Glenna Bell: News

I'm relaxing here at Austin Java, my favorite coffee shop in Austin, Texas, on this gorgeous sunny day--perfect weather for South By Southwest this year. I've been in Austin all week, taking in live performances by the best bands in Americana/Texas music. So far, my favorites include Dale Watson at the Continental Club and Adrian and the Sickness on the big outdoor stage down Congress Avenue just beyond the Continental Club. I've also really enjoyed the unique opportunity to see a variety of artists recording live and up-close in the Motel Time series hosted by radio personality "Big Kev" Ploghoft and Americana Music Association Board Member Fred Boenig, both of WXLV Radio in Pennsylvania. So far, some of their most interesting guests have included Chuck Meade of BR549, Gurf Morlix, who may be best recognized for his work with Lucinda Williams, Seth Walker, who's one of the hottest new acts in the Texas Blues scene, and Al Moss, who is not an entertainer but is the most established radio promoter in Americana music today. Al's interview, along with videos of the Motel Time artists, will be posted at http://www.thealternateroot.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=100
And I'll be recording a set for Motel Time, too!

Tomorrow (Friday, March 20) from about 3-3:30 p.m., I'm playing an acoustic set at historic Threadgill's on Riverside, right in the middle of all the SXSW mayhem. I'll be included in a line-up of acts sponsored by my distributor, Burnside Distribution Corporation, in Portland, Oregon, and then I'll be heading back home Sunday to film an appearance at South By Due East, Houston's alternative to Austin's South By Southwest. (Houston is "due east" of Austin on Interstate 10, thus the name of the festival.) I've heard really good things about this well-established and well-organized event, spearheaded by Guy Schwartz of The New Jack Hippies fame. Last year, Billy Block came in from Nashville and played drums with some of the bands! No doubt, there will be good music and a GREAT time to be had by all at one of Houston's landmark music venues, Dan Electro's Guitar Bar, where Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has been known to show up and jam, along with a few other "big names" through the years, including Kevin Costner and Blues legend, Little Joe Washington. So much music, so little time . . . Y'all come!

Hey, Everybody. I just want to write you this quick email to let you know that two friends of mine are being honored in Austin:

John Pickering will receive a House Resolution at the Capitol for the work he did with Buddy Holly. John sang three-part harmonies on "Can't Get My Mind Off You," which is the third song on The Road Less Traveled.

Here are a few lines from the press release:


"On Monday, February 23, 2009, Texas State Senator Robert Duncan and the Texas Senators will honor the music and writing of Texas-born singers, songwriters, and authors John Pickering, Bob Lapham and the late Bill Pickering, members of the trio 'The Picks'. They are the primary backup singers for Buddy Holly and the Crickets. The reading of the Resolution will be at 1:30 in the Texas State Capital Building in Austin, TX."


Griff Luneberg is the man behind the world-famous Cactus Cafe in Austin. He has made this venue all that it is today, and the Austin Chronicle has published a fascinating feature story, including quotes by Lyle Lovett, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Slaid Cleaves among others. Check out the link at

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A736771
Congratulations to both of you. I am so happy for you. You are always an inspiration to me.

Glenna

Happy President's Day! It's been a whirlwind year already. Since New Year's Eve when I wrote to announce that the Houston Chronicle named The Road Less Traveled the local album of the year for '08, I've recorded three new songs with the Gin Mill Kings at WXLV studios in Pennsylvania and am very happy with the way these tunes are coming along under the guidance of producer, Big Kev Ploghoft up in NYC. Now, I'm looking forward to the Cash Bash at the Continental Club in Austin in a couple of weeks. I'll be taking the stage roughly between 9:30-10 p.m. on Friday, February 27 amidst a line-up of good acts, who will all be there to pay tribute to Johnny Cash with live performances of songs made famous by the legendary Man in Black. Last year, I played this EXCITING event to a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd wearing black. There were a hundred-plus fans lined up around the block all night waiting to get in, and Earl Poole Ball (Johnny Cash's piano player for two decades) joined me on stage for an impromptu rendition of "Get Rhythm" and "Sunday Morning Comin' Down" that left the crowd in stitches and made quite a lasting impression on the folks at KOOP 91.7 FM out in Austin--so I've heard of late, anyway! KOOP radio personality, Rowdy Tijmes, is to be credited for staging this HUGE event, which just grows bigger and better every February, and this time they're advising everybody to get tickets early 'cause it's been sold out for the last two years in a row. All of the details are on my Web site at http://www.glennabell.com . . . Johnny Cash, Austin, the Continental Club . . . a GUARANTEED good time that can't be beat!

