Chattanooga show this weekend with a WEBCAST, New EP preview... Plus New Video online.

Friday, Feb 24th - 8:30pm
Market Street Tavern
850 Market St.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 634-0260
http://www.marketstreettavern.com/ (site is under construction)

I'm much later getting this out than I would have liked, but a lot of
things have come together at the last minute, and I wanted to get them
all nailed down before I announced them.

This Friday (that's tomorrow for most of you) I'll be doing something
that I haven't done in Chattanooga for quite some time...Play a show.

No bells no whistles, no scratch my back, no Christmas spectacular, no
tributes to Springsteen, or Dylan or Emmit Rhodes. Just me doing what
i do when I'm not in my hometown. I'll be previewing a bunch (if not
all) of the songs in contention for my new EP "Gone"

Oh and it's gonna be webcast. So maybe there is a bell or whistle after all.

Details to follow probably tomorrow, but the long and the short of it,
you will be able to watch on my facebook page (the band page, not the
personal page) and even if you can't make it live there will be video
posted after the fact.

But me playing to an empty room and having that broadcast across the
many tubes of the interwebs is not my idea of a good time. So, if you
can make it, I'd love to see ya there. If you're too far away, there's
always facebook.

In other news, I've posted a real simple video for the song Pole
Position from my 2009 album "A Long Way From Shady Grove" it features
the old video game Pole Position (natch), played by someone who was
way better at that game than I was. It's not a great video, but
especially useful as an office time-waster. You can watch it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEVQn1TST7M

Okay, that's all, I'll C-ya tomorrow (one way or another).

--Br

Christmas tour starts tomorrow and free stuff for you

*Workshops Tomorrow*
Saturday, December 17th: Three workshops with Butch Ross at the Snapp's
residence (lunch provided) call: 614-313-6424 to RSVP

-10:30 am till 11:45: "Here Comes Jingle Bells" - Novice on up. This
combines a very nice version of "Jingle Bells" that moves right into "Here
Comes Santa Claus."

-1:15 to 2:30: Explore D-F#-A Tuning (1-3-5 Tuning) with Merv Rowley's
Version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in the D-F#-A Tuning. We'll also
work on a 1-3-5 version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here"--you
all know it from the Peanuts Christmas Special - Intermediate on up.

-3:00 to 4:15: Fiddle Tunes--work on two popular old time tunes -
Intermediate on up.

Workshops are $20 per workshop--$50 total if you do all three.

*Shows*
Sat. Dec 17, 2011—7pm
Columbus, OH @ Guitar House Workshop
1423 Chambers Road (Grandview Heights)
$10 Suggested donation.
CALL (614) 488-2477 TO RESERVE THIS SHOW WILL LIKELY SELL OUT!

Wed. Dec 21, 2011
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 West Wayne Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2503
(260) 420-5563

Thurs. Dec. 22, 2011 -- 7pm
House Concert at the home of Steve and Linda Gwinn
call Linda at: 440-328-7458 to RSVP
THIS ONE TOO MAY SELL OUT!

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to remind you about the Christmas
tour, the three workshops tomorrow and to give something away.

The CDs
I've fized the webpage you can now order multiple quantities. And while it
may be unrealistic to think that you can get the card before Christmas
(ESPECIALLY in Chattanooga where the USPS has been a major let down) I will
have plenty with me at the shows.

The Free Stuff
Also remember that you can listen to the whole CD over and over again, for
free, from the website. www.butchross.com

The first one is also still up and available www.butchross.com/xmas.html

More Free Stuff
Last year I recorded an opening set I did at a local venue, I opened for a
the spoof Bluegrass band "the Cleverlys" and altho' I was sick as a dog
that evening, the audience really enjoyed it. I also had the chance to get
two good recordings both from the soundboard and out in the audience. I've
made it available on the members page (butchross.com/members.html) simply
right-click and "save as" (it's a 34MB zip file). While it doesn't contain
any rarities (like the Year in Review did) it does contain strong
performances of some of my biggest hits (and bits). I'm calking it
"Attaboy" (you'll see why).

