Late Night in the studio

I’m having a “Pettycoat Junction” morning – according to one of our neighbors here in Casa Grande.
Yep, you remember:  “that’s Uncle Joe he’s a movin’ kind’a  slow”
- that’s ME this morning.

I was up LATE last night working on some music tracks and getting set up to sell digital downloads on line. Audio recording and production is one of those things that’s “never done” – there’s always room for improvement, or in my case NEED for improvement.  I keep finding annoying little stuff that should be cleaned up before distribution.

It’s slow and painful – just like me and Uncle Joe.

But here’s the PLAN:  Sometime in the next few days, I will be posting the music video “ROTFLMAO – the facebook song“.  It’s a long movie – 7 minutes.   But it’s so COMICAL that I think it might “go viral” – particularly since Facebook is planning to become a publically traded company very soon.

You can help by sharing the video with all your friends and asking them to do the same.  I will include links where folks can purchase a digital download of the whole song as well as many of my other previously recorded songs.  And I will be adding new songs to the download catalog as I finish them.

So, “stay tuned”, as they say, for the big video release and launch of the NEW download site.

And if you’re in Tucson on Sunday 12 Feb, and would like to support the Tucson Folk Festival, there’s a FUNDRAISER show at  The Boondocks Lounge  3306 N. First Ave., Tucson, AZ.   It’s the TKMA‘s  ”Valentine’s Day” Fundraiser night of acoustic “love songs” – Feb 12,  Sunday 5PM – 9PM  support this to help keep the Tucson Folk Festival FREE!  I will be there and will do a couple tunes myself.

Also on our calendar: Feb 26, Sunday 2PM – 4PM – The Glass Onion Cafe, 1990 W. River Road, Tucson, AZ – The Darrell Elmer Rodgers Trio will perform two sets for all our friends.  The show is free, but bring some cash for some organic coffee and other good stuff!

March 17, 2012  Saturday Morning at the “Playing for Unity In Diversity” festival - The Darrell Rodgers Trio will perform at Old Tucson Studios  for this “volunteer” event.  All the performers, including The Darrell Rodgers Trio and our friends Alan James, Robert Gillies, and others are performing for free.  But admission to the park is about $17.  You’ll bet to see the old west movie sets from many of those John Wayne classics.

Thanks in advance for your help sharing the upcoming video.  I hope to see you at one of our shows.

///Darrell

Darrell Elmer Rodgers

Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist

http://darrellsongs.com

” Die Workin’ ” at The Glass Onion

Last night, Friday the 13th, I accepted an invitation from Jen McDonald, proprietor of The Glass Onion Cafe in Tucson to be part of their “Talent Search” night.  She had met a fellow she said was a talent scout for “Sony/Warner” and he would be there to see the local talent perform. I thought it would likely be a waste of time since it takes me 45 minutes to get there and it wasn’t likely to be a long set – 2 or 3 songs, I figured.  I was also sure the place would be crowded with teen-age high school rock bands want to “crank it up to 11″ in an “every man for himself” attempt to “get discovered”.

But I went anyway.

Doug Hancock

Much to my delight, my fears were mostly unfounded. I was pleased to see some other gray-haired performers in the place and made a new acquaintance I hope to see again soon.  His name is Doug Hancock. He’s a veteran preforming singer-songwriter with an old bus to prove it. (Doug says he actually raised kids in that bus)  Today, Doug has a home in Tucson where he runs “Hancock Recording” and parks his bus. His website says he does mastering.  Doug and I might just have to talk about that! I’d also like to get him involved with TKMA because I think he’d enjoy the people.

For my part, I used the opportunity to debut, before a live audience, several new songs including ” Die Workin’ ” which I play on slide guitar and harmonica simultaneously.  As I said to the audience, for a singer-songwriter, playing both guitar and harmonica while singing is akin to rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time,,,while doing brain surgery and changing a tire on your car. It’s a bit complex.

But much to my surprise, I pulled it off. Here’s a photo of me in action.  I will soon produce a music web log of the song which I believe mighty just become an anthem for my generation or perhaps, the Occupy movement.

Yes it’s just the dream destroyed, for any Workin’ Man
It’s the long-term, under-employed, retirement plan:
Die Workin’, Die Workin’ Die Workin’
(If I’m lucky, I’ll Die Workin’)

///Darrell

Darrell Elmer Rodgers

Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist

http://darrellsongs.com

VLOG #14 – a GRAND New Year!

Yesterday, 1 January 2012, saw the arrival of Emily Rae Langness, our first Grandchild. Here is my morning show-and-tell as a new GrandPa!

We’re pretty stoked around here about having a new baby in the family. We could not be more proud of Rachel and Cody nor more grateful to God for such a blessing. And my mom is pretty pleased to have scored her first GREAT grandchild. Not a bad way to start the new year.  I suspect there will be some new songs on the horizon.

///Darrell

Darrell Elmer Rodgers

Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist

http://darrellsongs.com

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that Jazz.

Well, not only Jazz but pop, rock, folk and blues as well. And a blessed Chanukah, Ashura, Kwanza, Bodhi, Solstice and whatever you choose during this season.  This is not an attack on Christmas, but a peace-offering for world unity. 

The recent  noise about “attack on Christmas” underscores an observation I made long ago: “When you KNOW someone loves you, they can say anything and it’s OK.  BUT, if you suspect ill-will then, even “hello” is a threat.”

So let’s take this opportunity, during this season of love and devotion expressed in many faiths to assume the best -if only for a week or two – and hear the best in every greeting.   It will help us all feel the spirit of unity just a little more deeply.

One of my earliest blogs was about “Christmas presents and Christmas Presence” (Dec 2008).  I said “Christmas Presence is what you receive when you OBSERVE Christmas with an eye toward the Human Spirit.  It’s not the toys given by our police officers to impoverished children; it’s the tear in their eye when they do so”

My mom - Katy Rodgers

I think you get the point already. The real gift is the “Presence” of that spirit that unites us all. And even if you are a hard science-oriented athiest or agnostic, you will likely recognise that organically, humanity is indeed all connected. The differences in our genetics is miniscule. So what harm is there in taking a seasonal “cease fire” in the war of words and attitudes?  None that I can see. 

This year we will visit with friends, old and new, and enjoy the company of my mother, 86 and going strong – perhaps the best gift a son can have.  I hope your holiday season is as joyful as you desire and that we might all, perhaps, carry “Christmas Presence”  forward into the new year.

Peace to you all.

 

///Darrell

 

Darrell Elmer Rodgers

Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist

http://darrellsongs.com

VLOG #13 – Family Time and Graduation!

It has been a busy week or two since my last VLOG. Here’s a shorter (7 minute) video where I’ll tell you about visists with my mom and uncle and about my daughter’s graduation from ASU.  I even show you a clip of Holly Heyman’s wild birthday bash.  Go ahead. Have a look.

 

Looked fun didn’t it?  Well, it was.  And you may not believe this, but all those drummers and dancers were actually sober! 

Did you notice, in the graduation photos, that my older daughter is quite pregnant? She’s expecting to deliver our first grandchild any day now (27 Dec target date).  Then I will have a ton mor photos and videos to share – for sure!

Take a look at my previous post for links to friends and events you mighht like to learn more about.  And if I don’t see you beforehand, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

///Darrell

Darrell Elmer Rodgers

Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist

http://darrellsongs.com