This trip, Gary and I have scheduled extra time for our annual
business planning meeting. I'll bet most of you didn't know we
do that, but it's true. Each year since we started playing together
(in 2000) we have made a list of goals based on our acoustic
'bucket list'. And with your help, we've achieved them every
year .
In the beginning the list was modest - to find paying gigs or
to find venues that might tolerate original music. Once we exceeded
our first year's goals, we began to entertain more grandiose ideas,
like recording CDs, entering (and winning) contests, opening for
higher-profile artists and expanding our tours out of Houston,
then Texas and even outside the United States. After 11 years,
It seems like we can't shoot much higher. But it turns out -
yes we can...
There are only two more significant things left to do. 1) to open
for David Wilcox, 2) and to play the very last gig on earth.
According to the Mayans, we have exactly 1 year, 2 months and
24 days to get this done. Since Wilcox is all booked up for 2012,
we have only the second task in front of us. And since it will
be the the last gig anywhere, we figure a $500.00 cover charge
isn't too much to ask (since your money will be worthless on the
22nd, right?). We have attached a complimentary $500.00 bill
to this note for you to print out and hang on your fridge. Please
don't allow it to become obscured with crayola landscapes and
cartoon magnets...
But in the shorter term, please plan to see one of the gigs listed
below. If you can't see us for some unfathomable reason, you
should go see our spiritual guru, Jack Saunders at his gig (listed
right below ours - I mean, whose newsletter is this anyway?? :).
Saturday, October 29th, 8:00 AM - Imperial Farmer's Market - Highway
90 at Brooks Street (in the parking lot next to the mill)
Saturday, October 29th, 8:00 PM - JP Hops House - 2317 S. Highway
6 (wtih Kelly Lancaster!)
Sunday, October 30th, 10:15 AM - Theophilus Church - 502 Addicks-Howell
Road (inside Wolfe Elementary)
or if you are inside the loop -
Saturday, October 29th, 8:00pm - McGonigels' Mucky Duck, 2425
Norfolk - JACK SAUNDERS BAND with his nephew's band from Dallas
--- TWEED EQ
One final note - There's an open call for musicians and artists
to help populate the schedule for a benefit to The Artery - a
venerable Houston arts institution...
The Abrams Elsewhere House Concert and Artery Funraiser wil be
held on Sunday, November 13, 2011 7 to 10 PM. Jeff Abrams is soliciting
a few performers to play. Each performance would be 15 to 20
minutes. Anything from singer/songwriter to jazz to classical
would be of interest, or anything in between.
If you know anyone who might be willing to perform, they can contact
him at mediator7@aol.com or 713-817-0001. Send a link to your
music. The Artery can make a top-quality video of your performance...
8/18/2011
I am writing this note in the middle of packing
for a Galveston mini-vacation and a mad dash to book a few artists
into the farmers markets. Forgive me if my typong is not impriving!!
Gary conveys his thanks for the full rooms we enjoyed last week.
I'll be visiting him twice next month to perform in the Wet Mountain
Valley. The fans up there are just as nice and generous as they
are down here.
I have a rare solo gig this coming Saturday 8:00pm at the Westminster
Presbyterian Church, 14700 Bellaire Blvd. The last time I was
here I ran sound for George Ensle - what a great performer! The
audience could not have been more supportive - There is a cover
charge, and coffee/sweets will be served. The idea is to create
a house-concert-like atmosphere. If you're a non-church-goer,
we have arranged to suspend any rogue lightning :)
I ususally don't include the open mic I host 'as a gig', but this
coming Sunday, the open mic is a bit more special. JP Hops House
will be celebrating Spudstock - the observance of the anniversary
of the Woodstock Music Festical AND Mr. Potatohead's birthday.
Wear your tiedye best and anything with fringe or leather on it!
Since I started offering vocal instruction, my schedule has become
pretty busy, but there are spots left, one on Tuesday evening
and another on Wednesday during the day. For details, see www.tcsmythe.com
. I'm not taking young children yet, but if you have an ambitious
teenager in mind, let's talk about it!
Thanks for everything
TC 8/9/2011
Hello all! (I noticed today that my email program
has somehow been reset to 'save all sent', so there are probably
a few of you who never intended to hear from us. If that is the
case, just reply here and I'll remove your address. This note
is going out to everyone, regardless of location, so please forgive
us for the intrusion.)
BUT FOR THE WILLING...
Smythe and Taylor have five, count 'em five, shows in the Houston
area this weekend - Gary misses the heat, I guess! :)
Friday - 7:00pm - Lomonte's Italian Restaurant, 14510 Grisby Lane.
We recommend reservations if you want to sit on the patio. Call
281.496.0030. We'll be hosting a pre-show dinner at 6:00pm.. Join
us!
Saturday - 8:00am - Bayou City Farmer's Market - 3000 Richmond
- The market has been our favorite outdoor show for years.
Saturday - 7:00pm - Unity Church of the Bay Area - 1911 Highway
3 South (League City) - We're told that the elusive Tom Abell
will be there!
Sunday - 10:00am - Highland Village Farmer's Market - 2450 Suffolk
- S&T have never played this market!
Sunday - 6:00pm - JP Hops House - 2317 S. Highway 6 - Home again,
home again jiggety-jig! The open mic is where we started our career,
and we'll end it here too, but not till 12/21/2012. Make your
reservations for that show now!!
***The New Wrinkle***
After much consideration (and no small amount of prodding), I've
begun taking vocal students. Their goals are as different as the
students are, so I have designed a number of different lesson
plans. There is no contract of any kind, and the hourly rates
are the same for every category. I'll be offering slots on Tuesdays
and Wednesdays, as well as daytime hours (great for retirees!).
Vocal testing and recordings included in all sections/programs.
Sight reading is not taught or required. Children considered on
a case-by-case basis. In-home sessions only. For details, visit
http://www.tcsmythe.com/voice.html
Programs offered:
American Idol / Major Performance Coaching
Emergent Voices
Vocal support during studio recording
Harmony
Expansion of power & vocal range
Injured Voices
We look forward to seeing everyone!
July 18th, 2011
Hey all -
I had a fabulous time playing music with Briam Kalinec and Ken
Gaines last Saturday at Coffee Oasis in Clear Lake. I'm sure that
Gary was just sitting at home alone in his mountain retreat, suffering
and crying and green wtih envy... (no he wasn't- He went hiking
- see attached) . We enjoyed a full house and each other's company.
I consider Brian and Ken to be mentors and it was an honor to
share a stage with them in this way.
But it's a new week and I have places to go! I've never been so
geographically diverse!
On this Tuesday night, I'll be the featured performer at the West
Gray Showcase in River Oaks, (Hefley's) 138 West Gray. The event
is hosted by JW Wind and starts at 8:00pm and my spot happens
at 8:45pm. Hefley's is a mighty nice watering hole that serves
great food and has a full bar. (I've always been a rum-and-coke
kinda girl). The venue has a brand new stage on the patio!
Also, on this Friday, Steve Daly and I will hold forth at the
prettiest venue in Katy, The Cellar Door 829 S. Mason Road. The
club can't be seen from the street, but you can find it if you
go out I-10, turn south on Mason Road and turn left on Cimmaron
Drive. It's in the shopping center right behind Einstein's. Rumor
has it, there will be a full house, so if you're late, it's just
like church - you'll have to sit in the front :). They serve tapas
and wine, so plan accordingly.
A bit farther out, Gary will be in town with me from August 12-14th
and we'll play no less than SIX gigs!. No rest for the wicked!
Here's the list : RSVP please
Friday, August 12
1:00pm - Camden Royal Oaks - 11802 Meadowglen RSVP please
7:00pm - Lomonte's - 14510 Grisby Lane for patio reservations,
call 281-496-0030
Saturday, August 13th
8:00am - Bayou City Farmer's Market - 3000 Richmond
7:30pm - Unity Church of the Bay Area - 1911 Highway 3 South,League
City
Sunday, August 14th
10:00am - Highland Village Farmer's Market - 2450 Suffolk
6:00pm - where else? The Open mic at the Hops House! - 2317 S.
Highway 6
And there's lots more in August too - check out the calendar at
the Smythe and Taylor Homepage..
Pray for Rain!!!
TC
July 13th
Hi again music fans!
This Saturday at 8:00pm, I have a rare opportunity to share the
stage with two wonderful artists - Ken Gaines and Brian Kalinec.
We'll be entertaining down in Clear Lake at Coffee Oasis, 4650
Nasa Road 1.
Ken Gaines hates it when we call him the "Godfather
of Houston songwriters", but he was certainly an early influence
on me and my decision to become a full time musician. I covered
one of his tunes on my very first album, and had a recent opportunity
to sing it to him at the Hops House. Of course I forgot the lyric
:( - peer pressure, I guess. He was featured twice this year on
the Kerrville Music Festival's Threadgill Stage.
Brian Kalinec was the president of the Houston Songwriters Association
the year I joined, and he has never stopped being a leader in
our community. I love singing harmonies on his tunes, and Gary
and I have used his high level guitar playing skills on our CDs.
Presently he heads up Berkalin Records .