Meanwhile, you can hear the participating bands on the Rowdy Show on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. Texas Time. Tune in for a preview of these acts and more at http://www.koop.org. Here's a word from "the man" himself, Mr. Rowdy Tijmes: "Welcome to the Rowdy Radio Show where everything goes and nothing stays! I'm here to give back to the community what was given to me musically. Nothing un"Rowdy" will be played. Outlaw country will help you drive FAST, Zydeco will make your feet move at home, Rowdy blues will make you want to buy a harmonica and hit the streets. Some good ol' fashion rock n' roll that'll make you scream and, of course, some of Texas' own will also be rockin’ the airwaves. So get out your dancin' shoes 'n' squeezebox, and let your eardrums jam! Taking requests, crazy call-ins and even show recommendations, let the rowdiness spread!"

Glenna Bell says, "Y'all come!" Rating: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Not to be missed!

See you SOON.

Keep it Rowdy!!


cashbash09.jpg

Happy Happy New Year, Everybody! I just got word that Houston Chronicle music critic, Joey Guerra, named The Road Less Traveled the #1 local album of 2008, and it's in the paper today (New Year's Eve)! I haven't seen the article yet, but I'll pick up a copy a little later when I'm out doing a few last minute errands for my trip to NYC tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a link to the Chronicle blog:

http://blogs.chron.com/handstamp/archives/2008/12/top_houston_cds.html
Needless to say, it's a really good feeling to be recognized this way right here at home. And The Road Less Traveled also made the Americana Music Director's top ten "Notable Country Recordings for 2008" at KBCS in Bellevue, Washington!

http://kbcs.fm/site/PageServer?pagename=bestof2008
It surely has been a GREAT year--the best one ever, I believe. And there's a lot in the works right now for 2009 that I'll tell you about as it all unfolds . . . In the meantime, I'm wishing you and yours a very safe and satisfying holiday. As always. Y'all come!

I'm sitting here again in this old wood-frame house of mine on Houston's East End, looking back on another year of magical moments in music and just enjoying a quiet holiday afternoon alone with the records that once belonged to loved ones long passed--Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Dave Brubeck, Elvis . . . Those familiar voices of yesteryear bring to mind the happy times spent 'round the hearth with the ones I'll never forget . . . And whenever I hear them sing, I recall the enchanting "discoveries" of childhood . . .

I'll be heading to the East Coast again on New Year's Day to rehearse some more and record a few new songs with the band . . . Really looking forward to 2009. The first show I have booked when I get back to Texas at the end of January is the Johnny Cash Bash in February at the Continental Club in Austin. Last year, this event was a real blow out with a packed house, everybody wearing black, and a hundred plus enthusiasts waiting outside in the cold to get in . . . Mr. Rowdy Tijmes of KOOP radio in Austin is to be credited with pulling off this great feat, and Mr. Bob King of San Marcos, Texas will have me sitting in with his band this year as a vocalist, which will be a lot of fun, all right.

As always, I'll keep you posted on everything and more this next new year. And in the meantime, I will wish you a very Merry Christmas, and I'll leave you with a bit of Texas for your holiday entertainment. Y'all come!



"Good old Texas -- where men are men and women are women -- and you can tell the difference!!


We Texans love y'all, but we'll have to take action since Obama won president over McCain. We'll miss you too.

Texas has given all those complainers plenty of time to get used to the results. After seeing the whiners along the campaign route, the folks from Texas are considering taking matters into our hands.

Here is our solution:

#1: Elect Barak Obama President of the United States. (All 49 states.)

#2: George W. Bush becomes the President of the Republic Of Texas.

So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. (We will control the space
industry.)

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

3. Defense Industry. (We have over 65% of it) The term "Don't mess with Texas," will take on a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will
need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

5. Natural Gas - Again we have all we need and it's too bad about
those northern states. John Kerry will figure a way to keep them
warm....

6. Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications: Small places like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Semiconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, Etc, Etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Health Centers - We have the largest research centers for Cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world and other large health planning centers.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: UT Texas, A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT, Texas Women's University, Ivy grows better in the south anyway

9. We have a ready supply of workers. (Just open the border when we need some)

10. We have control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.


11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard
and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an army but since
everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an army in 24 hours if we need it. If the situation really gets
bad, we can always call Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over a couple Texas Rangers.

12. We are totally self sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables and lets not forget seafood from the gulf. And everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food. Also, we are one of the largest
growers of cotton so that takes care of any clothing needs.



This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic Of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama: Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only Mr. Kerry will be able to drive around in his 9 mile per gallon SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV as the space center in Houston will cut off your communications. You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes but since Mr. Kerry has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas.

Signed, The People in Texas

Have a nice day!"

