piano parts) that you'll hear in various songs.

Wynn Walke, who played on my Reluctant Believer disc, again playes on this disc, adding parts so nice they make me want to dance, or cry, depending on the mood of the tune. He plays Weisenborn, dobro, and lap steel on this disc.

Helen Hausmann and Seth Kibel of the Alexandria Kleztet make this album unique for us. Seth plays sax (alto, tenor, and baritone) and clarinet,and Helen gives us inimitable violin/fiddle parts (when is it a violin, and when is it a fiddle?). The Kleztet is very well known, having won numerous Washington Area Music Awards (WAMMIES) and this past month has been touring internationally.

Finally, David LaMotte plays one of the characters on a song. I'm not going to give it away, except to say that this particular part is somewhat out of character for David--but it was a great time had by all.....intruigued? Then listen through when you get your copy and see if you can find him....

Siobhan, as you would expect, adds her killer vocal talent that really makes the disc shine. I sing some, and wrote many of the songs (and co-wrote with Siobhan), and play guitar, as well as bass on a tune.

Roman Klun is now in the process of mixing the thing--it overloaded the equipment that we have, and by the end, we really needed a fresh set of ears on this disc. If you don't know Roman---look him up. He's worth finding out about. We met him through Jerry Marotta, and Roman engineered all the drum parts when Jerry recorded them at his studio in NY.

Well, that may be more than you even wanted to know about the upcoming disc, but I'll tell you, I think it's killer. And my 16 year old said, "Of all Dad's CDs, this one is my favorite." That's high praise, and after the hundreds and hundreds of hours we've spent being immersed in the recording and production, it was nice to hear. I happen to think you'll like it, too.

As for other activities--

We head to the Folk Alliance conference in a couple of weeks, but not before playing at the Folk-n-Great House Concert Series in Rockville, MD. Shortly after the FA conference, we'll be playing at Cafe Lena, then off to New Mexico for a few days of performing and writing.

I'll be more diligent in writing, I promise, but I'm sure you've heard enough for now. As events and our schedule around release and touring firms up, we'll post it.

In the meantime, be well, and stay warm...it's freezing here in Alexandria this week.

michael

Alexandria has turned the 100 block of King Streed in Old Town into a pedestrian mall, and has hired musicians to play the scene for the next three weekends...Siobhan and I will be there ALOT! The music schedule isn't posted, but we played two hours on Friday, the 23rd (last night) we're playing at noon today (24th), and three hours on Sunday (25th). Schedule will be upcoming for the following weekends. It's a very interesting street party. Come on down.

Hello everyone, and we're back from our two month trip to the west. It was both exciting and beneficial in so many ways, with unpredictable events occurring, but nonetheless, much progress made.

First, for those who didn't know...we decided to go west and work on writing and recording rather than try to go to Europe. It was a better business decision for us to work to build our base and write and record rather than live out of a suitcase from city to city on the continent. So, we camped out in Santa Fe and used that as our base of operations. We hauled out a truck load (almost literally) of recording gear and instruments, and set up shop in a little casita that was nicely provided for us.

Several great songs (at least in our opinion) came out of our time. We met many wonderful musicians and made friends while there...more on all of that in a minute...and to clear a little of the sad news out of the way, a few things didn't work out. First, our concert in Colorado was cancelled by the producer a few days before the event...seems things got a little to hectic for her to juggle everything that was going on. We wish her the best in getting cool, calm, and re-collected. Then, due to health concerns of our friend and radio DJ extraordinaire Suzanne Millsap, we had to postpone our shows in Salt Lake City. We send our sincerest best wishes and prayers out for Suzanne. It sure is a reminder of what things are most important in life.

Now, for the good stuff...we began the recording project, and although there is a ton of work--several months to be exact--left to do, we feel we have a good idea of how we want our album to flow, and what kind of production and feel we want it to have. Further, we are lucky to have the art work/photos well underway, thanks to a shoot over several days that produced stunning backdrops and skies from Santa Fe. It's great to have both promo and album art work in the pipeline...for so many the artwork ends up holding up a project, and that's well underway for us.

