Hey, Everybody—I’m still riding that Nashville high—and getting ready to hit historic La Carafe in downtown Houston tonight between 8-11 for what is turning out to be quite the place to be on Tuesday evenings. La Carafe is a low-key, intimate space in the Kennedy Bakery building, which is growing on two hundred years old! They still use their original cash register (how cool!), so bring cash only, and handsome, young Daniel, who got this all going, will be serving up high-quality beers and wines in the heart of the theater/business district to the tune of an acoustic Texas backdrop, a songwriter showcase conducted by the discerning host, songwriter Jimmy Pizzitola:
http://www.poetontherun.net/
Tonight’s guest is Steve Straker, who’s back in Houston from Portland, Oregon, preparing for his upcoming full-band shows at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. And I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be accompanied by the great Greg Henkel on fiddle/violin. This would be an impressive date night, guys—take it from me—especially on Valentine’s week! All of the info can be found on the calendar page at http://www.glennabell.com and the parking is free and easy on weeknights. Many thanks to those who signed up for the newsletter last Tuesday in Houston and during the past few days in Nashville. I’m excited to have you on board!
Before I close, I’d like to ask for about a minute of your time. The local record store, Cactus Music, is having a contest of sorts. They’re inviting Houston artists to submit songs that represent our city for an opportunity to be included on a community-curated playlist, sponsored by Saint Arnolds. There’s an online form for voting with only six simple questions that take less than a minute to answer. They won’t share your email address, and they won’t solicit you, either. Here’s the link:
http://www.cactusmusictx.com/blog/archives/451
For “artist,” please nominate “Glenna Bell.” For “song,” please submit either “Shiner Bock and ZZ Top” or “Can’t Get My Mind Off You” from The Road Less Traveled, which was #1 on Houston Chronicle music editor, Joey Guerra’s list of favorite local releases for 2008. If you would like to listen to the songs, just click here, and they will play first for you “in stereo.”
“Shiner Bock and ZZ Top” is all me, and “Can’t Get My Mind Off You” features the backing vocals of the amazing John Pickering who recorded three-part harmonies with his vocal group, The Picks, on Buddy Holly’s “Maybe Baby” and several other legendary hits. Sadly, John passed away almost two years ago, but I will always remember him sitting there with me in that little room at historic Sugar Hill Studios here in Houston, telling me all about Buddy whom he and his wife, Vicky, had known from childhood, and remarking to me, “You remind me of him.” I’ll never forget that.
Y’all come!