The Track List
1. Wild Mountain Thyme/Cold Frosty Morning
2. folksongs intro
3. Folksongs
4. Sweet Spotted Pony
5. clever/stupid
6. Stairway to Pokerface
7. Pop Culture -vs- Folk Culture
8. Eleanor Rigby
9. 1952 vincent Black Lightening
10. Two good reasons to get on my mailing list
11. Cluck Ol’ Hen (or 25 or 6 to 4)

There will not be a physical copy made available, and I will not take any
money for this. I get to do what I do because of all of you out there
making it possible. This a tiny, tiny way to say thank you.

That's it for me, I hope the holidays are treating you well, and that 2012
is everything you hoped it would be (won't be for me, I'm still waiting on
that hovercar).

Merry Christmas and have a safe and happy New Year!

--Br
www.butchross.com

*Workshops Tomorrow*
Saturday, December 17th: Three workshops with Butch Ross at the Snapp's
residence (lunch provided) call: 614-313-6424 to RSVP

-10:30 am till 11:45: "Here Comes Jingle Bells" - Novice on up. This
combines a very nice version of "Jingle Bells" that moves right into "Here
Comes Santa Claus."

-1:15 to 2:30: Explore D-F#-A Tuning (1-3-5 Tuning) with Merv Rowley's
Version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in the D-F#-A Tuning. We'll also
work on a 1-3-5 version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here"--you
all know it from the Peanuts Christmas Special - Intermediate on up.

-3:00 to 4:15: Fiddle Tunes--work on two popular old time tunes -
Intermediate on up.

Workshops are $20 per workshop--$50 total if you do all three.

*Shows*
Sat. Dec 17, 2011—7pm
Columbus, OH @ Guitar House Workshop
1423 Chambers Road (Grandview Heights)
$10 Suggested donation.
CALL (614) 488-2477 TO RESERVE THIS SHOW WILL LIKELY SELL OUT!

Wed. Dec 21, 2011
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 West Wayne Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2503
(260) 420-5563

Thurs. Dec. 22, 2011 -- 7pm
House Concert at the home of Steve and Linda Gwinn
call Linda at: 440-328-7458 to RSVP
THIS ONE TOO MAY SELL OUT!

Christmas tour starts this weekend and there's a NEW Christmas Album

*Workshops
*Saturday, December 17th: Three workshops with Butch Ross at the Snapp's
residence (lunch provided) call: 614-313-6424 to RSVP
-10:30 am till 11:45: "Here Comes Jingle Bells" - Novice on up. This
combines a very nice version of "Jingle Bells" that moves right into "Here
Comes Santa Claus."
-1:15 to 2:30: Explore D-F#-A Tuning (1-3-5 Tuning) with Merv Rowley's
Version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in the D-F#-A Tuning. We'll also
work on a 1-3-5 version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here"--you
all know it from the Peanuts Christmas Special - Intermediate on up.
-3:00 to 4:15: Fiddle Tunes--work on two popular old time tunes -
Intermediate on up.

Workshops are $20 per workshop--$50 total if you do all three.
*
Shows*
Sat. Dec 17, 2011—7pm
Columbus, OH @ Guitar House Workshop
1423 Chambers Road (Grandview Heights)
$10 Suggested donation.

Wed. Dec 21, 2011
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 West Wayne Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2503
(260) 420-5563

Thurs. Dec. 22, 2011 -- 7pm
House Concert at the home of Steve and Linda Gwinn
call Linda at: 440-328-7458 to RSVP

Happy Green Monday to ya (at least for another 20 minutes) I've been out of
the loop for some time now, feverishly working away at my new Christmas
Card CD. Been meaning to do this for a while, but then computer issues kept
me from being able to record until mid November.* So once I got back on
track I put my nose to th grindstone and feverishly cranked this baby
out.** The Dulcimer Christmas Card 2 is 12 new (loosely-defined)
Christmas/Winter songs recorded for dulcimer and other instruments by yours
truly, with a little help form some of my very remarkable friends.

Here's the tracks.


1. O Come Emanuel/ Cold Frosty Morning
2. Angels We Have Heard on High (funky version)
3. Gettin' Ready for Christmas Day (Paul Simon)
4. Merry Christmas From The Family (Robert Earl Keen)
5. Good king Wenceslas (New "dance" version featuring Bing Futch)
6. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (no really)
7. Little Jack Frost (Kate Rusby) vocals by the amazing Hayley Graham
8. Let There Be Peace on Earth
9. Judy Garland/White Christmas (Pete Chambers and Bing Crosby
respectively)
10. Christmastime is Here (Vince Guaraldi)
11. The Ballad of Larry (Jonathan Byrd)
12. Happy Xmas (War is Over) (John Lennon) featuring the Tremont
Tabernacle Choir


As before you can listen to the whole thing online, simply by going to
Butch Ross dot com. It's right there on the front page, with a little music
player so you can listen to the tracks as many times as you'd like for
free. NEW this year, is the option of downloading the songs (and liner
notes) directly from the site.

