Fall

Fall officially starts this week, and it feels like it’s right on time. I’m ready for it. I often say that Fall is my favorite season of the year. I think that’s true although I definitely have had some very memorable times in other seasons. Life is so full of high points. Fall is the season where I feel most at home though with things slowing down a bit, the temperatures cooling off some, and contemplation the most prevalent in my life. Who doesn’t love the changing of the leaves and the quality of Fall light? It does always arrive with a bit of melancholy though that I can’t deny. I often lament that the songs of Fall are sadder, and they are. I tend to shy away from these sadder songs when I play a show full of Fall songs because I see the effect on my audience. I don’t mind them myself, but I find that people don’t like that old cathartic group experience that the Greeks so embraced with their tragic plays. But sometimes I wish that we would reflect on all aspects of our lives with gratitude and contentment. There is so much beauty in the Fall of the year just like there is beauty in the Fall of life. There is wisdom and understanding gained from the newness of Spring and the craziness of summer. I really love this and cherish this. I see the same grace and stateliness in a beautifully-colored tree as I see in the softly-chiseled lines of a friend’s face in their 60s. It’s all part of a life well-lived on this wonderful planet. So celebrate Fall with me.

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What have I been up to?

I had 7 seniors facilities that I failed to write about last week. They all went so well even though at least a couple had Covid outbreaks that caused all the staff to wear masks. I don’t mind singing in a mask even though some singers don’t like them. It took a little while to get used to, but I find that the mask actually helps my throat since it holds in moisture, and the mask doesn’t come off my nose if I tuck it under my glasses. It’s worth it for these folks anyway.

Senior Safari at the Pueblo Zoo on Wednesday was a blast, and I got to play for so many folks that I see at my facilities as well as many friends. I even got to walk around the zoo a bit afterwards to see the animals! Big thanks to the zoo folks and sponsors and everyone who came out.

My Wednesday online show was British Invasion songs again, and we had a blast reminiscing about the ‘60s and all the songs we loved. I have such a great group of folks who tune in to these shows.

Friday at the Pueblo Riverwalk was great fun too. It was a little warm, but it cooled off pretty quickly and became a perfect evening. I had a nice crowd of old friends and new folks with families, and my voice and fingers cooperated and brought the songs out sweetly.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and it was special just like always. I get such a good group of folks who share themselves and their requests.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 13 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to all of them. The relationships I have with these folks is something I treasure.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs of Fall as I wrote of above. I’ll try to stay away from the more melancholy songs. There are some really cool songs including a couple new ones that have been requested. Send me your request as well, and then tune in and we’ll celebrate Fall together!

Friday night 6-9 I’m back at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs. This is an instrumental guitar evening, and I’m getting accustomed to playing instrumentals for these gigs. I think I wrote before that I started these gigs by just playing instrumental songs I knew, but now I play any song that I know and can make an arrangement of on the fly. It’s so much fun, and part of the fun is watching the audience recognize the song and react in the moment. Come on out for an upscale dinner if you’re in the area.

Saturday 10-12 I’m playing in period costume at El Pueblo Museum for their annual Mercado celebration that is always held during the Chile Festival in Pueblo. I’ll be in my old mountain man leggings and moccasins with my 1870s guitar playing tunes from the founding decade of Pueblo. I haven’t done this in a few years, and I’m really looking forward to it! Come on out and visit the Chile Festival that morning.

Saturday evening I have a Philmont reunion in Colorado Springs that I’m looking forward to as well. These are some good folks, and we’ll have a fine time.

Sunday 11-2 I’m at the Grand View Restaurant again at the Garden of the Gods Club to play instrumental songs for brunch. The views of Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak are to-die-for at this venue, and I’d love to have you in the audience if you’d like an upscale brunch in a beautiful place.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests once again, and I know it’ll be a fine time with my stellar online audience. We’ll play any Fall songs we didn’t get to play on Wednesday plus whatever other songs folks want to hear. Come on out!

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That’s it for this week. My schedule still hasn’t slowed down since summer, and I’m loving the variety of places I’m getting to play and the faces I’m getting to see. I hope you are well and happy.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Fall songs

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

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

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Room. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, September 20, 6-9 pm 

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing in costume

Where:  El Pueblo Museum, 301 North Union, Pueblo

When:  Saturday, September 21, 10 am - 12 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Room. 888-994-3156

When:  Sunday, September 22, 11 am - 2 pm

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, September 22, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Senior Safari

I’m playing at the Pueblo Zoo Wednesday for Senior Safari which I have been playing for since 2001, and I thought I’d tell you a little bit about it. Senior Safari is part of a free week at the zoo for seniors, and the highlight is Wednesday when they have volunteers bring animals to show, me to play and sing, local vendors bring donuts and pizza, and the zoo puts on bingo. It’s all sponsored by different healthcare facilities and services in the community with the zoo. The highlight for me is that the majority of facilities I play for bring out their folks, and it turns into a big party of all my favorite people including many senior friends from the community. It’s a grand confluence that is so much fun! I often write about how much these folks mean to me, and I always say that I get as much from the folks as I give. It’s so true. Plugging into a community that needs and appreciates what music does for them is the most a musician can ask for. That is purpose with a capital “P”. I hope you have that kind of connection in your life too. 

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week although one was cancelled because they have been bought out by a new company that doesn’t put entertainment in their budget. Hopefully we can work something out. I feel badly for the folks there.