I'm on my way to play a special event this evening for the Houston Community College Northeast Campus CAFE Foundation (Cultural Arts for Everyone) and am looking forward to sharing some of my new songs with a hundred-plus students, staff, and faculty again this season. It's hard to believe that another year has swept by since I performed at the inaugural ceremony last November, and I'm so glad they invited me back . . . I remember that last time, the school really came together to support this event, and it felt like "home" to sit up front under the warm, twinkling lights of the Christmas tree with my guitar in hand, entertaining the thoughtful, smiling faces of the old familiar crowd gathered 'round. There's nothing like being with kindred spirits, colleagues, comrades, and those you love at the holiday. And this is only a foreshadowing of another wond'rous year that will unfold in mysterious and magical ways . . .

I'm wishing you and yours the happiest of seasons. It is true that we make our own happiness in this world, and there is SO much joy in giving. These are not just tired old sayings, but the facts of life that I've discovered through my path in music. I hope that you will pursue your passions with all your heart, and live each day for all that it can be. And I hope that you'll keep in touch when you have time to write or call. I'll be here on the road less traveled--as always--writing my songs, singing and playing, and just being me. I'll be recording up East with the CHARMING Gin Mill Kingz, taking a break from the hustle and bustle of getting from "here to there" and from "there to here." And by the time I get home to Houston, I'll have more songs to sing, more stories to tell, and more memories for a lifetime. Happy Holidays. And y'all come!

Oh, happy day! The Americana Music Association in Nashville has just announced the new members of the Board of Directors, and Fred Boenig is in! Fred has reaffirmed my belief in what they used to call the good old American work ethic and that a hand-shake means forever. I am so GLAD to see somebody like this on the Board of an association that is growing and representing the last bastion of American culture as it was, is, and will be.

The Art Guys tribute show at Discovery Green Park in Downtown Houston was FABULOUS. My good friend, Natali Leduc, the first artist to win the coveted Pennzoil Art Car sponsorship!, drove from her new position at Tulane in New Orleans to join me on stage in a raucous rendition of "What It Was Was The Art Guys," which evolved into "The Cougar Athem." Natali made GREAT placards so that the crowds congregated on the hilly lawn were able to sing along. This was A LOT of fun, all right.

And this weekend, I'll be headed back to one of my very favorite places--gorgeous San Marcos, Texas on the river, for the First Annual World United Music Festival hosted by the Roots Music Association. There's a real, vibrant music scene brewing out there in that little town outside of Austin, and Robert Bartosh is on the cusp of it, having relocated the RMA offices to the quaint San Marcos downtown square. Radio personality Rowdy Tijmes, of KOOP in Austin, and San Marcos indie artist, Bob King, are both involved. And this new festival is going to showcase over 100 completely fresh, non-signed, GREAT acts, including yours truly.

Life is good. All is well in the land of Glenna Bell. I hope you are having a good week. And I'm wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, too. Please write to me if you have time. Y'all come!

On one of KPFT's BEST radio shows, RadioActive, from 2-3 p.m. this Friday (November 7), I’ll be plugging the BIG Art Guys Silver Jubilee concert at Discovery Green Park, Downtown, starting at 7 pm Friday evening! Tune in. Y’all come!

I just got back from another GREAT visit to NYC and another WXLV visit, which was a day I certainly won't forget. Pennsylvania is absolutely beautiful.

Now, I'm getting ready for a landmark event--The Art Guys Silver Jubilee concert in the brand new Discovery Green Park here in Downtown Houston Friday night. The Art Guys have been featured in the New York Times, they've appeared live on the CBS Morning Show, they've been sponsored by Absolut for a major campaign . . . and so much more. And they'll have a compilation out in December, featuring a plethora of good acts, including Terry Allen and Joe Ely--as well as yours truly. I'm honored to be included and am looking forward to paying tribute this weekend to two guys who have made a stand for ART for a long time now. Their Web site is definitely worth checking out at http://www.theartguys.com. I'm thinking of posting my song, "What It Was Was Art Guys," on my Web site, too, so I'll let you know if I do.

There's a lot more on the horizon, of course, but I'll save that for later and leave you with a suggestion:

At the link below, there is a terrific interview with one of the legends of real country music (a.k.a. Americana music), Rodney Crowell, whom I "discovered" in Nashville and whom, I was stunned to learn, is amazingly from my neighborhood, the Segundo Barrio here in Houston. This interview was filmed in NYC two weeks ago with radio personality Big Kev. (Trivia: Rodney was married to Rosanne Cash.)

Check it out at adcmediaguide.com:

(http://www.adcmediaguide.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164%3Armotv-interview&Itemid=18&limitstart=1)

And y'all come!

Hey, Everybody. Tonight I'm taking a few minutes to tell you about someone who has helped me so much with my music this year: Fred Boenig, one of the two good promoters who worked my new album, The Road Less Traveled. Fred has impressed me as someone who is relentless in his commitment to the integrity of Americana Music, and now he is running for the Americana Music Association Board of Directors for the At-Large position after recently receiving over 60 nominations!

