Tim's Posts From The Road
Party of 7, Ireland, Bela, and IBMA
Since I checked in last, I played some shows and recorded with the family band called O’Brien Party of Seven. The group includes my sister Mollie O’Brien, her husband Rich Moore on guitar, daughters Brigit and Lucy Moore on vocals and piano, and my sons Jack and Joel O’Brien on vocals, bass, and percussion. Read more »
Interesting Glance Off The Big Time
Last night:
I get back from the grocery store, feed the cats, and put the perishables away, and take the first sip of a beer. I heat a frying pan and take a burger I’d thawed the day before from the fridge and put salt and pepper on both sides. Read more »
Franzen, TX, and eTown
I took Jonathan Franzen’s new novel “Freedom” on the plane with me to Austin last weekend. It was hard to put it down, and I just finished it in my pajamas at 11:20am. Read more »
Scandinavia and More
September 7
I’m cruising down the Sognefjord on the way to Bergen, Norway. Via this modern ferry’s WIFI I’m listening to Fergus Stone on KGNU in Boulder Colorado. Read more »
Bill Hinkley and Judy Larsen
My buddy Bill Hinkley died on May 25th at age 67. He was a hero and a mentor and a wonderful friend. Bill played the mandolin, fiddle, and guitar with an easy swing, and he sang in burly baritone that matched his round shape. Bill’s deep love for music had no ego attached, and over the decades he pulled countless students into his brilliant and unassuming world. Read more »
Chicken Sightings
“Chicken & Egg” is the title on my new CD. A few weeks ago a friend discovered a visual artist named Tim O’Brien who has a painting named “Chicken and the Egg.” Very cool. View the painting at www.drawger.com/tonka/?article_id=10230.
My summer issue of “Goldenseal” arrived last Tuesday. It’s a magazine dedicated to West Virginia folk life, and the cover picture is a rooster with “Chickens!” in large type above it.
Arriving backstage at Telluride, I noticed the dressing rooms were decorated with pictures of, you guessed it, chickens! Read more »
Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2010
Hot Rize played a 50th wedding anniversary party on Monday at Denver’s wonderful Mercury Café. Then we took a stab at recording the next day at out old stomping grounds Colorado Sound studios. We recorded a version of “Wichita Lineman”, an old time piece called “Diamond Joe” (recorded by Charlie Butler in 1937), a Nick Forster instrumental called “Runty”, and a Pete Wernick banjo tune called “Spring Break”. Read more »
Complete Mark Knopfler Tour Summary and Upcoming "Chicken & Egg" Release
April 10th Portland
Cirque de Soleil was doing exhibitions in the square outside our hotel, doing the thing where the climb up a long ribbon, wrapping themselves in it, and then come down in amazing ways. Some of the the troupe was staying in the same hotel. Read more »
Mark Knopfler North American Tour Begins
The Mark Knopfler tour has begun. The band includes: Mark Knopfler - all kinds of guitars, and vocals on his own stellar songs. Guy Fletcher - keyboards, samples, guitars, and vocals. Guy is the music director, Marks right hand man on stage and in the studio. Danny Cummings - drums and vocals. Richard Bennett - all kinds of guitars, bouzoukis, caviquiño. Glenn Worf - basses Matt Rollings, piano, organ, accordion, and vocals Mike McGoldrick - flute, penny whistle, pipes, cittern Me - fiddle, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar, bouzoukis, banjo, vocals. Read more »
Hot Rize Colorado
Announcement in the Denver airport: "Will the person who left the book entitled "Using Both Side Of Your Brain" in the gate area please come retrieve it?" Read more »
