Monday, November 30, 2020

Trains

I'm doing a deep dive on train songs in preparation for my Thursday night show of train songs, and it has me thinking of all that trains represent in our history and mythology. I have no doubt that part of the reason we have so many songs about trains is because a train rolling down the rails has an infectious rhythm that many a musician has played along to. The whistle and horns were always musical too, which added to the audible appeal. Beyond that though, the railroad represented ingenuity and drive that is unparalleled in its thundering forward progress. And it represented the romantic notion of a fresh start and the excitement of a journey to far-away places. The whistle brought sorrow to those being left behind, and hope to those boarding for opportunity. And the jouney is the most universal appeal of a train, and it spills over into all modes of travel. That's why there are so many stories about journeys going all the way back to the Odyssey. And it's really about life. We always hear that the journey is the most meaningful thing in life. I believe it's why we're here - to experience the journey. So come along with me on this train journey for the romance, the thrill, and the love of life.


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What have I been up to?


Last week I just had a few senior facilities, and one of them was even outside amazingly on Saturday. It was just barely warm enough for me to set up outside and play to an open door where a dozen or so residents sat with jackets and blankets enjoying the music. I love these folks, and it's so sad to see how lonely they are without all the normal interaction they've come to know. This virus can't end soon enough.


Thursday's online Thanksgiving show was an interesting mix of Thanksgiving songs and songs about nature. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was good to provide some family for so many friends - me included!


Sunday's online show was an eclectic mix of songs that was so much fun. I keep thinking that these shows will not be as exciting as the virus weeks drag on, but every week seems to supersede the previous one in enthusiasm and goodwill all around. I look forward to them so much.


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What am I up to this week?


Christmas is starting to appear on the horizon now that Thanksgiving has passed, and I will start to do Christmas songs bit by bit until we reach full Christmas spirit by the 25th.


I just have a couple online senior facilities this week. I'm still considering pursuing some national facilities if the opportunity arises.


Thursday 7-8:30 mountain time I'll be doing an online show of train songs as I mentioned above. This promises to be a really fun show with lots of engaging tunes. I hope you'll tune in.


Sunday 7-8:30 mountain time is my online favorites and requests show. If you have any favorite tunes you'd like to hear please send them on. 


As a note, you can make comments on my website page for my online concerts now if you're tuned in there and not on Facebook. I'd love to hear from you if you're watching there. I know it's not as engaging as being part of the group on Facebook, but maybe we can change that if enough folks join in.


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That's all for this week. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were careful. Again I say that this virus can't be over soon enough, so let's do our best to make it so. Love to everyone, and I hope your holiday season is starting out well.


Best,


Tom


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Details this week: 


Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of train songs 

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

When:  Thursday, December 6, 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, December 9, 7-8:30 pm mountain


Monday, November 23, 2020

Gratitude

 I wanted to explore the idea of gratitude this week as part of Thanksgiving. The spirit of understanding that we should respond to a gift or a blessing from someone else seems to be inherently understood - someone does something for you and in turn you feel an emotional response towards that person for thinking of you and giving to you. That seems like a transactional thankfulness - they give and you respond with thanks. The continual attitude of gratitude is a little bit different. To live in a state of gratitude seems to be dependent on your understanding of your existence and your belief that your life is a gift. Some believe that their life is a gift from God. Some believe that their life is a gift from a universal energy. Some believe that their life is a happenstance based on the development of our planet. All of these people can live in a state of gratitude with an understanding that their life is gift or at least a miracle that is worthy of thankfulness for existence. I believe that the attitude of gratitude is also the attitude of understanding our oneness with each other and the whole of the universe. It is a peace that spills out from knowing that everything is going to be okay and that we all have value in the ocean of being and love that we are all a part of. With that in mind, I am personally thankful for my family, my friends, my opportunities, my talents and gifts, and my path. It makes me want to give even more to all - especially those in need at this time of intentional thanksgiving. How about you?


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What have I been up to?


Last week was a relatively good week considering all the angst and danger in our world. I did lose a musician friend, Tim Collver, to an illness at a young age. This year has seen too many deaths of friends I have gotten to share music with. None of them were from COVID.


My senior facilities went well. I only am doing online shows with the virus being so bad in our area.


My Thursday show was doing Beatles tunes, and it was a blast! Their songs have permeated my life to the point that they are truly part of me. I will do another night of Beatles songs as I know so many of their tunes - and so many people like them.


Sunday night's show had some real high points with the great songs that folks requested. I pulled out a couple of my electric guitars to get a little different tone as well.


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What am I up to this week?


I have a couple senior facilities online this week. I still haven't followed up on any national senior facilities. One of my activity directors had the idea of pre-recording a monthly show for each facility instead of doing a live show. Since they have to keep their residents isolated and can't broadcast to more than a few at a time, it is a clever idea to allow them access to a show that they can stream on-demand to smaller groups or even individuals on a laptop or iPad. I guess there are some yoga instructors and other senior facility vendors that do something like this. It's a good idea, and although I've put up some concerts on DropBox that I have offered my facilities access to, it didn't occur to me that I could give them a private folder that I could post new shows to monthly just like I would normally perform them monthly online or in person. I will follow up on that.