The show will have a $5.00 cover - cheap at twice the price!
I hope this gives my friends on the south side a good reason to
come out and support a local business!
See you there
TC
July 6th, 2011
The recap of last week's gigs will have to wait
until I digest it all, but in the mean time, I encourage any and
all to come see me and Steve Daly at the Highland Village Farmer's
Market this coming Sunday (2450 Suffolk, just inside the loop
off Westheimer.) at 11:00am or so. The vendors there are becoming
big fans, and we think you;ll enjoy visiting with them too. Lots
of markets have live music, and you can check them out at www.MarketMusic.org
***************
On an unrelated note, I always enjoy rattling my sabers when it
comes to my profession, and the latest project is to draw attention
to an ancient injustice that we musicians have endured lo, these
many years, - yes, I dare speak of the evil that is known as CARRYON
BAGGAGE INEQUITY !
Yes, dear friends, when most airline passengers
travel, they are permitted a carryon bag of approximately 40 pounds
and is limited to 10" x 16" x 24". In terms of
actual space taken up in an overhead bin, this works out to 2,772
cubic inches. And each piece of checked baggage is covered for
$1500 in case of damage - (except musical instruments which must
be checked but are denied loss/liability altogether).
DID YOU KNOW-- that a standard guitar case, fully
loaded, weighs ~21 lbs and contains only 2,600 cubic inches? It
is only because they are long and skinny that they do not fit
into the little sizing bin at the gate. However, they *do* fit
into most overhead bins, (all but those on Continental Airlines).
Please help us reach parity by signing a petition
that I will circulate to the FAA, the major aircraft manufacturers
and airlines, and our lovely congressmen and senators. I have
started an effort at http://www.petitiononline.com/CEFMI/petition.html
. I am not asking for additional carryons or space - only the
same amount of space that other passengers enjoy. I have pasted
the first few brave signatures below. Won't you join them and
share it with your friends? You do not have to be a musician to
sign.
Many thanks,
TC
27.Jackie Gaston (Colorado)
26.Ben E. Brady guitar (Texas)
25.Van Buchanan
24.Charles R Irwin
23.Ken Gaines Dreadnaught Guitar (Texas)
22.Bruce Ross
21.Angela Reid saxophone (Texas)
20.Doug Clark Steiger Acoustic/electric guitar (Texas)
19.Phil Daligan acoustic guitar (Maine)
18.Hugh Fitzpatrick it is about time... guitar (Texas)
17.Susan Martin Robbins Guitar (Texas)
16.Joel Gevirtz Guitar (Texas)
15.pete sengler guitar,bass,drums (Texas)
14.Dennis Walker It's about time. Guitar (Yamaha) (Texas)
13.Ron Christian Welch I heartilly concur with the sentiments
stated within. Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Bouzuki, Oud, Charango.
(Texas)
12.Rob and Judy Mood devoted local accoustic music lovers (Texas)
11.Dick Chapman 1978 Alvarez Yari (Texas)
10.Alan Jackson guitar (Texas)
9.Martin de Vore Electric Guitar (Texas)
8.Lloyd Daniel (Texas)
7.Robert Len Stallard Guitar (Texas)
6.Cyd Wright (Texas)
5.Deborah Williams (Texas)
4.Kenton Smythe you forgot to include fishing poles! CD player
(Texas)
3.Casey Smythe I don't play but I agree! the stereo (Texas)
2.Andrew Smythe proud of you, mom! 2009 Ibanez Spider RG420EG
(Texas)
1.TC Smythe musicians are not taking more space than anyone else!
1997 Gibson CL-40 dreadnaught (Texas)
June 27th, 2011
S&T have a quick group of shows in the Denver/Westcliffe
area this week. These shows are organized around a visit from
our good friends, Bill Aspinwall and Mike Darnell, (members of
the Houston-based Big Lizard Band). Check it out!
Wednesday, June 29th - one show
7:00pm - Quixote's (2151 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO)
Thursday, June 30th - one show
7:00pm - Nissi's (2675 N Park Dr, Lafayette, CO)
Saturday, July 1st - one show featuring the Big Lizards....
7:00pm - Gary's house in Westcliffe (297 Excelsior, Westcliffe,
CO)
And in August, Gary returns to Texas!
Friday, August 12th - two shows
2:00pm-3:00pm Camden Royal Oaks (show for private retirement home)
7:00pm-10:00pm Lomonte's Italian Restaurant (on Grisby Lane near
I-10 and Hwy 6).
Saturday August 13th - two shows
8:00am-11:00am Bayou City Farmer's Market (3000 Richmond Ave.)
7:00pm-9:00pm Unity of the Bay Area Church (League City)
Sunday, August 14th - one show
10:00 am - Highland Village Farmer's Market - (2450 Suffolk)
If we don't see you in the future, we'll see you in the pasture!
TC5/20/2011
Hi folks -
It's hard to believe that Bob Dylan is turning 70 this month.
In honor of his septegenarian anniversary, players at the Hops
House open mic shall receive an extra song, if any of the following
four criteria are met:
1) The Player's first, middle or last name is Dylan, Robert, Bob
or Zimmerman;
2) A Dylan tune is performed.
3) If the player's birthday occurs in the month of May
as you can see, this bar is not very high :)
In other news:
I will be performing with the Hanshaws tomorrow (Saturday) at
6:00pm at Wings n More in the Woodlands (Conroe), 16581 I-45 .
I've been having alot of fun with David and Kelly, adding 3rd
part harmony to their original songs and covers. To learn more
about them visit their website at www.thehanshaws.com
I also picked up a last minute gig with Steve Daly for 11:00am
on Sunday at the Highland Village Farmer's Market. 2720 Suffolk
Drive .
Steve and I are more widely known as 'Slap and Tickle'. We sat
for a photo shoot yesterday with Rusty Winz, and I have to say,
Rusty did a first rate job. I may not even have to photoshop them!
If you want to see the pics, visit our website at http://www.slapandtickle.us
Please use this link, as I cannot be responsible for what you
will find if you make a typ-o!
Here's hoping for rain!
TC5/5/2011
Just sending a quick repeat of the S&T activities
for this weekend as well as the address of the San Antonio house
concert on Saturday for those who have asked to come.. The host
has kindly offered to allow our guests!
TONIGHT! Thursday, May 5th, 8:00pm - Anderson Fair! It's been
more than 5 years since we've played this legendary venue, and
we get to do it again! It's like a house concert, only you don't
have to mow the lawn or get stuck with the dishes! It's located
at 2007 Grant Street,
behind Texas Arts Supply . Ken Gaines and Wayne Wilkerson host
a great writers night there.
Friday, May 6th, 8:00pm, JP Hops House - Rob and Judy Mood's 66th
birthday and mine too - Of course we'll give a nice healthy nod
to Dylan as usual- and yes, I'll be bringing a few of the Dylan
posters. Still haven't been to the Hops House? It's easy to find
- 2317 S. Highway 6.
Saturday, May 7th, 7:00pm McFarland House Concert (San Antonio)
- Our good friend, Milt, pinky-swears that this is not a birthday
party. Well, OK, Milt, whatever you say! This note is going out
to our central Texas fans too - 4209 Hilton Head St San Antonio,
Texas 78217.
Sunday, May 8th, 1:00pm Discovery Green - Before we send Gary
back to the hell we call southern Colorado, we're gonna squeeze
one more gig out of him! Urban Harvest operates a farmer's market
at Discovery Green, and we've enjoyed playing it. Join us from
1:00pm-3:00pm. Free meter parking on Sundays!
If you can't join us for a show. have a gander at our internet
radio channel - it's all S&T all the time!
http://www.reverbnation.com/widget_code/tune_widget_popup/artist_3554944/27/2011
Hello acoustic fans!
We have a lot of good fun planned for this week and next. And
a special favor to ask:
Saturday, April 30th - Steve Daly and I are breaking in a new
venue way out in Katy! It's called the Cellar Door, and it's located
at 829 S. Mason Road, right behind Einstein's. I first stopped
by this place at the behest of one of my open mic friends, Ken
Rosato. It is the prettiest venue I've seen in Katy. After Steve
and I played their open mic, we asked for a gig, and the owner
obliged with a single date on Saturday, April 30th. He is new
to booking music, and it's very important to him that we get this
place at least half filled up. Can you stop by and buy a glass
of wine? I think this place has the best potential for our west-of-highway-6
fans. Let's convince the owner to continue booking live entertainment!
***********************
For those who are looking for their next Smythe & Taylor fix,
we gotcha covered with some stellar shows!
Thursday, May 5th, 8:00pm - Anderson Fair! It's been many years
since we've played this legendary venue, and we get to do it again!
It's like a house concert, only you don't have to mow the lawn
or get stuck with the dishes! It's located at 2007 Grant Street,
behind Texas Arts Supply .
Friday, May 6th, 8:00pm, JP Hops House - the Annual Dylan Show
- and yes, I'll be bringing the Dylan paraphenalia. Bob and I
were born May 24th, but this year we're jumping the gun a bit
- hope you don't mind.. Still haven't been to the Hops House?
It's easy to find - 2317 S. Highway 6.
