I'm here at the house today, organizing all of my records, tapes, and CD's. It's like an archeological dig through my life, and it's funny how hearing some of those old songs again after so long gives me a feeling of inspiration for the future. I feel lucky to be able to travel this road that so many other reaching souls have traveled before, and it will be the greatest mystery unraveled to see where I will find myself at the end of my journey. In the meantime, I'm having the best of times along the way! I'm looking forward to tonight's supper show at the Last Concert Cafe in Houston (http://www.lastconcert.com). Last Friday was our first time out as an acoustic group, with David O'Dea on mandolin and banjo and Michael Farber on bass. It was a hoot that turned into a bonafide hootenanny by the end of the night, with several talented "guest stars" setting the intimate stage on fire with spontaneous, impromptu appearances--lots of roots showing and contagious energy, plus mouth-watering Mexican food, Houston style. This is going to be a weekly event, and I intend to work up a strong, regular audience for it. There's no cover charge, and the Last Concert Cafe is a Houston landmark on the edge of the burgeoning downtown warehouse district. "Build it, and they will come" is my motto, and I would surely appreciate it if you would lend a hand and forward this email to anyone you might know in the Houston area who would be interested in having fun. In the meantime, The Road Less Traveled is selling like hot cakes at http://www.cdbaby.com/all/glennabell and the reviews are rolling in! When you get a few minutes, I hope that you will read this thoughtful piece by Francois Braeken at Rootsville, Belgium (with English translation by Cora Haverkamp). I'm particularly proud of it, as Mr. Braeken is a true conessuire of roots music and has placed me alongside some of the "greats" in the genre: The album, Face This World (http://cdbaby.com/cd/glennabell) by singer-songwriter Glenna Bell, was one of the musical highpoints of 2005 in my modest opinion--a masterpiece, which almost got my number one spot in my personal top 25. Richard Stooksbury's debut album beat her, but she was in the respectable company of Sam Baker, Jimmy Lafave, and Colin Brooks. It is a bit of a pity that the subsequent album, The Road Less Traveled, took such a long time (strike the iron while it is hot) because this pretty lady from Beaumont, Texas was in the neighborhood of Gillian Welch, Iris Dement, and Mary Gauthier and will need some luck to regain her place again. But will she succeed with The Road Less Traveled?... We believe so! "Never change a winning team" is also a saying that works well for Glenna Bell because the perfect collaboration with producer & multi-instrumentalist John Evans (vocals, guitar, piano, electric bass) was renewed on the opening track "Outside the Bars," and on the magnificent duet "The East Side" with Texas Country Music Hall of Fame member Johnny Bush, as well as "The Texas Aggies Win Again" and "La Casa Qua Yo Amo." The sober acoustic accompaniment (guitar, bass, and drums), which was so characteristic on Face This World, also goes very well with the folky/americana/roots voice of our Glenna and lifts The Road Less Traveled high. Glenna's cover of Willie Nelson's "The Family Bible on the Table" could be considered as a (nice) leftover from "the influences of a cappella songs in the local church" where she grew up. But all of this gives way (to our surprise) to a somewhat more lively Glenna Bell on "Can't Get My Mind Off You," and on Glenna's cover of J. Cash's classic duet "Jackson" [with John Evans]. She is even a bit naughty and funny with "How I Found Out I'm Insane" and "Shiner Bock & ZZ Top." Little girls grow big, throw away what they were once taught, and feel more and more at home in the musical scene . . . the result is amazing! The appeal on "Be My Valentine on Chistmas" will create some overheated situations in Texas. We will stay calm in "Limburg" and enjoy fully the pearl which is Glenna Bell's The Road Less Traveled. Good Luck, Glenna . . . You did it again!!!!! SWA, http://www.rootsville.be Thank you, Francois--and everybody who has supported me in my passion for music. Oh, happy, happy day. Y'all come! http://www.glennabell.com http://www.myspace.com/glennabell http://www.sonicbids.com/glennabell