Billy Goodman: NEWS

We're enjoying some beautiful summer weather presently in Heidelberg. It's a little hot for the locals but they should try Philadelphia. I have two private shows I have to play this weekend. Unfortunately, I caught a summer cold the other day and seem to have lost a portion of my singing voice. It goes like this ...do re mi fa so la ti quack.. quack...
That doesn't happen often and it's not a pleasant feeling when you know you have to suit up in the near future but I'm taking all the necessary measures and counting on my body to heal by Friday. Quack.

C'mon sunshine. You can do it. Sunday here in Central Europe. Going to get a fresh baguette, have a little chow and then spend some hours playing and praisin'. I'll probably head back over to that chapel I made the recent video in. I'm working on a rocking version of "John the Revelator" at the moment. I have my feelers out in America for opportunities to tour in the late fall and I'm looking forward to playing with Steve, Jorma and Jack again. Steve is out on a west coast run and I hear they're tearing it up. I'll meet tomorrow with Gigu Neutsch, a great local musician and we'll start rehearsing as a duo to play some shows. Also I got an offer to play with the legendary George Hoffmann and his blues band in Miltenberg. I love the Odenwald !!

Special thanks to Jamie Thompson for the use of one of his hand-built LaRosa guitar amps that I used on the Hot Tuna dates with Steve Kimock. If you like the vintage Fender Deluxe sound, check it out !

http://www.jamiethompson.net/LaRosa_Amp.htm

I'm sittin' here in my winter coat and it's 90 degrees in Philly. Crazy. Anyway, it's still a good day. I'm tanked up and grateful. I'll go shoot a video after lunch and finish the paperwork to have the new CD released when I'm through with that.
I have a few private concerts I have to give next week. That'll help pay the bills. Yeah right, I got to pay those bills !

Today I'm doing the necessary legal legwork to upload my new record on cd baby, Itunes etc...
I'm also working on a few new tunes for the next one. Feeling grateful.

I seem to remember a season called summer when it wasn't consistently above a humid 90 degrees or raining and cold the whole time. Wonder what happened to that ? I'm enjoying practicing some old time country blues today.

Crossing those time zones doesn't get any easier but I'm in good shape today. I slept through a few alarm clocks but I'm now ready to hit the streets of Heidelberg. The weather here is unusually cool, especially after coming out of the heat wave in Philadelphia, so once again I'll be the obvious American walking around in short pants.

It's been a great trip. Heading to the airport in a few hours. Frankfurt bound !

I'm enjoying the 4th of July holiday with my good friend Randy Thompson at his home in Yardley, Pennsylvania. It's very hot and humid outside but that's nothing new for us Levittown boys. We grew up in this. Randy just went down to the Delaware River to take his blonde lab, Mia, swimming. Then he's going to give her a bath and let her come inside and hang out with us in the air conditioned house. hehe. We're one big happy family and the guitars are out of their cases.
Here's a little 4th of July song for you all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOYdd9fYmLc&feature=relmfu

The tour with Electric Hot Tuna could not have gone better. Playing in duo with Steve Kimock is a real adventure. We've never rehearsed. We never have a setlist. We never know what's going to happen but we love to go onstage in pressurized situations and follow the music down. It's never easy but it's always exciting. Jack and Jorma were so graceful and encouraging. Our road manager Brian was right there, always helping and mixing front of house. Nothing ever needs to be spelled out when you're working with the right people. I'm very grateful to all the people who helped make it happen and to the great audiences. Jorma says we'll be doing it again soon.

That Stroudsburg audience wanted to rock last night so we gave them the "Red Rooster" and "Dead Flowers". Steve sang backup and the place went wild. I'm on my way now to Long Island for one more show.

We're off to another historic theater built in 1928. This one is in Stroudsburg, Pa. It's cooking out there so I hope they have air conditioning :)

I met the infamous David Bromberg last night. My brothers and i wore out the grooves in his records growing up. I could get used to this opera house circuit. The shows just get better and better.

We just rolled in to the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware for soundcheck. It's an old and ornate Masonic Hall built in 1871. I'm now in included in the roster with the likes of "Buffalo Bill" Cody who also performed here many years ago.

Steve and I opened the Richmond show with "Good Shepherd" .. You could hear a pin drop !

I'm backstage at the National Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. It's a spooky old vaudeville theater built in 1923. One tornado already blew through town a few hours ago and we're waiting for the second. Should be fun.

The Hot Tuna shows keep getting better and better. Last night I surprised Steve by launching into a version of "Last Time" by the Rolling Stones. He gives me a huge smile when I throw in these old songs unexpectedly. Today is a day off. Laundry, changing strings, barbecue and relaxation, all on a beautiful east coast summer day. I'm well blessed. Tomorrow we'll head down to Richmond, Virginia bright and early and get back at it.

Another great show at the count basie theatre ... It was like floating in mid air ...

The show last night went great ... There was no air conditioning in the old theater so Steve and I looked like two dogs who went swimming when we came offstage. We ended the night playing double slide guitars on "i'm so glad".

I just got in to the State Theater in upstate New York and received a warm welcome from jack casady and jorma kaukonen. What a nice feeling. These guys are legends from my early years. They've seen it all, helped create the genre and are still playing amazing.

I arrived at the Kimock ranch and Big Red Barn in time for the big heat wave. It will be over 100 degrees farenheit today. That's around 38 grad celcius for my European friends. Luckily for me the rehearsal studio is air conditioned so I think I'll be practicing a lot today hehe. The fireflies were out in full force last night. They put on an amazing light show for free.

first show opening for jack and jorma coming up this week.
for more info:

http://kimock.inticketing.com/calendar3.php

The gig in New Hope was a lot of fun last night. Randy Thompson and Bill Vorhaus both played great and there was a sea of people before us. I love outdoor shows when the weather is fine.

I'll be playing this Friday night at the New Hope fireworks display. The weather should be good and thousands turn out to see the display off the Lambertville bridge high above the mighty Delaware River. Music is kicking off at 8:30 with yours truly, Randy Thompson on guitar and Bill Vorhaus on harmonica.

The gig at Godfrey Daniel's with Steve Kimock was exciting. The place was packed, Steve played great and the people gave us a standing ovation. I was really happy with it.