Songwriting

I’m contemplating songwriters and songwriting this morning. It’s a work I’ve dabbled but never fully immersed myself in. I’ve written a fair number of songs, but I’ve never been able to make it a practice that I keep on a continuous basis. Songwriters seem to always be in a thoughtful observance mode. They process all they see with a filter that sculpts the world into a poetic and melodic realm that comes naturally to them. I enjoy it when I try it, and I used to keep a pen and pad by my bedside that I would write phrases and ideas with every night. Great songwriters are fans of great literature and poetry. They look for clever word usage and imagery that expresses ideas in meaningful ways. They can distill an occurrence into 3 verses and a chorus with an optional bridge that makes you feel the place and time in a very real way. One of my favorite book series that has minstrels in it talks of how these minstrels write songs that record history and make that history into legends. And of course I think there is magic in music that goes beyond the songwriters talent - introducing a timelessness and impact that is beyond the song. And so on Tuesday I will be featuring the songs of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt - two songwriters who revered and polished the act of songwriting to a high art. I hope you can tune in and enjoy it.

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities went pretty well last week. For one of them the performance had to be outside because they had one resident diagnosed with COVID. This virus is surely not over. I even played one facility at the last minute on Sunday morning. That was a pleasant surprise.

My Tuesday online show doing ‘30s and ‘40s music was a thrill. I’m not sure my audience was prepared to hear that kind of music, but the memories flowed, and there were several mentions of not having heard a favorite song since hearing it with a parent many, many years ago.

Thursday at the Yellow Pine Barbecue was a little different than usual. We had a lot of new folks, and I don’t think they knew that they could stay and dance and make requests. They did seem to enjoy themselves though, and we even had my good friends Matt and Deann Pujol come out for their anniversary and dance the night away.

My Sunday online show doing favorites and requests was just about perfect. There were many regulars with a good mix of new tunes and old favorites including several spontaneous requests. 

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What am I up to this week?

I have a bunch of senior facilities this week from Colorado Springs down to Walsenburg, and it’s interesting to see how each one is dealing with the prevalence of the Delta variant in our area. I’m wearing a mask at most of them even if they say I don’t have to per their policy.

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time is doing the afore-mentioned songs of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Their songs are so engaging and impactful, and I hope you’ll tune in if you can. Remember that you can always catch my show in a replay on my website or Facebook if you can’t be there live - tommunch.com/online-concerts and facebook.com/tom.munch.

Thursday 6:30-8 is the last Yellow Pine barbecue of the season. It’s always a little sad wrapping up the summer at the Yellow Pine. The nights are getting cooler, and families are getting their kids back to school, so it’s time to stop until next year. We will have one last Yellow Pine get-together on the Thursday following Labor Day in the barn though. That is always a potluck hors d’oeuvres night as a fundraiser for the local fire department that is so appreciated in the mountain community.  That’ll be on September 9th from 6:30-8.

Friday night 7-9 I’m playing a dance with Dennis Mills on bass at the Cuchara Community Center. This should be a lot of fun, and it’ll be great to play with Dennis again. We’ve only played one other gig this summer. There’s no door fee, but donations are accepted. It is put on by the Cuchara Valley Recreation Program. Everybody in the valley usually comes out to these fun dances! You’re always welcome.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing favorites and requests as usual. These are always fun nights with friends from all over the country and sometimes world, and I truly enjoy them!

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I mentioned possibly playing at the Gold Dust Saloon in Pueblo, and several people responded that they’d love to do it.  I’m scheduled to play there on Wednesday, August 18th, from 6-9. If it goes well we’ll set up a regular schedule.

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That’s it for this week. This summer is waning quickly, and I’m enjoying it immensely and hoping the virus doesn’t slow us down a lot. 