Saturday, May 7th, 7:00pm McFarland House Concert (San Antonio)
- Our good friend, Milt pinky-swears that this is not a birthday
party. Well, OK, Milt, whatever you say! This note is going out
to our central Texas fans too - we can get you an address and
an invite if you want to come. Just respond to this note.
Sunday, May 8th, 1:00pm Discovery Green - Before we send Gary
back to the hell we call southern Colorado, we're gonna squeeze
one more gig out of him! Urban Harvest operates a farmer's market
at Discovery Green, and we've enjoyed playing it. Join us from
1:00pm-3:00pm. Free meter parking on Sundays!
If you can't join us for a show. have a gander at our internet
radio channel - it's all S&T all the time!
http://www.reverbnation.com/widget_code/tune_widget_popup/artist_355494
Thanks all! Hello all!
After seeing
the great feedback that our friends are getting by using ReverbNation
as a communication platform, we decided to try it out for ourselves.
If you aren't into this kind of thing, you can unsubscribe yourself
with the link at the top of the note. We hope this
doesn't feel like spam, and we promise not to abuse
this new tool. Please let us know if you like it or
not. I ordered a sample hat that I designed from the
new merchandise store we have, and will let you know if the product
stands up to the quality of the thumbnail sketch. :)
UPCOMING SHOWS -
The next Smythe and Taylor shows will be in April when we play
a house concert in Houston and attend the Songwriters Serenade
in Hallettsville, Texas. If you know a songwriter, please
let them know that they can submit material to this contest until
March 13th and it's free! I'm told there are *not*
hundreds of entries yet, and the prize pool will award cash to
the top 24 who enter and can attend. I have participated
in this event for the last two years and I can't tell you how
much I have looked forward to returning. It's one of the
few opportunities I get to see my fellow writers.
We also have a show at Anderson Fair on May 5th,
and road gigs in June, July and August in Texas, England and Colorado.
There's also a decent chance we will visit Japan, but probably
not till 2012. Thanks BB, for even suggesting this, and
thanks to Gary for designing our travel fund formula which keeps
us solvent enough for this kind of thing!
I
have other exciting news too! I've been asked to open for
nationally-touring artist, Ellis
Paul at Jeff Abrams' House concert on March 19th.
If you want to attend this marvelous show, email me at tc@tcsmythe.com and I'll get you the details.
We last shared a stage with Ellis back in '05 when Gary won the
Woody Guthrie award in Oklahoma.
In unrelated
news, we have a new design for the Smythe and Taylor website.
The cover photo was taken when we played the concert inside of
Longhron Cavern in Burnett, Texas. to see it visit
www.SmytheAndTaylor.com . I
am also working on new websites for Jack Saunders and Robert Frith, as well as album artwork
for local bluesman, The Reverend Otis. His new CD, "Sweet
Papa's Blues" is scheduled for a March release. Mike
Darnell has also decided to upgrade his web presence. I'm
not really a big-time designer, (like my friends, Sue Gaines and
Selia Qynn) but I own my server, and what the heck, it costs nothing
but time for me to set up a simple website. If you want
the bells and whistles, see one of these fine ladies..
I think
that's enough for now! Thanks if you got this far..
TC2/17/2011
Hi folks -
Gary is in the process of changing his email address to a more
personal domain. He has purchased www.garytaylor.us . Right now
it's a mirror of the Smythe and Taylor site, but I'm sure he'll
eventually want to do something different with it. He's quite
the man about town in Westcliffe and very busy volunteering as
a board member and DJ with KWMV radio and handling booking for
a local music venue with a REALLY nice promo.. If you want to
ping him, use gary@garytaylor.us.
It's short notice I know, but wanted to let you know I have a
few shows this weekend with some good friends. When Gary isn't
in town, I have to fend for myself somehow!
For you early morning folks, I have an open air show tomorrow
morning (Saturday) with Steve Daly at the Bayou City Farmer's
Market - 3000 Richmond Avenue (at Eight in the frikkin' morning!)
Always a good time - and playin' for tips!
Saturday evening I'll be with the smoothest vocal group ever-r-r-r-r-r-
THE HANSHAWS from 6:00PM-10:00PM on the patio @ Wings 'n More
15135 I-45 North in the Woodlands/Conroe. No cover and great
food!
On Sunday afternoon 1:00PM-3:00pm Steve and I will lay waste
to the farmer's market at Discovery Green - possibly the prettiest
market I know. Metered parking is free! 1500 McKinney (or thereabouts)
and of course I'll race over to the Hops House for the weekly
acoustic open mic.
Thanks for opening this note!
TC
1/23/2011
Hi everyone! You'll want to save this
note to your hard drive becuase it has so many details and reminders.
Better yet, print it out and hang it on your fridge!
I am really looking forward to the next few weeks, since I've
been so busy remodeling my house. Paint started going up today,
and I finally feel like this is the house I meant to buy back
in '94. My nails are caked with paint and putty, and my back
is killing me, but it's all been worth it so far. I've lost 12
pounds and when I'm done, I'll be able to reclaim my rightful
title as "America's Top Re-Modeler" When it's all done,
I'd like to have a house 're-warming' party and concert! If any
of you are thinking of doing a remodel, let me recommend Mr.
Kennth Gossett of Austin, Texas (zenny23us@yahoo.com). He's been
just great. I'll also be using Jana Vanderarant (of the band
Charm School) for my landscaping. The Rev. Dr. Otis just raves
about her work and I can't wait to get started on that part.
My new duo, Slap and Tickle, (me and Steve Daly) is playing at
JP Hops House this coming Wednesday night, January 26th. Every
Wednesday, the HH pays homage to that well-known depression-era
icon, the Soup Line! Each Wednesday, our customers bring in homemade
gourmet soups to share, free of charge to any and all who come.in.
Slap and Tickle will be the featured artists at this week's soup
night. The soup bell rings at 7:00 pm when the house band starts
(The Hard Times Trouladors featuring Bill Aspinwall and David
Hanshaw) . We have a set at 8:00pm. If there is critical mass
after that, we'll play another set. Be there or be a rhombus!
On Friday, February 11th, (8:00PM) Smythe and Taylor will return
to The Bugle Boy in LaGrange. If ever there was a good excuse
for a road trip, this is it! Gary and I don't get as many opportunities
as we'd like to play in central Texas, but when we do, we try
to make it a memorable show. The Bugle Boy is a listening room
like no other, and is definitely worth the drive. If you want
to make sure you get a seat, get your tickets NOW ! The Bugle
Boy has recently installed very comfortable theatre-style seating
and sponsors many local music education programs. It is without
a doubt, our favorite Texas road venue! Lane - here we come!
Have dinner with us at Bistro 108 before the show. They would
really appreciate the traffic.
(Eight hours later )Saturday morning 8:00 AM, Februrary 12th,
we'll make a stop at Urban Harvest's Eastside Farmer's Market
(formerly the Bayou City market). We'll be there rain or shine,
since the more pathetic you look, the better the crowd responds
:-)~. Come wam us up with your applause. If the vendors can take
the weather, so can we ! We play till 11:00am.
On Saturday evening the 12th, we'll be celebrating Fred and Linda
Thompson's 44th wedding anniversary with a house concert at their
home. Fred and Linda are great supporters of local songwriters,
and their concerts are becoming a grail among local artists.
Fred believes in the power of networking, so bring your business
cards so you can play 'opportunity roulette' with your neighbors!
To get an invite and directions, email audiofred@comcast.net.
And bring as dish or a bottle to share! A love donation will
be solicited - plane tickets don't pay for themselves!
No trip to Houston would be complete for Gary unless he has a
chance to play at leat two farmers markets. Sunday, February
14th, we'll appear in an afternoon show at Discovery Green next
to the beer garden from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Metered parking is
free on Sundays!
Right after that, we're heading straight for the Hops House for
the 6:00PM open mic. If enough of our fans are there, we'll do
a featured set.
I think that's all you can take for now. I have more shows with
Steve Daly and The Hanshaws in February, but those will have
to wait for another missive.
Keep it warm!
TC, Gary (and Steve)
12/6/2010
Hi everyone~! I hope you're hungry!
Every Wednesday, the Hops House undergoes a symbolic transformation
from a tavern into a depression-era soup kitchen. Three years
ago, Jim and Pam predicted the recession
well before it happened, and we don't believe it has ended yet,
so we continue to gather each
week to break bread together and enjoy
a free soup buffet and live music from musicians that accept
tips in exchange for their art. I am
proud to be this week's featured artist.
The soup bell rings at 7:00pm. Special guest David Hanshaw will
be sitting in on bass with the
house band, The Hard Times Troubadors,
who open the show. You can bring a soup, or enjoy those offered
by the regulars. Never been
there? Go to 2317 S. Highway 6. This show
will be special because as they do every year around his time,
the Hops House has adopted
two families that have fallen on hard
times and need a little help to make the holiday bright. They
are currently collecting $$ to provide
clothing & presents for nine children
and their two working mothers. Be a sport and make a donation
by the 16th. If you can't get there
Wednesday, please send your donation to
me via paypal.com. (use tc@tcsmythe.com). I am donating my part
of the tip jar to benefit
these kids.
and two more shows!
