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Home of Michael Perry – Author, Humorist, Singer/Songwriter, Amateur Pig Farmer

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Archive for January, 2011

Tent Show Radio Tomorrow – Bill, Willie, and Merle

If you’re within range of one of these stations tomorrow night (Saturday, January 15th) we hope you’ll join Mike as he hosts another edition of Tent Show Radio from Big Top Chautauqua.

The musical guests will be Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard, and in this episode’s monologue – delivered from the backstage dressing room with the one lonely little lightbulb burnin’ – Mike discusses his love for tents … unless the tent in question contains a malicious clown who does weird magic tricks involving giant underpants.

Gathering Together Apart

Before I send you to this link, I have to qualify a couple of things, especially for those of you aware that I haven’t quite perfected walking on water:

1. The round-trip was much shorter than indicated.

2. The snowstorm was pretty much see-through.

Also, just so I don’t  misrepresent my service, while I am indeed an active member of the local fire department, I am part of the first responder unit (howdy Emergicare crew!) and not currently driving fire trucks.  Although I get to sit in the fire truck at active structure fires, which is not a bad deal when the weather’s hinky.

OK.  That was throat-clearing.  Thank you to Suzanne, who patiently arranged this meeting.  Thank you to Kyle of Amble Down Records who lent his Apple gear, high-speed internet, and office space at an early hour.  Thank you to Alissa, who took care of the details.

But above all, thank you to the members of the book club.  These are folks who gather in unique circumstance, and that they should engage me in such a thoughtful and energetic manner was humbling.  As you can see from Suzanne’s report, the questions were specific and entertaining.  I appreciate having been able to spend a little slice of time in the basement of Bethel Lutheran Church, even as I sat on a couch many snowflakes away…

One For the Old Folks, And One For…Umm…The Old Folks

Errands took me town the other day.  Had a couple of hours to fill while waiting to pick up my daughter, went to my longtime coffee shop hangout to do some writing.  There’s a restaurant in the back.  Restaurant was closed, so the the tattooed youngsters doing prep work in the kitchen had some sort of caustic (that’s not a judgment, just a report) death-speed-I-dunno metal ripping from the speakers while they chopped scallions.  They are pleasant, well-employed youth and I carry no animus, but I did nonetheless put my headphones on and dialed up Pandora, which allows you to hear music based on your own tastes.  About an hour in, I took a bathroom break and passed down the back hallway by the open door of the kitchen only to catch a glimpse of the fellers snapping their heads back and forth to – of all things – “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” by the late Warren Zevon.  Did my 46-year-old heart good.

Back to my computer, and Pandora.  Listening to the ad-supported version.  And was shortly forced to confront the question, If you are listening to a virtual radio station that generates its ads based on music parameters you yerself have selected, what does it mean when you keep hearing that AARP insurance advert that starts out, “If you’re a driver 50 and over…???”

John & Julie Making Postcards

Wisconsin Public Television spent some time with my friends John & Julie while they made postcards the old fashioned way. As you watch John and Julie work, keep in mind they live on a farm, raise their own food, own a hay baler, and I know for a fact that John can rebuild the engine on an International A tractor.  The video is here, under the title “Photo Postcard.”  A blog about the project here.

John and Julie shot the covers for Population 485, Off Main Street, the hardcover version of Truck, the hardcover version of Coop, and the paperback version of Coop.  More of their work here.

Oh, There It Is

Been missing my fire department first responder pager for three weeks.  Looked high, low, outside, inside, chair cushions, sock drawer, under tractor seat, you name it.  I have a handheld radio that doubles as a pager if necessary, but it got to the point where I was practicing my “umm…errr…” speech to the chief.  Yesterday I went to Long Beds rehearsal.  When I opened my gig bag (actually it’s a gig toolbox), there, right on top, next to the spare cables, extra picks, tuning pedal and bluegrass capo, was the pager.  Placed there very carefully – so I wouldn’t lose it – right before the Sue Orfield show in December.

Here’s a snippet from that show, thanks to weebree22:

Watching that I’m reminded again what fun we had that evening.  Band took good care of me.  And keep in mind: somewhere just offstage, safely tucked away, sits my pager.

Tent Show Radio Tonight – Joan Baez

If you’re within range of one of these stations, we hope you’ll join Mike as he hosts another edition of Tent Show Radio from Big Top Chautauqua.

Tonight’s musical guest is Joan Baez, and in this episode’s monologue – delivered from the backstage dressing room with the one lonely little lightbulb burnin’ – Mike explains why if he were the type of guy to hire a life coach, he’d need six, and they’d have to work in shifts.  There is also some discussion of high culture and low culture, including a reference to Varmint Hunter Magazine.

Kathleen Edwards

From notes toward my next book: I hope my daughters have a little Kathleen Edwards in’em.  Beware, silly boys:

Tent Show Radio Tomorrow – Joan Baez

If you’re within range of one of these stations tomorrow night (Saturday, January 8th) we hope you’ll join Mike as he hosts another edition of Tent Show Radio from Big Top Chautauqua.

The musical guest will be Joan Baez, and in this episode’s monologue – delivered from the backstage dressing room with the one lonely little lightbulb burnin’ – Mike explains why if he were the type of guy to hire a life coach, he’d need six, and they’d have to work in shifts.  There is also some discussion of high culture and low culture, including a reference to Varmint Hunter Magazine.