Written and published by David Simpkins. David is vice president of the Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association (SVSA) — e-mail svsa@davidsimpkins.com for the latest FREE newsletter

"It is depressing to pay attention to the war on terror. I mean, it's summertime." ~ Fox News' Bill O'Reilly

"While I was renewing my driver's license, the teenager at the next window was asked whether he is a U.S. citizen. He responded, 'I don't know. How old do you have to be?'" ~ Atlanta Journal-Constitution Vent (06/26/08)

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Many of us working stiffs get a three-day weekend starting tomorrow to celebrate the nation's birthday. Hooray! It's an off year for Kathy's every-other-year family reunion, which usually falls around this time, so we'll save some money by sticking close to home and relaxing.

Musically, I'm "off" until July 19 -- and that's (sort of) okay with me. I reckon could be out scaring up some gigs but I'm not particularly motivated at the moment. Partly, it's the same old poor-attendance blues -- but I'm also finding that many of my songs no longer resonate with me.

The solution is, of course, to write new songs. But that requires inspiration and, as I've said, I'm a quart low right now. I did write a new one recently, "Old Abe Lincoln," but the SVSA critique-ers said it needs a lot of work. I'll have to decide whether to rewrite it so they'll like it or to move on and write something else. I don't care one way or the other and that probably means I'll shelve it. Maybe I'll come back to it in a year or two; after all, there can NEVER be enough songs about the Great Emancipator and his crazy wife.

I was all set to tell you about some musical equipment I ordered -- a new mic, a new cable, and new "tusq" end pins for my acoustic -- but for some reason the order got shipped back to the Musicians Friend warehouse. I paid via PayPal and, instead of resubmitting my order, MF insisted on giving me a refund unless I used a credit card instead. Otherwise, they said I had to go back and reorder all of it again myself. Humph. I can get the same items -- and use PayPal -- for about $25 less elsewhere, even without the free shipping. Too bad, MF -- you lose.

"What's all this stuff about motivation? I say, if you need motivation, you probably need more than motivation. You probably need chemical intervention or brain surgery. Actually, if you ask me, this country could do with a little less motivation. The people who are causing all the trouble seem highly motivated to me." ~ George Carlin (1937-2008)

LEADING HORSES TO WATER

I tend to blame myself for the poor attendance at my gigs -- and my worst gigs of all are usually closest to home. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.

Charles Bassett, president of Bassett Financial Management, recently told the Radford City Council that, according to the 2000 census, nearly a third of the city's residents live below the poverty line. And the population has been declining. The Roanoke (VA) Times reported that Bassett said, "My guess is, if you took the [Radford University] students out, the population has declined even more."

Times is hard, y'all. Then again, in years past when the economy was MUCH better, nobody was coming out to gigs then, either. And now money's harder to come by and there are fewer people. It's hard to be optimistic.

"A politician's appearance on 'The Colbert Report' certainly comes with risks. In a sit-down interview, host Stephen Colbert memorably -- and in a keen journalistic fashion -- asked Georgia Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, who had lobbied for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in government buildings, to name them. Westmoreland managed only two and got one wrong, while Colbert sat patiently counting." ~ Jake Coyle

IT’S IN THE STARS

Just for fun, I checked out my yearly forecast at an on-line Chinese Astrology site.

My "zodiac animal" is determined by my birth year, so 1954 makes me a Horse:

"Alas, the Horse is the sign that fares least well in this year of the Rat. (Hmmm -- "alas" is never a good way to start.) The trick will be to force yourself to rely more on your head than your heart. That is contrary to the Horse nature, so it won't be easy. (You got THAT right!) Your difficult year will probably extend into your career as well. (My day job career or my music career -- or both?) While you typically favor your independence, this is a good year for you to rely on the group for support. (What group?) Tough times at work might cause you to seek solitude. (I ALWAYS seek solitude!) But letting your guard down, especially with those who love you, is one way you will find happiness. (Uh, the LAST time I let my guard down ... ) Relationships may cause you some distress, especially if your loved one is also of the Rat, Monkey, or Dragon groups. (Whew -- Kathy's a Pig; just missed being a Rat. No disrespect intended.) You may experience some signs of decreased energy. (Some?) This is definitely not the time for risk taking. (Oh yeah? So NOW you tell me!)"

Sheesh. And the "Year of the Rat" is only half over.

"I'm not a planning-type guy. You can't count on nothing in this life. I never have expectations when I get involved in things. That way, I never have disappointments." ~ Bruce Springsteen

WE’RE NUMBER ONE!

I love living in the New River Valley -- but sometimes that love is tested. Like, for instance, when I read recently the following in a Roanoke Times article:

"Montgomery County's stretch of the New River is home to the state's largest polluter, according to the federally mandated Toxics Release Inventory. The Radford Army Ammunition Plant put more than 13.7 million pounds of toxins into the air, land, and water in 2006. That's more than double the output of the state's second-largest polluter.

