Gosh - More Fires!

More fires!  Gosh, can't we get a week without more of these in Colorado and the West?  And so many are near places I'm playing - first burning the building at the Royal Gorge, then burning the area south of Philmont where I'm playing in July, then burning near Prescott, AZ where I'm playing this fall, and then burning the east Spanish Peak near La Veta and Cuchara.  I'm beginning to think either someone is targeting me or else I'm bad luck!  Seriously though, it's not about me.  My heart goes out to all those who have lost homes and had real scares dealing with these fires.  I know it has become part of living in the West, but we'd sure like a break for a while.  The only good thing is watching everyone pull together and help each other out.  It brings my heart joy to see how good we can be to each other when the political arena wants us to be at each other's throats.

But I don't want to get into that.  Let me tell you where I'll be playing this week because it's a big week for me, and I want to spread the joy of music to as many folks as I can.  (That's what I'm here for I believe.)

Tuesday (tomorrow night as I write this) I'll be doing a concert in Veterans Park in Cañon City from 7-9.  This is an annual summer concert series, and I've been honored to play it for several years now.  It's a great chance to stretch my legs for all the Cañon folks I get to play for in so many venues and also for some visitors.  This will be particularly special for me since it is happening in the wake of the Royal Gorge Park burning two weeks ago.  I plan to share some memories from my years performing up there, and I also will be singing the song I wrote for the bridge workers when I performed up there - "Let's Build a Bridge."  If you come be sure to bring a lawn chair and a light jacket.  Sometimes the bugs are "bugging" as well, so you may want some insect repellent.

Thursday I'm at the Yellow Pine Barbecue in Cuchara 6:30-8:30.  Last week was the first week of the season, and what a blast we had even though some nerves were frayed with the fire burning on East Spanish Pike.  It was a very special night nonetheless, and I intend to make this Thursday just as special.  If you want to come, then you need to call ASAP to make a reservation since they base their food order on the number of reservations and also because they sell out most weeks.  The number is 719-742-3528.  The old barn awaits!

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I can't believe how many wonderful nights we've had in the patio under the stars (and last week the Super Moon!)  It's been just a heckuvalotta fun with some great folks and memorable tunes.  This week promises more of the same.  Come on out!

Saturday is the first of three Song of Pueblo oratorios for the summer at 7:00 at El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union in Pueblo.  What can I tell you if you've never seen the Song of Pueblo?  It's like watching a Ken Burns documentary live and in person.  Four of us sing, play,  and narrate while breath-taking still images and video dance across the screens to give you a true sense of the history of southern Colorado and Pueblo.  I'm the musical director, and I'm so proud of this production!  This year we have added new narration and lighting changes as well as all-new video and stills.  It's the best Song of Pueblo yet!  We'll have our new (as of last year) albums with the current group for sale, and of course we'll be happy to sign them to make them a special memento.  If you want to come, then you need to buy tickets at El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, Pueblo ASAP.  We do accept walk-ins the night of the show, but it is frequently sold out, so I'd recommend getting your tickets beforehand.  I hope to see you there!

Sunday I'm playing brunch at Shadow Hills in Cañon City 10-1.  I've told you several times about the brunch at Shadow Hills.  It has great views, great food, and my music for the bargain price of $10.95.  How can you go wrong?

So after reading above at the week I'm about to dive into, I'm not sure I can keep up with myself, but here goes!  Hope to see you out and about!

Always sincerely,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing in concert
Where:  Veterans Park in Cañon City (west end of town on Hwy 50)
When:  Tuesday, June 25, 7:00-9:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, June 27, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, June 28, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch with Johnny Watson, David Enke, & Linda Amman
What:  playing, singing, & telling the history of Pueblo at the Song of Pueblo oratorio
Where:  El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, Pueblo.  719-583-0453
When:  Saturday, June 29, 7:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, June 30, 10 am-1 pm

