Drive

I was in the middle of four gigs last Friday when someone in the audience said I was really “on” that day. I told him that I had four gigs that day, and I was pouring all my energy into every one of them. It was true statement, and then I wondered where I got the drive to push so hard. I often think about this same thing when I’m in the middle of my exercise routine in the morning. Sometimes we humans just seem to have a fire within us that isn’t dependent upon caffeine or angst or a desire to succeed. Sometimes it’s just a joy to be in the moment and giving all we have. It seems to be a trait that is just part of being alive. I know that not everyone feels this, but I think everyone can with the right outlook and awareness of just how special this life is. So here’s to giving your all every day in every way. 

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What have I been up to?

I had 13 senior facilities last week - a lot of music and a lot of good folks to see. It was a wonderful week. 

My Wednesday online show was doing songs from my albums and new songs I’ve written since my last album. Unfortunately my computer crashed just before the start of the show, so I had to scramble to change my setup so I could do the show from my phone. I was about 15 minutes late, but we still had a great time, and I really enjoyed playing songs that I love and don’t perform all that often. I’ll do another night of album songs soon. 

My Sunday online show was requests and favorites as always, and it was one of the most enjoyable nights I’ve had in a long time. I had so many nice folks tune in, and in reminded how much I like doing these online shows. 

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What ask I up to this week?

I have 6 senior facilities this week, and it seems like a vacation after having 13 last week. I know they’ll all be wonderful. I’ll start doing Irish tunes this week too as we approach St. Patrick’s Day. 

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs from 1971, and there are some great ones. This is the era of music that really represents my style of music with all the folk rock artists that were popular then. Come on out!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and it should be another sweet night of tunes and friendship. I love these evenings so much! Come on it and share it with me. 

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That’s it for this week. The weather is really changing here, and I’m starting to think about spring and summer. I feel the drive building inside me!

Best always,

Tom 

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of songs from 1971

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

When:  Wednesday, February 28, 7-8:45 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, March 3, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Albums

I’ve been thinking about albums lately. I haven’t made a new one since the beginning of the pandemic. That album started as a collection of original songs that I put on the back burner when I didn’t have enough songs written as my studio time came up and finished as a collection of favorite old country songs. I love the creative process, and I love writing and recording songs. Being in that flow of music and creation is just about the best thing I’ve ever been involved in. But it does cost quite a bit to make an album even though my good friend Don Richmond who owns the studio I record at (Howling Dog Studios) has always been more than fair with me on studio time and generosity of spirit and playing chops. (He can play anything I can play and so much more! We’ve even collaborated on a few songs.) But since the demise of the CD and other forms of physical recordings, the main way musicians make money is through performing and merch. Streaming music revenue is very small unless you have millions of listens. Performing is the main way I have made my living although album sales did help for a while. I’ve considered making more albums just for the joy of creation and the buzz of having something new out, but I honestly can’t afford it anymore. I never did like selling things anyway. I’m the last person to promote my stuff, and I never did get into other merch like books, art, and t-shirts. It just never felt right for me. Maybe I was never hungry enough. To make an album you have to have something you want to say or a drive to create something new. During the pandemic I was too busy trying to provide music to support my audience and my own psychic stability at a time when no one knew what tomorrow would bring. I’m still pretty busy doing that with online shows even though the emphasis has changed quite a bit with life assuming a more normal posture. I have written a few songs, and I’ve put most of them on my YouTube channel so people can hear them. I should probably record and release what I have written recently even if I don’t ever sell much of it. It’s funny how music over the last 150 years has been released and how musicians have made a living. At the beginning of that period you either made money by selling sheet music or by performing live. When recording technology became available it was possible to make the majority from selling recordings although most musicians loved to perform live too and would promote their recordings through those performances. Nowadays it really is mainly through performing again since streaming is not a viable means of income for most. I think our society still values music. It is very easy to access now with the internet and streaming, and it is much easier to create it especially as AI becomes better and more prevalent. I don’t think that music and that form of creativity will ever not be part of our culture although the world is swiftly changing. (Was that a pun on Taylor Swift?) Anyway, these are just my thoughts as I contemplate playing songs off my albums at this upcoming Wednesday’s online show.

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What have I been up to?

I had 10 senior facilities last week, and it was so much fun doing Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day songs for them. The folks really appreciate music and the good vibes that come from it.

My Wednesday online show doing love songs was better than I could have hoped for. There was a huge variety of love songs, and I had a wide-ranging audience from all over the place.

My Sunday online show of favorites and requests had some great requests and a couple new songs to boot. I love doing these online shows for my wonderful audience.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 13 senior facilities this week, and I’m really looking forward to all of them. Following the holidays of February I will do different kinds of shows with just a little leftover love songs and some anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs off my albums as I wrote above. I may include a couple new songs I have written since the albums too for a little variety. It’s surprising how little I really play some of these album songs even though they are old friends. There’s just too much music out there to play! Come on out!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I’ve been trying to take the time to learn at least a couple new tunes every week for this show. My audience is just the best, and I would love to have you join in. 