Songs you'll begin to hear in our shows--The Fall of Bill Ballou, Kerouac Dreams, When the Sign Says Go, Glorietta Pass, 7 Ghost Lane, Meet Me at the Mission, and even a few more. We won't be rolling them all out at the same time...some need a little buffing yet, and besides, we can't do a whole set of unrecorded songs and then have nothing to sell at our shows that has that music on them, but you'll begin to hear more and more of these new songs over the next few months. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry/touch you, some will make you think, and maybe even one or two will give you a little dance rhythm...who knows?

Suffice it to say, we've been spreading our songwriting wings, and Santa Fe inspires very different songs than those we write in the east....so, while there are still the kind of story songs that Michael is known for, and the soaring ballads that make people stop and fall in love with Siobhan--even in the new stuff--the writing and the presentation represents something new, and we believe, very exciting in our music. We look forward to sharing it with you.

While in the west, we were privileged to play a great show in Tucson (Thank You, Tena Moyer, for being a wonderful host as well as guitar goddess (and Jim, let's not forget him...). Thanks to all the new folks on our mailing list from that show.

We also came back east for a whirlwind trip to do shows in Hyde Park, NY, and New Canaan, CT. We had enthusiastic, but very wet crowds, as unfortunately our schedule coincided with the monsoons and floods there the 2nd weekend in May...nonetheless, we appreciate all those who braved the elements and made the shows so wonderful.

As to the wonderful musicians and music supporters we met in New Mexico--there's only so much one can say about Jerry Faires...silversmith and songwriter extraordinaire, Tim Valentine, Ramon Ramudez, Auge Hayes, and wonderful hosts of music Peter and Octavia Sole. We already knew and loved Jaime Michaels, and it was great to spend time with him as well, both in Santa Fe, and later in Kerrville Texas. We look forward to going back, doing a show or two, and firing up the songwriting muse again...We're shooting for August. And I can't fail to mention my favorite boot man, Sam Searer of Lucchese, who is also a pretty good musician himself. We're making plans to help him do a demo when we make the August trip. Stay tuned for more info about all of that as we recover and start re-entering the virtual world. For our time in New Mexico, we were mostly off line, so the whole pacing thing of the virtual world is a bit of culture shock. All of a sudden, so many messages!!

There's a lot going on this summer...We're scheduled to help record a private show by Greg Greenway in a couple of weeks, and then the Mountville Folk Festival (details going up on my calendar section soon). Siobhan is Director of the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, for you songwriters out there, and the deadline is coming up, so get your entries in, and then we go to the Swannanoa gathering where Siobhan is primary vocal teacher and I assist, and then more later in the summer. Again, we'll be posting to the calendar as soon as we clear the boxes and guitar cases out of the music room.

Thanks to all who've come to our shows, who've expressed support and offered assistance for our developing career, and who encourage us to continue to build our repertoire, show schedule, etc. We're listening, and it's exciting to hear the good words.

Michael

OK, I've been less than active on this news thing, and several of you have been asking. We just finished a great four days at the Folk Alliance conference in Austin, Texas. So many friends, so little time....and so much music, so little sleep. In a sense, this was a kind of "coming out" for Siobhan and me as a duo, and it was received really well. So far, we've got dates to confirm in California, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Massachusetts, and I'm not sure where else (but I know there are more that we will be posting) from folks hearing us at conference showcases. Great fun, great reception of our music--fun, and humbling at the same time.

I want to thank all of those who hosted showcases for us in Austin--Neale and Laurie at Fox Run, Jami Lunde of Awnry Girl Productions, Alan Rowoth and the BOT, and the Butterfly Sky duo room. All of them simply rocked! And the Rachel Bissex tribute was, as one would expect, both a time to remember, and a time to celebrate. We were so happy to be able to sing "Just Like That" with Vic and Reba sitting in the front row. (And Tom PR for the advice, "Don't look at Vic and Reba, don't look at Vic and Reba." We all just needed to get through our songs, and sometimes the emotions flow a little too strongly. Having said that, everyone was stellar, and I'm sure Rachel was there smiling away.