Memories of the Royal Gorge Bridge

I have a heavy heart this week with the burning of the buildings at the Royal Gorge Bridge last Tuesday.  I spent so much of my last 24 years in one capacity or another doing music and history shows at the bridge, and it is a shock to have all those stages and buildings where I spent so much time burned to the ground.  I've looked at the pictures and videos many times now that show the grey patches of concrete and ash that remain now where gazebos and restaurants and shops once stood.  There are things in life that just defy your ability to comprehend them, and I will always hold the memories and pictures of these places dearly in my mind.  The gazebo alone on the south side I figured I had done 4000 shows - combining the history show with my solo and band performances.  I started playing in that gazebo in 1989.  Then they built a stage on the north side where the zip line is now where I performed a few hundred times, and then I also played with the band a dozen or more times at the Juniper Junction picnic area on the south side, and of course I can't forget all the gunfights I helped with at the mountain man camp.  (The zip line is still functional, but they tore down that stage to put in the ticket booth and concessions for the zip line.)  And I have tramped all over that park over the years.  That is all gone now.  They say it looks like a moonscape in person, and I believe them.  Only four buildings remain with the aforementioned zip line and Sky Coaster.  But they will rebuild and make it better, and I'm sure it will be improved from the mixture of different generations of buildings that existed before.  Still, it marks a passing of an era that I will not forget.

We had one more weekend booked with the band at the Royal Gorge Bridge that has been cancelled at the end of July.  I guess I'm lucky that this isn't a summer I was booked seven-days-a-week up there or I'd be scrambling to find gigs for the rest of the summer.

So I guess we move on and hold our memories dear.

What does this week bring?

Thursday I start the summer season at the Yellow Pine 6:30-8:30.  This is a community barbecue that is nothing if not a blast!  I see such wonderful folks at these events, and it feels so much like family that I really look forward to returning every year!  If you've never been, it's a Texas-style barbecue in an old barn at the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch which is located in Cuchara, CO just before you reach town on the east side of the road.  They serve brisket, chicken, ribs, corn-on-the-cob, pinto beans and pork, potato salad, tossed salad, rolls, and homemade peach cobbler for dessert.  It's yummy and so much fun.  Afterwards you're welcome to roast marshmallows around the fire and make s'mores.  I play in the barn for the listening pleasure during dinner, and afterwards it quite often turns into a little dancing and hooting and hollering on the old wood barn floor.  It's just a great time all around.  You need to make a reservation by Tuesday at the latest if you want to come because they order food based on the reservations.  The number is 719-742-3528.  I hope to see you there.

Friday night I have a private event at Pueblo Community College.

Saturday night I'll be a back at the La Veta Inn 6-9 in La Veta, CO - hopefully on the patio if the weather permits. The last two weeks there have been fine weather and even finer folks, and we have had some memorable moments.  Come on out!

Sunday I won't be at Shadow Hills.  I wrote last week that I'm going to playing a little less there - about half the dates overall.  It will be kind of random until August when I'll start doing every other week there, so check my schedule or my emails to make sure I'm there when you come.

I'll tell you about Tuesday next week too so you can plan ahead.  I'll be doing the big Concert in the Park in Cañon City Veterans Park 7-9.  I have been playing this for several years now, and it's always a wonderful evening sharing the sunset and the green grass and trees with you all.  I get to stretch my legs a bit in this concert venue, so you'll hear a little different take from my other gigs.  Bring a lawn chair and maybe some bug spray so you can enjoy the open air on the lawn.

Oh, and the Saturday after that is the Song of Pueblo at El Pueblo History Museum starting at 7:00!

That's it for now.  Be good to each other and this old earth, and I hope to see you out and about.

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbecue
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, June 20, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Saturday, June 22, 6-9 pm

Running to Catch Up and a Few Changes

Whew!  This week is kicking me already, but I'm running full speed to catch up or stay ahead - I'm not sure which I'm doing so far.  The heat is causing part of it, and little changes in my calendar and conflicts in life are contributing too.  Nothing is bad though, and I know that a few bumps in the road just remind me how fortunate I am to have the life I have and friends and relations to love.  I've met so many interesting and genuine people over the past weeks and months, and I have to pinch myself often that I get to cross paths with so many worthwhile folks.  It's something that always amazes me.  People are so creative and resilient, and it drives my belief in humanity and the ways of love and life to be out in the world.  Life is good...life is good!

So what does this ruminating lead me to this week?  I have some interesting new bookings and gig changes coming up.

