Hey, brother, can you spare a...

That was just a teaser. What I actually need is ninety thousand dollars.
The Steinway Gallery in Birmingham is going out of business - drum lines, digital pianos and camp singing have made it hard on Steinway dealerships. Maybe Steinway could branch out into ATVs and banjos.

Anyway, the full retail price of a new Steinway concert grand is $130,000 and change. I could get one today for a mere $90,000. Wonder how many micro loans I would need...

Take a Hike

The weather has been glorious here, sunny with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. Today, though, it's rainy and cold again. No worries. It's the perfect day for a hike.

Off we went, my buddy Riley and me, to the Moss Rock Preserve. We had the place to ourselves, so we hiked up to the Great Wall and the waterfall. I took a couple of pictures with my iPhone.

Riley and I have hiked a lot during the past couple of weeks, spending hours on old lumber trails in the Oxmoor Valley, Riley swimming in Shades Creek as it meanders its way to the Cahaba. We went to Oak Mountain a couple of times, too.

One of the great things about hiking in Alabama is that there are no bears. I remember a backpacking trip in North Carolina when we spent a day and night in a bear sanctuary - you know, the place where they take bears to get them a way from people.
I didn't sleep much that night...

Riley loves being in the woods; it turns him into a puppy again. He likes to get ahead of me on the trail, then turn and run full speed at me, only to veer off at the last possible second. He is always so alive for the rest of the day, whenever we get out in the woods.

A couple of Sundays ago, the three of us spent an afternoon walking the lumber trails, making it all the way into Bessemer before turning around. We ended the afternoon at Sonic, where Riley enjoyed a cup of vanilla ice cream. Jan fed him with a spoon.

Just thinking...

Has it really been a month since I have posted on this blog?
I've been busy, but I am going to do better - I promise.

Radio promotion for Timeless II starts next Tuesday, March 1st. I'm thinking it's going to be a big international hit; according to the palm reader in Hueytown, Alabama, I should be able to retire to Tahiti in about a year. =)

Of course, this puts a big burden on you, dear reader, not only to buy the new CD, but several copies of each of my previous CDs.

Timeless II has already received glowing reviews from several nationally known music critics - Kathy Parsons of mainlypiano.com, Michael Diamond of Music and Media Focus, and Keith Hannaleck of Muzik Reviews.

You don't have to read the reviews, I'll just paraphase the important parts for you;

Take it from them, I'm right up there at the top, somewhere between Yanni and Beethoven, and Timeless II is another THRILLER waiting to happen.

Come to think of it, that's not so good. It COULD mean that I'll make a lot more money after I'm gone...

Still, you'd better stock up now. Posthumously, the CD price could really go through the roof!

DIY - Du It Yourself

Don't know how it is at your house, but here's how things happen around our place: I break things, and Jan repairs them. Jan got the "Buddy" gene from her dad. Whatever was wrong, be it mechanical, electrical, plumbing, automotive - ANYTHING - Buddy could fix it. Jan has that gene, and I do not.

Last week I broke the washing machine. It all started when I decided to do some washing while Jan was at work. I was happily practicing away when the washing machine became unbalanced and started making loud knocking noises. I quickly assessed the situation and decided that the quickest solution would be for me to sit on the washing machine to make sure it didn't jump off the tile pad in the laundry room. Just in case you're wondering, this is not a good idea and will get you in lots of trouble. Now before you rush to judgment, consider my response: Let's buy a new one! Not Jan. She took a look at the washer and decided that the problem was that the lid switch had broken. So after a couple of trips to the appliance parts store, the washing machine is as good as new. Did I mention that I love this woman?

And The Winner Is...

Chopin!

Courtney McGukin and I mastered the Timeless II CD yesterday, and if you don't mind my saying so, it sounds wonderful!

Here's the lineup:

Chopin is the big dog on this CD, with 5 songs.
Tied for 2nd place are Rachmaninoff and Bach, with 2 each.
In last place, we find Beethoven and Saint-Saens, each with one song.

I can't pick a favorite among the 11 arrangements. I love them all, and hope that you will, too.

The CD is just over an hour long, at 60 minutes and 57 seconds.

We hope that the love of Christ will shine on you this Christmas.
If you don't know Jesus, I pray that you will come to know him during the coming year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Catch Up

Hey guys, a lot has been going on lately - so much, in fact, that I haven't had time to update this page!

Greg Maroney and I performed together on November 12th, a benefit for the York College School of Nursing's Managed Care Program. Jan and I had a great time on that trip, and were happy to have some time with Greg and Linda Maroney.

Another highlight of this trip was a buggy ride and a tour of an Amish farm outside of Lancaster. As usual, I asked the Amish driver too many questions, and Jan kept punching me in the ribs...

On November 18th, Joseph Akins and I performed together in Jackson, Mississippi, in a benefit for the Millsaps College Music Program. This concert was underwritten by Lester and Ellen Hailey of Beemon Drugs. So if you live in Jackson, please buy your meds from Beemon Drugs, at 1220 E. Northside Drive.

Joseph spent the night at our house Wednesday night, then we drove to Jackson on Thursday for the concert. Around 4 PM, while we were at the hall trying out the pianos, Joseph got a call informing him that his father-in-law had just died in Chattanooga. Joseph was a real trooper, and decided to go on with the performance, and he played great! My playing was also some of my best, and our dueling Steinways improv at the end of the program really smoked!

Please pray for Joseph, his mom, and their family during this difficult time.

Jan and I are celebrated Thanksgiving at the beach this year. We walked 4 miles on the beach every day that we were there. I know this thanks to the Nike GPS app on my iPhone.

The weather was absolutely perfect. We saw dolphins playing and pelicans diving for food, had great meals and a lot of relaxation.

This week I finish THE LAST SONG for the new Timeless II CD. Then it will be off to the duplicator. I can't wait for you to hear it.

Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving. Even with whatever bad is happening in our lives, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Take care...

On the Road

Jan and I are leaving in the morning for Pennsylvania. We are driving, because we want to take Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way back. Great views, 5 days alone with my beautiful wife, a concert, and the chance to visit with our friends Greg and Linda Maroney! Who could ask for anything more?