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“Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me
Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby
Ain’t that America, home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses, for you and me, oh baby for you and me”

John Melloncamp

That’s about the best way that I can describe our trip to Howell last Saturday.

Everything about it was as American as you can get.  The setting, the weather, the people the entire experience.

Camping, swimming, playing and partying.  We saw it all at the Taylor’s Beach Campground, in rustic Howell Michigan.  Even a little bit of music.

First of all, let me explain why we weren’t at Bumper’s Landing as usual on this particular Saturday.

Last summer, we were approached about playing in Howell at a camp when our schedule allowed.  Seems they heard us at Bumper’s and wanted Carl and I to come up and play for a tropical themed day.  However, at the time, we had no openings, as we were booked all summer.  So, early on this year, we provided a date, and worked it out so that we could entertain for them on Saturday, and play Bumper’s on Friday.  That would keep everybody happy.  Especially, us.

So after an interesting Friday night by the water, we began the two hour trek to Howell, to play by the water, once more.

Soon, we arrived.  Meeting with Alan Taylor, the family patriarch is a real experience.  He is as American as anyone can be.  Self reliant, warm, strong and amiable.  Knowing that he wanted us to play was the driving force behind why we eventually made it happen.

As soon as we arrived at the campsite, he made us feel right at home.  Showing us around, getting us room to park and set up, and letting us know that we were to begin entertaining  . . . in one half hour!

The campground was big, yet, cosy at the same time.  it seemed to all revolve around the cute little lake, which was teeming with campers and sportsmen from one end to the other.

Getting set up quickly was an understatement, as we needed to outrace both the clock and the rain.  Four O’clock was time to begin our first set, as well as watch the casino night set up in the same pavilion we were occupying.  It was going too be a very interesting day, and or night.

The plan was to have a tropical themed party, and we did everything we could to make that happen.  We played song after song of island music, with some oldies and country dance music selections as well.

We played from four until about six, and then took a break to let the gamblers concentrate, and for us to meet some people.

Apparently there was to be a costume contest later, and one family of girls was going all-in to win.  Grandma, girls in grass skirts, and even the family dog doing her part to capture the top prize.

There were people everywhere doing everything camps-woodsy.  People were out and about and in and out of the animated lake.  Playing games, sitting by their campsites and whizzing around in all types of golf carts.  It was almost as if Dr. Seuss owned an RV!

After a short break, we got right back to playing again.  More tropical flavored songs to continue the vacation mood.  You could just tell that campers were loving it.

By now, the gambling was really taking hold of people, as the tables began to get crowded and quite loud.  Everyone was having fun.

Lots of the people even took time to welcome us to their little slice of heaven, and find out where wee were from.

Soon, it was time to wrap up the gambling and award some prizes.  Carl and I took a break and had some dinner.

Ribs were on the menu tonight and we wear ready to sample them.  The sun was about to set and nighttime fell on our little campsite pavilion.

Time to crank up the tunes to eleven!

Starting at nine thirty, we played all the summertime, tropical dance tunes that this group could handle.  We even threw in some country and rock numbers to round out the set.  The lights were low and the fog machine and disco lights filled the dance floor.

It was great fun as we played until ten thirty.  Then eleven.  Then eleven thirty, by request.

The crowd was going wild as we agreed to do one more.  And then, and encore.  We finished the night with a little John Denver traveling down his Country Roads.

You really can’t get more American that that.  It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.  Our hosts paid us, thanked us and invited us back again as soon as we could return.

They showed us out, got us some swag and sent us back home with big smiles and full bellies.

It was a very good trip.

Carl and I really didn’t know what to expect when we agreed to this event, but were pleasantly surprised.

Ain’t that America?

It sure is.

Rb

Little Pink Houses
John Mellencamp

It’s about the music.

And, the people.

Ok, so it’s about the music and the people.  So on an afternoon in July that could have turned for the worse at absolutely any moment, it was the music and the people that saved us.

Well, saved us might be a stretch.

What I meant was, that sometimes during the year, as entertainers, things become rote at some point; especially when you play at the same venue for a long period of time.

But the people always seem to save us at Bumper’s Landing.  Nothing is ever what we think that it will be; and above all, it is NEVER boring!

Anyone who visits for very long there eventually makes the same comment, “This is a great place to people watch!”

Ah, yes it is.

You can see people from all walks of life there.  All having a wonderful time, just relaxing and being themselves.  Or, who they want to be. (for a little while).

So, as the sky threatened trouble, we ignored it all, and were rewarded with another wonderful, memorable evening but the water.