December 11th - 6:00pm
I'm with the Hanshaws at the 'Lights in the Heights' tour of
homes. We're on the porch at 511 Highland Blvd. from about 6:00pm.
December 18th 6:00pm
With the Hanshaws yet again at Wings n More, 16580 I-45, The
Woodlands 6:00pm-10:00pm
I've also been playing a few gigs with
Steve Daly. We've begun adding more venues, and will release
a schedule soon, so don't be
surprised if you hear more about a group
called "Sunny Side Up". (they also call us 'Slap and
Tickle'...)
Thanks to all who made the last few Smythe and Taylor shows so
fun. It was a wild whirlwind of a weekend, but Gary is back safe
and
sound in Westcliffe.
And thanks to all the folks who ordered their copy of Underground
Folk~!
9/10 - S&T at the High
Peaks Music Festival, Westcliffe, CO
9/12-17 Winfield again!
9/18/2010
We're home again after
an outstanding trip to Colorado and Kansas. to recap -
On
Thursday 9/8, TC flew into Colorado, and just about right away,
we co-hosted a segment of www.KWMV.org's "Radio Your Way"
show with DJ Roger Wise (formerly of KGNU who also loaned us
the miracle tent that saved our guitars on 9/16 - more on that
below).
The
next day we drove out to Black Forest near Colorado Springs to
perform at the The Black Rose Acoustic Society's packed house
- We got the highly-sought-after 'rumble of approval' as the
fans stomped the floor and we hope that means we'll be back soon.
Thanks to Paul McCann for recommending us for the showcase. He
was in attendance.
That
weekend, The High Peaks Music Festival was held in Westcliffe
(produced in part by Gary). We had a great time with all the
bands and together, we filled the amphitheatre with more people
than had ever attended an event in that venue before. 5 bands
played for 6 hours in front of 350 people, which is about 100
more than the town's official population! The weather couldn't
have been better.
For
three days, we attended the the Walnut Valley Music Festival,
in Winfield KS where the national championships for guitar, mandolin,
fiddle and dulcimer are held. We failed in our bid to become
co-champions in the flatpicking contest, not on account of lack
of talent, but more because we didn't enter. (yeah right!) We
camped with 2001 mando champ, Drew Horton's crew at Camp Avalon
where we spent the evenings jamming with the Camp Avalon Allstars
and the Django-inspired Swing Chicks. Drew and Mary Horton invited
us, and we are eternally grateful. TC is already packing for
next year's fest.
When you join a camp at
any music festival, it is exptected that some sort of initiation
will be foisted upon the newcomers. Drew and crew did not dissappoint!
On Wednesday, they arranged nine TORNADOS to visit the area!
The town's emergency siren went off just about the time that
TC noticed "the most beautiful cloudscape EVERRRR".
Hail began to fall and thousands of us rushed for cover under
the bleachers' cinderblock foundation until the storm passed.
While we were huddled together, one of the bands broke out in
a rousing rendition of "I'll Fly Away". The tangle
of smashed tents and EZ-up canopies was something to behold in
the aftermath, but thankfully, no one was hurt. We figured it
would be better to tell this story now before it grows into exaggerated
lore and legend.
This is what part of our
camp looked like after the storm. But in just a few hours we
had it whipped back into shape, complete with new awnings.
More night time
drama
and here's
Roger's miracle tent which was on of the few that weren't flattened
when the storm hit. Both of our guitars were in this tent.
The very next
day, the nice folks at Camp Group Theralpy had dug out enough
to reassemble the stage for their presentation of the Front Porch
Radio show where we were featured artists. The whole thing was
podcast live on www.frontporchradio.net. They did a great job
of creating an environment very similar to Prairie Home Companion,
only it was under a big red and white striped tent. Felt kinda
like a tent revival at Camp Stupid, only with more mandolins
:)
and here are pictures of
what we were all wearing during the cleanup! How many feet can
you identify? If you see your own, email me here!
to preview the
next few shows:
10/22 time TBA - S&T @ Schrenkel House Concert - Midland
10/23 - time TBA - S&T @ the Petroleum Festival (Museum of
the Southwest) Midland
10/24 TBA - S&T @ Robinson House Concert
10/29 - tentative San antonio House concert
10/30 9:00p - S&T @ the Hops House
10/30 8a - S&T @ Bayou City Farmer's Market
10/31 1:00p - S&T @ Discovery Green
See you soon!
8/6 - Columbine Manor, Salida, CO
8/7 - Horton's Garage Majal,
Rosita, CO
8/8 -Westcliffe
Feedstore & Amphitheatre CO
8/8 - open for (the Rev.)
Steve Miller, Westcliffe, CO
8/9 - House Concert w/Brian
Kalinec, Westcliffe, CO
8/10 - Bach
House Concert - Estes Park, CO
8/4/2010
- Hello all!
When I began assembling
the newsletter, it became obvious that two weeks wasn't gonna
fit onto one page! This is a long
newsletter, but for
those without the time to read, I have included lots of photos.
We hope you all enjoy it - TC
This was our fifth
trip to England in as many years. This one was special because
I got to bring my family along with me. By all
accounts, my kids were
on their *best behaviour* and Kenton did not disappoint the locals
with his social and drinking prowess.
Andrew's dream of having
a beer with his dad in a real pub came true and Casey got to
attend animation class at the George
Abbot School down the
street for their special activities week. Many thanks to Headmaster
Maloney and Taskmaster Joel Pike
for that opportunity.
Our camera died on the first day of the trip, so I don't have
many pics, except those provided by a few of
our friends. I managed
to surf up some of the missing images too.
First
stop - Jul 15th - Lunch at The Compasses - Right
after we got off the plane, Vivienne and Malcolm pulled up in
an enormous 15-passenger bus and whisked us and our luggage away
to a pub in the village of Gomshall called The Compasses. Andrew
enjoyed his first legal beer and fish and chips with his dad.
(the fish and chips were already legal). Right
down the street from the pub we saw an old mill from the 1600's
with the Tillingbourne river running right under it! It *was*
a mill, after all.
There were
so many people at the Johnsons' this year, that tents had to
be pitched in the garden for the overflow of guests. Kenton
and I enjoyed sleeping in late at The Albany Inn Bed and Breakfast.
Every day, a tray would magically appear in the room with a ton
of food. Another interesting feature was the 1/4 cubic foot tabletop
fridge that was meant only to keep the cream cold. These people
are deadly serious about fresh cream! Although the building is
on a busy street, we never heard any noise, even with the window
propped open. The only distribance was a cute squirrell that
chirpped at the window when breakfast arrived.
Gig
#1 - at the Albury Care Home, where
we played a 1- hour show for Malcolm's mother, Millie and her
friends. We have an extensive list of songs from the 30's and
40's. We were concerned that our british friends wouldn't recognize
the american tunes, but it turns out that everyone saw "The
Wizard of Oz" and knew most of the big American musical
stage productions. Later on in the trip, we took Millie to lunch
at the King's Head Pub and she still remembered everything. A
really nice lady and we were glad to entertain her.
From
July 15th through 18th we attended Guilfest,
a multi-stage music festival in Guildford, just outside of London.
For three days it was pretty much the same - wake up late, walk
across the street to the festival, enjoy 6 stages of music, shop
at the vendors, eat stuff that's not good for you, see the headliner,
go out for dinner, get toasted, play until dawn and do it all
again. It's hell, I tell you! It's become a tradition for
Gary to play "Here Comes the Sun" at 4am, and then
half an hour later, Malcolm shooes everyone off.
Another
thing that made this trip special was that we were able to import
our good friend Janusz
Tytman from Warsaw,
Poland to play mandolin
with us at the festival. Some of you may remember hearing his
talents on Gary's first studio record, "Down At Zeke's". We think he had a good time, cause he said,
"Ze byl fantastyczny! Restauracja czynic go ponownie!"
I
wish I had a bigger photo of our friend Tadeusz Chlabicz. He
videoed nearly everything and took pictures. He and his wife,
Danuta, used to run the Oczko Club in Warsaw where we used to
play in Poland. He also provided transportation for Janusz while
in country,
Gigs
#2 & 3
- Guilfest
- We had two stage
gigs at Guilfest. One was on the Palace stage, (sponsored by
the
Palace Venue in
Aldershot) and the other was on the Unison Stage (sponsored by
the National Health Services Union.) In each case, the audiences
were large and appreciative. I also learned that my tuner doesn't
get along with UK electrical current..
Gary's favorite British
rock band, 10CC played two stages - he swears it was the best
show all year
Gigs
# 4, 5 & 6 were afterparties that
we played each night after the festival at the Johnson's house.
Each night, different artists would stop by to play a few
tunes for the folks. Among them is Gavin Thomas, whose band, The Goldrush has become a fixture in british
festival scene. We have him and his buddy, Rob Blackburn to thanks
for the loan of a PA system. Gavin didn't need it becuase he
was on his honeymoon with new wife, Ammie :) They were
in Antigua while we took care of his fans. Thanks, Gavin! These
afterparties are epic! They start at about 11:00pm after the
festival closes, and lasts until at least 4:00am.