We are finalizing our writing and recording retreat. Everything is almost set up for our extended stay in New Mexico--we've got the place rented, and we'll be out there from early April through the end of May, coming back through Kerrville.....with the exception of a couple of trips to do gigs--mostly in the west, but two back in New York. Stay tuned, we'll be posting details of those in the next few days.

And speaking of New York, we're playing on Long Island this weekend, at the Good Times Coffeehouse. If you're up that way, come on over. We'd love to see you there.

Later in the summer, we'll be headed to Europe...again, we're getting back in the swing of things, so stay tuned and we'll be updating both my part of the website, and all of roundhousemusic over the next few weeks. Our plan is to fully embrace the digital age, so stick with us, and check out what will be coming at roundhousemusic.com as well.

My best to all of you out there--hope to see you around town or on the road somewhere soon.

m

Just finished a great weekend, playing at the Panzer House Concert Series in Maryland, and the Fox Run Concert Series in Massachusetts. These two venues are some of the best house concerts around with great hosts and wonderful audiences. Contemporary indie artists (and even some signed to labels) can't ask for better places to play their music than offered by Steve and Sherrie or by Neale and Laurie--and Mary. Simply marvelous.

It was a delight to be able to spend a little time with our friends David Roth on Friday, and then with Kate McDonnell on Saturday. Those two can capture and hold attention, and sharing a performance with them is stimulating--a catalyst for more songwriting.

We have a few upcoming private shows, but it's time to settle in a bit for the holidays. We'll continue writing, and be ready for the blitz in January, when the music scene really picks back up again.

Happy Holidays to all.

Michael

Just a quick note to let everyone who checks this know that I'm still alive.

I received word this week that I've been accepted as a finalist in the South Florida Folk Festival songwriting competition that takes place in January, 2006. This is a great honor, as only 15 finalists are selected out of all the entries. I'll go down and play my songs as part of the festival....and perhaps have other opportunities to play as well. Stay tuned.

Also, for the remainder of this week Siobhan and I will be showcasing at the NERFA conference in NY. We're looking forward to seeing friends, playing music, and doing some booking while we're there. More to come soon. There's a lot going on, just not so much time to write about it all.

m

I'm finally back from Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival and Song School. What an experience that always is--100 or so songwriters gathered on a beautiful ranch by the St. Vrain River in Lyons, Colorado, for four days of non-stop interaction about songwriting, followed by the always stellar line up at the Festival. And, in the middle of it all, we paused for the wedding of two friends (albeit by having to travel back east as soon as we got to Colorado). It was nice to be able to add a few songs to the festivities of that event as well.

Highlights of the Song School:

Talking with Ben Wisch (producer, mixer, and engineer extraordinaire, having Marc Cohn's first two albums, along w/ work by David Wilcox, Lucy Kaplansky, Patty Larkin, Willy Porter, Kathy Mattea, Catie Curtis, Cheryl Wheeler, Richard Shindell and many others under his belt---the list could go on and on)...well anyway, we talked about production and recording, and hopefully in the not too distant future, we might have a chance to work together.

Lisa Loeb, Beth Nielson Chapman, Steve Seskin, and Peter Mayer as songwriting gurus.

Pleasant surprise--Joe Craven, who I'd not heard of before, but who is a stellar musician, and absolutely nice human being.

Ysaye Barnwell, member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, opening and closing the Song School in inimitable fashion--she moves the world when she sings.

As always--renewing friendships and making new friends. The nights of song circles were exquisite. Christopher, Amy, Justin, Jami, Rob, Sue, Frank, Sarah, David, Bill, Paul, Edie, Jeri, Steve, Carly....again, I could go on and on and I'm sure I missed some folks--those nights are almost too good to be true--but they are.

Highlights of the Festival: Taj Mahal had the whole planet dancing. Patty Griffin--just plain wonderful. Peter Mayer's Sunday set--doesn't get any better than that. Those things stood out for me--and still there was Arlo Guthrie doing Alice's Restaurant, Steve Earle, Joan Armatrading, Vance Gilbert and a host of others, and you have a tasty, spicy musical stew.