I know that some of you on this list are members of the AMA, and I hope that you will vote for Fred this year. He will bring A LOT to the table--energy, passion, knowledge, experience, honesty, and an extraordinary work ethic. He is a champion of the independent artists he handles, including Chip Taylor who wrote "Wild Thing," as well as "Try" for Janis Joplin.

Chip says, "The passion Fred Boenig brings to the table reminds me of what it was like when Rock & Roll was taking over in the 50's or in the 70's when some of us refused to be part of the cookie-cutter mentality of Nashville and the outlaw movement was started. It was all about the music for us back then -- and my friend Fred is absolutely ALL about that."

I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly.

So please check out Fred's campaign at <http://www.americanamediapro.com/newsflash/the-mystix.html> and VOTE. The ballots will be sent to AMA members on Monday, October 27, and voting continues through Friday, November 7, 2008.

If you are not familiar with the Americana Music Association, you might want to visit http://www.americanamusic.org and see if it's an organization you'd like to join. And if you do decide to become a member, VOTE for FRED next week and make me happy!!

Y'all come!

Here's a link to the Midtown Live! episode that I filmed at Sig's Lagoon record store here in Houston the other night. It was a lot of fun, and I did two songs, "Moving On" and the brand new "Cougar Anthem."

http://blip.tv/file/1390575
I'm looking forward to performing this Saturday night at the Gremillion Art Gallery in the Rice University Village here in town. It's going to be quite an upscale shindig, a gala event for critically acclaimed, Mildred's Umbrella Theater Co. The theme is "dead celebrities," but I decided to just go as myself . . .

Next week, I'll be heading back up East to rehearse with the FABULOUS Gin Mill Kingz in the cool little studio at the edge of NYC, and then it's back home for the big World United Roots Music Festival in beautiful San Marcos, Texas. My sources say they've booked over 100 bands for this first-annual weekend-long event with camping near the river. What a great time we'll have . . .

There's more information about all of these shows on the calendar page at http://www.glennabell.com and at http://www.myspace.com/glenn bell

Don't be a stranger now. Would always love to hear from you. Until next time . . . Y'all come!

Just letting you know that I'm filming a t.v. show called Midtown Live here in Houston tomorrow evening at the eclectic little Roots music store, Sig's Lagoon, next to the Continental Club on Main Street at Alabama. I go on at 9 p.m., and there'll be FREE Lonestar Beer for everybody in the audience!

Then, I'll be heading back up East to rehearse again with the Gin Mill Kingz at the GREAT little studio on the edge of NYC! I had a magical time with this talented band last week when I was there, and am really looking forward to working with them in the future. I'll keep you posted on all the shows and everything--as always.

Until next time, y'all come!

I'm busy getting ready to head East this week for a live radio broadcast on Roots 90.3 WXLV in Pennsylvania/New Jersey, opening up for Bruce Robison! On Saturday afternoon (Oct 11) from about 1:30-2 p.m. EST, you can hear me online at http://www.wxlv.org. And I hope that you WILL tune in to this terrific program, "The Big Country Revue," with "Your Most Excellent Host....His Royal Bigness himself....The One The Only...Big Kev." I met Big Kev in Nashville a few weeks ago, where he and promoter, Fred Boenig, were recording the top Americana acts for WXLV. I'll tell you what--it was a real treat to hang out in the WXLV suite during the Americana Music Association conference and see/hear such artists as Elizabeth Cook playing up close and personal! And thanks to Big Kev, the fun will continue with a full itinerary on the East coast, including the Bruce Robison show in Hoboken, NJ on Friday night, a party in New York on Saturday night, and working with a full band (with steel guitar, even!) on Sunday afternoon. I'm really excited about this trip! Another grand adventure waiting to unfold, another memory in the making. Thank you for continuing to join me here on The Road Less Traveled. Until next time . . . Y'all come!

Houston's still recovering. I'm on the way to Austin. Nashville was the time of my life. Rodney Crowell is AMAZING. Life is good. Here's the press release for this weekend. Y'all come!


The current issue of The Media Guide (www.adcmediaguide.com) says that Glenna Bell is hot off the heels of her latest release, The Road Less Traveled, and is sparking comparisons to lofty names like Loretta Lynn and Gillian Welch. But make no mistake about it: Glenna Bell is the real deal, a Daughter of the Republic of Texas, recognized last year by the Texas House of Representatives for her contributions to the rich musical heritage of the state. In May, Ron Wynn--writing for Spin Factor-Nashville's Daily News--remarked that "it's impossible not to be impressed" by the "simplicity and urgency" of the songs and by "the grit in Bell's delivery." In his words, The Road Less Traveled is "brilliantly performed, and a triumph for a standout performer." The Road Less Traveled will be available at Waterloo Records throughout Austin City Limits. Stop by the store and hear the album at the "Hear Texas Here" listening booth or listen online at www.glennabell.com. This Friday and Saturday evening (September 26 & 27), Glenna will perform live on Romeos Italian Patio at 1500 Barton Springs Drive. She will be joined by Texas singer-songwriter, Jimmy Pizzitola, whose songwriting has placed him alongside such nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians as Kris Kristofferson, Alejandro Escovedo, Guy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earl, Rodney Crowell, and Ray Wylie Hubbard in Steve Harris's popular coffee table book, Texas Troubadours (UT Press 2007). Showtimes are from 5-8 pm Friday and Saturday, September 26 and 27.

