Well, here we are again, it's time for some more stories from out there on the road. Things are going well; everybody in the band is getting along, and coincidentally the music is sounding better and better every show. And we're having a blast out there, getting to see the nation, one truck-stop at a time. Since last time, we've been as far west as Las Vegas, east to Greensboro, NC, north to Chicago, and South to Houston. I've been doing a lot of driving, sleeping, reading, and listening to music. Johnny bought us a Dodge Sprinter conversion van, so we're getting around in reasonable style and affordability. If you see a big black van that looks like it's from the FBI, that's us.

I've introduced Johnny to the wonders of MySpace, which I think is one of the best things ever to happen to musical promotion. If you or your group doesn't have one, I'd suggest getting on that bandwagon quickly. In 3 months' time, we've gotten over ELEVEN THOUSAND profile views, an average of almost 125 hits per day. "Lookin For Love" has gotten almost ten thousand spins alone. Also, as webmaster, it is my job to read and respond to the hundreds of fan mails we receive. It is truly heartwarming to see how many people have written in saying that "Looking For Love" was a certain couple's song, and how much all of Johnny's music means to them. That website has our schedule through the end of November, and is updated any time I can find free internet access on the road. Check us out at http://myspace.com/urbancowboyband and listen to some of Johnny's tunes.

We stayed pretty busy out there on the road over the summer months. Recently, we got to hang out backstage at the Grand Ole Opry while Johnny sang a few songs with the house band. He's promising to get us onstage to play the next time they ask him back, which will hopefully be sometime in early August. We've all got our fingers crossed. We've also spent quite a bit of time working up new material for the live album we recorded on Hat Creek Records out of Waxahachie, TX. We expect that project to be mastered and released by mid October, if all goes well.

Let's get down to business. I have three major points to make in this chapter. I touched on one briefly last episode, but I'll reinforce it here. In the past couple months, I've gotten comfortable enough with the songs to be singing harmony almost every song, and I've realized a couple of things. They're not lying to you when they tell you this:

1. Learn to play bass.
2. Learn to sing.
3. Get along with your bandmates.

First of all, if you're reading this, you probably already play bass in one genre or another. If you're a bass player and can sing, you probably won't ever have to look for a respectable job for the rest of your adult life. Lots of people know who Geddy Lee and Paul McCartney are. Most people don't know who Donald "Duck" Dunn is. As a road warrior, side-man, weekend picker, or general hacker, if you can play and sing harmonies your chance of getting a gig has gone up twofold, if not more. Third, and absolutely most important, if you can stick those two together with an easygoing personality, you're worth your weight in gold. I'm living proof. No way the best picker. No way I'm the best singer, either. But I can sing these harmonies, play the parts, and with the help of a good set of ears and an astounding education (Thank you South Plains College, more about that great place in future episodes) I picked up a great gig and have held it for 5 months. It was a humbling, yet affirming conversation a few weeks ago when my band leader told me, "There must be a half dozen bass players in the Dallas area alone that would have killed for your job. The reason I hired you was because I thought we would get along better with you, a young, funny, positive picker with good gear and a great attitude." Kinda makes you want to puke, huh?