My Wednesday online show was doing songs for the British Invasion of the 1960s, and it was so much fun that we’ll do more British Invasion songs this week. It was just a very dynamic time of music in America and the world.

The end-of-season party Thursday at the Yellow Pine was cancelled due to the cold and rain that swept into the Cuchara valley that day. It would have only been 41 degrees in the old barn, and I think we all would have been miserable. I’ll miss seeing those folks for the winter, but next summer will be all that much sweeter.

Friday night I played instrumental songs at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs, and it went very well. This time out I played instrumental versions of songs I usually sing instead of trying to just do songs that are known instrumentals. It was a lot of fun creating arrangements on the fly, and I got so many compliments.

Sunday I played for a church picnic that was a lot of fun before I played for Grandparents Day at one of my senior facilities. They both went very well.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests as always, and I got some great requests as well as doing some favorites for the Fall. I’ll do a Fall show in a couple weeks.

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What am I up to this week?

Wednesday 10:30-1 I’m playing the Senior Safari at the Pueblo Zoo in the Mandari Pavilion as I wrote above. This is always a blast, and it’s part of the free week at the zoo for all seniors. If that’s you then come on out!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs from the British Invasion again. I have a least 150 songs on my list for this event, so there are a bunch more great songs we can do. Come on out and relive those songs and memories .

Friday I’m playing at the Pueblo Riverwalk at the east end near the fountain on what they call the Gateway Plaza Stage. I always like playing at the Riverwalk, and it’s a great place to do live music. Come on out!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and it’s usually the most rewarding evening of music and friendship I have. You’re always welcome!

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That’s it for this week. I have several fun things coming up this Fall, so checkout my calendar on my website http://tommunch.com/calendar or stay tuned here. I hope you are hearty and happy.

Best,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and signing for Senior Safari

Where:  Pueblo Zoo Mandari Pavilion

When:  Wednesday, September 11, 10:30-1 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of British Invasion songs

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

When:  Wednesday, September 11, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing at the Pueblo Riverwalk

Where:  Dodge Gateway Plaza Stage (east end of Riverwalk)

When:  Friday, September 13, 6-7:30 pm 

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, September 15, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

British Invasion

I’m thinking today of the British Invasion of the 1960s in the music business. Britain had gone through so much during World War II, and the kids of that generation were really struggling to find a way to express the angst and troubles they experienced. Somehow they found American blues music mixed in with all the other genres of music they were exposed to as well as what was called skiffle music in Britain. They mixed this together and came up with their own music as well as blues covers. When they began to record this music and released it in the USA it was a hit. American kids were looking for something different that continued the passion of the rock ’n’ roll of the 1950s, and the long-haired driving music coming out of Britain fit the bill perfectly. The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in early 1964 after their first releases went number 1, and that opened the floodgates for Peter and Gordon, The Animals, The Kinks, The Zombies, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, and so many more. I heard this in our house mixed with folk music, Motown, and everything else that my brother and sisters played, and I was smitten too. The creativity of the new music as well as the covers of blues tunes and American music that the British bands re-introduced to American kids was powerful, and it spoke to the 1960s like nothing else could. I hope you were swept away by it too or have since gone back to immerse yourself in this wonderful music.

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What have I been up to?

I had 10 senior facilities last week, and they all went so well. You know that I get as much from them as the folks get. They are always so welcoming and genuine.

My Wednesday online show was songs about friends and friendship, and it was a very sweet time with some great songs. The audience was really into it as well.

The funeral I played on Saturday was very nice and meaningful too with several friends that I didn’t know I had in common with the lovely woman who had passed. It’s amazing how funerals bring friends together. RIP, Millie.

My concert at the La Veta Pines RV Park on Saturday night was such a good time. It was a perfect evening, and everything came together to make a night I’ll remember for a long time. I had a large and very enthusiastic crowd. Big thanks to Greg and Lisa and everyone who came.

My Sunday online show was full of great requests and friends. I’m always amazed at how these Sunday nights come together with everyone supporting each other and my music.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to every one of them including one that is a fair for the residents and one that is an afternoon for Grandparents Day. These should be a lot of fun.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs from the British Invasion that I wrote about above. There are so many great songs, so I’m betting we’ll probably do next Wednesday with the same theme. Come on out!

Thursday I’ll play the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch in Cuchara 6:30-8 for the end-of-season “Appetizers and Alcohol” or “Charcuterie and Cabernet” party in the old barn. This is a free event where you bring an appetizer to share and whatever beverage you’d like to drink. It’s always a great time, and if you missed coming to the barbecues this summer this is the last chance to enjoy the Yellow Pine with my music for the season. Come on out!

Friday night I may be playing instrumental music 6-9 at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs in the Grand View Restaurant. We are still trying to finalize the schedule as I write this. I’m closing cabins with my family on Saturday, so I’m not sure this will work out timing-wise with an early Saturday morning in New Mexico.

Sunday I’m playing for a church picnic at the zoo before I play for Grandparents Day, so that should be a lot of fun.

Sunday evening my online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests was always, and I’m looking forward to it! It’s always a good time with good folks. Come on out!

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That’s it for this week. It will be a busy one. I hope you’re having a good Labor Day, and that you’re well and happy.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of British Invasion songs

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

When:  Wednesday, September 4, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the end-of-season party

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

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

POSSIBLE GIG - message me to confirm if you want to come

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Room. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, September 6, 6-9 pm 

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, September 8, 7-8:45 pm mountain time