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, August 10, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, August 12, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch and Dennis Mills

What:  playing for a dance put on by the Cuchara Valley Recreation Program

Where:  Cuchara Community Center, Cuchara

When:  Friday, August 13, 7-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, August 15, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Awareness

 I have a big topic in mind this morning - awareness. What does that mean? Well, it’s pretty broad. I usually use it in a more spiritual sense, but it doesn’t have to be that big. It can be as simple as the awareness of where you are standing or sitting and what is around you as you read this. I believe it is the key to our whole existence. Who you are and what you are currently doing is pretty much all there is. Being aware of this and how it relates you to others around you and where you are in the world determines what you will do today and what will result from that. I ask this of myself every day. Who am I? Where am I? What am going to do with that? In any situation there is always an overview that keeps me on center. To me this is what awareness is all about. When I see someone who is floundering I usually think that they just need some awareness. I also think this when I see someone mistreating someone else or lying or manipulating someone else. It just takes slowing down long enough to look at our situation and think of where we can do the most good for ourselves and others. That is one of my core beliefs. Does that sound true for you?

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities last week were very fulfilling. I had one that had to cancel an online show because of an outbreak. That troubles me. I don’t know when we’ll be truly through with this virus. I recorded a show for them that they can show to individual residents.

My Tuesday night online show playing traveling songs was a lot of fun. It’s hard to believe that there are so many songs about traveling from so many different genres.

Thursday at the Yellow Pine Barbecue was full of good friends - some who are headed back home after their summer vacation at their mountain cabins. It was great to see them one last time and wish them safe travels.

My Sunday online show quite unexpectedly turned into a lot of ‘70s folk-rock songs. It was fun!

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What am I up to this week?

I have half a dozen senior facilities once again that I am looking forward to playing for. With the new recommendations for indoor mask wearing I will need to communicate with each to see how things have changed for each facility.

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will feature ‘30s and ‘40s standards. I’ve only done this style of music a couple times, and I always forget how much I love this music that I grew up with. I think we’ll really enjoy it!

Thursday 7:30-8 is the Yellow Pine Barbecue once again. We only have two more weeks - this one and next, and I hope folks will come out for some great barbecue and music in the old barn. They only have a few openings, and I’d love to see anyone who was hoping to come out this summer who hasn’t been yet. The number to call is 719-742-3528 by Tuesday morning for booking each week.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will feature favorites and requests as always. I’m finally getting time to catch up on some of the requests I’ve had over the last couple months as things slow just a little. I so love the folks we’ve gathered around us for these online shows. And if you haven’t attended you’re missing a wonderful evening of friendship and music.

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Possible Pueblo performances 

I recently talked to the Gold Dust Saloon on Union about doing some regular performances there like I used to do at Magpies. We would start outside and then hopefully move into the balcony over the main room inside as the weather cools. Do you Pueblo folks like the food and atmosphere at the Gold Dust enough to make it a regular place for us? Please let me know. I would start pretty quickly.

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That’s it for this week. I hope you’re able to approach each situation you’re in this week with the awareness you deserve. This life can be beautiful if we let it.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of ‘30s and ’40s Standards songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, August 3, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, August 5, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, August 8, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Driving Peace

I tried an interesting experiment on my way back from Chama, New Mexico, yesterday. I locked in my cruise control at exactly the speed limit for almost the whole trip. I was the guy who drives me and, I’ll bet, drives you crazy sometimes. I did speed up when I passed someone on the interstate if someone was coming up fast behind me so as to not hold up the faster driver, but on the two-lane roads they had to pass me. You feel pretty vulnerable when other people are jockeying around you constantly. Some are not good at estimating time or giving you much space when they pull back in. I’m convinced that it’s not very safe to depend on other drivers to be careful and conscientious. Going with the flow or slightly ahead of it is usually safer since you have more control over your interactions. But what I’m really interested in is how driving slower makes me feel, and also what the psychology is that makes us feel the need to be aggressive toward each other. How does it make me feel? In a word, great! I’m more relaxed. I don’t worry about checking my speed or scanning for speed traps. I get much better gas mileage. The time I lose in the speed difference is honestly negligible on the other end, and many times I catch up to the people who passed me in towns. Leaving five minutes earlier is all it takes for all but longer trips. But the more intriguing question is why we feel the need to be so aggressive toward each other - especially on the road. I’ve felt that feeling of being a caged animal when I’m blocked in or stuck behind a slow driver, and I’m sure you have too. Western culture especially teaches us to be individuals who don’t need and don’t necessarily want interaction with other people. I don’t know if this is something we have learned or whether it’s something that’s innate in us. The strange part is that we have all felt that boost we got when we let someone else go first or actually went out of our way to be kind in some meaningful way. So why do we do the opposite so often? I don’t want to get back to my blog of a couple weeks ago where I asked if we are inherently good, but our driving behavior begs the same question. I encourage you to take a little extra time and make the effort to be kind to others in your driving or even walking and interacting with others. This life can be something full of joy and peace if we only try to make it so.

