Campfires

I’m playing campfire songs for my Wednesday night online show, and it’s making me very nostalgic for all the campfires I’ve played at over the years. Starting in high school I began playing around the fire for all kinds of events from church camp to Boy Scouts to hanging out with friends. Anyone who has stared into a campfire knows the magic that humans have enjoyed over the millennia around a fire. It brings warmth and curiosity and even danger that thrills our spirit. Music around a campfire has a mystique as well - adding its own ancient draw that is so irresistible. It’s intimate and usually acoustical in nature, and that works its way into us in a very satisfying way. Because of the need for warmth and light, a campfire is usually enjoyed in the evening when things are done for the day and we can enter a more reflective and thoughtful mindset. I’m not saying there aren’t some funny and upbeat moments of dancing and frivolity too, but for the most part as the fire turns from flames to embers we settle down into a beautiful zone where the songs have real impact. I love this! There are a lot of songs that talk about sitting around the campfire from the likes of John Denver to many country artists. It’s just a grand shared experience that so many people cherish. So I’ll share some of these meaningful songs as well as some of the sing-along songs that most of us grew up as we sang around campfires. It’ll connect us to our memories and our ancestors who stared into fires just the same way.

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What have I been up to?

I had 11 senior facilities last week, and I enjoyed every one of them. It’s just great to get the chance to provide some encouragement and community for folks who really need it. I take is as a privilege.

My Wednesday night online show was songs from 1955, and there were some great ones I got the chance to play. I had a really good audience that was getting into it too. The night was full of songs of early rock and roll and country that shaped the decades to come.

Thursday night at the Yellow Pine Barbecue was a little smaller crowd, but it was a beautiful night of dancing and music that folks really enjoyed. I had several good friends there.

Friday night I played the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club, and it was so much fun. I had some family and some old friends come out to hear me, and I so enjoyed seeing them and spending time with them. There was even a surprise wedding proposal out on the lawn that was very endearing to see.

My Sunday night online show was favorites and requests as usual, and I had another really good group of folks who made some great requests and special moments. I did a couple Ozzy songs as well as Golden Earring and Connie Francis to Alan Bergman to honor those musicians who have recently passed. It was a good night.

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What am I up to this week?

I have only 5 senior facilities this week since it’s a rare 5th week of the month from Tuesday on when I don’t have as many monthly repeating dates. That’ll give me time to rehearse for a couple gigs coming up and also to get some property work done. I’ll definitely enjoy the folks I do get to play for.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be campfire songs as I mentioned above. This is going to be so much fun. Please come out and celebrate singing around the fire.

Thursday night 6:30-8 I’m back at the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch for the weekly barbecue. There is only this week and next week to enjoy this wonderful old barn and barbecue with my music, so if you were thinking of coming then make your plans today. It is such a good time in such a beautiful place. Call 719-742-3528 to make a reservation now. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday at noon.

Friday night 6-9 I’m back at the Garden of the Gods Club int the Grand View Restaurant. This past week the weather was perfect, and they opened up all the glass doors so folks were able to enjoy the outdoors even inside. It was a night to remember. I look forward to every week to see what kind of night it will be. I’d love to have you there as well if great food and a beautiful view with my guitar music sound good to you. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and every night is engaging and exciting as folks banter in the chat and I fill their requests. I’d love to have you there as well.

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That’s it for this week. I’m enjoying every second of the summer even with the sweltering heat. I hope you are healthy and happy.

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:  Wednesday, July 30, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

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

When:  Thursday, July 31, 6:30-8 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

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

When:  Friday, August 1, 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, August 3, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

1955

I’m doing my show on Wednesday with songs from 1955. We tend to think of this year as the start of rock and roll with songs like “Rock Around the Clock” and the beginnings of modern American culture with the founding of McDonald’s and Disneyland. It’s also the year the James Dean died and when Rosa Parks made her famous bus ride. I wasn’t alive yet, but I know that those events shaped my life in many ways. Rock and roll has been a big part of my life, and everyone I knew could sing the words to the Big Mac jingle and the Mouseketeers’ song. I play a lot of songs from that year, and I’ve always tried to connect with the emotion and the emphasis that those songs carried. There was an optimism in that music since it was so new, but it was also driven by the blues that came out of hardship. The music was often very simple - “three chords and the truth” as many still say. The form was often built on 12-bar blues with a simple three line verse and sometimes a chorus. Many songs had a driving rhythm, and they were mostly based on a small combo built on the newer instruments of electric guitar, electric bass, a drum kit, sometimes a piano and a saxophone or other brass instrument. It was exciting especially for the young people of that day, just like previous generations had their newer music that was exciting and revolutionary. That enthusiasm brought out new dances and everything we all know from that era. I look forward to playing this engaging music of 1955!

