The man, the legend…the urban legend.

Phil Keaggy is coming to town in a few weeks.  I know many of you guitarists were influenced by Phil, even though he has fewer fingers than most of you (9).  Phil is also the subject of a popular urban legend.  Read the legend here.  

 

Who among you count Keaggy as an influence?  Who out there has heard the urban legend?  (I have for the last 20 years.)  Who believed it?  (I once did.)

The 20 second version of rehearsal

Here’s tonight’s 3 hour 2nd Wave rehearsal in about 20 seconds.  This video was created with Gawker, which is loads of fun.

For aspiring songwriters…

Atlanta’s Mark Lee (of Third Day) & Country Music Recording Artist Bryan White will lead the Kalein Songwriting Retreat & Master Class June 9 & 10, 2008 at beautiful Round Cove.

 

Auditions are now being accepted for only six songwriters.  Apply Now!  Time is limited.  

 

This retreat is the brainchild of my buddy Randy Elrod, and he never does anything halfway.  I’m sure this will be a great experience for you up-and-coming songwriters.  Check it out here.

 

Better late than never(?)

Wish I’d posted this sooner.  If you like Atlanta’s own Evan McHugh’s music (and I do), go see the show Friday night.  And tell us about it here. Or just tell us what you think of his music.  I hear Matthew Perryman Jones is no slouch either.

Manchester in studio.

by Dan Hannon

Last week was CRAZY!!! We’re still wrapping up The Enemy Lovers’ mixes and started recording the new Manchester Orchestra EP.  The EP (as I understand it) will be released along with the DVD this fall.  As expected, the new material is amazing.  The band has experienced so much positive growth since we recorded their debut LP almost 2 years ago. The candle was burned from both ends throughout last week because we are not only trying to record 4 new songs, but we are enjoying the chance to get this much time together since they hit the road over a year ago.  I feel EXTREMELY privileged to be working with the band again, because with big record label deals, come big label opportunities.  So, to be hired among so many other options (insert any BIG NAME producer here) is an incredible demonstration of loyalty and trust–musically speaking. Thanks to Andy, Jeremiah, Chris, Jay, and Robert.    

The land of the Fee.

Fee played at Buckhead Church today, and I played keys for them.  Love those guys.  Love ‘em. Nothing profound to share other than that; I had a blast.

 

Oh, their single, All Because of Jesus, is the number one Christian song in the country this week, for the second week in a row.  Cool.

Visit The Museum.

 

I keep having friends I respect telling me to go see this band, The Museum.  I have a gig Saturday night, so I can’t be there.  And they’re on the road so much that they don’t play locally too often, it seems.  From what I hear, you should avail yourselves of the opportunity.  I have a proxy attending the concert and reporting back.  (Btw, word has it they actually go on at 7:30.)

 

Anyone out there seen them in concert?

Visiting Safehouse

     Tonight’s visit to Safehouse Outreach in downtown Atlanta will not be our last.  My Iphone took blurrier pics than usual, but take a look anyway.  We took a group of about a dozen people including  Joni “INOJ” Portee, some Second Wave members and parents (including my wife and son and the Woffords) and other friends (like Adam, Bill, Will, and Nancy).  Also ran into (recent Dove winner) Seth Condrey there.

     We first walked into a worship service geared towards Atlanta’s homeless.  The band 1-A-Chord was playing and they were ridiculous - tight vocals and nasty funk; these guys were for real and were great to hang out with as well.  Then we took the Safehouse tour and learned about opportunities to serve, in ways both musical and non-musical.  One of these ways is the Convoy of Hope event August 9th in the World Congress Center parking lot.  Safehouse needs 3000 volunteers to help pass out groceries, among other things.  We will be there!  Will you?

 

Congrats.

Our buddy Jon Chalden (2nd from right) of  Atlanta’s own The Beggar’s Guild married his lady friend, Shannon, yesterday in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.  ONE Atlanta’s own Dan Hannon is on his way back from the wedding right now, with tales of splendor, no doubt.  Leave Jon and Shannon your congrats here.

I keep meeting great musicians

By Michael Johnston

I’ve lived in Atlanta for something like 19 years and that includes neighborhoods inside and outside 285 and circles of friends that keep expanding and linking back to each other in uncanny ways. What’s remarkable is that since our metro area is so large and spread out with everyone claiming Atlanta from Conyers to Douglasville, Canton to McDonough, and points beyond and in between, there really is community among musicians. The sense of community is growing in light of so many questions around what it means to make a living doing music and who can be trusted to help show the way. Older and more seasoned music types are reaching out to younger up and coming types as the music business landscape shifts, giving a unique opportunity to players, producers, writers and

music industry support people to lean on each other and do good business and good work - making life-giving art. Creativity among musicians calling Atlanta home is booming. I keep meeting new people with above average talent who are contributing inspired playing and fresh songwriting to Atlanta’s culture and beyond. Danny should appreciate what I’m about to say…this reminds me of a time when Atlanta began to be home to a sports dynasty in the form of a baseball team where executives, players and fans began to come together to build something that was, at the same time, uniquely Atlanta’s and everyone else’s, too. Every baseball fan out there had to marvel at what the Atlanta Braves accomplished - the greatest pitching rotation ever assembled, with hitting and fielding to match. No, I don’t see an Atlanta “Super Group” band on the horizon. What I see is a music community developing as it has never existed before in Atlanta. I see a movement that can uniquely belong to Atlanta and everyone else who is moved by the kind of inspired creativity that is gathered here. Whether it’s through a long time good friend like producer Todd Olsen, a newer friend like session guitarist and songwriter Brad Long or a new acquaintance like singer/songwriter Evan McHugh (I’ve recently become a fan), I keep hearing about and meeting one great musician after another. Who do you know? Who have you heard about? What’s buzzing on your side of Atlanta’s music community?

 

 

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