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What have I been up to?

Tuesday was a blast playing at Deann and Matt’s house for my online show about friends. Ricky Maxey was visiting and sat in on a few tunes, and everyone got a real kick out of it! Thanks again, Deann!

My Wednesday private party was wonderful as well. I won’t go into details, but I hope it is something that I can do again.

Thursday at the Yellow Pine was a packed house for the barbecue. Some of these nights in the old barn are so special.

Friday playing at the Pueblo Riverwalk was great fun too. It started out hot and sunny, but the clouds came over and cooled us off. There were many people who came out who I hadn’t seen since before the pandemic, and it was great! The clouds brought some rain just as I was ending my show, and the cool-down was wonderful with no damage to my equipment from the rain. In fact everyone helped me pack up!

Saturday I had a private party in Chama, New Mexico, that went really well. The folks were so kind and generous, and the next morning I got some great mountain photos that you can see on my Facebook page. I need to start posting some of those to my website too.

My Sunday online show started a little slow as I was pretty groggy from a full week of playing. (How did everything get scheduled into just one week?!) But I bounced back, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable time with most of our regular group.

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What am I up to this week?

I have half a dozen senior facilities this week that should be fun. I’m still afraid that we may go back into some sort of lockdown with all the new Delta variant cases, but for now we don’t have more restrictions on these facilities. I’m always wearing a mask unless we’re outside and I’m at a significant distance. I’m out and about enough that I don’t want any risk of being an asymptomatic carrier.

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing traveling songs. With summer travel going on this seems like a perfect theme. There are a lot of great traveling songs, and I’m really looking forward to this show. Please tune in if you can.

Thursday 6:30-8 is the Yellow Pine Barbecue once again. I wrote above of how special these nights can be, and I’m look forward to this one as well. Again they have been able to let in a few extra folks each week even though they’re technically sold out for the summer, so if you’d like to come you should call by Tuesday morning to make reservations. 719-742-3528

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be back to the favorites and the good folks who always contribute so much to these evenings. It’s always fun, and I’d love to have you join in if you can.

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That’s it for this week. I really do encourage you to find a way to slow down your driving if, like me, you tend to be more aggressive than you’d like to be. Life is really what we make it, and putting extra angst into our lives just doesn’t make sense.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of traveling songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, July 27, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, July 29, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, August 1, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Busy-ness

 Hello,

This week will be the busiest I have been in two years. I have gigs every day including evening gigs on six of those days. I’m not sure how I’m going to have the endurance to complete it. Last year with the virus going on so strong I was convinced I would never be this busy with work again. I was okay with the slowdown other than the reason for it. But I love to sing, and I’ve never shied away from good opportunities to share what I’ve been given to share. The worst thing about being busy is having to shed anything that doesn’t fit into my schedule. This means I’ll be neglecting things on my to-do list as well as not having as much time for the people in my life. This is usually not a decision I want to make. The virus time last year taught me to prioritize important things in my life. This week will be an interesting test in that light. Luckily this is a busy as it gets, and I can stop and consider afterwards. I’ll let you know how it goes. As long as I maintain my awareness of what’s important it will all be fine. 

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What have I been up to?

My Tuesday online show playing sun songs was a blast. There are so many great songs about the sun, and we did a bunch!

Thursday at the Yellow Pine was great fun! It’s so great to be in the old barn with good friends.

Friday and Saturday was so much fun being at my nephew’s wedding. The song I learned even sounded good! Big congrats to everyone involved.

My Sunday online show was also fun after getting back for the wedding festivities in the mountains. We did some favorites along with a few new songs.

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What am I up to this week?

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be at Deann and Matt Pujol’s house and themed around friend songs. Several local regulars will be there, and Ricky Maxey will be in town as well from Texas and may sit in for a couple tunes. So it will be an exciting night with a live audience and on online audience, and I hope you can tune in and be part of it.