Looking to begin with a little twist on our usual first set selections, we began with some, ah, usual Jimmy Buffett; but then veered off in a totally different direction.

Someone in mentioned to us how since the last time they were there, they asked us to play some Lyle Lovett, and we said that we would try and learn some, and of course, now there were calling us out on it.

Ah, but Carl did learn some Lyle Lovett, and was all ready to go with it.  And, you know what, it was really good, too.

Just another example of how people will always surprise you.

Like I said, the clouds were threatening, and of course, the local and national weather experts, all to a man,(or woman), said that it was going to rain.

Long story short . . . nope.  It didn’t rain.  Didn’t snow and it mostly didn’t hurricane.

So, we forged ahead.

You must understand that at this point, everyone kinda leaves the final decision to us.  If we get to Bumper’s we know that most everyone comes to be by the water.  So, playing inside, though nice, is just not the same.

We start out by the water, and know that if anything becomes wet, we can always move inside.  It’s a lot more work, but then again anything in life that is worthwhile is a lot like that.

People with lots of smiles usually await us here.  Since we have been entertaining at Bumper’s for more than three years, we know most of the regulars by now.  That makes most of the smiles every more rewarding.

A perfect example of that would be Mike and Jessica.  While not regulars, they were something new and different on this rare Friday night.  Mike was signing up boaters to be part of the Guinness world record attempt at the Muscamoot bay raft-off on August 11th.

Back to the music, Carl and I have been doing all we can to integrate new, (old), songs into our nights.  We spend all week working on them individually, and then put them together in front of the audience.

It works most of the time.

Tonight, we played several new songs for the first time, with mixed results.  We played some Lyle Lovett, some Neil Diamond and some DeBarge.

Just about then, the strolling lady rhythm section arrived to thoroughly entertain everyone, including ourselves.

They danced, they shook and they rhythm their way into everyone’s hearts.

Great fun.

But on this interesting night, the most memorial song was an old Mexican folk song that was turned into a huge hit, way back in the fifties, by a man named, Richie Valens.

A young lady requested La Bamba, just at the right time, as the dance floor was hopping.  Playing that timeless hit put things into another gear all together.

It’s the kind of thing that happens most every night here, and why we say, that it is never boring.

It was another fun, fun evening by the lake.

We can count on a lot of things when we are going to play there, but one of them is not boredom.

The weather, the people and the music all have the effect of putting the patrons in a great mood.  It is the perfect tonic for what ails ya.

If you missed it, you should know that it would have been even better if you were there.  This is that classic summer that we will look back fondly on for years to come.

Don’t let it slip away . . . .

Rb

“I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be.”

Whitney Huston

People ask us why we drive two hours to Bay City on a Wednesday morning in the summer, and this is our answer.  Surly we could be doing other things.  Yes, we could.  However, children are our future.  And bringing them music is something that means a great deal to both Carl and I.

This year we we’re lucky enough to have been asked to come back to the city by the bay, (no, not San Francisco, the other city by this bay). Bay City.

Actually the ride up in the van was a great time to talk about all the things that we have achieved this summer, already, and over our long career as local musicians.  Probably no way to make the ride any better.  Well, maybe one way . . .

Anywho, we were chatting about how long that we have been doing this, and it brought us back to the old days and how we packed four of us young lads in a van to get to our gigs.  Add lots and lots of musical gear, and you’re in for a good time.  Just ask the Boys.

So, where were we?

Ah yes, the city by the bay . . .

Driving up through the scenic Michigan countryside gave us time to figure out about how many songs that would possibly cram into 45 minutes.  Yes, we were driving all that way to only play forty-five minutes?

Why?

Because of the children, remember?

As Whitney so eloquently put it, they are our future.  Be nice to them, because they will be the ones visiting us in the home.  Or, maybe not visiting.

So it was a slam-bang, live on the racer’s edge, laugh in the face of death kinda whirl-wind set of songs that kids to could relate to.

We began with the classic feel-good tune, You are my sunshine.  One that children and parents alike should each be invested in.

Then we did some We-mo-whacking to the Lion Sleeps Tonight, and then straight into The Unicorn Song.

You see where this is going?

Kid nirvana.  Throw in a generous amount of balls, whistles, shakers and props of all ilks and you have the makings of a matinee hit!

The forty-five minutes vaulted by, until it was time for our big finish . . . Under The Sea.  Nothing kids like better than being wet!  (even some adults).

Before you knew it, Carl and I were on our way and heading back home.  We did what we set out to do; bring some fun to Bay City.  And we did accomplish that.