Thursday 7-8:30 mountain time I will do an online show even though it is Thanksgiving. I asked my audience if they would like a show since it falls on a holiday, and the majority really thought it would be something special. My show will feature Thanksgiving songs and nature songs. One of my listeners had the idea of featuring nature since it gives some of the same comfort as being with family. It's a great idea, and I hope you'll tune in if you'd like a little entertainment and community that night - especially if you're isolating as the CDC is encouraging us to do.


Sunday 7-8:30 mountain time my online show will feature favorites and requests as always. Some of these weeks the requests really show a variety of genres and songs, and there really is something for everyone's taste. Please tune in if you can. In addition I just realized that if you're tuning in on my website instead of Facebook you can make comments on the video. This is great! Please visit and try it out.


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That's it for this week. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that you'll be safe and experience the spirit of gratitude.


Best always,


Tom


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Details this week: 


Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Thanksgiving and nature songs 

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

When:  Thursday, November 26, 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, November 29, 7-8:30 pm mountain

Monday, November 16, 2020

Music Is Meditation

 As COVID drags on I find that things are changing in new ways that I didn't anticipate during the summer. We kind of thought we had figured out what kind of outlook we needed to have psychologically to get through this. Turns out we need patience more than anything else. For me, I think, music has been my saving grace. I've written about this before. Everyone needs some sort of center to get through this, and music for me has been that meditative and spiritual space that I can get into that puts me at ease. I'm sure this is no surprise to you. I talked about this a little when I learned that new Jerry Jeff Walker song that I did at his tribute concert “That’s Why I Play". The line in the chorus that says it all says, "I like the feelin' I get lost in a song!" That’s what it feels like. It really is a mesmerizing feeling that you can completely get lost in as a player. I'm sure some folks feel it in the audience too. It's a wonderful release, and it somehow realigns your thought process too. Between the rhythm and the harmony it is all-engrossing. Add in the meaning to the lyrics and the interplay between all the elements, and you really have something! Anyway, what you would expect me to say?! I hope you get even one ounce of the joy I feel in the music.


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What have I been up to?


My senior facilities had to be canceled or moved indoors with the cold weather. We are at level orange safe at home, so I don't think I'll be able to do any senior facilities except for online for quite some time now.


My Thursday show doing fun ‘50s tunes was a blast! I've always loved the music of that decade, and I even played some electric guitar to get that early rock sound. That decade had some great tunes!


My Sunday show was one of the most fun ever as I did a bunch of new requests and favorites that were upbeat and exciting.


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What am I up to this week?


I just have a couple online senior facilities since we have so much COVID here now.

I'd still like to see if there are national senior facility chains that need online entertainment since our local folks don't have the equipment or have to maintain strict isolation for their residents.


Thursday 7:00-8:30 I'll be doing the first of at least two Beatles shows. I've always loved their music, and I know enough of their songs to fill three online shows. Please tune in if you'd like hear some favorites on acoustic guitar. Heck, I may pull out the electric guitar again too.


Sunday 7:00-8:30 mountain time is my favorites and requests show again. I have a bunch more of your requests I'm polishing up, and it's always a surprise with the gems that people ask for. I’ve learned some stellar tunes.


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That's it for this week. I hope you're well and don't know too many people who are suffering with the virus. I continue to hope for the best, and I fill myself with music and the hope that someday we will all understand.


Best always,


Tom


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Details this week:


Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Beatles songs

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

When:  Thursday, November 19, 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, November 22, 7-8:30 pm mountain

Monday, November 9, 2020

Community Online

 I wanted to write about the wonderful group of folks who have become a part of my concert world every week online. When this virus started and my musical playing world sort of vanished I had no idea what to expect going forward. I knew there would be at least a couple months off of my concerts and night gigs, and I figured that my senior facilities might have to stop everything for up to a year. So I reached out to those facilities to set up online and outdoor shows for my seniors, and I scheduled a weekly online show on Sundays on Facebook in addition to my monthly online shows for the rest of my audience. This weekly online show spawned a second weekly themed online show on Thursdays a couple months later. The interesting thing about the weekly shows is the diverse and widespread group of friends it has brought together from different times and aspects of my life and how they’ve befriended each other. From childhood to high school to college to Philmont Scout Ranch to musicians to audience members at bars, concerts, and guest ranches to friends-of-friends to family members of seniors to God-knows-who. The way all of these folks interact and share joy in the music is a testament to friendship and love itself. I'm mightily gratified and humbled. It has gotten to the point where every week is a lesson in kindness and unexpected elation. And I see these friends befriend each other and interact independent of my shows, and I am even more thrilled. I hope it only gets better, and I have a feeling that we have created something with a life far beyond the virus. It has become important enough to many folks that they want to do a Thanksgiving show because they consider our little online group to be family. I couldn’t ask for more. So we will do a Thanksgiving evening show, and everyone is welcome!


