Life seems to be moving faster these days, and there is never enough time . . . I'm off to Memphis early Friday morning to play the biggest acoustic music event in the nation--the North American Folk Alliance Conference at the downtown Marriot--along with about 2,000 kindred spirits who'll be making music in every nook and cranny of the big hotel. Imagine "A Mighty Wind" magnified by tenfold, at least. It will be a great character study. I will do some writing. I'll be back in Houston on Sunday and will drive out to Austin Tuesday afternoon to appear that evening (February 26 from 12:30-1 a.m.) at the world-famous Continental Club with my childhood friend, Bob King, of San Marcos, Texas. The event is sponsored by KOOP radio's "Rowdy Show" in Austin (Fridays from 11-noon), and it's called "The Johnny Cash Birthday Bash," or "Cash Bash" for short. Radio show host, Martin Tijmes, has been playing my music on Fridays and says the phone lines lit up when he debuted "Shiner Bock & ZZ Top" off my new album. Martin and his staff at KOOP have been working hard to put together a first-class line up of Texas talent, including Dale Watson and Rosie Flores, and we will all be performing our favorite Johnny Cash songs to celebrate the birthday of "the man in black." In keeping with this theme, the cover is fifteen dollars. Ten if you wear black. I'll be in the studio on Friday (February 29) to record the new song I've written to commemorate the Art Guys' twenty-fifth anniversary and am looking forward to working again with producer, John Evans, and for the first time with engineer, John Griffin, at Sugar Hill Studios. I'm also looking forward to several Houston shows that are coming up in March. On Saturday, March 1 from 9-11:30 p.m., I'll be sharing the Bohemeo's stage with Mr. Red Eye Carl, a Gulf Coast gentleman-rambler of the immediate descent of the line of the infamous privateer-pirate, Jean Lafitte himself! Bohemeo's, on Houston's legendary Telephone Road, is a new venue, and the first coffee house on the "East End," where I live. I am pro-coffee, but b.y.o.b. is okay at Bohemeo's. On Saturday, March 7, from 7:30-10:30 p.m., I'll be at another new coffee house--Waldo's on Heights Boulevard near 10th Street (1030 Heights)--with best-kept secret roots sensation, Jody Pate, who's on his way to Oregon and will be famous one day. And there's a house party in Houston on Saturday, March 15 in the old Third Ward--a bunch of artists and some musicians from Austin. I'll be in my element there. Thanks to Austin singer-songwriter, Kristi Rae, for inviting me to play. Of course, there's always more, but these are the highlights on this rainy day, February 20, 2008. I will keep you posted. Until next time . . . Y'all come! http://cdbaby.com/all/glennabell (Listen & BUY the music of Glenna Bell.)