Wednesday night I have a private party in Cuchara that should be really nice.

Thursday night I’m back at the Yellow Pine for the weekly barbecue. It’s been so nice seeing the wonderful folks from the valley up there I Cuchara. As always they are technically sold out for the summer, but I have had a few friends able to get a table, so if you’re interested I encourage you to call if you’d like to be a part of it. 719-742-3528

Friday night I’m playing at the Pueblo Riverwalk at the Gateway Plaza from 7-8:30. This is the east end of the Riverwalk by Brues Alehouse and the fountain. It should be a lot of fun, and I’m hoping to see a lot of local folks if they can make it.

Saturday I’m playing a private gathering in Chama, New Mexico, that should be very special.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing favorites as always, and I’m always appreciative of the sweet people who join me. Please tune in if you can.

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That’s it for this week. Hopefully I can make it through with gusto and love. Here goes!

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of sun songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, July 20, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, July 22, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing

Where:  Gateway Plaza at the Pueblo Riverwalk, Pueblo.

When:  Friday, July 23, 7-8:30

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, July 25, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Are We Good?

Pondering as always today. I’m thinking about the complexity of human interactions, and I’m wondering what drives us. One thing I always come back to is that I believe in the inherent goodness of people and the world in general. It’s always been part of my view of life. I know that many religions and philosophers don’t agree with this. They believe that because of “human nature” we will always choose the selfish course or the destructive way. I think that is a copout. I think it excuses bad behavior. I think it makes us distrust each other and look for ways we can cheat other people. I tend to be overly idealistic when I view the world. I sense that there is a way we can live where we support each other with kindness and helpfulness. I’ve found that when I do that it invariably helps me as well - both in spirit and in fact. Good begets good. Positive energy put out into the world attracts other people to us, and in the end everyone benefits. I’m aware that negative energy can have the same attractive quality in some ways, but in the end it causes distrust and pain - eventually falling apart. I don’t think I’m writing about morality per se, but a deep feeling of purpose and destiny. It’s just my two cents added to the conversation on this new day. Are we good?

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What have I been up to?

My Tuesday show playing campfire songs was more fun than I thought possible. We did some pretty corny songs, but those songs took us to a place of memory and joy. We’ll have to do that theme again!

Thursday at the Yellow Pine Barbecue was also a fine ride - different than other weeks, but special in its own way. I sure enjoy these Thursdays! I love it when the kids fill the dance floor with smiles and dancing!

The memorial on Saturday was very sweet. I have never been to an event where there were more deep and genuine friendships expressed. The song I learned - “Moment of Forever” as sung by Willie Nelson and written by Kris Kristofferson - was a song I will cherish. Playing at the following reception with Dennis Mills on bass was also very enjoyable.

Sunday morning playing for Cuchara Chapel was nice seeing old friends and sharing some of my instrumental songs. Leading a group in singing is always a challenge for me, but I did okay even if I did pitch a couple songs very low for the sopranos. :-) I sang a very old song for a solo that my Grandpa Bell taught me called either “Morn Amid the Mountains” or “Murmur” depending on what old hymnal from the 1800s you have on  hand. It’s a very obscure song.

My Sunday evening show playing favorites turned in to a “mush bunch” as one of my friends called it as we ended up doing several sentimental songs. They didn’t mind, and it was nice exploring a little different overall tone for the night.

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What am I up to this week?

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing sun songs. I thought this might be a fun theme for summer since our lives are so dominated by the sun. Please come by for a listen if you can.

Thursday 6:30-8 I’m at the Yellow Pine for the weekly barbecue. I’m seeing so many friends that I only see at the barbecue, and I really enjoy them! If you’d like to come we might be able to fit you in, but call by Tuesday morning at the latest of the week you want to come. 719-742-3528

Friday and Saturday I will be busy at the wedding of my sister Jane’s son Ian and his fiancee Kate. It should be a beautiful event, and I’m really looking forward to it! Wish them well as they start their life as husband and wife. I’ll be singing a favorite song of theirs at the wedding and providing sound for the dancing.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always. I’m not getting time to learn as many new songs and requests as I was last year at this time, but that’s because I’m working so much more. It’s all good. The folks are so good to be with, and we have a great time! Come on out if you can.

