It's been icy and lots of shows have canceled. That's always tough for working musicians but this is nothing compared to 2020. We're all a little tougher and braver now. Since I didn't get to play much this week, and neither did many others, I'll tell you about three artists I wish I got to see more:
Tee Fitch is such a groovy songwriter I sometimes feel like he's customizing the songs for me. Sellwood Bridge has that iconic sound like it was lifted from a nineties movie about relationships, growing up, and trying to decide which parts of life to care about and which parts to throw into the wind. I CAN NOT stop listening to it. If you grew up with the music I did, this will fit perfectly into that huge binder of homemade CDs with the perfect mixes for driving. Thing For You is very catchy and since I know the person it was written for, I can tell you it's about as honest a song as a person can write. Have you ever fallen hard for someone and don't exactly know what to do about it? If so, this song will make perfect sense. If not, well, sorry about you, get out there and meet some people.
I met Tee through a mutual friend when I needed someone to play bass at a show in Waco, TX. He could not have been cooler that day as we encountered technical problem after technical problem. He is such a good dude to have around because he doesn't get rattled, or at least he doesn't let it show. With excellent guitar skills, great vocals, and genuine song-writing, I wish I could see more Tee Fitch shows and hear more Tee Fitch Music. Check him out online!
I met CC Cross in a music competition several years ago. Side note: I hate music competitions, but they do create an opportunity to meet and network with other musicians, and there's nothing better than that. CC and I became fast friends, cause she's just like that. She's sweet but not weak, tough but not mean, and walk through fire for the ones she loves. We lost touch a few years ago and she took a break from music for a bit. Now that she's back at it, I can't wait to see what she comes up with.
She has an excellent cover of Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground but her single Woman of Steel is probably my favorite thing she has on Spotify. Again, I wish you could have access to all of her material, and it may be floating around somewhere out there. I know I still have some hard copies of the CDs she sold at shows. I like to use the word grit to describe artists who I think really put themselves out there and don't let the difficulty of the business slow them down. Since I use that often enough, it doesn't begin to describe the grit, tenacity, full on soul of fire that CC puts into her music. Check her out and tell me I'm wrong.
To round out my three this week, I'll add someone who should need no introduction, but he is someone I wish I could see more often. Colin Boyd is someone I've known for years, and even though we don't talk much, I have crazy respect for his talent and work ethic! You don't get to work as much and for a long in this business as Colin has if you're not working seriously hard and maintaining solid relationships. He's got such a groovy way about it him too. You would think it all just comes easy to him. You know how some musicians are so loud they suck up all the energy in the room for themselves? Well, that's not Colin. I don't know if I've met a humbler, more gracious fellow song-writer than Colin, and if anyone had a right to be a little cocky, it'd be him.
Tell me, when you listen to Another Heart To Break you don't feel like you're in some honky-tonk waiting in line for a cool, not cold, lite beer that'll cost a dollar and a half. It swings, it grooves, and is a really fun listen. Juliet is a fun song simply asking if she's found Romeo yet. It's fun and light hearted. I'll be listening more and more as I didn't realize until the writing of this blog that I wasn't following him on Spotify. Let me assure you, that has been rectified. Check out Colin at the links below, and he has tons of shows so go see him live and tell him I sent you.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to share this with other music fans. Go see live music if you love music. Be careful out there. See you soon!