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What have I been up to?


I was able to do a couple senior facilities outside with the warm weather we had. They were very enjoyable. 


My Thursday show was a tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker who just recently passed, and it was a good 'un. He wrote so many fun and meaningful songs. A lot of folks wanted to honor his memory and hear his songs played. 


My Sunday show had a lot of new faces, and it was a huge variety of songs. It never ceases to amaze me how diverse my audience and their favorites are. I work really hard to learn these tunes, and it’s wonderful when folks come out and listen and enjoy each other and the music. 


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What am I up to this week?


I have a couple of outdoor senior facilities scheduled that will either have to be moved online or else cancelled. It will only be in the 50s all week here - which is appropriate considering my Thursday show is fun 1950s music. 


Thursday 7-8:30 my online show will feature fun 1950s music for a little break from the tension we’ve all felt recently. I was in a ‘50s band for a few years and have always loved this era of music. I may even break out a ‘50s guitar. Come on out!


Sunday 7-8:30 is my online favorites and requests show. As I wrote above, I really enjoy how much people share their joy of life and music at my shows, and I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful audience. I’d love to have you along for the ride if you’ve never been. 


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That’s it for this week. Our virus numbers are getting worse. I wish we could get this under control. I honestly haven’t left the house except for walks, groceries, a couple doctor appointments, and my outdoor senior facility shows since March, and I’m hoping people will do what’s necessary to get over this spread and conquer this virus. We need to be able to meet in person again with a hug or a handshake - well they say maybe not the handshake. 


Anyway,


Best always,


Tom


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Details this week:


Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing an online concert of fun 1950s songs

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

When:  Thursday, November 12, 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, November 15, 7-8:30 pm mountain


Monday, November 2, 2020

Hopeful Tough Week

 We are heading into a tough week no matter how you look at it. Everyone is on edge, and it has been hard to focus even with the best of mental states - not that I can usually maintain one of those states although I sure try - and music helps. I don’t know how we got here, and I’m not one to throw blame around. In my heart I know that we are all one even though we can’t see it. In the “other” I see myself, and although I can muster some self-loathing, I know that the love that flows through me from whatever spiritual source I am connected to is for everyone and everything. The magic that unforcedly comes out in my music and the oneness I feel in nature is part of something that is much bigger than the day-to-day disagreements and struggles I and everyone go through. We can get along without the fear and uncertainty that we sometimes feel is necessary to get by in our world. There can be a trust and a knowing that can permeate our lives and help us be better to ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. I really believe it. My wish would be that this attitude can flood the world as we go through this time of unrest over disease and disagreement. Be safe and caring, my friends. We can get through anything together. 


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What have I been up to?


My online senior shows went pretty well last week. It’s still not that easy to get a setup where several people can see and the speeds and hookups to a TV are good enough though. I think I need to come up with a common solution I can recommend to all my facilities. There are a lot of options out there. 


My online Halloween show on Thursday was great fun! There are so many songs for Halloween - both fun and creepy, and we did a bunch. 


Friday was a show of songs from Philmont Scout Ranch with a passel of good friends that was so fine. It’s just a stellar group of folks with such good energy. 


Sunday’s favorites show was a great set of tunes from all over the spectrum. I struggle with some requests for folks, but I love the diverse backgrounds and music that people want to hear. Luckily I can mold to the songs enough to connect to the feel and the spirit of each song.


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What am I up to this week?


I have a couple senior facilities this week that wonder-of-wonders look like I'm getting to play for outside. After last week's heavy snow I thought the outdoor playing was over. 


Thursday 7-8:30 mountain time my online show will feature Jerry Jeff Walker songs. Jerry Jeff passed on October 23rd, and I really love his music, so I’ll be doing some of my favorite songs he did. Jerry Jeff had some pretty rowdy songs, but also some very poignant and heartfelt tunes that I dearly love. Please join me if you can for a wonderful evening. If the country is in turmoil from the election this may be a good respite. 


Sunday 7-8:30 mountain time as always is my favorites and requests show. Amazingly, I hardly got any new requests this week during the show. I think folks have finally realized that I do better with a little lead time to prepare their requests rather than merely covering them in the spur of the moment. I don’t mind doing them on the spot, but sometimes I fail rather spectacularly. Maybe that’s fun for the audience and I’m missing out on some opportunity, but I know I don’t enjoy hearing a fellow musician cover a song badly in the moment. I’d rather hear them doing well on one in their own style. Let me know if you’d rather have the spontaneity. 


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That’s it for this week. I really hope we are headed toward some sort of time of peace and reconciliation and not a time of more unrest and division. There is no one I fear or hate. We really are one in the end. 


Best always,


Tom


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Details this week:


Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Jerry Jeff Walker songs

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

When:  Thursday, November 5, 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, November 8, 7-8:30 pm mountain