Prices for the Dulcimer Christmas Card are
$12 for the card
$15 for a jewel-boxed CD
$10 for a download

And don't forget the first Christmas Card CD is still available. Check it
out here: http://butchross.com/xmas.html

Of course the Holy Holiday is rapidly bearing down upon us, and the USPS
has only promised to be less efficient than before. So, I can ONLY
guarantee pre-Xmas delivery on items ordered before December 15th.

The CDs will be available at the shows as well. Those shows and workshops
again...

*Workshops
*Saturday, December 17th: Three workshops with Butch Ross at the Snapp's
residence (lunch provided) call: 614-313-6424 to RSVP
-10:30 am till 11:45: "Here Comes Jingle Bells" - Novice on up. This
combines a very nice version of "Jingle Bells" that moves right into "Here
Comes Santa Claus."
-1:15 to 2:30: Explore D-F#-A Tuning (1-3-5 Tuning) with Merv Rowley's
Version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in the D-F#-A Tuning. We'll also
work on a 1-3-5 version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here"--you
all know it from the Peanuts Christmas Special - Intermediate on up.
-3:00 to 4:15: Fiddle Tunes--work on two popular old time tunes -
Intermediate on up.

Workshops are $20 per workshop--$50 total if you do all three.
*
Shows*
Sat. Dec 17, 2011—7pm
Columbus, OH @ Guitar House Workshop
1423 Chambers Road (Grandview Heights)
$10 Suggested donation.

Wed. Dec 21, 2011
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 West Wayne Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2503
(260) 420-5563

Thurs. Dec. 22, 2011 -- 7pm
House Concert at the home of Steve and Linda Gwinn
call Linda at: 440-328-7458 to RSVP

Merry Christmas, Kwanza, Chanukah, Ramadan, Life Day, Festivus or however
you choose to celebrate the winter solstice. Thank you for making 2011 a
great year for me, and please accept my best wishes for a fantastic 2012


--Br
www.butchross.com

"Now I know what a dulcimer is supposed to sound like" —Jake Shimabukuro

Ukulele

Some of the new tunes haven't been laying out on the dulcimer very well. This is actually been an ongoing issue since I started to play dulcimer. It's one of the reasons why there are so many covers on Moonshiner's Atlas for whatever reason it's been far easier to recreate or adapt, than it has been to create. I think this is why one song, called Weathervane has been in contention for this album since I first wrote it (which was like 2004): it's the first time that a lick on the instrument inspired lyrics (that's how I've written in the past). Anyway, although I've worked out dulcimer versions of all the tunes I'm kicking around, there are three that just don't sound right. Normally, that would just mean those songs weren't going on the record. But one of the tunes that's causing me a lot of consternation is a new one called Be Somebody (Do the work), It's what my old roommate used to call "the single" (my old roommate is also a songwriter and we used to throw a lot of ideas back and forth to each other). It's a euphemism, since realistically hoping for airplay has been a pipe dream since Clinton initiated the telecommunications act of 1997 (the so-called "information superhighway" that deregulated radio and allowed Clear Channel to buy them all). But it still means to us, that song that is gonna make you want to buy the album. On Moonshiner's it was folk songs and 52 Vincent, on Shady Grove it was Eleanor Rigby and (surprisingly) Birdwatching. A single doesn't necessarily mean the "best" song on the record, just the one that compels you to buy the record. If you think of albums as collections of songs that tell a story (and I do) the single is the sizzle to the steak.

I think that that song is Be Somebody, but it hasn't been working out as a dulcimer tune. So, as I've been talking with Folkcraft about one they're developing anyway, I figured maybe I'd try one out. I'll let you know how it goes.

Day Two.