We also made several contacts for gigs in the west--ranging from Colorado over to Salt Lake City. Watch for a spring tour--we're going to try to book our way through Colorado, Utah, and perhaps down to New Mexico around March of 2006.

Plans are also shaping up for a European tour late spring, early summer of 2006. We'll probably spend late April and most of May on the continent, and are lining up dates in Italy, France, the Netherlands, and London as I write. Possible ad ons would include Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, and perhaps an Eastern European date or two, depending on what kind of travel we can work out. Stay tuned for more on this--things are fluid, but will be firming up in the next month or so.

Upcoming activities: teaching for the Songwriters Association of Washington, gigs in Alexandria and D.C., New York, Columbia MD, Massachusetts, and of course, the NERFA conference in November. We're trying to make a date for the Kansas City area this fall, too.

The Rachel Bissex tribute CD, Remembering Rachel, has now been released. I hope that if you don't have your copy, you'll purchase one soon through CDBaby. Check it out at RachelBissex.org. It's a great collection of Rachel's music, performed by some of the luminaries in our genre today.

Bye for now...

M

Under any circumstance, the Kerrville Folk Festival is a surreal experience. You go for days with very little sleep, playing music under the stars (or clouds, as the case may be), hear music that is wonderful, moving, profound, hilarious, touching, heartwarming, exciting, etc., etc., etc. Add to that this year's rain, RAIN, RAIN, mud, and general mayhem, along with my participation in New Folk, and it will probably be months, if ever, before I can process it all. The New Folk participants were outstanding, and there were songs that totally blew me away.

Several of us in this year's class of New Folkers will also be gathering in Lyons, Colorado, in August, for the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival and Song School. I'm sure I'll write more about that as the time draws nearer.

Siobhan is staying in Kerrville for another week--she was asked to teach voice at their educational workshops, so now that the rain seems to be over, she'll experience what the Kerrville heat can be like. In addition to teaching, she'll be adding some vocal harmonies, recording for Freebo's new album, in addition to taking time out for a few day's writing retreat. It's nice that she's able to do those things.

Also, we're close to the wire for production on the RACHEL BISSEX tribute CD. It was great to visit with her family members who came to Kerrville for the tribute set. It was a privilete to be the "videographer" for Matt, Rachel's son, for that event.

Next steps: finish several songs we've been working on, buff them up for public consumption, and get back on the road. Stay tuned!

While I'm getting excited about the upcoming trip to Texas, I wanted to drop a note to say that Siobhan and I are beginning work on a tour of Europe for next summer (summer, 2006). In some respects, it will mirror our 2004 tour--some venues in Ireland, England and France, but we're also planning to be in Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia if we can fit it all in. We're planning on being in Europe about a month, and want to spend some time "looking at stuff" in addition to playing music. Stay tuned for more information on this trip..we'll post about it in the coming months as our plan draws more together.

On another front, work continues on the tribute album to our friend, Rachel Bissex, who died in February. The disc, "Remembering Rachel" will be out in July, and all proceeds will be going to help fund the college costs for Rachel's kids. I'm on the committee helping to organize this project, and over this past weekent Siobhan, along with Kate McDonnell, met Tom Prasada-Rao at Neale Eckstein's studio in Massachusetts to record a track for it. We are expecting good things from this project--all the tracks so far are first rate. You can read more about the disc, or pre-order, at www.rachelbissex.org. Go ahead, order. You'll feel good for having contributed, and on top of that, get a great disc of music---and if you hurry, you'll also get a free poster painted by Sonia of Disappear Fear. It's beautiful, and it comes free with the first 500 pre-orders--but we're already right at 400, so there's no time to waste!!

NEWS FLASH!!
I was selected as a Kerrville New Folk Finalist for the 2005 Kerrville Folk Festival. The oldest songwriting review/competition in the U.S., with over 700 entries, it is an honor to be selected as one of the finalists. I will be performing on Sunday, May 29, as part of the Folk Festival activities.