Apparently there will be a brand new amphitheater down the road on this very location in the future.  We certainly hope that we will be a part of it when it is ready to welcome more kids in the years to come.

Children are our future.  Our music is a bridge from things that were meaningful in years past to what we envision our kids to enjoy in the days they have awaiting them.

That is our gift.  We are so very lucky to be able to share it with Bay City, and every city we play in between.

Rb

Well, you get the reference, hopefully.

All the unrest and turmoil that the French have come to associate with Bastille Day was nowhere to be found by the water in Harrison township Michigan on this particular, amazing day.

Whew.

Its was a very pleasant afternoon as we took the pavilion at Bumper’s Landing.  Hot, but nice.  It was fun and upbeat, with everyone in great spirits, looking forward to an impending night of musical enjoyment.  Too bad it was us they we’re listening to!

So the summer night was in full swing with lots of drinking, eating and relaxing to be had.  There were even those that wanted to dance, of all things!

Why not.

We could arrange that.  It was apparent that both Carl and I were in a bit of an eclectic mood, as the crowd and the weather conspired to turn up our creativity nob to eleven.

There we’re all sorts of songs that we treasure and only pull out when we believe that the people we are playing for would appreciate them.  Most of the time, the patrons want to hear a certain kind of music that is expected.  Like, “boat” music.  We get that most of the time, that genre goes over very well with the nautical type.  That being said, there are times when we want to be a little selfish, and do some songs that we really enjoy playing.

Songs like, Galway Girl, Big Iron or even Into The Mystic.  We love these songs.  Although we treasure them, they my not be for everyone, or even every venue that we entertain at.

So it was that kind of a night.  We balanced requests with some songs that we really wanted to play for ourselves and made it a perfectly eclectic musical evening.

Great friends, lots of family and even meeting one or two new people cast a perfect spell on this enchanted evening.

By the water, with drinks aplenty and guitars at the ready.  That’s how you spend any day you can get your hands on.  Although we weren’t doing anything that would provoke the French Foreign Legion to throw us into the Bastille to rot, we were pretty devil-may-care with our last set song selection.

Who knows, if playing music badly was a crime, we could be arrested and wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

But not tonight.  Tonight, we had almost everything we could ever want; including our  FREEDOM!

Rb

Back in Eastpointe for another summer show.  Always a good time, always fun, always entertaining.  Sometimes its quite hot, playing on the cement slab by the Eastpointe offices, but always a reason to smile.

We arrived early, and this time, needed to avoid the street sweeper guy who had it out for us.  Dodging that bullet, it was a pretty easy experience setting up our gear.

Playing in Eastpointe always gives us lots of musical options when it comes to what we can play.  They like all types and genres of music, and even an Irish tune or two.

Since the summer was truly upon us, there was no doubt that we would begin with our trademark, Jimmy Buffett song or two, to get us started on the right musical foot.

The good folks who arrived for the concert were all very welcoming, right from the onset, as we took several requests in the first few moments.

There were Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett and even some Neil Diamond songs that were asked about.  All of them sounded just perfect on this wonderful summer night.  People were happy and very cordial.  Who could ask for anything more?

Eastpointe has become almost timeless to Carl and I, since we have been playing in this community for more than forty years now.  The only thing that differs over the years has been the location of the concert venue.

Be it Kennedy, Spindler or the recreation center, we always enjoy the opportunity to entertain for these great people.

We both hope to come back next year, as we have many, many more songs that need to be heard.

Now, it’s time to enjoy another Eastpointe treasure . . .  Cloverleaf pizza!

Well, we’ve earned it!

Rb

“C’mon in and have a drink!”

This immortal words will forever beckon the tired stranger or the grizzled life-veteran to walk through those doors, sit down and cast off all the troubles and cares that imprison their psyche.

Sounds pretty good, actually; to find a place that can shed your inhibitions, and worries if only for a little while.

Well, such a place does exist, right here in historic, downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan . . .

The Three Blind Mice Irish Pub.

Of course by now you realize that people have been arriving on this very spot for over one hundred years to escape from whatever malady or infliction the world has saddled them with.  The escape hatch being the front door of the Mice.

Once inside, the tired become rested.  The hungry become fed and the thirsty become slated.  And while they are at it, we ply their souls with a little bit of song, for good measure.

It relaxes some, and emboldens others.  It stokes their flames and touches their hearts.

Music mixes between these walls with the right measure of alcohol to fuel the heart, mind and soul.  Not a secret recipe, but one that time has honored no matter what culture, creed or race you happen to be.