"More than a ton of persistent bioaccumulative toxics -- toxics that accumulate in living things -- were in the arsenal's total. It was mostly lead, but there was mercury and dioxin compounds in there, too. Lead and mercury are most dangerous for developing fetuses and young children, but they can damage anyone's nervous system. Lead can damage almost any system in the body. Dioxins can cause cancer.

"By weight alone, the arsenal's largest discharge was nitrates. It put 13.5 million pounds of them into the New in 2006."

Sheesh. My dad worked there for 35 years. The "Powder Plant" was the area's top employer for a long, LONG time. And now, even though it's nowhere near as integral to the area's economy as it once was, RAAP is not only the top local polluter, it's the worst in the STATE.

Clean it up, y'all. Stop paying off whoever you're paying off to look the other way and clean up your act.

"A generation of parents who spoil their children rotten -- hubristically buying into the notion that their specific spawn is somehow special and deserving of society's deference -- combined with the technology that gives every computer- or text-savvy kid a voice, whether he or she deserves one or not, has conspired to hijack a good portion of what we see and hear. ... Talent doesn't matter, nor does personality; all that really counts is the innate ability to give America's cell-phone armed rugrats something to either fantasize about or aspire to." ~ Chez Pazienza

SO LONG AND THANKS

After 20 years, Donna Alvis-Banks retired this month from the New River Bureau of the Roanoke (VA) Times. Donna's regular contributions will be missed -- and I'm not just saying that because she has always supported my musical endeavors and helped to get the word out on my various CD releases over the years. It seemed that Donna was always writing the tough stories, the tragedies, with a true writer's skill and a good person's heart. She had a way of finding the focus of a story, spotlighting the most interesting -- and often the most poignant -- elements. The good news is, though, Donna will continue to write occasionally for the paper. Enjoy your retirement, Donna!

"We Americans think we live in the greatest country on earth. ... Because we're the greatest country on earth, we have the right to disregard the opinions of other countries, which aren't as great as we are. And we can impose our values on everyone else -- after all, why should anyone complain about having greatness thrust upon them? Our self-regard builds on itself, higher and higher, until the estimate of our worth far outstrips its real-world value." ~ John Feffer

I TOLD YOU SO

I said in the last MCG Update that there'd be more of this kind of thing -- and sure enough, Reuters reported recently that, for the last six years, Bush's Justice Department has been improperly injecting politics into hiring programs. A report by the department's inspector general and office of professional responsibility said members of a screening committee rejected applicants with liberal or Democratic affiliations at a much higher rate than those with Republican, conservative, or politically neutral backgrounds.

Federal law and department policy prohibit such factors in hiring career positions.

The study said illegalities were notable under both of Bush's resigned Attorney Generals, Ashcroft and Gonzales. Bush's newest AG, Michael Mukasey, said he had accepted recommendations in the report to further guard against improper hiring factors. Oh really? What's that old saying about closing the barn door after the horses have gotten out?

This is in the wake of the revelation that Bush administration appointees in NASA press office canceled a press conference on a mission monitoring ozone pollution and global warming because it was too close to the 2004 presidential election. They also unilaterally edited or downgraded press releases having to do with global warming or denied access to scientists.

This stuff isn't only sleazy and crummy, it's ILLEGAL. But, of course, Bush knew, and knows, that he'll never be prosecuted (or impeached) for it. The best we can do is to turn over as many of these rocks as we can and to try not to ever be so damned stupid again in the future.

"Out of my entire annual output of songs, perhaps two, or at the most three, came as a result of inspiration. We can never rely on inspiration. When we most want it, it does not come." ~ George Gershwin

THE JOKER IS WILD

Just got a pack of "special edition" black and dark-blue Batman Reese's Pieces in anticipation of "The Dark Knight," the new Batman movie set to hit the theaters in two weeks. I'm really looking forward to it. And since I'm already in a Batman frame of mind, I bought the 20th Anniversary Special Edition of "The Killing Joke," the landmark 1989 graphic novel by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland that stands as the finest Batman vs. Joker story ever published, as well as being one of the best graphic novels of all time. (I loaned my original copy to somebody at some point and never got it back.)

And for those of us who can't wait for the new Batman movie, another comics character, HellBoy, has his second movie coming out July 11. Can't wait for that one, either!

"So, 55% of all gun deaths are suicides. Now, if we could just get the rest of the gun owners to shoot themselves, the problem would be solved." ~ Atlanta Journal-Constitution Vent (07/01/08)

BEST WISHES FOR A QUICK RECOVERY

My performing songwriter pal Britt Mistele was recently in a serious motorcycle accident. After a short stay in the hospital, he's recovering from a broken collarbone and other assorted bruises at home. Join with me and send all your healing thoughts his way. Get well, Britt, and don't try to do too much too soon! (Drop a get-well note to Britzsongz@aol.com.)