I don't particularly believe in "competitions" for songwriting and art in general, and I'm glad that Siobhan sent in my songs and entry. At the same time, I know that every artist needs recognition from peers and respected mentors that they work they are doing is worthy, and that therefore, one should keep doing it. It's in that spirit that I am humbled by the recognition this selection conveys--and thanks--I plan to keep doing it.

The fun part of this year's group is that so many friends and acquaintences have also been selected as finalists that it will be a little like "old home week." We all respect each other's work, but our work is all different. So, while it would be great to be among the six chosen as "winners," I think we all recognize that the honor is in being able to do this at all, and to support each other as writers. As the sign at the front gate of Kerrville reads, "It can be this way always." Well, when it comes to supporting songwriters, may that always be so!

Well, we had quite a trip. It was so fun to play in Austin and stay with our friend, Don Emmons. We finished, looked around the crowd, and saw Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and Jimmy LaFave in the room--quite a rush for us.

Uncle Calvin's at Dallas was awesome, as always. The folks there really know how to host traveling musicians--they are gracious, giving, and just plain fun to be around. And Woody--the sound rocked! We really laughed at ourselves on "Escape at Bedtime--" Siobhan actually thought I could read the lyric sheet (and I could make it out), but then, the lyric sheet wasn't written the way we'd practiced the song, so it made for a confusing moment. And then the yodeling at the end--we got the quote of the tour from David Olney: "Yodeling in harmony--now that takes balls!"

Urban Campfires was just terrific as well....Janet and Jayne and Steve were wonderful hosts, and we were humbled by the standing ovation we received. Thanks to all who were there. And the wine at the "after" party--well--let's just say that you seldom open wine like that. I just don't think I could stay up that late every night!

Bosque House Concerts, Albuquerque, New Mexico was our next stop for a gig. In the afternoon, we were on New Mexico Public Radio, a great show called "Free Form." It was a lot of fun to be interviewed and play live on that show. In the evening, the gig was wonderful. Jeff has a great house, and we loved the crowd. Neal was gracious in setting up both the radio appearance and concert, and Jeff and Neal were marvelous in hosting us and promoting the event. Thanks to both of them, and to everyone I've mentioned above.

After the playing part of the tour, we retreated to work on songs, etc., for a couple of days. It was nice to be able to slow down and take a deep breath.

Now, we are gearing up for the music industry conference in Troy, NY in about 10 days or so. Come on out--you can read about it in my events calendar elsewhere on this website.

M

Tomorrow we hit the road for 10 days of touring...looking forward to it, and to seeing all of you who've let me know you'll be coming to the shows.

Siobhan and I have worked up some new material that we hope everyone will enjoy. It's both rewarding and at times intimidating to go from being either solo or partnered with other folks to the two of us making some music together. So far, we're quite satisfied with the sound, but I'm also itching to find that new sound neither of us has quite captured before. Come and help us along that jouney--we'll appreciate all feedback about the new tunes, as well as the old ones.

See you in Texas or New Mexico!!

M

Only two weeks until we are on the road, playing in conjunction with South by Southwest in Austin, Texas; at Urban Campfires in San Antonio, Uncle Calvin's in Dallas, and a House Concert in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It will be a busy time--come on out and have fun with us at these events...Details on the events calendar.

Our friend Rachel Bissex passed away on Sunday morning, Feb. 20. Siobhan and I attended her memorial service in Burlington, Vermont, and sang in a tribute for her at the National Folk Alliance in Montreal. Donations are being accepted for her family for funeral expenses and a college fund for her children. Please contact me if you want more information.

We are making preparations for the National Folk Alliance in Montreal, and for the tour through Texas in March. Review the event calendar for more info. My best thoughts go out to my dear friend Rachel Bissex who is suffering from cancer at this time. So many of us in the music community are wishing the best for her.
Michael

It's nice to be home after a month of rattling around in Europe. Siobhan and I made our presence known in Ireland, England, France, and Portugal. The music and company were wonderful...but home is great. I'm getting ready for the winter now, working on some new songs that I hope will be great, and am booking for the spring and the summer. Stay tuned for more updates.