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That’s it for this week. I wonder what everyone thinks about the goodness of humanity and the world. Whatever it is, I’m glad to be in this world at this time with the folks I love.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of sun songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, July 13, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, July 15, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, July 18, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Missing Togetherness

I’ve noticed something about everyone starting to get back to our new normal - we’re not as together as we were during the uncertainty of the pandemic. It’s a good thing that we feel we can be more adventurous and free, but it has left me a little wistful for the comfort and unity that we experienced when we realized how much we need each other. I’ve written before on how much we really are intertwined in our lives, and the time of the pandemic made that very real to us. I hope we don’t forget that as we move forward. That was one of the better things about the time we spent together apart. You see this happen in many times of universal despair in history. People pull together when they recognize that they need each other’s support and caring. So my hope and prayer would be that we spend a little time in contemplation of what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained in this stressful time. That knowing look that we gave each other of uncertainty and comfort was something we should cherish and remember when things get busy and scattered. I will try to as much as I can.

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities were very enjoyable last week. Once again it’s wonderful to see faces I haven’t seen in so long. 

My Tuesday online show playing country music was a blast. We did songs from several decades. It was a special group of folks too!

Thursday at the Yellow Pine sported a thunderstorm that brought everyone indoors for some high-energy dancing and reveling. It’s amazing the excitement that a little weather puts into us. 

Our niece’s wedding on Saturday had a thunderstorm too that drew the festivities to a close right after they cut the cake and had a couple dances. It was still a beautiful occasion if too short. 

My Sunday online show for Independence Day was playing a lot of patriotic songs along with some fine requests. Again, we have such a good group of friends that I cherish.

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What am I up to this week?

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing campfire songs. Summer memories are peppered with nights around the campfire singing songs we all know from childhood, so we decided that would be a good theme for an evening together. Come on out if you’d like to join in!

Thursday 6:30-8 I’m at the Yellow Pine for the weekly barbecue. I think they can sneak in a couple more people a week even though they are officially booked for all the Thursdays of the year. Call by Tuesday morning at the latest to see if you can get in. 719-742-3528

Saturday I’m playing a memorial in Cuchara followed by a reception that I’m doing with Dennis Mills on bass. Dennis and I haven’t gotten to play together for a couple years, so it’ll be nice to share the stage again. 

Sunday morning I’m playing for Cuchara Chapel at both the 9:30 and 11:00 services. It’ll be great to see all the folks in the valley who love to come out to greet each other in the old log chapel on a summer Sunday morning.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be playing the favorites and requests we have come to know and love. I’m not having much time to learn requests with things returning to normal, by I bring out a couple when I can. Come join in if you can.

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That’s all for this week. It will be a very busy one. I intend to give an extra thought to old friends, and to extend a hand when I might pull back as I remember what we’ve gone through and how much we need each other.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of campfire songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, July 6, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, July 8, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing for chapel services

Where:  Cuchara Chapel, 16400 CO Hwy 12, Cuchara, CO

When:  Sunday, July 11, 9:30 and 11 am

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, July 11, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Consciousness

 I’m working through some headier topics today. One of the recurrent themes I come back to is just where our consciousness comes from. We all know we have a brain, but what we don’t know is where our our consciousness resides. Science tells us that our firing neurons and synapses generate our thoughts and consciousness, but there are now many studies that show people who have thoughts and experiences even when their brains are damaged or shut down. If that’s true then our consciousness must be somehow outside our brain. Most spiritual religions believe this. Religion and science have mostly disagreed. This often was a result of the persecution that science endured from the church early on. But science has come back towards more spiritual thinking with quantum physics and the understanding that there are more curious properties in our universe than we previously thought possible. Maybe there is an interaction in our world and universe that is a force outside our current understanding of physicality that is where our consciousness lives independently. I have a conviction that there is great truth in this. I’ve been reading more books along these lines, and I think we are in the infancy of understanding how it all works together. Eventually I think we will find out that science and religion or spirituality are two sides of the same coin. The things that we think are woo-woo spirituality will be explicable through science, and the things that we think are purely scientific will be likewise understandable through spiritual principles. Buddhist monks seem to think this. They give recognition to scientists for discovering what they’ve known for millennia about interaction and forces of the universe. So maybe our consciousness does reside outside of our brain in the quantum realm in a way that is completely understandable by science. I can’t wait to find out more!