I'm here in Houston in the throes of Ike--what an adventure!--and I'm
borrowing a computer for a few minutes tonight since I've had no power for a few days now. So this note will be quick, just letting you know that I'm heading to Nashville for the Americana Music Association Conference and really looking forward to the trip and playing the Nashville Palace Friday evening for the Gram Parsons Petition Project that I told you about in my last newsletter. A very passionate organization of music industry people will deliver a petition to induct Gram Parsons into the Country Music Hall of Fame on September 19, 35 years after Gram's death, and I'm surely glad that they invited
me to perform for this gala event. I know that it will be a lot of fun. And a change of scenery will be NICE about now!

I posted a picture of me (and crew) "hunkering down" at the house, all borded up before Ike blew through. Please check out http://www.glennabell.com and pass my music along . . . Y'all come!

I'm featured in the Media Guide this month! I haven't read the article yet because it's "hot off the press," but I have had time to flip through the pages of the magazine online and I can tell that it is a REALLY GOOD issue with captivating photography and a cover story on the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Solomon Burke, plus downloadable audio interviews and acoustic performances with some of the most up-and-coming figures in Americana music today, including Carrie Rodriguez (a beautiful and kind-hearted musician who once gave me the key to a hotel room she wasn't using when I opened for her and Chip Taylor and didn't have a place to stay!), not to mention Band of Heathens, Reckless Kelly, Delbert McClinton, Todd Snider, Christopher Denny, KFAN Radio's Rick Star, Mark Jungers, and Dale Watson. There are also new VIDEOS From Chip Taylor (who wrote "Wild Thing" and "Try" for Janis Joplin), Girls Guns and Glory, Joe Thompson, and Natasha James, as well as VIDEO previews of the new DVD from Delbert McClinton and a cameo from Buddy Miller. All in all it's over 130 pages of Roots / Americana Music and interactive media! I know I'll look forward to exploring this new territory, and I hope that you will, too.

Here's the link to the Media Guide cover: http://www.adcmediaguide.com/
Just use the "next" button at the bottom of your screen to move from page to page until you reach p. 22--Glenna Bell: The Real Texas Deal.

September's going to be a GREAT month for music! I'm busy gearing up for shows in Dallas this weekend, then Nashville and a couple of trips to Austin for the Southwest Folk Alliance conference and Austin City Limits. I'm especially looking forward to my first time at the BIG Americana Music Association conference in Nashville. And I'm excited about playing a set at the Nashville Palace for the Gram Parsons Petition Project. Our goal is to get the CMA to induct Gram Parsons into the Country Music Hall of Fame. (Emmylou Harris was his protege, and she's already been inducted.) Gram was one of the pioneers of the Cosmic Cowboy/Country Rock movement and was one of the great ones to play Eddie Wilson's Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. There's a write up on Gram at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_Parsons, and it is quite enlightening.

Of course, there's always so much more--for next time. Until then, please check out the details on my Web sites and help me spread the word! I'm working hard to get the music out there, and The Road Less Traveled is now for sale at stores everywhere through Burnside Distribution in Portland, Oregon. If it isn't in stock, the store can order it from the distributor. Online sales go through Amazon.com, iTunes, and all of the usual suspects.

Don't be a stranger now. Y'all come!

Houston: I'll be out at Mojo Risin' on Thursday night with the handsome and talented Texas Troubadour, Jimmy Pizzitola: http://www.myspace.com/jimmypizzitola
Here's a little about Jimmy:

Jimmy Pizzitola’s songs are true to the tradition of the Texas singer-songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Willie Nelson. His poetry and voice are unique, moving, and eclectic, placing him alongside such nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians as Kris Kristofferson, Alejandro Escovedo, Guy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Billy Joe Shaver in Steve Harris’s popular coffee table book, Texas Troubadours, published by University of Texas Press, 2007 (http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/hartru.html) . Jimmy’s performances are nothing short of mesmerizing on stage.

We'll also have a young guest, Jessie Hammak: http://www.myspace.com/dontgobettinonyourself
What a great little place. A real beatnik feel. Right next to the Spaghetti Western on old Shepherd Street near I-10. Y'all come!

