Floatin like a butterfly.

I feel like I'm dancing at the moment, but the stinging is happening too. We just came back to Atlanta after a 10 day tour to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Primarily Charleston, Columbia, Asheville, and Knoxville. We've also started a sticker montage on the back of the van in the shape of the USA and having just filled in 4 in the Southeast we're feeling quite accomplished. I've also now been part of a police interaction in both Georgia and South Carolina and I do declare that South Carolina wins in the gentlemen-like police dude category. That said, don't let me forget my court date in Dekalb County Court February 8th.

So we went to Charleston and it was 80 d#%& degrees ABOVE zero. I know this is awesome and I'm sorry to rub it in but having grown up in North Dakota and spent the last 10 years in Wisconsin I feel I have the right to be jubilant about a sunny 80 degree January day. We walked, we saw the Charleston...in Charleston, went kayaking in the Atlantic, went to the beach and played a pretty righteous show at a BBQ joint on Sullivan's Island. I've played many a show in clubs that leave the stench of stale beer and cigarettes lingering in your guitar case and I must say I prefer the glorious aroma of pork tacos to greet me the next day when I go to play. We also played the Awendaw Green. Don't ask any questions just Google it and go there as soon as you can. 52 Wednesdays a year you'll find some of the best music in the country, a wood fired oven making killer pizza, a grill, an oyster roast(oysters harvested that day) and it's only a $5 donation to get in. Oh, did I mention it's BYOB. Played with Caroline Aiken....that was pretty cool.

shucking oysters in Awendaw (more photos on flickr)

We were in Asheville last year about this time but it was windy, blizzard-ish, and cold. This time was far nicer and we had a few days to hang around. We also had far better accommodations than the Super 8 off I-40 . . . Jim and Elisa put on a fantastic house concert and we even had a sing-along. Also had an in-room fireplace and got to watch the Falcons not fly as well as the Ravens.

The Grove Park Inn in Asheville (we were gonna stay there, but it's a little shabby)

Knoxville. I think I could like me some Knoxville. WDVX hosts the Blue Plate Special and I'm so glad to have gotten in on the menu. Being Martin Luther King Day and the Presidential Inaguration I assumed it might be a slow lunch time concert in Tennessee....but I was waaaaay wrong. Not only did we meet Heather Mae and Bethel Steele (two enormously fine people, songwriters, and performers), but the show was wonderful. Oh, and the Girl Scouts were there with free cookie samples. Clearly, one of the best shows ever....right?

Heather and Bethel at the Blue Plate Special

Alright, getting ready to head to Alabama to open for Eric Taylor. Haven't seen him since the show in London at the Green Note. Then, we head to Nashville. Folks have been asking me since I was 8 years old if I was going to go to Nashville. Well, yes....I am.

the Dirty

It took a few days skillfully navigating around nearly a million potholes on lovely I-65, and then suffering a thousand teenage rodents who found it amusing to occupy every elevator of a 25 story hotel therefore making it nearly impossible to leave the restaurant which was conveniently located at the top. But we held firm, we stayed the course, we didn't hit any ceilings, we didn't fall over and ridiculous cliff and landed safely in Atlanta. The ATL. Hotlanta.  Or let's just call it Warmlanta....it's only about 50 degrees. 

It's been a couple of weeks since we returned from the UK/Europe and after the 3 hours of sleep in Amsterdam, the 1 1/2 hour wait in the security line, the 3 hour layover in London, the 8 1/2 hour flight back, 3 trips though security, the privilege of being "selected" for additional screening, the high school ladies ski team on their first trip to Colorado, a 5 hour layover in Minneapolis,  the extra unexpected night at the motel 6, and the nice little package from the Merseyside Police Dept. in Liverpool containing the speeding ticket for going 58 in a 50..... I think I'm ready to jump back in the whirlwind tonight. We'll be heading just north in the Georgia mountains to Dahlonaga for a short set at the Crimson Moon. Tonight and the next few shows are all at places which boast being former and current stomping grounds for some pretty well know folks. I'm in the land of John Mayer(not the Milwaukee John Mayer but the one who dates movie stars), the Indigo Girls(oh yes, I most certainly am familiar with their catalogue) and the Allman Brothers. 

The time off though has been nice as a few new songs have been working their way into the set and I think there may be a few more on the way. Which works out perfectly as in a couple of months we'll be in NYC and Linus from the Evil Twins has very graciously offered to help me get them to tape at his studio in Brooklyn.  Linus and I have been talking about this recording for quite a while now so it's awesome to have the time scheduled to record. I'll keep you all up on details as they come up. 

In the event ya'll(see, I'm almost a local) have some people down this way...give 'em a shout out and tell 'em to tell their friends. 

www.joshharty.com

take care

Josh