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities last week went great. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do all of them because of the lack of gas at gas stations with the truck driver shortage, but I was able to get gas and get around to all of them.

My Tuesday online show doing ‘70s songs was great fun! I didn’t do as much rock and roll as I had thought I would do, but the flow went more towards folk rock again. It was all good. I had so many good friends along for the ride.

Thursday at the Yellow Pine was a little different than the previous week. They’re all different with a variety of folks and a variety of songs, and it was so good to see many old friends and meet some new ones. It’s wonderful to be part of that community in the summer.

My Sunday online show was a special one because it was online and also in-person with several folks because we filmed it from Deann and Matt Pujol’s house. We had lively conversation along with good food and memories. The online audience was a blast too!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 6 senior facilities this week, and it seems that we are slowly returning to some sort of normalcy. Most of them are still wanting mask-wearing which I am very used to at this point. It’s just wonderful to be able to provide this encouragement to the community again.

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be doing country music this week. I will probably do some of the songs from my “Back to the Old Country” album, but I’ll also do some newer ones including a couple brand-new songs I’m performing at my niece’s wedding this Saturday.  I don’t do country music very often at my online shows which is not very representative of what I usually play out and about. I didn’t really grow up with country music, but I really love it and am looking forward to playing some for you on Tuesday.

Thursday 6:30-8 is the Yellow Pine Barbecue once again. It will be crazy fun since it’s Fourth of July week. They’re pretty much booked for every Thursday this summer, but I think they can squeeze in a couple people if you’d like to go. It’s good barbecue in a great location in the old barn with my music that you can listen and dance to. Call by Tuesday morning at the latest to book. 719-742-3528

Saturday is Jen’s brother’s daughter’s wedding, and I’m looking forward to seeing her family and playing the songs I learned for her and her guy!

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be doing the favorites we always do on Sundays with a twist because it’ll be Independence Day. If you want a less explosive evening listening to music with good friends then come on out! This is always important to Jen and me because we have pets that are very fearful of the sound of fireworks.

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That’s it once again for this week. I will be pondering what I wrote about up-top all day as I weigh the headier aspects of life. I hope your summer is going okay, and I hope COVID is not still touching you in a significant way. Be safe, and I hope to see you soon.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Country songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, June 29, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, July 1, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, July 4, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Music of Our Youth

 I’m doing an online show tomorrow night playing ‘70s songs, and that has me thinking about music of our youth and how it shapes us and stays with us throughout our lives. I was exposed to a lot of different music when I was young. My dad played the piano, and he grew up listening to the hit parade in the ‘30s, so he played a lot of old standards from that era all the way through the musicals of the ‘50s and ‘60s. My siblings were older than me, and they listened to everything from folk music to rock and roll to Motown. My interest was in the folk-rock music of the ‘60s and ‘70s once I started playing ukulele and then guitar, but I heard everything that was on the local AM radio too. The attitudes and lyrics in those songs shaped me in ways I can’t really know. I still have snippets of those songs run through my head at odd times with their messages of hope or love. We all have had the sensation when hearing a song from our youth of instantly being back in a place and time with friends we have sometimes long forgotten. It’s a very endearing thing, and I can tell you that it works for the rest of your life - as evidenced by my seniors who often come out of their dementia for a few moments when hearing a favorite song from their youth. I really do think that music has some magical elements that reach into our spirit and mind in profound ways, and in combination with strongly imprinted memories from our youth that music can be very powerful. So I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with some songs of my youth from the ’70s, and if this speaks to you then come on out and share in the fun.

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What have I been up to?

I had a bunch of senior facilities last week. Once again it was great to see folks I hadn’t seen for 16 months, and it was sad to miss some who were no longer there. Little by little they are all coming back as the virus wanes.

My Tuesday online theme show doing summer songs was very fun. There are so many wonderful songs about summer, and it was a joy to play them with this fantastic group of folks. I had thought that maybe we would have less people tuning in since we switched the theme show from Thursdays to Tuesdays, but we actually had more people than we average on Thursdays.  