"I knew one TV reporter who was doing a story and it involved a murder in a small town in Georgia, and there were a lot of poor people ... talking a lot on camera. When he took it to his editors, they told him to re-cut the story, and take the poor people out and have him do stand ups instead so that he would be on camera more and the poor inarticulate people would be on camera less. This is something that goes on all the time in the media. It is a fact of economic life that when people see wealth on TV, they are inclined to buy more and when they see depressing images, they are inclined to buy less." ~ Matt Taibbi

NEVER THAT FAR AWAY

I've been keeping up my parents' house and yard since before my dad died in 1999 but since my sister and I inherited the ol' home place last July, I'm now the "official" caretaker. One spot that's particularly difficult to maintain is a small space between the den and the back porch that has never done much except to trap leaves and to serve as a catch-all for assorted junk.

As it does every spring, it grows over with vines -- and as I do every summer, I clear the vines out and try to keep them from coming back. But they always come back.

(After spending winter before last chopping and pulling vines off the chain-link fence around my backyard, and then recently battling those perennial vines at my parents' house, I figure that vines will loom large in my eventual purgatory. Hell to me will be eternally whacking at vines while having to listen to an endless loop of David Roth's "Lost Wallet.")

At least the vine-pulling chores are over for THIS summer. I've already made my yearly (and toothless) vow to not let it get ahead of me again. One good thing this time out, though, was finding traces of my dad's previous efforts to keep the vines and weeds down. He'd covered the ground beneath various piles of bricks and cinder blocks with plastic bags and pieces of flat styrofoam. I guess that did the trick for a few years until the plastic and styrofoam rotted. Unfortunately, dad's past DIY solutions only added to the trash pile this year. It was nice, however, to have literally uncovered something he'd done so long ago.

I've said before how ol' Troy's spirit is almost palpable in his garage. Now he's showing up all around the old homestead, still helping me to figure things out, still helping me to LEARN. Thanks, Dad -- and I hope you're pleased to know I'm finally paying attention.

"Conservative men are much more likely to suffer from the fear that they might be 'feminine,' than are liberal males. One way this 'femiphobia' gets managed is through projection -- by hating, denigrating, and attacking other men whose masculinity is imagined as somehow deficient." ~ Stephen Ducat

THE MEMORIES LINGER

Last year at this time, Kathy and I had just returned from our shortened beach vacation in order to deal with my mom's funeral. Mom's been gone a year now -- and I still miss her terribly. I think of her often, with love and kindness. It irritates me, though, to go into her house and smell the still pungent odor of nicotine. Sadly, that stench reminds me of her as much as any fond memory. Items in her house made of plastic or cloth all have a yellow tint to them; every book and every paper product still stinks of cigarette smoke. Even the WALLS are discolored. I haven't aired the house out properly because it's too depressing to go in there often enough. I'm going to have to get over that, though -- I've got to get some air in there before the warm weather ends.

As I said, I miss my mom so much sometimes that it physically hurts. But the most prevalent connection with her, unfortunately, is that damned cigarette smell. We'll probably never get rid of it entirely but maybe it will eventually fade along with the grief we all still feel at her passing.

"It's hard to make a record digitally. Hard to make it sound musical. It's like soup, making soup with cold water, or a burner that's not working." ~ Buddy Miller

ROAD TRIP

Last Saturday, at the Radford Farmers Market, my pal Greg Trafidlo brought along his new Fishman amp and sounded great on acoustic guitar and backing vocals. We got lots of compliments and had a fine time. Afterwards, Kathy and I had already decided to head up to the Green Valley Book Fair between Staunton and Harrisonburg VA and we asked Greg to come along. We all got nifty (and discounted) treasures at the book sale and we capped off the day with a meal at the legendary Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant and Bakery. With gas prices so high, these kinds of trips are will become more and more special and rare for us. If you're ever in that area and you've never been to either the book fair or Rowe's, I highly recommend both. (Check 'em out at http://www.gvbookfair.com and http://www.mrsrowes.com)

"Writing a song about something hoping somebody hears it is not the best way to work out your problems." ~ Bruce Springsteen

MCG MAILBAG

David responds: Hmmm ... must be summer and all you guys are busy. Well, when you get tired of all the sunshine and fun, drop me a line! Oh, and my sincere thanks goes out to all who sent me such heartfelt and helpful advice on counseling. However I decide to go forward, I know I can't lose when I've got that much concern and care in my corner.

LET ME HEAR FROM YOU

E-mail all questions, comments, suggestions, observations, April Fools' jokes, etc. to David Simpkins. The lifeblood of a newsletter like this one is the feedback it gets, so please contribute regularly. Addresses and IDs will be kept confidential, so feel free to say whatever's on your mind.

