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Hmmm…Guess I need a MacBook…and other events!

Hi everyone! Okay, I admit it…I’m a bit of a slacker in the blogging department. I know, I know – it’s not the first time I’ve confessed this. You see, if you know me, then you know that I work hard and I do get a lot done. I rarely procrastinate and I am fairly on top of things most of the time. But for some reason my blog just doesn’t get updated as often as it should despite my best intentions. And I feel badly about it. How might I fix this? Here is one thing I was thinking. I really want a new laptop. I have a Dell. I want a MacBook. If I got a MacBook with the built in camera I could video blog – which takes less time and is exciting and then maybe I could keep my blog more up to date. I’m just sayin’… It’s another excuse to get my MacBook. So, now that “blog” will be stroked off of my to-do list I think I will add “buy MacBook”. We’ll see.

We’ve had a great spring and wonderful start to our summer. Heck, when I think about it, 2010 is kickin’ some major arse! So much excitement! Our April tour of the Midwest was one of our best of that area for sure – other than it ending with me jamming my finger in an old farmhouse screen door (it’s STILL blue & purple and bumpy but it plays just fine!)

At the end of April into the beginning of May I taught at the Fiddle Star Adult Camp for Megan Lynch at her beautiful home in Goodlettsville, TN. I got to hang out with a bunch of great fiddlers (the ones making funny faces in this picture) and had a great time! I was also there for the unexpected and devastating floods. I have witnessed snow and ice storms but never the power of water in a flood before. My thoughts are still with all of those recovering from the damage in and around Nashville.

After camp I hung out in Nashville for a couple of days and got to visit my ex-AVB’ers Chris Jones and Jon Weisberger and even did a little song writing. That’s right. Songs with WORDS! Our audiences on the May tour got to hear some of these new songs and I’m excited about them and about doing more writing… Go me go!

Our May tour was around the Northeast – NJ, NY, CT, MA, ME, PA. We had a few days off in the middle the tour which we spent in Kennebunk, ME working on new material for our upcoming recording. We are hoping to record again early in 2011 (Can’t really be sooner or later than then cause we’re all booked up! Yayayay!) We worked really hard and have started road testing 6 new arrangements and have plans for a bunch more. It feels really good to be working on new stuff and we are getting stronger as a band (as evidenced in this picture). Old-timey, old country-ish is the trend so far. I love it! We also got to see our dear friends Mac & Rae Ann McLanahan (of Rose Garden Coffeehouse and Nashville Clippers fame) for a brief time while we were in MA. They are super people and we miss seeing them, so even a brief visit is a much needed retreat. (That’s all of us in their backyard for breakfast after our gig the night before).

I got sick at the end of our last tour. Food poisoning. Not from anything to do with gig or festival food. But my thanks to Cody & Clay for pulling all of their weight and all of mine for the long drive from MA to PA and throughout that festival weekend while I tried to get by on Pedialite & Crackers. It worked. Thanks again guys!

We all got home about a week ago and are enjoying time with family and friends. My sister is getting married next weekend! Then we’ll be back out on the road to really start our summer touring as of June 9 (not home again until July 31). Headed to NC & VA first – a couple of my very favourite places to go! And I’ll be part of the John Hartford String Band CD release concert at the Station Inn on June 18 in Nashville…

See you along the way I hope – have a good one!

PS: We recently started a band page on facebook that we all administer. Guess what?! It’s under “April Verch Band”. Be our friend if you want to! Please?!