The Yellow Pine Barbecue on Thursday was a packed house with many old friends. The barbecue is being provided by a separate person from the Yellow Pine - Steve Palmer. It’s just as good as ever, and the evening was perfect. It appears that almost every week is already almost fully reserved, so if you want to come out for any of the next 8 weeks you’d be smart to call today to reserve the date you’d like to come.

My Sunday online show was also a lot fo fun. It was Father’s Day, so of course we did a couple father songs, but we also did a bunch of other favorites including The Rolling Stones, Jerry Jeff Walker, and even Fleetwood Mac. I love the folks so much who come out to join in!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 5 senior facilities to play for this week, and if I can get gas it’ll be great to see all the folks. We have a truck driver shortage in the area, and so several of the stations have run out of gas. This was exacerbated by people panicking and making on a run on the stations to fill up. It’ll work itself out, but hopefully I won’t have to cancel anywhere because I can’t get gas. I’m currently almost on “E” and am hoping to find some gas after I write this.

My Tuesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be doing the aforementioned ‘70s songs. This will be great fun, and I’d love to have you. If this appeals to you then join in on Facebook or on my website. The links are below.

Thursday I’ll be back to the Yellow Pine Barbecue 6:30-8. Again as I said above they are almost booked for every week this summer, so if you’d like to come then call to book ASAP. The number is 719-742-3528. 

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 will be doing the favorites that are such a good time. You are always welcome, and I’d love to see you. This week will be extra special because we are doing it live from Deann and Matt Pujol’s house in Pueblo. Deann was going to put together a watch party, and I said, “Why don’t we do the whole show from your place?” So that’s what we’re doing. I can’t tell you how special it will be to see some of the local friends in our group.

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So that’s it for this week. It seems we may be out of the woods with COVID unless a new variant gains a lot of strength. It feels so good to be over the worry and strife although I’m still happy to take whatever precautions are necessary to keep everyone safe - especially the seniors I am privileged to play for.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of ‘70s songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, June 22, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, June 24, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, June 27, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Summer

 Well, it’s summer. I’m not sure how to feel about summer this year. It has meant so many things over the years to me. It was exciting as a kid to look forward to all the outdoor activities and fun places to go and see. We’d go fishing or boating or driving on a trip or just playing in the neighborhood. As a young adult it still had those kind of activities, but there was also the opportunity to work at an exciting place with other people my age who were full of life and enthusiasm for what lay ahead. As I got into my career the summer became my main time to work as a musician with lots of cool places to play for wonderful people. That has been the rule for me for more than 35 years, but when COVID hit that all stopped. And now this summer things are opening back up, but there is not the unabashed feeling of freedom and possibility I used to look forward to. Every situation holds some uncertainty and questions over whether to wear a mask and whether to give a hug or even attend or perform at a big gathering. And on top of that there is the fear that someone will cause trouble. It’s a crazy time that is so much different than even 10 years ago. I attended a memorial service over the weekend, and even that seemed awkward and somehow foreign to me. So life has changed somewhat, and it’s not all bad, but I do find myself again wondering what comes next. I’m just glad that my music gives me purpose, and I will continue to try to spread joy and meaning to those who will listen.

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities last week went very well. One of them was for folks I haven’t seen in over a year. It took me a minute to remember all their requests and get back in the flow with them, but once I did it was really cool.

The studio work for hire I did last week went very well. It’s so gratifying to create something you know will bring joy to the listener. Unfortunately the amount I made was almost exactly the amount it took to get our car worked on. Oh, well. Easy come, easy go. It was a great experience.

My Thursday online show was doing sailing, ocean, and beach music, and there were some sweet tunes played and even sweeter folks in the audience. It was so much fun.

My Sunday online show of favorites turned into a bunch of old rock tunes - many of them requested that night. I forget how much I enjoy these tunes, and luckily I was able to rise to some rock energy for the most part.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 7 senior facilities to play for this week, and 3 of them I haven’t played for since before COVID last year. It will be great to see them, and of course there is much caution still taken by all of the facilities in different measure. 