Each night Kenton
gathered up hundreds of glasses and did the dishes. Yeah, that's
my man!
Sightseeing in London. Without getting into too
much detail, The Smythes toured London in open
topped busses and enjoyed a cruise on the River Thames. Our lungs
are still heaving from the 1000-step climb to the golden gallery
at St. Paul's Cathedral. About 2/3 the way up, Kenton had an
agoraphobia episode, buthe managed to overcome it and enjoyed
the view (far right). Way to motor through, honey! We also saw
the Tower of London and Trafalgar Square where I had the worst
milkshake EVER. I swear it was like chocolate snot! I wont' say
where it was..
For Gary,
it was all about the art. He found his way to the British Museum,
the Tate Modern Art museum and the Cartoon museum.
He managed to avoid
buying anything too kitschy, but we did get a nice gift for Jack
from Stratford Saye, home of the Duke of Wellington
Gig
#7 - Jul 22nd - House Concert at the Silver's in Oxford for 65+
new fans - the
first house concert ever in Oxford! Our hosts, Pat and Les Silver
laid out a spread of food that took days to prepare. It included
salmon pate, liver pate and a huge tray of rare sliced roast
beef. The side dishes were too numerous to mention. The
music was well recieved, and the CDs went flyin off the shelf,
thanks to Vivienne's sales ability. Let's hope that the
House Concert idea spreads in the UK. Pictures to
come..
Gig
#8 - Jul 23rd - The Eight Bells pub, in Eaton where we learned to play a game
called "Aunt Sally". Gary knocked her head off 7 times!
Kenton played cribbage with the regulars and was presented with
a strap of Horse brass commemorating Montgomery's campaign from
Alamein to Berlin. A huge honor, since they aren't easy to come
by. For the gig, the owner, Tommy set out a fabulous buffet for
the fans. These tavern gigs are the way to go!
Gig
#9 - Jul 24th - The Guildford Tup. The Tup has booked Smythe and Taylor each year
we have visited. For this gig, we subbed for Gavin Thomas. For
a Sunday night, we expected a thin crowd, but wow - we were wr-wr-wr-
wrong!! The crowd was lively, so we let the blues loose on 'em!
Our friend, Phil Mitchell provided music while we took a breather.
Gig
#10 - The King's Head - This
pub was competing for the Guldford in Bloom award. Each year,
business all over town compete in a regional beautification event
designed to boost tourism and local busiensses. Unfortunately
I was unable to find any photos of this pub or it's entry online.
You'll just have to trust us that it was the prettiest place
to have a beer!
Gig #11 - The Compasses
- Our last night
was spent right where we started - at The Compasses in Gomshall.
We decided not to advertise it because we wanted an intimate
crowd. I left my last vocal cord here. We were joined by Will
Shackelford, who hosts an open mic at Tickled Ivory which we
visited after the Tup gig. He's a tremendous guitar player, and
played a truly well crafted song about his new baby (awww!) During
the gig, local visual artist, Stefan Morier presented us with
a painting he made during our gig at the Tup. It was too big
to bring back, so we'll get it scanned for use as a future album
cover. He is a really talented guy who designed a limited edition
T-shirt for the festival.
The owners were pleased
with the vibe and have invited us back to play again next year.
We're already saving up
frequent flyer miles to do it again.
If you've made it this far, you *are truly* hardcore! Heres
the upcoming gigs! Call Gary at 719-371-7324 for directions to
the Colroado gigs..
AUGUST
8/6 - Columbine Manor, Salida, CO
8/7 - Horton's Garage Majal, Rosita, CO
8/8 - Westcliffe Feedstore & Amphitheatre CO
8/8 - open for (the Rev.) Steve Miller, Westcliffe, CO
8/9 - House Concert w/Brian Kalinec, Westcliffe, CO
8/10 - Bach House Concert - Estes Park, CO
8/22 - TC appears w/Steve Daly at Churchill's
SEPTEMBER
9/3-9/4 - TC at Kerrville CAMP STUPID
9/5 - TC appears with Steve Daly @ Churchill's
9/10 - Black Rose Society, Col. Spgs, CO
9/11 - High Peaks Music Fest, Westcliffe, CO
9/14-9/17 - WINFIELD, KS! OCTOBER
10/22 - Tentative - House Concert - Midland, Tx
10/23 - Tentative - Museum of the Southwest, Midland, Tx
10/24 - Tentative - House Concert - Midland, Tx
10/30 - Tentative - Halloween at the Hops House
4/14/2010
Hello all!
One more reminder - Gary flies down Thursday
to play a handful of shows this weekend. And they're gonna be
great! Dates/Map links
embedded in the text below..
Thu 4/15 - 7:00pm - We'll appear with Steve Daly @ The Cresent
Moon Wine Bar, 440 Rayford Rd. - in Spring, Tx. This venue has
been
redecorated as a tuscan style bistro,
only bigger! Great food, too. If you're a northerner, we could
use your attendance here!
Fri 4/16 - 6:00pm - Rob & Judy's "We're
Finally Eligible for Medicare" Party! JP Hops House - 2317
S. Highway 6. We did this show five
years ago for our good friends and the
place was packed! This time it's open to the public, too.
THREE SHOWS ON SATURDAY - ( Call us crazy! )
Sat, 4/17 - 8:00am - Bayou City Farmer's Market - 3000 Richmond
Ave. We'll never tire of playing this venue. Last time we played,
a lady
put some 1960s Eisenhower silver dollars
in our tip jar! Can't beat that!
Sat. 4/17 - 2:30pm - Camden Royal Oaks - a short set for the
folks in this active seniors community.
Sat. 4/17 - 7:00pm - Never been to a House Concert? This is a
great one! at Mary Jane Newton's in Mission Bend - RSVP by replying
to
We have more shows scheduled for late May - check our home page
for the details...
Shoulder To The Stone -
Saylor White said it best, "We know
where the money’s going. We know who we’re giving it
to. And we know how it’s going to get there."
and I agree with Saylor. We can't save
the world, but we CAN save this Haitian orphanage. 'STTS' is
a music CD compilation. 18 of our
friends contributed their songs royalty-free
to the project. The CD is on sale at the Hops House for $15,
and exclusively online at
http://www.mytexasmusic.com . KHOU-TV,
the Houston CBS affiliate, ran a story on our efforts: and the
Chronicle also did a nice piece on it.
We hope to see you all soon! 4/7/2010
Hello all! Three items on the agenda
today - 1) a new friend to introduce, 2) a few shows to announce,
and 3) a recap of the
"Shoulder To The Stone" project.
1. Introducing Steve Daly!
Steve has been frequenting a number of open mics around Houston,
so it was only a matter of time before he came to the Hops House.
He has a great pop sensibility, and has been making sure I don't
lose my guitar chops in Gary's absence. We played a show last
week at a sports pub in Sugarland, and we thank so many of you
for coming out to support us. The pub owner was WAY happy about
it! After only a handful of rehearsals and a single show, it's
beginning to sound like a real act! In this configuration, we
play mostly covers by great songwriters, as well as a few of
our own. Make it out to the next show if you can! Sunday,
4/11 - 2:00pm - Churchhill's Sports Grill- 16687
W. Airport Blvd. - Sugar Land (It's near FM 1464). We had
a fabulous time here last week and the new speakers sounded great!!
2. Gary flies down twice in April! We have an action-packed weekend planned for April
15-17th.
Thu 4/15 - 7:00pm - S&T appear with Steve Daly @ The Cresent
Moon Wine Bar, 440
Rayford Rd. - Spring, Tx. This venue has been redecorated
as a tuscan style bistro, only bigger! Great food, too. If you're
a northerner, we could use your attendance here!
Fri 4/16 - 6:00pm - Rob & Judy's "We're finally eligible
for Medicare" Party! JP Hops House - 2317
S. Highway 6. We did this show five years ago for our good
friends and the place was packed! This time it's open to the
public, too.
THREE SHOWS ON SATURDAY -
Sat, 4/17 -8:00am - Bayou City Farmer's Market
- 3000
Richmond Ave. We'll never tire of playing this venue. Last
time we played, a lady put some 1960s silver dollars in our tip
jar! Can't beat that! Sat. 4/17 - 2:30pm - Camden
Royal Oaks - a short set for the folks in this active seniors
community. Sat. 4/17 - 7:00pm - Never been to a House Concert? This
is a great one! at Mary
Jane Newton's in Mission Bend - RSVP by replying to this
note!
For the second trip, we'll
be repeating a fun annual event - Bob Dylan's birthday. It'll
be All Bob All Night! We'll be joined by our spiritual guru,
Jack Saunders, who has probably forgotten more about Dylan than
we'll ever know! Bring your Dylan albums and posters to decorate
the stage!
3. Shoulder To The Stone
- Progress Report - $1,400 and counting
For several weeks, me and lots of my musician friends here in
Houston have been sending out notices through facebook about
the work we are doing to try to help a hatian orphanage and another
fellow who lost everyone but his brother in the earthquake. We
know many of you are suffering news fatigue about it, but this
is an opportunity for you to personally connect and help with
a very reachable goal. Saylor White said it best, "We
know where the money’s going. We know who we’re giving
it to. And we know how it’s going to get there."
and I agree with Saylor. We can't save
the world, but we CAN save this orphanage. There are 2500 of
you getting this note. If we average a $5.00 donation each, the
whole thing would be done! Wouldn't
that be great?