Hey there, Everybody in Houston -- I just had the nicest afternoon, visiting and drinking coffee with Greg Henkel of the 2008 Houston Press Best Traditional Folk band, The Flying Fish Sailors, over at the GREAT little record store on Main Street @ Alabama -- Sig's Lagoon. Greg is the co-producer of the new t.v. show, Midtown Live, and he told me that my two-song set tonight at nine o'clock has been moved from The Big Top to Sig's, right next door to the Big Top and the Continental Club. I'll be kicking it off for a new Houston band, The Wild Moccasins, whom I've been hearing a lot about lately. You can check them out at http://www.myspace.com/thewildmoccasins. It will be a fun evening, no doubt, and I must say that I'm flattered by Greg's comment that he booked me because I am "weirdly good." I really am looking forward to this chance to play again at Sig's. (There'll be FREE Lonestar Beer -- can't beat that on a Monday night in Houston. Y'all come!)

And I was just chatting with my friend, Texas History Lee Powell in Dallas, who reminded me to tune in online to http://www.knon.org from 5-5:20 p.m. today for his tale of Josiah Wildarger, an early Texas pioneer who was part of the Stephen F. Austin settlement and was eventually scalped on a surveying mission. Need I say more? Lee says it'll be "grisly" and "action-packed." Now, doesn't that beat t.v. these days?? (It's gotten so bad I cancelled my cable a few weeks ago. I feel so FREE again.) There's nothing like a good story told right, and Lee is the one to tell it, all right. And an extra bonus is that one of my songs is always the "outro" to Lee's ten enlightening and entertaining minutes of Lonestar lore. Rating: Highly Recommended. :-)

Happy Trails . . .

I'm back in Houston. Jimmy and I had a GREAT time in Austin and San Marcos, thanks to EVERYBODY who was so kind to us out there--especially Tara at Romeos!

Now, we're gearing up for the Honky Tonk Golf Classic at Blancos on Saturday, which will be a whole lot of fun with the acoustic acts on the outdoor stage and the bands (John Evans, Larry Parcell's Honky Tonk Heroes, and more) on the inside of this urban cowboy style juke joint at the edge of Houston's elite River Oaks district. This down-home event will benefit a fellow musician who's critically ill, so we're doing all that we can to get the word out. There'll be golfing all day at Gus Wortham over here on my side of town--the east side of town--and the music will get started in the early evening. All of the details are posted on my Web site . . .

On Monday evening, I'll be at the Big Top on Main Street at Alabama, filming for a t.v. show. This venue is different. I like it. It has the feel of a scene in a Quentin Tarantino movie and, located next to the Continental Club, attracts a hip roots-appreciative crowd and the best players Houston has to offer. I'm really looking forward to my first appearance at the Big Top.

Good times, good times . . .

And there's a new picture of me posted at http://www.americanamediapro.com/ --photographed by the lovely and talented Amy Morris at her new studio in the historic Houston Heights. Amy has been shooting all of my albums and headshots for almost four years now, and it's hard to imagine anyone else behind that camera. Thank you, Amy, for your BEAUTIFUL work!

Y'all come!

It's hot as blue blazes here in Houston, and I've just decided to hit the old road less traveled out to Austin tomorrow afternoon with my good friend, talented Texas troubadour Jimmy Pizzitola: http://www.myspace.com/jimmypizzitola
We're looking forward to a big time at the Capital, where we'll play the supper show at the popular Italian restaurant, Romeos, on Barton Springs Drive on Tuesday (June 12) from 6:30-9 p.m. Thanks to proprietor, Tara Stenseth-Riley, who said, "Y'all come!" when I called her up today and said, "We're looking for a gig!" We expect the generous tippers at Romeos will cover our gas, and we're packing an ice box--no stopping at the fast food restaurants that scatter the highways between here and there--just a good old fashioned time. We're going to bring along our favorite music. For me right now, that would be Odetta, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Janis Joplin. It will be fun to see what Jimmy has in store for the ride. And we're looking forward to a visit with Cactus Griff who "made" the Cactus Cafe in the Student Union Building at UT where the hootenannies used to break out back in the sixties. We'll say hello to Odom and Eddie at the original Threadgill's, Martin at Waterloo Records, and consummate songsmith, Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, as well as all the friends we're bound to cross paths with along the way. What a lot of fun we're going to have--and this will be a reprieve from the Houston heat and the frenzied rush of the three and a half weeks since my last letter.