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That’s it for this week. The weather seems to have shifted here to a warmer pattern, and I’m starting to feel a little Spring in the air. I hope you are well and hearty and enjoying life.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of songs off my albums

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

When:  Wednesday, February 21, 7-8:45 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, February 25, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

What Is Love?

Deep question this morning - what is love? It’s a word we throw around a lot, but it has so many shades of meaning. Last year I did a couple different shows so I could do some general love songs as well as some romantic love songs. I learned a song by Peter Mayer called “What Is Love” last year that expressed love as an even deeper meaning - making love a force in the shaping of the universe. I’ve thought of it this way too, going back to my church upbringing when I first heard that God is love. Maybe the force that we see as all the interworkings of the universe as an intelligence that may be God or the physics of dark matter and gravity is really love at its core. I know it’s a little simple, but I like that simplicity myself. I have this sense that things that we complicate with science and study in this life may be really easy to understand at some point, and I’ve always felt that this is really what love is. So if love is that big, is it still something that’s applicable to romance and love in general? Absolutely! It’s all related to our experience in this life in our interaction with everything and everyone we meet. It’s easy. All you need is love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week although one was cancelled due to miscommunication. One of the downsides to a lot of senior facilities is high turnover, and this has often led to scheduling changes for me over the years as people move on and facilities change ownership or management. It’s all about spreading some encouragement to the people I get to play for though, so I roll with the punches.


My Wednesday online show was playing Mardi Gras songs, and it was a blast. I guess Jen and I will actually have to go to Mardi Gras one year to drink in all the excitement and history that I feel in the music.

My Sunday online show was a special one at my friends Matt and Deann’s house - doing a bunch of love songs that Deann picked out for many folks in our audience. It’s always fun having a live audience for my online shows, and this one was really special. Even though it was up against the Super Bowl I still had a good group of people in attendance who sang along and shared the love.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 10 senior facilities this week, and they should all be wonderful. The time I get to spend with these folks is irreplaceable.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be love songs for Valentine’s Day, and I plan to do all kinds of love songs and requests as well as maybe the song I wrote about above by Peter Mayer. Come on out if you can!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be back to favorites and requests this week. I had a couple neat songs I’m working on that were requested in the last couple weeks that I think you’ll really like. I’ll add some other favorites and take some new requests too, so it should be a great show. You’re always welcome to join in!

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That’s it for this week. I hope you’re still pondering what love is - just as I am as I wrote above. It’s a big concept that deserves some thought. Have a great week!

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of love songs for Valentine’s Day

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

When:  Wednesday, February 14, 7-8:45 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, February 18, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Mashups

I’m thinking about Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day happening back-to-back this year. I’ve been trying to do shows that have some New Orleans music and some love songs, and the two don’t always mix that well. That has me even doing songs together in a mashup kind of context. A mashup is not something I do very often. The concept is an interesting one - mixing things that don’t necessarily go together. It has a broader context in life of course. There are so many surprises and compromises in a mashup that sometimes make the combination better than the original individual parts. We all know that differences sometimes make our life so much more interesting and fun. We just have to take the time to see how they can mesh together to make something beautiful. This sensitivity and insight into the finer points of how things work and how they can fit together like a complicated puzzle takes a lot of work, but it can pay off in enjoyment and learning. There is a lesson in everything in life, it seems. Vive la difference!

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What have I been up to?

I had 6 senior facilities last week including one I haven’t played at in 10 years. One of the residents there was a wonderful woman I had worked with at the Royal Gorge Bridge many years ago. It was so good to reconnect. There are little joys every time I play for one of these facilities!

My Wednesday online show was doing songs from 1974 again, part of my 50 years ago annual series. It was so much fun revisiting these great songs from my teenage years, and the audience was right with me.

Saturday I did an online show for my Philmont friends, and it was also a great time. Some of the online tools we have to connect with people now are so amazing, and it’s so easy to take them for granted. Big thanks to my friend Jason Mascitti for sponsoring the show with Thrivent.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some wonderful tunes as always. This group of folks always impresses me with their deep requests and regard for each other. Life is good.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to them all as always. I can’t express enough how meaningful and fulfilling doing these shows is.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be Mardi Gras songs. There are so many fun and exciting songs for Mardi Gras, and I love celebrating the event even though I’ve never been to it. So come on out and celebrate with your beads and masks!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be a special show of love songs from my friends Matt and Deann’s house. I like doing shows at their house, and it always pours a lot of energy into the show having a live audience in the room for my online shows. Deann will make the playlist for this show, so I won’t be taking requests. Come on out and enjoy some love music. (I’ll do another online love show on the next Wednesday on Valentine’s Day where I’ll take requests.) It’s good to enjoy some love songs. Please tune in!

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That’s it for this week. I hope you are doing well, and I hope you’re enjoying this life as much as possible. Thank you for reading and coming along for the ride.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Mardi Gras and New Orleans songs

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

When:  Wednesday, February 7, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of love songs from Matt and Deann’s 

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

When:  Sunday, February 11, 7-8:45 pm mountain time