18 of our friends also contributed royalty-free
songs to the project. The CD release event happened this past
weekend at JP Hops House and was filmed for a documentary for
which I am mixing some of the music. The CD is on sale at the
Hops House for $15, and exclusively online at http://www.mytexasmusic.com
.
We hope you have all recovered from your St. Patrick's Day merriments.
Just a short note here to let you know that Rob and
Judy Mood made videos
of a bunch of the songs we did for St. Patty's Day. Despite me
fighting vocal cord gremlins (they
weren't really that
bad) , Gary's musical & comedic skills helped deliver a great
show and we thank all of you who filled the Hops
House for us. The soups
that the regulars brought in were FABULOUS! They do this every
Wedensday night, and you should
make it out some day
if you can.
We'll have another round of shows in April. Check the schedule
at http://www.smytheandtaylor.com
.
Here's the link to the youtube channel where you can find it
all! http://www.youtube.com/user/smytheandtaylor#p/u
TC and GaryMarch 10, 2010
stal·wart (stôlwrt)
adj. 1. Having or marked by imposing physical strength.
adj. 2. Firm and resolute; stout.
n. 1. One who is physically and morally strong.
n. 2. One who steadfastly supports an organization or cause,
such as 'party stalwarts'.
Hello all you 'stalwart'
fans!!
Just thought we'd share
a few pics from Rob Mood who took pictures during out first St.
Patricks' day at the Hops House. This
is the fun you'll be
mssing if you don't come to the Hops House on next Wedensday.
They had to hire an extra bartender for
taht one! There'll
be a free soup buffet, and as usual - NO COVER! I'm
off to Colorado tomorrow JUST TO REHEARSE for this
show. Soup starts at
7:00p - music at 8:00p. For the rest of the gigs on this trip,
visit our webpage at
http://www.smytheandtaylor.com. We'll also play Lomonte's and
the Bayou City Farmer's Market. - enjoy the photos! *We*
sure did!
.
Febraury 21st, 2010
Just when we thought it was
going to be a mellow year, what should happen but a flurry of
near and distant performances. The stars aligned in our favor
(at least until 2012) ,
and we hope you can join us
for one of the many cool shows scheduled for this year. You know
it'll be cool if we're willing to fly everywhere to do it!
GARY COMES TO TEXAS FOR A BAZILLION SHOWS:
Trip #1
Wed 3/17 - 8:00pm - Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with S&T
at the Hops House, 2317 S. Highway 6, Houston, Tx
Thu. 3/18 - We're looking for a gig in Houston on this date
Fri. 3/19 - We're looking for a gig in Houston on this date
Sat. 3/20 - 8:00 in the frikkin' morning! - Bayou City Farmer's
Market, 3000 Richmond, Houston, Tx
Trip #2
Fri. 4/16 - 8:00pm - S&T entertain at Rob & Judy's Medicare
Party! JP Hops House, Houston, Tx
Sat. 4/17 - We're looking for a gig in Houston on this date
Trip #3
Fri 4/30 - TENTATIVE - JP Hops House Dylan show with Jack Saunders?
Sat. 5/1 - 8:00 in the frikkin' morning! - Bayou City Farmer's
Market, 3000 Richmond, Houston, Tx
Sat. 5/1 - 8:00 in the frikkin' evening, 200 miles away - private
party - San Antonio
TC HEADS TO COLORADO FOR THESE
SHOWS
5/6-5/11
5/8 - S&T at Horton's Garage Majal, Rosita, Co
Gary is working on filling the open days for this block. If you
live in Colorado, respond here for your house concert!
UK SHOWS
7/14-7/26 S&T two weeks
in Guildford and Oxford
stay tuned for specific venues and dates. Joining us from Warsaw,
Poland for Guilfest will be our good friend and mando player-
JANUSZ TYTMAN~ At the very least,
we'll be appearing at several
afterparties, house concerts, on the minor stages at Guilfest,
and a few pubs...
MORE COLORADO SHOWS
Sun 8/8 2p-5p- The Westcliffe
Feedstore & Amphitheatre
Sat. 9/11 - The Wet Mountain Radio Roundup, Westcliffe, CO
AND A KANSAS SHOW!!
9/14-9/17 - WINFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL!!
and last but not least -
It's never too early to plan for the worst. Join us December
21st, 2012 at the Hops House for GUITARMAGEDDON!!! Special Guests
TBA. Seating will be limited. Last
chance to pick up an S&T
CD :)
Raaaaaaa-MEN!!!!
The
S&T Colorado gigs from TC's Point of View -
Day 0 - Left
work last Thursday about 4:00pm to catch the plane for Colorado.
Since most of our gigs would be at 8,500' or higher, it seemed
a good idea to arrive
the night before. Thanks to my co-workers, Irene and Glynis at
Re/Max Westside for covering me so I could go. The plane
landed after dark, so
I had to wait until the next day for the view.
Day 1 - When I woke up and
looked out the breakfast room window at Gary's place, I could
totally understand why Gary and Kathy retired here. Jesus Christ,
what a view! There were snow-covered peaks for 50 miles in each
direction. We spent the day going over a few tunes, had lunch
at an Uruguayan steakhouse (in a town of 400 people?!?) and that
evening, played a gig at Edwardo's Mexican restaurant in Westcliffe.
Gary's wife, Kathy, has a band of her own called "The Cliffy
Chicks" and they played a big opening set for us on guitar,
bass, and accordion. They totally rocked! Also got a big
surprise when Paul McCann (formerly of Stan and Paul/HP in Houston)
made a surprise visit from Colorado Springs. That's a long way
to go to get live music!
Day 2 - Slept in again while Gary attended a
naturalist seminar, and Kathy went to work in a nearby town where
she practices as a physical therapist. When he got back, we drove
out to see Bishop's Castle. The builder has singlehandedly erected
a monument to individual productivity and libertarianism. He's
welded every piece himself, and mortared every stone.
That afternoon,
we drove 30 minutes down dirt roads to the town of Rosita to
play the main event, a house concert at Drew and Mary Horton's
Garage Majal. Drew's group, The Crestones (named
for the mountains you can see from there) opened the show with
some great standards and neo-jazz. The crowd was very cool, and
all drove some distance to take in the live music.
Day 3 - Woke at an ungodly cow-milking hour
to play the 8:00am and 10:00am services at the Westcliffe Community
Methodist Church. We opened for (Pastor) Steve Miller who delivered
a sermon written around the theme in Gary's songs, "I'm
Takin' It With Me When I Go" and "Heaven's Not The
Great Beyond". It was very interesting to hear how he would
spin these very progressive songs, and believe it or not, lightning
did not strike us as predicted. An mp3 of his sermon is posted
here if you missed church
last Sunday… Right afterward, we motored out to Rosita to
play an encore for a completely different group of folks at the
Garage Majal.
Day 4 - Normally, I wouldn't
bother talking about the return flight, but this is an exception.
Had to get up early to make the 3-hour drive back to Denver and
catch the cheap flight back to Houston. Finally got to see all
the scenery I missed on the way in. Once on the plane, I was
a little distressed to see no less than TWENTY babies on the
flight. Apparently there was an educational event in Denver on
breastfeeding that ended Sunday, and everyone was going home.
I've never seen flight attendants so rattled, but really, the
babies were very quiet, being constantly fed. The big excitement
came when a gentleman in my row passed out in the bathroom and
delayed debarkation for 30 minutes..
Gary will be
returning this week to play more gigs - the last we have scheduled
in Houston for 2009. So if you missed him three weeks ago, this
is your big chance...
It's always our pleasure
to play music for our friends. See you down the road!
May 31, 2009
There's not much words
can say about the gigs we have this weekend, so we'll just show
you instead! We have 5 gigs in Colorado from Friday
through Sunday. If you have friends in south central Colorado,
they're more than welcome to come! Details on the homepage -
www.smytheandtaylor.com.
See you next week!
TC
May 16, 2009
Our newsletter
this week is chock-fulla gigs! No matter where you live, we'll
be at a venue near you! All of these details are posted at http://www.smytheandtaylor.com
THURSDAY,
MAY 21st - 6:30pm - The first show on this whirlwind trip will be
at Lomonte's Italian Restaurant (14510 Gisby Lane) with none
other than THE HANSHAWS!
We've been waiting
sometime to do a show with this talented duo, and you won't want
to miss it! This is the gig where we pull out all the harmony
stops! Call for
reservations
on the patio. 15 already confirmed! 281-496-0030
FRIDAY,
MAY 22nd - 8:00pm - If you live near 59 South (and I mean WAY out!)
we'll be appearing at the historic Wharton Plaza Theatre! Come
see us play in a deluxe
and newly-renovated
performance hall! $15.00 cover. In the square in Wharton! You
can't miss it.