What have I been up to?

I had 11 senior facilities last week, and I enjoyed every one. There was a midsummer energy to all of them that was pretty cool.

My Wednesday online show was doing songs I’ve never done for my online shows, and there were some really good ones. I had a really good turnout as well of folks who enjoyed it.

Thursday night was another full night at the Yellow Pine Barbecue. I got to see some old friends, and there was a great energy there too.

Friday was an odd night at Garden of the Gods Club. There was just a different feeling to the night with storms in the air and unique personalities. It’s all good though.

My Sunday online show was really busy - probably because I had been off the previous Sunday for the party I played. There were some great requests and a lot of virtual smiles. I love this group of folks!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 11 senior facilities again this week, and I think I’ll be doing a variety of tunes again for them. I like to choose a theme at the beginning of each show and then run with it.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs of 1955. I think this will turn out to be a night to remember. I’ll play a bunch more rock and roll and a few country tunes on electric guitar with fun backdrop. Come on out!

Thursday night 6:30-8 I’m back at the Yellow Pine Barbecue. These nights have been going so well, and it’s such a neat environment in the old barn with the smell of the pines all around. I’d love to have you in the audience as well if you like good barbecue and my music. Call 719-742-3528 to make a reservation now. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday at noon.

Friday night 6-9 I’m at Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View Restaurant to play instrumental guitar tunes for the diners. I’ve really fallen into a sweet combo of interesting songs and improvisations for these sets. I’d love to have you hear them. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I’m sure there’ll be some new tunes this week. I’ve been working on some. I’d love to have you there too, and it’s so easy to just pop on either on Facebook or on my website. The links are below in my weekly details.

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That’s it for this week. I love the summer, and I haven’t fallen off the wave yet although I came close after working 8 and more hours in the yard this week. I hope you’re healthy and happy.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of songs from 1955

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

When:  Wednesday, July 23, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

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

When:  Thursday, July 24, 6:30-8 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

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

When:  Friday, July 25, 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, July 27, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Friendship

I played a combination anniversary, birthday, wedding reception event for good friends over the weekend, and I was very attentive to the friendships I could see all around me. Many of them had lasted many decades, and I could feel the common bond and love that they shared. A glance was all that was necessary between them to express times they had shared of both pain and joy. It was a pleasure and an honor to see, and it gave me insight into what matters so much in this life - the sharing and caring for each other. I don’t mean to sound too mushy, but those are the real things that count as we age. One of my favorite songs of late was written by Kieran Kane and Jamie O’Hara called “When We’re Gone, Long Gone”. The Chorus goes, 

“When we’re gone, long gone, the only thing that will have mattered, 

is the love that we shared, and the way that we cared,

when we’re gone, long gone.” 

We’ve all heard it often. Family and friends are all that last in life. All the possessions and money, fame and accomplishment just don’t bring happiness. We want belonging and a chance to give. I wrote about giving a few years back. When we give we prime the pump of love and happiness for ourselves as well as others. Instead of draining ourselves, we get more energy to give even more. This doesn’t mean that we don’t need downtime to ourselves too, but it is an encouragement to give freely to others as often as we can. Friends understand this. They’ve been through times of selfishness and struggle on the path to learning how to give to each other more openly. There is an earned mutual trust that fuels their togetherness. It also supersedes all the baggage of culture and class and even religion. Somehow friends just know that all fades away when we do like the song says - love and care.

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week, and they were all pretty special. I did traveling songs for most of them, and we reminisced about family trips and days gone by. It was very nice.

My Wednesday online show was doing traveling songs, and it was a really good time with lots of folks tuning in. I have such a love for traveling, and the songs really capture this.

Thursday was another busy and fun time at the Yellow Pine Barbecue in Cuchara. There were several good friends and acquaintances in attendance, and it was a beautiful night. The food was extra good.

Friday I played a stormy and busy night at the Garden of the Gods Club. There was a bachelorette party and another big table of colleagues that had the place hopping.

Saturday and Sunday I played for the folks I wrote about in my paragraph above who were celebrating an anniversary, birthday, and wedding over two days. Saturday was a multiple-performer concert that I opened up with a few favorite tunes and eventually with several of us singing “With a Little Help from My Friends”. Sunday was a house “barn” concert that I got to play solo. It was such a wonderful time as evidenced by the inspiration for what I wrote above. A big “Thank You!” to all who put it together, especially Richard and Pam!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 11 senior facilities this week, and I’m sure we’ll have some great moments at all of them. There is such an affinity I feel for these folks.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs I’ve never done for my online shows. I have such a good time looking through my list and picking songs I love that I don’t get to do often. There will be some surprises and a lot of good tunes. Come on out!