We realize, Carl and I, that when people come into the pub for en evening, they want to find whatever they are looking for.  To quench their thirst, to contain their hunger and to share their lives with others of their own ilk.  Our music is designed to weave a tapestry that will somehow wrap them up in, if even for a few hours, without their knowing.  To hold them captive while alcohol and song transport them to the place they really want to be.

Our music may not bring them in; but it certainly is a conversation starter, once here.  It opens doors and lights rooms without question.  It enables thought and curries optimism.

Each song, a modern day classic by a songwriter who traded his or her  identity for immortality.

Our gift is to make it all new again, each time we sing it.  If entertaining is anything, it is immortality, for many of these same songs have been sung for more than fifty years now.

What a thought . . .  to create something that will stand the test of time.

The music we perform, like The Three Blind Mice, has done just such a thing.  Stood the test of time.  It’s been open for more than five years now, and still going strong.

We always enjoy being there, and hope to be back soon.

Rb

Nothing says summer has arrived like the climbing temperature.

By now, you know how many times that I have lamented the fact that weather was not conducive to big crowds outside at Bumper’s Landing, in Harrison Two. Michigan.  I’ve been pretty much a broken record about it.  “It’s so cooooold!”, blah, blah, blah . . .

Well, forget all that.  “It’s sooooooooo hooooooooot!”….

Just kidding.  I’m not complaining about the extreme heat.  And, to be honest, true to their form, none of the big crowd of boaters that we entertained, Saturday every said a single word about it being too hot to drink.

It was pretty hot though.  About 90 degrees will slow down any party.  Folks were there, but pretty much hiding from the sizzling sunlight.  They were under the awning, under umbrellas, and even nestled inside from the oppressive heat.

Nothing will stop us though, Carl and I.  We were there, set up and ready to play right on time, sweltering sun or no.  We just switched on our Island music play-list.  (Just kidding, there is really no such list.)

Island music

Music is so personal and so evocative of time, place and mood, that simply hearing a soulful melody will catapult the listener to a moment and location they might have treasured some years or even decades past.

It can stop your heart and mind until all of those feeling come rushing back, reawakened once more.  Island music by my definition is comprised of slow, easy, tranquil melodies that urge us to relax, rethink and renew.

The melodies don’t shout at us, they beckon.  The beat is simple and straight-forward, hiding nothing along the way.  Even the chord structure, while outwardly pleasing is quite simple and true.

The listener is not being asked to focus their time and energy on the lyrics, solos or even complicated chord changes.  It is simply, “Happy” music.

So when it is hot.  Really hot!, playing island music tends to cool everyone down.  Or when we play it in the winter months, aching for the hint of summer just off the horizon; it even warms us up!

Island music fits right in at Bumper’s

From the cool of the shade coveted spots, we can see and hear patrons singling along with us, despite the heat.  We already know that these people don’t complain about anything, so the heat is certainly not going to bother them.

Singing in the Gazebo on the deck is a great place to be actually.  We can see everything, and of course hear everything.  Especially when these racing boats come in establishing their audible dominance, or trying to.  Something worth hearing, that’s for sure.

As you already know, we begin our night around six O’clock with Jimmy Buffett, the usual first round pick.  Then some Seger, and Young and even Chesney right out of the gate.

But on this afternoon, we thought that we would cast off much of our usual, and let the Island Music wash over those oppressed by the heat.

After the first couple of sets, the sun retreated a bit, and let the boaters emerge into the light.  We began to play music with a little stronger structure as the night drew close at hand.

There was still not a lot of craziness, since by now, the sun had zapped much of everyone’s energy.  That was fine too.  We simply brought out the romantic music, as the darkness settled in the moon crept over the dock.

It was clearly time for romance and passion.

Bumper’s Landing may occasionally  be windy, it may be cold, yet most times hot.  However, there is one thing that Carl and I know for a fact; it is never, ever dull, not matter what type of music is in the air.

Rb

we’ve waited, we’ve watched and we’ve even begged for it.  Finally, summer has arrived to stay!

About time.

While we can’t complain about the weather now, we just need to manage the crowds.  Keep them happy, that is.

Not too much trouble at Bumper’s Landing, since they are usually exceedingly happy to begin with.

On this particular Saturday, while the warm weather finally and ultimately arrived, so did those pesky clouds.  Not to matter.  Nothing could keep away this group of contented revelers.

As we arrived to set up, no one was confident in what Mother Nature had in store awaiting us down near the water.  The skies were grey, but as of yet, warm and pleasant.