My online theme show moves to Tuesday 7-8:30 mountain time this week through the middle of August so I can play the Yellow Pine Barbecue on Thursdays, and this week the theme will be summer. There are some wonderful summer songs that express the free and easy feeling of the season, and I’m really looking forward to immersing myself and my audience in them. Please tune in if you can!

Thursday 6:30-8 mountain time will be the first Yellow Pine Barbecue for the season and the past two years. The barbecue is such a fun time with good friends. If you’ve never been it’s held in a barn built in the 1890s at the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch just a half a mile or so north of the beautiful mountain village of Cuchara, Colorado. It’s a traditional Texas-style barbecue with all the fixings and my music as the entertainment. There is usually a campfire with marshmallow roasting and s’mores outside while I entertain for the diners and dancers inside. You need to make reservations by Tuesday morning so they can order enough food. The number to call is 719-742-3528. It’s a blast!

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be the favorites that we play as always for the great group of folks who join in almost every week. This is the highlight of my week, and I look forward to hopefully seeing you there.

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That’s it for this time. I can’t believe it’s summer already. I’ve been working outside on the trees and weeds almost every day, and it’s great to be working outside although the heat and hard work does wear me out while it also makes me feel so alive. I hope you’re enjoying your summer so far. Be safe, and I hope to see you soon.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of summer songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Tuesday, June 15, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528

When:  Thursday, June 17, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, June 20, 7-8:30 pm mountain time

Slow Down

I’ve been thinking of the changes that have happened in me and in the world with the pandemic. One of the things I have really appreciated has been the slowing down of life. I don’t feel the need to speed to get to a gig. I don’t feel the need to rush through my day. I’ve realized that life is not really worthwhile when I’m feeling pushed and not savoring simple things. I don’t want to compete or impose my will or agenda on other people. Life is much better when I really find joy in other people and the moment where I find myself. So do I feel the need to speed back up to where I was before the virus? I don’t think so. Maybe I’ll have to make a conscious choice to stay slowed down. I don’t know. I do know that I learned something during the pandemic that I don’t want to forget. Life is much more enjoyable when I don’t feel I have to get into a jostling frame of mind with each moment. I’ll try to remember that when someone is tailgating me on the highway, or when I feel I have to get something done RIGHT NOW.

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What have I been up to?

My senior facilities were good shows last week - some in-person and some on Zoom. I don’t think I’ll ever have the full schedule I had before the pandemic of senior homes, but that might not be a bad thing although I really do feel it’s a worthwhile way to spend my time.

My Thursday online show was songs about the sky, and it turned out really well. We had a little smaller group of folks, but everyone was into the theme and the songs.

Sitting in with Bill Hearne and Don Richmond and bass player Brett Davis on Saturday night in Alamosa went well too. Bill has such a genuine energy and drive on stage that really carries the audience. 

My Sunday online show was some neat favorites that I enjoyed as well. I can’t say enough about how special these nights of interaction usually turn out. Some really good people have contributed to making this a time of building up every week.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 3 senior facilities this week - all in-person. One of the facilities I haven’t visited since March last year, so it will be great to see how many folks I know.

I’m in the studio on Tuesday doing work on a song I mentioned before for a writer. It’s fun to put my spin on someone else’s song and lend my talents. I don’t do very much of this.

My Thursday online show 7-8:30 mountain time is doing songs about sailing, the ocean, and the beach. My good friend Donna Dodaro Kemper suggested this show theme, and it will be a nice summer show to get into all of freeing magic of being on the water. Please tune in if you can.

My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be doing favorites and requests as always. We will never run out of great songs to sing at these shows, and the giving and kindness from my audience is something to behold. I’m so thankful to have gathered such a stellar group of folks to my shows.

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That’s it for this week. Next week I start the Yellow Pine Barbecue on Thursday nights and shift my online theme night to Tuesday. I don’t know if we’ll continue to get a big group of folks out for the theme night, but I’ll keep doing them until it is no longer feasible. I love to play and sing. Take care, and I hope you find joy in slowing down like I have.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of songs about sailing, the ocean, and the beach

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Thursday, June 10, 7-8:30 pm mountain time 

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, June 13, 7-8:30 pm mountain time