It's been a musical whirlwind since the last time I wrote, but a wonderful, wonderful time . . . a show at Threadgill's Old #1 that was like a dream: playing to a packed house, opening for Hank Alrich who helped Eddie Wilson start the legendary Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin in 1970. Playing my brand new song, "The Cougar Anthem," for the musicians at Eddie's house at the end of the evening. I'll never forget the man who approached me after my performance at Threadgill's and said that he'd been there when Janis played the same room in the sixties before she went on to San Francisco, and then told me that in all of these years he'd never seen anyone perform in that room who reminded him as much as I did of "early Janis." The woman who took my hand and said, "It was like you were channeling HER." I felt like I was "home."

Then there was the Houston Press Music Awards weekend--I didn't win, but I love the band who did. They were the most seasoned act in the traditional folk category, The Flying Fish Sailors!

I'll always remember Producer John Evans and Sound Engineer Steve Christensen clapping and stomping themselves blue in the face to make the "The Cougar Anthem" just right at historic Sugar Hill Studios . . . And the radio interview with Allen and Lee on the extremely popular AM radio talk show, PM Plus, on KPIR, in North Texas. Boy, those two are characters! I like 'em!

A breakthrough performance at Mojo Risin' -- a little beatnik coffee house on old Shepherd Street here in Houston, with the kids snapping their fingers just like back in the day. More radio interviews, including a 7 a.m. call on the "Chance and Dawn" roots music morning show on WXLV 90.3 FM in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania. A photo shoot at the Amy Morris Photography studio here in the quaint Houston Heights--another breakthrough for me. (You'll see when I get these gorgeous pictures posted!)

. . . recording radio spots for Americana stations with Jimmy Pizzitola at his family's Regal Ranch--the fifties era dance hall where the great Country-Western heroes stopped to entertain in Houston on their way through . . .

The chance to find my place amidst all of this GREAT Texas history.

And there is so much more. But I know this letter is getting long, and I appreciate your interest in reading this far. To close for now, I'd like to say that on Saturday (August 16) I'll be contributing an appearance for a very good cause -- the Honky Tonk Golf Classic at Blancos, an urban cowboy style juke joint at the edge of Houston's elite River Oaks district. There's a fellow musician who is critically ill, and I want to do all that I can to help. Please check out my Web site for details and help us get the word out by forwarding this email . . .

I'll also be on television again for the first time since I appeared on "East Texas" live in April in Tyler, Texas. The filming will be at the Big Top, right next door to the eclectic little record store, Sig's Lagoon, here in Houston--I tell you what, I could just while away the whole day browsing through that magical place that specializes in roots music and memorabilia. I could just nestle into the hundred year old corner near the big store front window on Main Street, picking away on my guitar all evening long as the good customers come and go between Sig's, the Big Top, and the fabulous Continental Club, which is the sister venue to the Austin club by the same name, where I made quite an unforgettable debut with Mr. Earl Poole Ball at Rowdy Tijmes's "Cash Bash" on Johnny Cash's birthday last February to benefit KOOP radio.

My goodness, this IS the longest letter I've ever written. I'd better stop. If you made it this far, you really must be a friend. THANK YOU. I hope that my journey through music will encourage everyone to chase a dream, for I have found no equal joy in life. It feels so good . . . Y'all come!

Just in:

The FABULOUS Laura Slavin of KPFT Radio's "Laurapalooza! Show" just informed me that my appearance Thursday of last week is now archived at http://www.KPFT.org
Click the "Programming" link up top, then the "KPFT Podcast" link in the drop down box. Then, use the Search function on that page to find the "Glenna Bell" interview.

Boy, I really had fun on Laura's show. Rarely have I met someone who makes you feel so at home in the studio. I hope that you will take a half hour or so to listen online. I haven't heard it yet . . . I think I'll take a break right now and check it out. (Thank you, Laura!) Y'all come.

Here’s a quick note before I hit the road for one of the best destinations in the GREAT state of Texas: the San Marcos River, where I’ll be visiting and recording with old friends at Bob’s Box. Rowdy T of Austin’s KOOP radio will be there, too, so it’s bound to be a big weekend on the water! (I met Rowdy when he single-handedly staged the sell-out smash “Cash Bash” at the Continental Club in Austin last February. And wherever Rowdy goes, there goes a guaranteed good time for all—no kidding.)