The weather maps were a bit inconclusive, and watching the sky was not yielding us the pertinent information that we needed to make an informed decision about where to set up for the evening.

So, set up outside, we did.  If things changed, we would roll with it.  After all, that is pretty much what we did at Bumper’s Landing every time.

Playing by the water on a summer Saturday is an idyllic scene, unless, you add water dropping from the skies.  That is what made us move inside.  That, and Captain Morgan!

Captain Morgan, you say?  Yup, in came the good captain, resplendent with his peeps, entourage and first & second mates in tow.  Also, complete with his own marching band.

We had to take a break for all of that.  While we did, we tore down our equipment and hustled it inside to set up once more.  For as soon as we set up again and began to play, the rain unloaded its’ vengeance on the unsuspecting crowd.

No matter.  They joined the Conga line inside and everything was good!

The music got hotter and hotter and the dancers found their groove once again.  It was utter chaos, but utter fun at the same time!

The rain, the music and the Captain made this night one of the moist memorable we had ever played.  (And, by now you know that we have been playing for a long time.)

Beach music, country and rock ballads and party songs filled the lungs of every patron that night as the roof was nearly blown off the bar.

We escaped with our lives, only after playing three or four encores to the drones of, “One more!!”

When the weather truly cooperates, we know that we are going to see something like never before at this place.

It’s gonna be epic, and we are gonna be right in the thick of it!!!

Rb

Rb

While many changes have been taking place in and around Macomb County, some of them good, some of them bad, there is one thing that you can always count on.

While all this has taken place, some things still remain constant; like the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub in downtown Mt. Clemens.

The building has been a pub for over one hundred years now, and although many proprietors have come and gone, it has more than stood the test of time.

The Mice always delights.

The acoustics are warm and rich.  The architecture is timeless, and the walls resonate with a truth and honesty that cannot be easily measured without experiencing it first-hand.

When you walk in for the first time, you realize that stepping inside these walls is a treat to all your senses, not just your eyes and ears.

While the alcohol beckons, the traditional bar and wood detailing pleases your soul.

Add the smell of sumptuous comfort-food and you can see why the Mice is whirling through it’s fifth year of service to a thirsty community.

Carl and I love playing at this venue.  So close to the people that they can’t help but feel part of the entertainment suits us just fine.  Something akin to street magicians, standing inches away from our audience is almost like working without a net; exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

Once we strike up the first chord however, we are in charge of our own musical destiny.  Standing alone with two guitars is a very good way to quickly find your worth as a musician.  If you can entertain like that, in its’ simplest form, you can do anything, we believe.

At the Mice, when the clock hits eight, the lights go on, and we begin the first song.  Most always, we ease into our night with a selection that will make the transition from quiet conversation to easy listening, enticing and palatable.

There are many people that came for dinner and didn’t expect musicians to pop up, seemingly unannounced.

It is our job to help those folks make the decision to extend their stay.  Customers are our bosses, and ideally each one of them must be won over and hopefully satisfied.

We want them back, and we want them to feel welcome and happy and the desire to spread the word.

Everything we do is to accomplish that goal.  We begin easy and as the night evolves, turn up the volume and the tempo to a level that matches the pace and pulse of the patrons we engage.

There are lots of ways to get it done, but the easiest way is by simply selecting the right song at the right time of night.

Reading the eyes and requests from the audience, we can tell when to pick it up, when to slow it down and even when to get a little irreverent or completely sentimental.

That is always part of the fun.  It is the best reason why Carl and I have never used a set list to dictate how the night should go.

We would rather let the audience dictate to us, what they would feel and like.  Most of the time, that works pretty well.

Friday was just such a night.  As people came in and were reluctant to sit right in front of us, they quickly realized that we weren’t too loud or too annoying.

Nothing that a fair amount of alcohol couldn’t rectify.

Actually, we had pretty good luck playing all the requests that we fielded.  Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and Cat Stevens led the pack.  Of course we scattered some traditional Irish favorites their way without incident.

We play five hours when we entertain at The Three Blind Mice.  Five hours of three minute songs is a pretty good way to sharpen your musical chops in this business.

Friday evening was pretty typical night at the Mice.  Although we could have gotten fair amount of walk-ins from the fireworks that were happening downtown, the rain unfortunately curtailed most of that throng.

We always feel at home in this pub. It speaks to us.  And it listens to our song, if that makes any sense.  We are a good fit.  It’s incredibly hard work, but worthwhile each and every night.

We’ll be back in a week or so, and we can’t wait.  We know that it will be waiting for us, as it always is.

Rb