Wally Lawder: News flashes

I'm off to France for the first half of August to visit my brother. Can't wait! No gigs planned but I will have my eyes and ears open for something spontaneous as well as future possibilities. A Bientot!

I'd like to thank everyone involved in the Tucson Folk Festival--organizers, audience, performers--for a super weekend. What a great tribe! Brandie and I loved performing there and being a part of the whole scene. This is what music is all about for me!

Hey there! If you are on Facebook, please visit my Fan Page. It's an easy way to interact and I will keep you posted with occasional updates. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1197709499190&saved#/pages/Wally-Lawder-Music/261255551946

This video clip from Youtube is so true, so funny and for me downright inspiring. Trust me, it is worth 5 minutes of your time to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXStPqhLmIk

I am one of the organizers for a benefit for Music Express, my hometown of Silver City's only music store, which burned to the ground as a result of arson a couple of months ago. The owner, Dave Murphy, did not have fire insurance and is out many tens of thousands of dollars. This event features live music and a silent auction and will be on Sunday, October 4 from 2:30 pm to 9:30 pm, at the Silco Theatre in Silver City. So... if you live in (or will be in) the Silver City, NM area, please come on down, listen to some great music and make a donation!

I'm staying closer to home (southern New Mexico) for a while, taking advantage of some opportunities here, doing some songwriting, seeing what's next. I had a totally fun show with a nine piece band at the Silco Theatre in Silver City. It's a little hard to take a band that size on the road! So, for the near future my shows will be in New Mexico and Arizona. Another California tour won't be too far away, though!

I'm putting together a quick California mini-tour in June, along with some serious ocean time. Please check out my shows if you're nearby, and if you are able to help me add a few gigs, please let me know!

I am happy to tell you that I have been selected as a finalist in the songwriting contest at the Tucson Folk Festival! I'll be performing the two songs I submitted for the contest there on Saturday, May 2, and will also be performing a set in a regular performance slot on Sunday, May 3. If you are anywhere near Tucson then, I highly recommend the festival and would love it if you came by to hear me!

I am looking forward to 2009! A new spirit of hope, optimism in the USA and good things in my music, too. I have been on a good run with songwriting lately, exploring some new turns musically and lyrically. You'll be hearing some new originals at my live shows. And... I will finally get back into the studio and start recording (I have far too many unrecorded new songs now) and come out with a new CD (or 2) this year! Peace!

My Gila River Festival songwriting contest winner "Banks of the Gila" has been recorded and is available for a free download! Thanks to Mountain Air Studios and to David Furnas (bass) and Robert Branch (second guitar) who played on the recording. You can listen to it (and get a free download if you wish) by going to the following link (you will want to press the "pause" button on the bottom of this webpage first or you will get 2 different songs at once!): http://www.gilaconservation.org/fourthannualgrf.shtml#wally

I am happy to say that I am a first place winner in the Gila River Festival songwriting competition. My song, "Banks of the Gila" will be recorded soon--so look for it on this website and on some southern New Mexico radio!

I've been receiving a lot of complimentary emails lately and got lots of nice comments from Folks at the Tucson Folk Festival. So thanks to all of you out there. Your support means so much to me!

Oh, most beautiful April! What a beloved time of year for me. My new guitar is done--you can see it on the home page photo. It sounds incredible and keeps on getting better the more I play it (really).
I'm taking a performing break for much of the month--picking up again in late April in New Mexico and then the Tucson Folk Festival in early May.
I have some new songs, too. They aren't recorded yet but you can hear them if you catch me live.

Spring tends to start early where I live here in southern New Mexico, and this year it is underway again. Wonderful!
I had a good winter, writing a few new songs with more underway. My new guitar, which I have been building with Don Musser's guidance for a year and a half, is finished! We do have to install the electronics, but I have been playing it (a lot) and it looks as gorgeous as it sounds. I will post pictures soon. After my winter performing hiatus, I am seeking to perform some more solo shows and, when performing with my Flying Coyotes band, am going with a "leaner, cleaner" sound.
If you are local to one of my shows, please come on down!

These longer days feel good! My winter break is over and I am much refreshed, ready to perform again. I've written some new songs and look forward to trying some new things. Catch a live show if you can!

I've barely begun my "time off" from performing and I am enjoying it! Already doing some new songwriting....
Also, the guitar I have been building under the mentorship of Don Musser is nearing completion--very exciting and fulfilling. We are in the midst of applying the lacquer finish, and does it ever bring out the beauty of the walnut! Check the latest picture on the photo page.

I am taking a break from performing, until mid February, to enjoy this quiet season of longer nights and shorter days and to see what creativity emerges. As Bruce Cockburn says in his song Pacing the Cage:
"Sometimes the best map will not guide you
You can't see what's 'round the bend
Sometimes the road leads through dark places
Sometimes the darkness is your friend"

Blessings and peace to you in the coming year!
--Wally

Hey! It's holiday and solstice season!

My latest CD, "Back to the Adobe Cafe" is out! This is actually a re-creation of the "Adobe Cafe" CD. I did some re-recording and remixing on five of the tracks and changed the song order. It has really enhanced the album! There is also completely new artwork in eco-friendly packaging. You can check it out, listen to it, and buy it if you like on the Buy CDs page. It's also available at my live shows.

I've released my first single (yep, that's right): Hippie Chick. It's available at my shows. You can't buy it online, but you can get it for free (!) as a download on the "Listen" page. It just seemed appropriate for Hippie Chick--I mean, if love is free, shouldn't the download be?

I am near the home stretch in building my own guitar, apprencticing to the renowned luthier Don Mussier (Don has made guitars for Dylan, Bono, Tom Rush, Eric Idle among others). Check out the photos in the photo gallery.

Thanks to those of you who have signed the guestbook and/or sent emails...

You can listen to many of my songs on the "Listen" page. Don't forget to check out the "stories behind the songs!"

Tell me your thoughts, come to a show, buy a CD or two--I appreciate your interest and support. And have a great holiday season!

--Wally