First, I'll be playing a concert July 15th from 8-10 at my old stomping grounds of Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.  I played at Philmont last year and had such a good time that I decided to ask for it again.  So I'm playing during a big staff reunion week and a 75th anniversary year that should be a blast!  Philmont meant so much to me when I was a teenager, and it has launched so many youths on exciting lives full of adventure and success, and it's a pleasure to get to connect with these past and future folks with whom I share so much - love of mountains, love of history, camaraderie of hiking and sharing campfires and good music.  I can't wait!  I'll tell you more as we get closer to the time.

Second I'll be playing fewer brunches at Shadow Hills.  They're going through some changes and have asked me to lighten their load a bit.  I'm not sure if it will affect their business, but I'm always the person to go with the flow and seek to be a benefit and not a hindrance, and so I'll be there basically every other week, but you can check my calendar or follow my blog posts to see when I'll be playing there.

Third, the Yellow Pine is starting a week later than I had originally stated which was this week on the 13th.  Instead we'll start next week on the 20th at 6:30.  Also they won't be doing a barbecue on the 4th of July which would be a Thursday that would fall into our normal schedule.  There's just too much going on in Cuchara that day.  So I may make a 4th of July run to the mountains or a visit to Philmont for the rodeo and all the folks who return to Philmont each year for an impromptu party.

That's probably enough changes for now.  Where am I this week?

Friday I'm back at the La Veta Inn 6-9 for what hopefully will be a wonderful night on the patio.  The last couple weeks have been beautiful nights under the stars with a fire in the outdoor fireplace and good friends to share music and stories with.  I hope you'll be part of the evening some night.

Sunday I'm at brunch at Shadow Hills 10-1 for Fathers Day.  There are so many great songs for Dad, and I can't wait to share them and some good food and beautiful views with the crowd at the View Restaurant.  Come on out!  And Happy Fathers Day!

That's it for this week.

Tom

Details:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, June 14, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for brunch
Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603
When:  Sunday, June 16, 10 am-1 pm

Times with Old Friends

I had an old friend visit this past week, and it reminded me how fast life passes by. I hadn't seen him in 33 years, and we picked up pretty quickly where we left off. It's amazing how many things change and how many stay the same. And it really made me think of the paths we choose and the paths that are chosen for us.  I've always been a "go-with-the-flow" kind of a guy, and that approach has led me to some more interesting places than I thought I would go.  I can't help but wonder what other places I would have seen if I would have been more aggressive in my career as well.  I guess we all do.  Anyway, as long as I'm making music and making people happy I think I've succeeded in my goals.

So this is a very busy week for me.  Let me tell you what I'm up to.

Friday I'm playing for the big Anniversary Party 6:30-7:15 at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo.  They have me on the Paseo overlooking the courtyard where the Festival Friday bands play, so if you're attending the event you will see me playing my little tunes on the balcony.

Saturday I'm playing the Boats, Bands, and Barbecue event in Pueblo 12-2 on the Acoustic Stage. I'm not exactly sure where this stage will be set up, but if you come to the main stage at Main and Alan Hamel I'm sure the Acoustic Stage will be somewhere close by. 

Saturday I'm also playing at the La Veta Inn 6-9. I've been getting wonderful folks in La Veta so far, and I always enjoy playing there - especially on the patio like we did last Friday. It's still a little chilly by 9:00, but we're tough right?

Sunday I'm back at Shadow Hills for brunch 10-1. I've missed the last two weeks there, so I'm anxious to see the staff and great regulars I enjoy so much. 

Come out to one of these venues if you can. I always love seeing you and getting to share memories and good times!

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch

What: playing and singing

Where: Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center on the Paseo, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave, Pueblo, CO

When: Friday, June 7, 6:30-7:15 pm

Who: Tom Munch 

What: playing and singing

Where: Boats, Bands, and Barbeque, Main and Alan Hamel, Pueblo, CO

When: Saturday, June 8, 12-2 pm

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing

Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700

When:  Saturday, June 8, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch

What: playing and singing for brunch

Where:  Shadow Hills Golf Course, 1232 County Rd 143, Canon City.  719-275-0603

When:  Sunday, June 9, 10 am-1 pm