Obviously I'm not keeping this diary as a day to day thing. In part because I'm not recording everyday. In fact I feel as though I'm still demoing...I am still demoing. It's just that the line between demo and recording is going to be ever blurring. Last time I ended up recording what I thought were demo's only to have the whole thing be done in Garageband (A recording program that comes with the Mac). To that end I bought a new Mac Mini specifically to have a dedicated computer for recording. Then my laptop bit the dust again, and it's become clear that as much as I would like to separate work and creative computers I can't do that yet. And anyway, what does that mean? Anyway, so that's been the plan, But I've been slow on getting a dedicated space together and the new computer has been a source of some consternation. The Zoom I used before and the new version of Garageband do not like to play well together, an issue that will have to be resolved before I can move forward full time, which is what I'm playing on doing come March 1st, which was yesterday...You following me?

Something that I've noticed is that the recording of this album and the writing have become inseparable. Used to be I'd write a bunch of songs on guitar, play 'em out some and then go add other instruments to it. Here I've been using the recording process on a couple of tunes, New Used Car, and Be Somebody. I spent way too much time working on the intro to Angry Anymore as I see it as the intro to the album. But it starts with this old scratchy recording, Just like Shady Grove did, just like the intro to Old Home Place on Moonshiner did (and how long did we spend on that?!?!). And just like those, I've always heard this tune coming out of an old machine, preferably from an Edison wax cylinder. The problem with this genius idea is that occasionally people will come up and tell me that they're something wrong with their CD, a woman in Florida even asked for her money back (WTF!) So now I'm actually torn between art and commerce. Maybe I should put a sticker on the front that says "the first 30 seconds of this CD is supposed to sound like shit."

Day One (or the story so far)

I just re-read Ed O'Brien's diary from recording "Kid A" and (probably just because I'm a big fan) found it fascinating reading. I said to myself, I' think I'll do the same thing once I start recording…except I already have.

It's a bit like they said in the movie Inception. You don't remember how a dream starts, only that you've been in it for a while. Same with recording for me I guess.

One of the things I find interesting is that when Radiohead was recording Kid A, they took evenings and weekends off. You know…like a job. I guess that's 'cause it is.

So here's the story so far: A few weeks ago I wrote down a bunch of tunes that I wanted to record, separated into four categories: original songs, original instrumentals, covers and traditional tunes. Right now it's heavily skewed towards originals, so I've been starting there. I spent a day (and blew my voice out) recording a bunch of the originals to have in the car with me, but thus far that hasn't quite worked out. Some of the tunes are brand new, written in the last couple of months. Well others I've been picking at for years. Some have changed meaning as the context of my life has changed…I'm not saying which ones. Got to be a bit of an enigma. I think I know how this record will start, and kinda what it will be about. But I have NO IDEA what it will sound like when it's finished. This starting set of tunes is actually pretty bluegrass-sounding, ironic since one of the reasons I put "Shady Grove" last on the last CD was to be a launching pad for something completely different. I haven't ruled out the idea of having the record remixed, perhaps as two CDs. This is the best part, when it's all possibility. The rest is actual work.

Songs so far:
Originals:
1. Where's the damned river when you need it
2. Angry Anymore
3. New, Used Car
4. Heavy Metal Farmer's Sons (aka the ballad of Travis Kilgore)
5. A Long Way from Settling Down
6. Before the Flood
7. Weathervane
8. Brown Liquor
9. Down Where the Mountain Used to Stand
10. Shenandoah
11. Be Somebody (Do the Work)
12. What Have You Learned
13. All I Need is You
14. Betty/The Path of Least Resistance
15. Weatherman/Tornado Girl

Instrumentals/Traditional or Both
1. Little Liza Jane
2. Prototype
3. Cluck O'l Hen
4. Old Aunt Jenny with her Nightcap On
5. Elzic's Farewell (Jay Ungar)

Covers
1. Brand New 1964 Dodge (Greg Brown)
2. Brothers on a Hotel Bed (Death Cab for Cutie)
3. Here Comes the Flood (Peter Gabriel)
4. Shenandoah (Anais Mitchell)
5. Beeswing (Richard Thompson)
6. Blackout (The Affordable Floors)
7. The Pig (Todd Young)
8. Walk Beside Me (Tim O'Brien)
9. Little Liza Jane (Dave Carter)
10. Birches (Bill Morrissey)

No way is this a definitive list or a double-album, I'll be sure to drop a lot of these (and add a few back too), and don't be surprised if I end up writing a few new ones as well.