Thursday 6:30-8 I’m back at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue. There are only 4 more of these special evenings in the old barn with lots of smiles and music and good barbecue. I’d love to see you there. Call 719-742-3528 to make a reservation now. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday at noon.

Friday 6-9 I’m back at Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View Restaurant noodling on the guitar for the diners. I have a great time picking well-known and obscure songs and sometimes even improvising. Come on out if you’d like some great food and a beautiful view. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and since I didn’t do a Sunday show last week I expect this one to be extra good. I have several new songs I’m working on. I’d love to have you in my audience.

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That’s it for this week. The summer is flying by, and it just keeps getting better. I hope you are healthy and happy and have good friendships to cherish.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of songs I’ve never done at my online shows

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

When:  Wednesday, July 16, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

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

When:  Thursday, July 17, 6:30-8 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

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

When:  Friday, July 18, 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, July 20, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Travel

I love to travel, and I love to write about it. I feel so much a part of the land and of people I see when I travel. It’s the oneness that I always feel, but turned up to 10. I get such a charge out of the details of the land and the sky and the interactions with people. Seeing the prairies or the mesas and mountains with the vegetation growing on them with lovely cloud formations to getting to know someone new is rally enrapturing. It’s fun to approach every situation with an open mind and fresh eyes. It offers a chance to get outside yourself and be a different person – maybe even better – than you usually would be. And it lets you slow down and get lost in a situation. Of course it also lets you learn and expand your mind if you are visiting places like historical sites or museums. Iit lets you be a little irresponsible too. You don’t have to worry about paying bills or following up on calls or worrying about money for a short time. I guess I could say it’s partially escape and partially finding your bliss. I like both of those! And I don’t do it as often I’d like, but that gives me something to look forward to in retirement - if ever really do retire! How about you? What do you like about traveling? Tune in to my show on Wednesday to hear songs all about it.

What have I been up to? 

I had 9 senior facilities last week, and I did a mix of patriotic shows and just plain fun shows. I love these folks so much.

My Wednesday online show was blues songs for Independence Day. I had feared that it might be too dark a theme, but instead it was really lively and fun. Everyone seemed to enjoy it a lot.

Thursday at the Yellow Pine Barbecue was packed with folks. Everyone was ready to celebrate the holiday, and there was dancing and singing and lots of smiles.

Friday night I played instrumental tunes at the Garden of the Gods Club for a great group of folks including some good friends. I did some patriotic and some very sweet tunes too.

Saturday I played the Art in the Park holiday event in La Veta, and there were so many familiar faces and big smiles. It was a very beautiful day that I’ll remember long.

Saturday night I went to a concert in Red River, New Mexico, with an old friend that was a blast. It was Texas-favorite Ray Wylie Hubbard and his trio. I didn’t know very many of his tunes, but he really entertained and had the crowd singing along and stomping their feet. I get to go to so few concerts that I really drank this one in.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests as always, and it was a good one. The holiday spirit really came out in everyone.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and I’m not sure what themes I’ll base my shows on, but I know it’ll be a meaningful and sweet time at every one.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be traveling songs as I wrote of above. There are some great songs on this theme, and I’d love to have you in the audience!

Thursday 6:30-10 I’m back at the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch for the barbecue, and I know it’ll be as good as ever. This is a really good time in this historical barn with great barbecue and my music. It’s well worth your time if you’re looking for a pretty spot and a nice evening out. Call 719-742-3528 to make a reservation now. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday at noon.

Friday 6-9 I’m at Garden of the Gods Club playing instrumental guitar tunes in the Grand View restaurant. I really enjoy noodling on great tunes for this, and I’d love to have you hear them. Reservations are at 888-994-3156 or you can usually sit at the bar or the small table near me in the bar.

Saturday I’m playing a private all-afternoon party with several other musicians in Guffey for several anniversaries and special events. It should be an afternoon to remember.

Sunday I’m back in Guffey playing a private house (barn) concert for the same folks I’m playing for on Saturday. These are old friends who played a meaningful part in my life, and I’m looking forward to playing for them. There won’t be an online show on Sunday because of this house concert. I’ll resume them the next Sunday.

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That’s it for this week. It’ll be a whirlwind, but that’s what summer is all about! I hope you are healthy and happy.

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:  Wednesday, July 9, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing at the barbeque

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

When:  Thursday, July 10, 6:30-8 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

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

When:  Friday, July 11, 6-9 pm