Six Months. Where does the time go? I was driving home from a job a few weeks back, and realized that it had been six months since my first show with Johnny Lee and the Urban Cowboy Band. We've come a long way, made some changes to the band, and the show is running smoother than ever. When I started with the group, we were scattered across four states, and the logistics were horrible trying to get to work. We had a keyboard player in Amarillo, a drummer in Tulsa, lead guitar player in Kansas City, a steel player in Dallas, and I was living out in West Texas, past Lubbock. I've since moved to Fort Worth, the new keys player lives in Dallas, the steel player's just down the street from me, and the new lead guitar player lives outside Oklahoma City. Things are much easier getting everybody to work.

I've also taken over duties as the Band Leader and Road Manager. My stress level has increased exponentially, but we're still getting up and down the road just fine. I doubled my cellphone minutes and am considering a broadband wireless card for my laptop, just to keep up with my connectivity needs while we're out on the road. We had the great privilege of playing the Grand Ole Opry on the 29^th of September, and it was everything I ever imagined, and more. What a completely surreal experience! I was lucky enough to have a few family members make the show, so we've got some good pictures. Most of them are up on the MySpace site if you want to check them out. Also, about the MySpace. If your band doesn't have a MySpace account, you're missing the bus, big time. It's free and it's easy, I put most of ours together by myself, and I have no programming experience at all. Get as many friends as you can, get some songs recorded and posted, send out those bulletins, and keep your schedule up to date! It's helped us get in contact with venues, fans, and radio stations the world over. And now there are plenty of outside websites to help you customize your page if the standard layout isn't interesting enough for you. I think this will be the revolutionary tool that will revamp the entertainment industry in the new millenium. Or maybe I'm just in denial because I'm so hopelessly addicted...

During one of our last trips, we got to play a show with golfer John Daly and some other friends. It was great hanging out with the golfers, caddies and sponsors. I was listening to a couple of the guys talking to a representative of Taylor Made golf clubs, and it was funny listening to them talk about gear and technique, just as we musicians constantly talk about the same. It made me think back on what got me where I am today. First, I took lessons and studied music theory. I worked on the fundamentals, scales, rhythms, chord structure, and the list goes on. Mel Bay has countless courses to help you improve your chops, and they've got plenty of my money from over the years. I took most of my lessons out in West Texas at South Plains College, a small junior college with the largest Commercial Music program in the nation. From Rock to Bluegrass, they teach it all out there, and without that education and experience, it would have taken decades for me to get where I am today. Several Mel Bay editors are on the faculty out there, including John Reid, our Bass Sessions Editor. Feel free to send me a note if you want any more information on South Plains College, I can't say enough good things about that school.

Secondly, having good gear is vital. I have to know that when I plug in my amp and guitar, they're going to power up and sound great at every show. My Dingwall guitars are a major reason why many sound engineers and musicians want to talk to me after a show. Sometimes we play shows where the backline is supplied for us, and once again, I know that my Dingwall will perform flawlessly, and sound great, no matter if I'm blasting through my SWR SM-500, or if I'm plugged in direct and they're piping me through the monitors. Country bass lines are sometimes a bit boring, but the tone I get from these guitars really surprises a lot of guys. So do yourself a favor, invest a little more, get that better axe, a little better amp, a bigger cabinet, and spoil yourself a little. Life is too short not to make good music. And picking is good for the soul. Get out there and play, all the world really needs is a bass player and someone to sing harmony! My good friend Joe Carr ( the Mel Bay Mandolin Editor) once told me, "If you can play bass and sing, you won't ever have to get a real job!"