It's hot as blue blazes here in Houston, and I've just decided to hit the old road less traveled out to Austin tomorrow afternoon with my good friend, talented Texas troubadour Jimmy Pizzitola: http://www.myspace.com/jimmypizzitola We're looking forward to a big time at the Capital, where we'll play the supper show at the popular Italian restaurant, Romeos, on Barton Springs Drive on Tuesday (June 12) from 6:30-9 p.m. Thanks to proprietor, Tara Stenseth-Riley, who said, "Y'all come!" when I called her up today and said, "We're looking for a gig!" We expect the generous tippers at Romeos will cover our gas, and we're packing an ice box--no stopping at the fast food restaurants that scatter the highways between here and there--just a good old fashioned time. We're going to bring along our favorite music. For me right now, that would be Odetta, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Janis Joplin. It will be fun to see what Jimmy has in store for the ride. And we're looking forward to a visit with Cactus Griff who "made" the Cactus Cafe in the Student Union Building at UT where the hootenannies used to break out back in the sixties. We'll say hello to Odom and Eddie at the original Threadgill's, Martin at Waterloo Records, and consummate songsmith, Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, as well as all the friends we're bound to cross paths with along the way. What a lot of fun we're going to have--and this will be a reprieve from the Houston heat and the frenzied rush of the three and a half weeks since my last letter. It's been a musical whirlwind since the last time I wrote, but a wonderful, wonderful time . . . a show at Threadgill's Old #1 that was like a dream: playing to a packed house, opening for Hank Alrich who helped Eddie Wilson start the legendary Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin in 1970. Playing my brand new song, "The Cougar Anthem," for the musicians at Eddie's house at the end of the evening. I'll never forget the man who approached me after my performance at Threadgill's and said that he'd been there when Janis played the same room in the sixties before she went on to San Francisco, and then told me that in all of these years he'd never seen anyone perform in that room who reminded him as much as I did of "early Janis." The woman who took my hand and said, "It was like you were channeling HER." I felt like I was "home." Then there was the Houston Press Music Awards weekend--I didn't win, but I love the band who did. They were the most seasoned act in the traditional folk category, The Flying Fish Sailors! I'll always remember Producer John Evans and Sound Engineer Steve Christensen clapping and stomping themselves blue in the face to make the "The Cougar Anthem" just right at historic Sugar Hill Studios . . . And the radio interview with Allen and Lee on the extremely popular AM radio talk show, PM Plus, on KPIR, in North Texas. Boy, those two are characters! I like 'em! A breakthrough performance at Mojo Risin' -- a little beatnik coffee house on old Shepherd Street here in Houston, with the kids snapping their fingers just like back in the day. More radio interviews, including a 7 a.m. call on the "Chance and Dawn" roots music morning show on WXLV 90.3 FM in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania. A photo shoot at the Amy Morris Photography studio here in the quaint Houston Heights--another breakthrough for me. (You'll see when I get these gorgeous pictures posted!) . . . recording radio spots for Americana stations with Jimmy Pizzitola at his family's Regal Ranch--the fifties era dance hall where the great Country-Western heroes stopped to entertain in Houston on their way through . . . The chance to find my place amidst all of this GREAT Texas history. And there is so much more. But I know this letter is getting long, and I appreciate your interest in reading this far. To close for now, I'd like to say that on Saturday (August 16) I'll be contributing an appearance for a very good cause -- the Honky Tonk Golf Classic at Blancos, an urban cowboy style juke joint at the edge of Houston's elite River Oaks district. There's a fellow musician who is critically ill, and I want to do all that I can to help. Please check out my Web site for details and help us get the word out by forwarding this email . . . I'll also be on television again for the first time since I appeared on "East Texas" live in April in Tyler, Texas. The filming will be at the Big Top, right next door to the eclectic little record store, Sig's Lagoon, here in Houston--I tell you what, I could just while away the whole day browsing through that magical place that specializes in roots music and memorabilia. I could just nestle into the hundred year old corner near the big store front window on Main Street, picking away on my guitar all evening long as the good customers come and go between Sig's, the Big Top, and the fabulous Continental Club, which is the sister venue to the Austin club by the same name, where I made quite an unforgettable debut with Mr. Earl Poole Ball at Rowdy Tijmes's "Cash Bash" on Johnny Cash's birthday last February to benefit KOOP radio. My goodness, this IS the longest letter I've ever written. I'd better stop. If you made it this far, you really must be a friend. THANK YOU. I hope that my journey through music will encourage everyone to chase a dream, for I have found no equal joy in life. It feels so good . . . Y'all come!