REVIEW OF RELUCTANT BELIEVER FROM SING OUT MAGAZINE, SUMMER, 2004:

"Selma, Alabama born and New Orleans, Louisiana Raised, MIchael Bowers is now based in the Washington, D.C. area. His singing and writing are heavily influenced by his Kerrville/Austin, Texas friends, and he is well-supported by DC area performers. These disparate geographical elements combine into a pleasingly different sound.

Tom Prasada-Rao produced this sophomore effort from Bowers. Tom P-R's presence is felt throughout, on electric and acoustic guitar, piano, mandolin, bass, and harmony vocals. Gina Forsyth plays fiddle, Justin Roth plays djembe long with Laura Cerulli. Cary Cooper, Lori Kelly, and Cletus Kennelly provide harmony vocals, Wyn Walke on slide guitar, and Kip Martin on acoustic bass.

The 12 songs on this album are virtually all written by Bowers. They are stories written by a mature writer with something to say. "Shine On" is about a light house keeper who knows time has passed him by but still believes in his worth to the lonely traveler comforted by the light. "Alive Again" compares love to the irresistable siren's sound. "No Roaming" covers a $1,000 telephone bill run up in a long-distance romance, and the good advice given by customer service. These are good songs conveying meaningful messages. Overall, Bowers can be proud of a solid piece of work." VKH

FOLKFAN
Sunday, February 15, 2004


Valentine's Day Concert - The Michael Bowers Band with Siobhan Quinn at Moore Music in the House, Rockville Md on February 14, 2004

In an interview in the Gazette a few days ago, Michael Bowers promised a Valentine's Day surprise at this Moore Music in the House concert. He said there would be "romance in the air" and a place for romantic couples to hold hands. Host Scott got an unprecedented numbers of calls about the concert from the article. Was this band hype or what?

As promised, the music was definitely about love and relationships. But there were also contests. Michael invited the audience to nominate:
Worst Love Lyrics written
Best Pick Up Lines
Worse Pick Up Lines
The audience voted and winners won a valentine's day cookie.

Then Michael shared a pick-up line of his own, and it was quite a story. At NERFA (Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference), Michael shared a room with Jerry Bresee. NERFA provides live music from 7 pm to 11 AM for several days and music lovers are in major sleep deprivation. Siobhan Quinn was scheduled to meet with Jerry Bresee about an act they were doing, but Jerry was late showing up. Michael found a very tired Siobhan sleeping on the hallway rug near the door to their room (but actually in front of the wrong door). Michael directed her to the right door, opened the door, invited her in, and said "have I got a pillow for you"....

Who knows if I got the story quite right. Since this is a serious matter, ask Michael for a perfect version of the story, but I am sure the pickup line he shared with us is "have I got a pillow for you." Paula (the house concert hostess) implied we've only heard Michael's version, saying she won't tell us what Siobhan told her in the kitchen before this show.

And the surprise!
Then in front of all of us, Michael gave Siobhan a ring. He explains that he gave it to her recently. She took it off so he could present it again here. The big surprise is they will be married later this year! (Well, a surprise to me. My husband tells me he is not so surprised - he's been seeing Michael and Siobhan's intense gazing in each other's eyes throughout the concert. My chair was at a slightly different angle and I couldn't see their faces as well.)

In the second half the contests and stage give-aways get racier.
"Who has been together the longest?" Michael asks. The winners, together 34 years, get a bottle of wine and a can of extra creamy Redi-Whip. Michael says, "The wine is pretty good wine, I don't recommend you mix the two.

Then the question: "Who is the newest couple?" Oh there's a couple on their first date in the house. The performers did not anticipate a new couple would be quite so new... The gift they have is another can of whipped cream. Siobhan muses this may not be the right gift. But at least it isn't the extra creamy. Michael quips, "Well, it's OK but they'll have to sign the President's abstinence pledge.