SATURDAY,
MAY 23rd - 8:00AM - We make a return to the Bayou City Farmer's Market
- the place to get your handcrafted local food and music. Really
looking forward
to seeing all
the vendors again, and hey - Gary's out of goat cheese.. 3000
Richmond Avenue behind the Leisure Learning Unlimited building.
Morning show - we'll play till 11:00am.
SATURDAY,
MAY 23rd - 8:00pm
- (Cool graphic below, thanks to Dennis Walker) Then we're off
to JP Hops House, 2317 S. Highway 6. We'll be joined by our guitar
and
spiritual guru,
Jack Saunders for our annual Bob Dylan Birthday Tribute. It's
also TC's birthday. Don't miss it or she'll know!
SUNDAY,
MAY 24th - 2:00pm - Gig #5 this weekend will find us at a new market
out in Richmond. The Wild West Antique market is the cool new
place to scratch that
shopping itch!
One of the coolest outdoor venues we've seen so far. We'll be
under the trampoline tarp! Bring a lawn chair and a hat. 5005
FM 359 in Richmond.
SUNDAY,
MAY 24th - 6:00pm - For the last blast of the weekend, we'll be opening
for our good friend and Dylan-esque wordsmith, David Fahl and
Friends at the Last
Concert Cafe
in downtown (1403 Nance St). We'll be playing the part of 'his
friends'. show opener. Then we crash hard! If you're not planning
on attending this gig, Willie B
would appreciate
your support at the open mic at JP Hops House. Thanks to Willie
for standing in for TC. He'll take good care of you.
I promised a cool graphic and here it is!
Join us
Saturday, May
23rd 8:00pm
for a celebration
of Bob Dylan's Birthday
Special Guest -
Jack Saunders
JP Hops House
2317 S. Highway
6
281-496-0623
May 8, 2009
We'd like to
thank everyone who sent kind words about our success at the Academy
of Texas Music Awards...We are already planning a rendezvous
with our fellow
nominee for
vocal group of the year, Moon and the Starz (Richard Bowden)
and gigs at two locations in Palestine. Look for us at the Words
and Music festival in Marshall,
Texas, too.
We also had
a large time at our third visit to Milt McFarland's annual non-birthday
bash in San Antonio. If anyone has pictures, please send 'em
along. Thanks to Terry
Clarke for introducing
Milt to JPHH and S&T. We appreciated all who came out for
our shows at Sweet Mesquite and Dunn Bros. Coffee House. Thanks
to Fred Thompson
for being Gary's
chauffeur on his last trip. TC's day job is going well, but of
course that presents logistical challenges. It takes a village,
folks!
KPFT's quarterly
fund drive is coming up next week - Do us a favor and support
the only station in Houston brave enough to play S&T's music.
Tune in Monday from 3p-5p
or just make
your online donation today at http://www.kpft.org/index.php?option=com_dtdonate&Itemid=122
don't forget to put the phrase "HAAM Radio Show" in
the
comment box
so the shows gets credit.
TC has a few
rare solo gigs on the horizon. The next will be Sunday 5/16 9:00am
@ the LaCenterra Farmer's Market in Katy. Look for the white
canopies on the west
side of the
mall.
Smythe and taylor
are back in action at the end of May. Mark your calendars now!
Th 5/21 7p Lomonte's
WITH THE HANSHAWS!!
Fr 5/22 8p The
Plaza Theatre – our first time at this historic theatre
on the town square of Wharton.
Sa 5/23 9a Bayou
City Market – Come out a get some organic veggies and some
organic S&T music
Sa 5/23 8p JP
Hops House Our third annual Bob Dylan fest with our good friend
Jack Saunders!
Su 5/24 Wild
West Market – S&T’s first forey into this Richmond
market
Su 5/24 6p Last
Concert Cafe – S&T join host David Fahl
On the first
weekend in June TC heads to Colorado for some S&T shows in
Rosita and Westcliffe
a rolling stone
gathers no moss! TCApril 29th, 2009
It'll be a big
newsletter, so we'd recommend waiting to read this until you
have a big espresso beforehand....I wish we had pictures, but
those will have to come later -
our hands were
beyond full!
The weekend started in Hallettsville, whereTC was invited to
perform as a semifinalist in the Hallesttsville Songwriter's
serenade. The nominees list read like a who's who
of the Houston
songwriting elite, featuring Saylor White, Mark Beets, Matt Harlan,
Carrie Ann Buchanan, and many others. Tom McDaniels was the show's
primary sponsor
and he hosted
a Friday night dinner and song circle for all of the contestants
on his fabulous 400-acre spread outside Hallesttsville. The songwriters
enjoyed a catered dinner
under the stars
and had such a nice time getting reacquainted! The song circle
lasted till the wee hours. TC advanced to the top 10 and during
the finals on Saturday,
Bill Passalaqua
of Schulenburg took home the top prize of $500.00. It was really
nice to hear so many of our friends - since we all work on the
same nights, we never get to
see each other
except for these rare events. I'd have to say that the highlight
was hearing Saylor and Mark pair up on vocals and guitar on the
song, "Good News" - a biting
commentary of
what Jesus was *really* trying to say before he knocked over
all the moneylenders' tables....
On Saturday, Gary drove 12 hours from Colorado to meet TC in
Palestine (that's pal-uh-STEEN) where we played the grand opening
for the new Whistle Stop Cafe for a
pre-awards'
showcase gig. The venue is a classic shotgun design, with hand-carved
table trim, and dual window-stage frontage. The demographic of
the crowd was a perfect
match for our
set list and who should stroll in, but Houston songwriting legend,
and ATMA show emcee, Ken Gaines. We played an extra set for the
die hards. This is sure
to become a
stellar live music venue! We'll be back for sure..
On Sunday, we arrived at the Palestine Civic Center to soundcheck
and attend the artist's orientation meeting for the 'big shew'.
Founder, Lucky Boyd shared with us the
humble beginnings
of the awards as well as our stage plots and procedures. The
preparation took nine mohths of hard work from 76 local volunteers
who we can't thank
enough! When
the festivities began, we were chauffeured in by half a dozen
Cadillac Escalades to the red carpet where we were photographed
by papparazzi and
interviewed
by the press. We chose to walk alongside Duane Bradly (general
manager of KPFT) who was nominated for Broadcast Station of the
Year. He was harried and
haggard from
having attended the Houston International Festival but still
made time to come out and honor the station's nomination.
During the show, TC ran the audio/video table so each nominee
could enjoy seeing their pictures and music clips on the huge
overhead screen in front of a thousand l
ookers-on. When
our performance spot came up, it was a mad dash to jump backstage,
plug in the guitars and play a song with Gary. Before the curtain
closed, she was
unpluggin to
rush right back, but SURPRISE! It was announced that S&T
had won the Vocal Group of the Year award. She nearly choked
on her water bottle and had to let
Gary to deliver
the acceptance speech. Since we had been nominated six times
in the past he compared us to Susan Lucci and went on to thank
the Moods, the
Thompsons, The
Johnsons of Guildford, Janusz Tytman and Marek & Agnieszka
Kruk of Poland, Jack Saunders (for 6 great albums) The Bugle
Boy, The Hops House, our
spouses and
anyone who had ever put a dollar in our tip jar! He only had
30 seconds, and had to talk so fast!! Immediately afterward,
we were whisked away in golf carts
to take pictures
in the lobby and give autographs before TC could return to relieve
Lucky at the AV board for the rest of the show. Congratulations
to our Houston friends,
Connie Mims
(for taking home the gold in the Songwriting category), and to
Ben Morris, (former JP Hops House open miccer) for bagging the
Live Band of the Year award.
We're told that
Michael Martin Murphy led a reunion of the Lost Gonzo Band during
the afterparty, but we coulnd't stay.
We enjoyed seeing many old friends including the Hanshaws, the
Kalinecs, the Bradleys (go KPFT!), Hank Woji, Grady Lee, Lucky
and Jinelle, Robert Frith, Ken Gaines,
Melissa Sambrooks,
Mark Zeus, Byrd and Street, Richard Bowden, etc, etc. We also
appreciated the opportunity to perform in a show that featured
Michael Martin
Murphey in concert
with his original Cosmic Cowboy Band, including Gary P. Nunn
and Bob Livingston.
Gary’s drive home was made more enjoyable by listening to
brand new CDs from four friends – Bill Aspinwall, Mike Darnell,
Steve Price and Hank Woji – thanks, guys
for many great
tunes! If you don’t have these CDs, well why not? You should.
You can get 'em all at www.mytexasmusic.com
Enough of that for now - Upcoming gigs include (Gary has to return
to Houston this weekend!)
Thu 4/30 7:00p Dunn Brothers Coffee (Briar Froest @ Eldridge)
which will be a laid back set or two – come make requests
Fri 5/1 6:30p Sweet Mesquite, (Dairy Ashford) Just the best nachos
in the world!
Sat 5/2 7:00p House Concert for Milt McFarland's (San Antonio),
a favorite S&T annual road gig. If you want to attend, you'd
better email us NOW!!
April 10th, 2009
Hi everyone!
Due to recent demand on iTunes and the encouragement around my
first solo gigs, I have decided to re-release my 'first-second'
album, which was produced
by Jack Saunders.
