50 Rockin' Music Blogs by Real Musicians

Here's a cool honor I just received. My humble blog here is featured on an impressive list of music blogs published by SR Education Group. I see CDBaby's DIY Blog on the list, and that's one I go to often for great music marketing advice. Many other professional music blogs are listed on all sorts of topics from horn playing to ragtime piano. I only wish I had time to peruse them all!

Ada

We always love visiting Ada! There are many families there who connect with us there every year. Our audience today was very lively and a lot of fun. 

Our camera was out of commission today and by the time Lisa got her hands on the iPhone, the show was almost over. Here we are at the end of "Books, Ahoy!" 

Posing with fans after the show:

Our next programs are Tuesday in Ft. Gibson and Checotah!

Lawton

We had a packed house for the morning show in Lawton today!

This sculpture is right outside the library and we take this same photo every year so we can watch Evalyn grow. This year she's the perfect height!

Here we are with Lawton's famous paper mache dinosaur, made by kids, I think in 1978!

We had another great group for our second show, not as big but just as enthusiastic.

Tomorrow we visit another yearly favorite, Ada!

Noble and Shawnee

Our last two Pioneer System shows were today. We are now half-way through our summer schedule! Doesn't seem possible!

Check out this cool tiki dude who served as a backdrop on the stage at Noble (hint - he's the one on the right):

Crab got your nose?

We had a pretty big crowd at Shawnee:

That pesky sea star was at it again:

Here I am signing cards after the show. We've been giving out these cards with the URL for our FREE song of the week, and the kids like to have me sign them. It's been a lot of fun for me to interact with each kid a bit after the show and find out what their favorite songs are.

Tomorrow: Lawton, here we come!!

Fairview and Watonga

This summer is just going so very very well. We had two more great shows today. This morning we were in Fairview, and we had the singingest audience! However, I forgot to put the camera in the car this morning, so we have no photos to show for it.

Hey, if you were there and you took any photos, send em to me and I'll post em. Thanks!

Then on the way to Watonga it occurred to me that we did in fact have a camera with us. It's called an iPhone. I forget that iPhones can do anything. (Once when I was walking around Boomer Lake I lamented that I didn't have a pedometer. Then I whipped out the iPhone, browsed the Apps Store and before we got halfway around I was holding a pedometer in my hand! The wonders of modern technology!)

Anyhow, Lisa took a few shots with the iPhone at Watonga.

Here I am posing with my sign on the way in with all the equipment:

We love going to Watonga - it's one of those libraries that has me back year after year. I was reminiscing with one of the librarians about the castle backdrop I had one year - that was for "Knights Alive in '95"! (That castle is now attached to the wall in Evalyn's room.)

Anyhow, it's always a good group and they do like to decorate, so we always enjoy walking into the program room to see what they've done with it. Today it was like sitting on the beach, with sand on one side and water on the other.

McLoud & Tecumseh

I had two more fantastic shows today. When we arrived at McLoud there was a varnish spill in the building where they usually hold programs, filling the room with fumes. So, I hauled my cart up the road about half a block to an alternate location. Here's the group:

It's those pesky starfish again.

Too cute!

Here's the group at Tecumseh:

This was a great audience for participating! They sang everything with gusto. It was cool to see all those hands open together on "surprise" in "Grandma's House Tonight!"

Well it's been a super week for me. I've enjoyed traveling with my wife Lisa and daughter Evalyn and singing for so many cool kids. Lisa has been singing and dancing with me on stage during "Villa Villakula Hula," though she won't allow me to post a photo! Evalyn has been learning the ropes and helping us set up and tear down the sound system. I'm a lucky guy to have such a great family and to get to spend weeks traveling and performing with them like this! Thanks, girls! Next week, more of the same!!

Blanchard, Newcastle

I had two fantastic shows today! I had super audiences and I gave my best performances yet this summer. In the morning we were in Blanchard, where they have a brand new library! 

Crab got your nose?

"A little hairy guy with great big feet..."

This afternoon I was in Newcastle. Everyone in this photo seems to be having trouble with pesky sea stars.

Shark teeth!!

These kids are ready to shout out the answer to the last verse in "Books Ahoy!"

Tomorrow: McLoud and Tecumseh.

Purcell, Moore

So we came home from a show last week with only three photos, and I told Lisa I needed more photos to choose from for the blog, and she said but there's never anything new and interesting to shoot - me singing is me singing. It's been done. Today she took 46 photos! It's late. I'm gonna close my eyes and pick a few for you...

Continuing our Pioneer Library System tour, this morning we were in Purcell.

Mmmm, tasty....

Only the coolest librarians dress like pirates!

This afternoon and evening we were in Moore...

The evening show had a lot of toddlers and preschoolers who were needing to move around, so I ended with "Jungle Junk" and everybody just got up and danced!

Norman

It's raining! Big time! We had to take a detour on the way down to Norman today because I-35 was flooded near Edmond!

Anyhow, we look forward to our Norman visit every year because we always have great audiences, and today was no exception. I really enjoy the evening programs, where we get a strong ratio of parents to kids. It's fun to see the parents enjoying the kids.

Anyhow, it's late and Lisa took a huge number of great photos. So, I'm just gonna grab some and throw em up here. Here we go...

The afternoon group:

Evalyn made a nest:

Those pesky crabs, always going for the nose:

Evalyn, being a microphone stand:

Alligator on the radiator:

Signing cards:

The evening group:

Those pesky crabs again:

I don't know - what do I know?

Woodward

In Woodward I performed outside in Crystal Beach Park. I set up in front of the bandstand so folks could sit in the shade and we could still be close. 

It was a bit windy. Or maybe I just need a haircut. Or both.

This is what Evalyn did during the show. That's her sitting, about to be deluged by water from the big bucket. This cool pool is located right next door to the bandstand.

Meanwhile I was singing, "Pop up!"

"Sit down!"

Checking out the concertina after the show.

Next week: The Pioneer Library System!