A highlight of my trip will be to play Threadgill’s original location at 6416 North Lamar in Austin on Monday evening (July 21). It is really exciting to have been invited back to this spot where Janis Joplin and so many other heroes have left some of themselves behind over the course of these past seventy-five years. The venue is a real landmark in the history of music: http://www.threadgills.com/history.cfm And the best part is that I’ll be there with Hank Alrich, who “beyond being a huge part of the Armadillo World Headquarters, . . . is an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist who played with folks like Diamond Rio and Balcones Fault.” It will be an honor to meet someone responsible in part for one of the most important music movements in U.S./World history. (Last time I was there, I met Mr. Eddie Wilson, and we had a good talk—but I didn’t know who he was, which was probably for the best or I might have been shy! Imagine that.) Here’s a link to one of the best quick reads I’ve come across online lately: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo_World_Headquarters
And there’s always more . . . and it just keeps getting better . . . The release date for The Road Less Traveled was July 15, through Burnside Distribution in Portland, Oregon. So now the album will be available in stores pretty much everywhere! The radio campaign is coming along really well, too, with more stations from coast to coast adding The Road Less Traveled to their play lists. And I’m still up for a Houston Press Music Award in the “Traditional Folk” category. I would surely appreciate your vote. It only takes about five minutes, and you don’t have to live in Houston: http://houstonpress.com/polls/musicawards08/
And speaking of Houston, I’ll be back in town by the end of next week to immortalize my brand new song at Sugar Hill Studios, thanks to my good friend in music, Jimmy Baldwin, who told me I’d better record it NOW! Wow. That really got my attention. I’ll post it on the Web for fun and let you know when it’s up. I’ll bet you’ve never heard anything like this in your life: “The Cougar Anthem.” And it’s not about the University of Houston, either—hah!

I’ll sign off for now. I’ve still got a lot to do before I can get out on the road. You know how it goes: “The bed needs making, the dishes need doing, the house needs dusting, the coffee needs brewing . . . And that’s how I found out I’m insane . . .” Life. Don’t be a stranger now. Y’all come!

More good news, hot off the press:

I have been nominated for "Best Traditional Folk" act in the 2008 Houston Press Music Awards! It only takes about five minutes to vote online. And you don't have to live in Houston, so please help me spread the word and pass along this link:

http://houstonpress.com/polls/musicawards08/
Thank you, Everybody! For all of your wonderful support and encouragement along the way, means the world to me . . .

Y'all come!

Happy 4th of July! I’m up early, ready for a big day of celebration here in Houston. It is a gorgeous Friday morning, and I have good news! The Road Less Traveled is making progress on the Americana radio stations from Coast to Coast. In Florida, I’m up to #33 of the 83 who made the list on Larry T’s chart for the current week of Monday, July 7. Larry has also archived my half-hour interview that aired on WIKX a couple of weeks ago, and it’s worth a listen if you have a half hour to spare this weekend. Larry is a true aficionado of Americana music, and has archived some very entertaining interviews with the top artists in the industry today. You’ll find me next to Hayes Carll, who’s from this neck of the woods, too, and is topping the charts right now with his new album: http://www.wikx.com/cc-common/mainheadlines2.html?feed=113836&article=1867696
Most stations haven’t reported in yet this week, but last week I was at #8 of 47 on Torchy Blaine’s chart at WDVR in Seargentsville, New Jersey. And on Christine Linde’s chart at KBCS, in Seattle, I was at #9 of 90 last week and am holding that position again this week. On Alice MacAllister’s chart at KVMR in Sacramento, I was up to #14 of 52—and more stations are adding songs from The Road Less Traveled every week.

Oh, happy day! The American Dream is alive and well in Houston this morning. I feel truly blessed to be here. Oh, happy day! There is so much good ahead . . . I will tell you more next time, as always. And in the meantime, I’m wishing you and yours a fun-filled 4th of July with friends and family and memories for a lifetime. Y’all come!


SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Thursday, July 10 from 11-11:30 p.m. approximately: Hear me online on the Laurapalooza! Show with the fabulous Laura Slavin on KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston: http://www.kpft.org
Friday, July 11 from 6-8 p.m.: FREE BEER! in-store acoustic song swap with Americana songstress, Debbie Forrest (http://www.myspace.com/debbieforrest), at Sig’s Lagoon in Houston—the intimate, eclectic new record store two doors down from the Continental Club on 3710 Main Street @ Alabama: http://www.myspace.com/sigslagoon

I'm getting ready for the big shows with Jimmy and Nancy this evening (June 13) at Waldo's in the Houston Heights and tomorrow afternoon at Cactus Records in Houston's Shepherd Plaza. The San Antonio trip was a really good time for all, and a highlight was our appearance on the Third Coast Radio show with Jim Beal yesterday afternoon before our Casbeer's gig (what a true-blue Texas venue!).

Next on the agenda is another radio show that I taped by phone last week with Larry Timko in Port Charlotte, Florida. It will be thirty minutes of Glenna Bell from 7-7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday (June 15), and I hope that you can listen online to this episode of "Down Home Cookin' with Larry T" at http://www.wikx.com/cc-common/mainheadlines2.html?feed=113836&article=1867696 Larry is an aficionado of Americana music, and it is an honor to be featured on his program.

Tomorrow at Cactus Records will be the finale of the Jimmy Baldwin, Nancy Apple, and Glenna Bell tour, but there are many more adventures in store before summer's end, and I will be keeping you posted. In the meantime, as always . . . Y'all come!