I was a brand new writer at the time, and I harvested eight of
the songs from my favorite local writers. (I'm sure they'd like
to start recieving checks again!)
I rushed to
get it to market and never even sent it out for a review. I have
ordered 100 new copies, and they will be available for $10 each
starting today. I have also
revamped my
old website, http:/www.tcsmythe.com .
CALENDAR UPDATE
- Just the other day I sent out a newsletter for Smythe and Taylor
with 17 dates attached. I found out today that there were errors
in the list,
(including a
cancellation and two new gigs in Colorado and Houston) so please
see the below for the updated list. We hope to see you at one
of these gigs! THANKS,
and welcome
to the new website!!! April 6, 2009
...and you guys
thought I would let Gary just ride off into a picturesque mountain
sunset???
NOT!!!!
TICKETS FOR THE Academy of Texas Music Awards (ATMA) and related
showcases show are on sale at http://www.texasmusicawards.org/tickets/
. Carpools are
forming now!!
Make the drive while the bluebonnets are still out!
Fri 4/24 8p S&T appear at a nominee showcase at KC Cellar,
in Tyler, Texas (ATMA showcase)
Sat 4/25 8p S&T perform atan ATMA showcase Palestine, Texas
(location TBA )
Sun 4/26 1p S&T perform in the Academy of Texas Music Awards
and Red Carpet at the Palestine Civic Center
cross your fingers! We're nominated in two categories!!!
Fri 5/1 2p S&T
appear at Camden Royal Oaks (Houston)
Fri 5/1 6:30p S&T at Sweet Mesquite (Houston)
Sat 5/2 7p S&T at Col. Milt McFarland House Concert (San
Antonio)
Sat 5/15 TC appears with Selia Qynn & Jack Saunders at Bohemeos
(Houston)
Thu 5/21 7p S&T at Lomonte's Italian Restaurant (Houston)
Fri 5/22 8p The Plaza Theatre (Wharton)
Sat 5/23 9a Farmer's Market (Houston)
Sat 5/23 9p JP Hops House (Houston)
Fri 6/12 6p
TC appears SOLO at Muir Fine Art (Houston)
Thu 6/18 S&T appear at Lomonte's Italian Restaurant (Houston)
Fri 6/19 S&T appear at The First Tee (Houston)
Sat 6/20 S&T appear at the Farmer's Market (Houston)
Sat 6/20 S&T appear at Bear Creek Concert (LaGrange)
Wed 6/24 7p TC @ Hard Times Soup and Music Kitchen (Houston)
More notes about each of these shows to come - just thought I
should give you the heads up for now!
thxMarch 9, 2009
Hi everyone!
This week is
shaping up to be a good one! We're looking forward to having
Gary back in town for a couple of shows
Thursday, March
12th 5pm - Pappasito's 2515 S. Loop West at South Main - TC appears
with The Hanshaws on the patio. It's a rodeo happy hour gig!
If you're on the
South Loop,
come hear some awesome 3-part harmony! Country classics and originals
will be in the set list.. come swill some magaritas with us...
Friday, March
13th - S&T play a private party (we're scheduling these to
compliment established gigs. If you want one, just ask!)
Saturday, March
14th - S&T appear at JP Hops House for out annual St. Patrick's
Day show. We've worked out a big list of music from the British
Isles as well as
some tried and
true S&T originals. Lift a glass with us on Saturday....
a guaranteed knee-slappin' good time.
Monday, March
15th - Since Gary doesn't leave until Monday, S&T will make
a special appearance at the open mic. This is a great chance
to catch up
See you this
weekend!February 27, 2009
Before my daughter
left for school this morning, she was tearing through my closet
looking for a western-style shirt and boots to borrow. These
days, you don't see
many teen girls
rifling through their mother's closets, so I had to ask, "What
the heck are you doing in my things?"
"MAAAAAAAHM!!!! It's 'Go Texan' day at school!"
Of course - I remember dressing up for school this way every
year when the rodeo would come to town. I didn't know they were
still doing it.
So she rode off into the sunrise in an ill-fitting shirt and
boots (my 'mom-jean' 501's were OUT of the question), and she
looked like Porter Wagonner's worst nightmare!
So, just to add insult to injury, and unbeknownst to her, I sent
her history teacher this video from Smythe and Taylor - I'm sure
they'll have lots to talk about during
class http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXIIGi2Amu8
UPCOMING GIGS
Sun 3/01 1:00pm - TC performs at Lomonte's for an important benefit
for the owner's friend who is recovering from multiple surgeries.
$20.00 cover with all you can eat
crawfish. Can't
wait to see how an italian restaurant will dress this up! Bring
your wallet!! It's a benefit show.
Sun 3/08 2:00p - TC delivers a short music industry seminar at
the Houston Songwriters' Association HSA
Fri 3/13 6:00pm - S&T play a Private Party (we do those,
y'know)
Sat 3/14 9:00pm - S&T return to The Hops House fora special
St. Patrick's day show. You just can't miss thiss - too funny!!
thanks all!
TC
February 19th, 2009
no frills here
- just the facts, ma'am!! Smythe and Taylor appear Saturday at
:
The Bayou City Farmer's Market
3000 Richmond (behind Leisure Learning Unlimited)
8:00am-11:00am
and later that evening...
Lomonte's
14510 Grisby Lane (near I-10 and Hwy 6)
6:30pm-9:30pm
reservations on the patio required. (I have already confirmed
reservations for the Moods, The Thompsons, Beverly, Tony, and
Carol. Call me if you want to join that
table! 832 715
5226)
no cover for either show. As always, the details and maplinks
are on our website at http://www.smytheandtaylor.com
thanks!
TC February 16, 2009
Thanks to all
who came out to our shows this past week! And remember - Gary'll
be back in town next Saturday (only!). Check our webpage for
future items and details -
http://www.smytheandtaylor.com
ALSO - please check out the Hops House this coming Wedensday.
VAN BUCHANAN will be the featured artist at the Hops House's
Hard Times Soup
and Music Kitchen! Soup at 7:00pm. Music before and after..
BTW - to the folks who came out to support the Soup Kitchen two
weeks ago - The news crew from Channel 11 stood us up after confirming,
but we're gonna try to get
'em out again,
or we'll all start watching Channel 13!! So, despite the invite,
we can't guarantee you'll be on TV, but we're hoping for the
best. My apologies to any who
were disappointed.
Your next bowl of soup is on me:) - TC
******************************
but now, the NEWS......
Looking back
to Wednesday, we'd like to thank the folks at Parkway Place Independent
Living Center for inviting us out. We went straight there from
the airport. S&T
have developed
a nice set of music from the 30's to the 50's just for this purpose.
If you want us to entertain your folks or grandfolks, just have
their Activities Director
give us a call
at 832 715 5226. These shows almost never confict with our evening
gigs and they are quite affordable! We have exactly ONE opening
for this on the 20th.
First call gets
it!
After that gig,
we went to see The Hard Times Troubadours with special guest
Hans York at The Hard Times Soup and Music Kitchen. We had heard
many nice things
about Hans,
and we were not disappointed! Imagine a cross between Keb Mo,
David Wilcox and Jack Williams. Funny songs, too! He played several
others gigs that
week, and we
heard they were all wonderful!
On Thursday
it was great to see so many folks out at JP Hops House. We really
had a good time digging back into the S&T archives. Thanks
for all of the requests. As
always, a big
shout out to Jim and Pam for hosting all of us musicians. If
we missed playing your favorite songs, you can request them again
at two more shows we
have slated
at JPHH: Our third annual O’Smythe and O’Taylor St.
Patrick’s day show (Saturday, March 14th) and our third
annual Bob Dylan BD show (Saturday,
May 23rd) with
our good friend Jack Saunders. TC likes to point out that she
was born on Dylan's BD, and not the other way around :) You can
see a video of last
year's show
on our homepage - http://www.smytheandtaylor.com
Friday, we had
some time off so we enjoyed seeing The Hanshaws at Lomonte’s
and Mark Zeus/Wayne Wilkerson at Sweet Mesquite. They make a
really nice combo!
and we even
got to hear Wayne sing a LEAD!!! and he was GOOD!!
On Saturday
morning we enjoyed seeing our Urban Harvest friends at the Bayou
City Farmers Market, including Janice, Mickey, Ray and Mr. Hatterman
(the egg man -
Koo Koo Ka Choo),
etc, etc. The vendors reported strong sales with Bruce the orchid
man being in the cat bird’s seat, it being Valentines Day
and all. Thanks to
Van Buchanan
for hanging out with us and singing some songs. (He’s being
featured this Wednesday at JPHH soup night – go see him.)
We love doing that three part
harmony. It
was a first for us as we sang straight from 8:00-12:00 straight
with no breaks. Counting up all the songs we missed we calculated
that we have between
14-15 hours
of material without relying on lyric sheets. And that doesn’t
include our Dylan night stuff. “Desolation Row” and
“Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream”, etc. would a
dd another few
hours, easily! Don’t get us started…
*******************************
We only have
two gigs next weekend, and they're both on Saturday! The market
at 8:00am and Lomonte's at 6:00pm. For maps and details, visit
our home page at