Yes there is also music. The rest of the band includes Focus President Jerry Bresee on guitar and vocals, bass player Maria "Pete" Durgan, Kirby Yarbrough on percussion and vocals, and Wyn Walke on Hawaiian slide guitar (also called a weisenborn). They make a great and wonderful sound, but as usual for me it is the lyrics that go right to my heart.

Some of the songs Michael sings are:
Alive Again
Reluctant Believer - title song of his new CD. Written at a songwriting week at a ranch in Colorado.
This Feeling - from Michael's first CD, written in New Orleans.
Point of No Return
Jackson Marvin Beauregard - and his third reinvention
No Roaming
Never Apologize
Shine On
The music is as promised about love and relationship and being human and about transformation.
Songs to hear again and again.

After an audience poll of the best dump lines or best revenge on being dumped lines, Michael led us into a song about the other side of love. It was a road song, inspired by a trip in Alaska where there is only one road between towns; Michael was going from one town to another and they are are 40 miles apart as the crow flies but 130 miles apart by road, and there is only one road. Sometimes in relationships it is worse - You Can't Get There from Here.

Selma - Michael heard Jessie Jackson say to take that shame and guilt as a white child growing up in Selma, and do something good with it. In Selma in 1963 there was a population of 29,000 of whom 15,000 were black and fewer than 100 registered black voters. When Michael was 12 they were talking about voting rights. And whites were focused not on what was right, but on their own fears. This is a powerful song.

On My Way - "it's love that holds eternity"

Jerry Bresee sings Riversong, the first song from Jerry's first CD - a powerful song evoking nostalgia for a place where people and jobs "flowed away" and "what this river takes away is never comin back".

Siobhan Quinn shares a song she wrote following the end of a 10 year relationship. The relationship ended 1 ½ years ago, and she finished this song exactly one year ago at Wintersongs in Ashokan, where she coaches other musicians.
This Kind of Love - is about a kind of love you don't give up on. Michael says at one point "she sings and I surrender.." I empathize with this. Gorgeous heartfelt singing and what a beautifully crafted song (and you can hear an MP3 clip of it on her website).

reluctant believer

Michael's second release, produced by Tom Prasado-Rao with musicians Kip Martin, Justin Roth, Laura Cerulli, Gina Forsyth, Wyn Walke, and vocalists Cary Cooper, Lori Kelly, and Cletus Kennelly.

Angel on My Shoulder

This CD, with eleven original songs, shows the versatility of Michael Bowers as a songwriter. Produced by Fred Curdts, the album shows elements of rock, country, and blues. The songs span topics ranging from racism, to tattoos and piercings, to launching a child from home to college. Additionally, there are poignant songs of love, and of loss.

The record is produced to provide a different expression of the songs than Bowers' solo live performances. "While we wanted to make the songs 'radio friendly' in terms of production, my producer Fred Curdts did a masterful job of serving the songs in his conceptualization. Every one is produced in a way that best captures what that song is about. This gives the album diversity of feel -- I guarantee that folks won't think all the songs sound alike on this one...my thanks go to Fred for that."

reluctant believer

Michael's second release, produced by Tom Prasado-Rao with musicians Kip Martin, Justin Roth, Laura Cerulli, Gina Forsyth, Wyn Walke, and vocalists Cary Cooper, Lori Kelly, and Cletus Kennelly.

Angel on My Shoulder

This CD, with eleven original songs, shows the versatility of Michael Bowers as a songwriter. Produced by Fred Curdts, the album shows elements of rock, country, and blues. The songs span topics ranging from racism, to tattoos and piercings, to launching a child from home to college. Additionally, there are poignant songs of love, and of loss.

The record is produced to provide a different expression of the songs than Bowers' solo live performances. "While we wanted to make the songs 'radio friendly' in terms of production, my producer Fred Curdts did a masterful job of serving the songs in his conceptualization. Every one is produced in a way that best captures what that song is about. This gives the album diversity of feel -- I guarantee that folks won't think all the songs sound alike on
this one...my thanks go to Fred for that."