A tune for a day

Today is November 23, and if you know history, you know an important thing happened yesterday. I couldn't find a good link to Greg Brown's excellent song about it. so I made my own. Hope you enjoy it.

UPDATE! Youtube failed, so I posted it on Facebook, go watch it HERE.

Three Chances to see Butch in Chattanooga, plus one more.

Sat. December 1, 2007 at 9:45 PM SHARP!
Opening for OLD MAN: A TRIBUTE TO NEIL YOUNG
Rhythm and Brews
Featuring Mike McDade, Jeff and Jennifer Daniels, Laticia Wolf and More...
It's the Y in CSN&Y's birthday so they're celebrating it.
$5.00

Sat. December 1st 10:30ish
Tremont Tavern one-year anniversary party!
with the Flynts
Tremont Tavern
Corner of Hixon and Tremont Streets
Across from the Old Greenlife Grocery
Chattanooga, TN
FREE!

December 2nd, 7pm
Christmas Concert with Dan Landrum and Alan Shikoh
First Baptist Church of South Boston
South Boston, Viriginia
Free!

Tuesday, Dec. 4th, 9pm
o/f Paleface
JJ's Bohemia
Next to Caffeine on MLK
Chattanooga, TN
Probably $5.00

Folk who have been on my mailing list for some time now likely come to almost expect a double email from me. One announcing some upcoming shows, and a second correcting some obvious error in the show information originally presented.

And so those of you out there with an eye for detail will notice that i have two shows booked on Saturday Night. This is NOT a typo. Mike McDade called me and asked if i would play a set of originals stuff to open his birthday tribute to Neil Young. This show (even without me) is going to be a good time. Unless you hate Neil Young, then it'll be terrible.

As soon as I finish playing I am beating it on down to the Tremont Tavern to play their one-year anniversary party. This bar has been very good to me ever since I came to town, up to and including Dustin, the owner, letting me show up late so i can play another gig!!! That's really beyond cool.

Then I'm getting up at the crack of dawn to ride with Dan Landrum and Alan Shikoh to South Boston, Virgina to play a Christmas show during their Sunday evening service. Nothin' like a little church to redeem a night of bar hopping!

And then finally on Tuesday I will be back at JJ's Bohemia to open for Paleface. I originally turned this gig down. Since picking up the dulcimer I've moved further and further away from my antifolk past, I honestly didn't know how good a match up it would be.

But the more I thought about it, the more excited I became. Paleface is one of the original L.E.S. antifolkies, and he's as good now as he ever was. Of course, it's very very likely that you have NEVER heard of Paleface. Well that's understandable. The folklore about him says that back in 1989-91 He had a roommate named Beck Hansen. They wrote some songs together. When Beck started playing shows on his own, everybody said "Jeez that dude sounds just like Paleface." Later Beck moved to LA dropped his surname and started winning grammies. Paleface, on the other hand, drives a van, plays shows and keeps the faith. He's the real deal, and I'm honored to be opening for him. Look for me to drag some old chestnuts out (and maybe even a guitar) for this one.

So there you go. Four shows, three nights, two towns. It's a wonderful life. Now I got more to tell you, but that will have to wait until tomorrow (I'll give you a hint tho': it involves the birth of Jesus and how you can get free stuff) So there will be a follow email to this one, but that one will have nothing to do with this weekend.

c-ya out there

-Br

Sat. December 1, 2007 at 9:45 PM SHARP!
Opening for OLD MAN: A TRIBUTE TO NEIL YOUNG
Rhythm and Brews
Featuring Mike McDade, Jeff and Jennifer Daniels, Laticia Wolf and More...
It's the Y in CSN&Y's birthday so they're celebrating it.
$5.00

Sat. December 1st 10:30ish
Tremont Tavern one-year anniversary party!
with the Flynts
Tremont Tavern
Corner of Hixon and Tremont Streets
Across from the Old Greenlife Grocery
Chattanooga, TN
FREE!

December 2nd, 7pm
Christmas Concert with Dan Landrum and Alan Shikoh
First Baptist Church of South Boston
South Boston, Viriginia
Free!

Tuesday, Dec. 4th, 9pm
o/f Paleface
JJ's Bohemia
Next to Caffeine on MLK
Chattanooga, TN
Probably $5.00