--- "When was the last time you pumped your own gas and how much did it cost?" ~ Recent question by Martin Wisckol, Orange County (CA) Register
--- "Oh, I don't remember ... I don't recall and frankly, I don't see how it matters." ~ Answer from John McCain, Republican presidential candidate

FRIENDS AND DELIGHTS

- Andrew Acosta: Virginia Style -- http://www.andrewacosta.com

- Jim Bowman: Welcome To Jim Bowman -- jp_bowman@chartertn.net or call 1-423-272-2831

- Caravan -- http://www.caravanband.net

- Tom Dews: Driving Dreams -- http://www.tomdews.com

- Frank Dieter: Red Tears On A Velvet Sky -- http://www.frankdieter.com

- Tom Forsey: The Simple Things -- http://www.t4crecords.com

- Jenny Lynn Golding: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jlg

- Bob Grubel: Dance When Your Soul Brings You Near -- http://www.bgrubel.com

- Mary Gordon Hall: Wine Glasses & Wooden Spoons -- http://www.marygordonhall.com

- Gary Hensley: Wright's Corner -- http://www.ghband.net

- J. Scott Hinkle: Blueridge Martini -- http://www.scotthinkle.com

- Pat Jenkins: It's All Coming Home -- http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pjsteelman

- La La Land: House Blend -- selangston@cox.net or call 540-339-4602

- Dylan Locke: local promoter and musician -- http://www.dlpconcerts.com

- Kim Lyons: Because Of This Day -- http://cdbaby.com/cd/kimlyons

- Dean Milano: Vestiges: More Songs About More Stuff -- http://cdbaby.com/cd/deanmilano2

- Bill Payne: Naughty And Nice -- http://www.billpaynemusic.net

- Bruce Piephoff -- http://www.brucepiephoff.com

- Matt Ramsey: Mile Zero -- http://www.mattramseymusic.com

- Greg Trafidlo: Folk Singular -- http://www.gregtrafidlo.com

- Patrick "F.M." Turner: The Igniter -- http://www.flat5.com/ (go to "Store," then "Music By Artist," then "F.M. Turner")

- The Whole Note Performance Room -- http://www.thewholenote.org

"Countries with the strongest 'pro-life' policies are the ones with the highest abortion rates, often twice our national average. These nations have implemented what our 'pro-life' movement strives to: banning abortion, making contraception hard to come by, and preaching abstinence-only to teens. The 'pro-life' paradox appears everywhere its policies are in place. [In the US], school districts in the conservative South are almost five times more likely than in the liberal Northeast to teach abstinence-only. Southern states also have the highest rate of new HIV/AIDS infections, the highest rate of STDs, as well as the highest rate of teen births." ~ Cristina Page

"I was on the staff at Montgomery Regional Hospital for several years and played one-on-one for individual patients. It is not a performance; it is not entertainment. This is a therapeutic modality. It's a service we provide to create a healing environment. Music can bring the patient's breathing and pulse into the rhythm of the music. Music is melody, harmony, and rhythm, and so much of the body is about rhythm: the heartbeat, the digestive process, brain waves, breathing. All those things are rhythmic. Very simplistically, when you play something with an appropriate rhythm, the body does something called entrainment; it matches, or entrains with, the rhythm of the music to bring the body back to homeostasis." ~ Debby Hix, harpist

WEB SITE(S) OF THE MONTH

He's baaaaaccckkk ... the one, the only Ross Perot, my favorite politician, has unleashed a new web site, perotcharts.com. Here's what Ross says it's about:

"The United States faces large and growing budget deficits mostly due to an aging population and rising health care costs. Unless we solve the problems caused by entitlement spending, there will be little money left to do anything else in the future. Over time, our standard of living, our national security, our standing in the world and the value of our currency could all be threatened. The sooner we confront these issues, the better."

Ross' charts, which he used to great acclaim during his presidential run back in the day, explain, in easy and simple terms, how the government's fiscal irresponsibility is wrecking America's future. For me, the introductory video is worth the whole ride. Check it out at http://perotcharts.com.

For other links of interest, go to the Links page.

"I think it's a big mistake trying to find out exactly what songs mean. It's even more of a mistake to try to meet the songwriter. It's never gonna be what you wanted it to be." ~ Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion)

ON THE RADIO

Cuts from my Long Story Short CD continue to turn up on various radio stations here in the U.S. and also internationally.

In 2007, songs from my CD were played on 106.7 WETX-LP in Johnson City TN, Radio Osttirol in Austria, and on streaming internet Roadhouse Country at www.DavesRoadHouse.com.

In 2006, my songs were played on LastFM.com, Radio Osttirol in Austria, radioIO ACOUSTIC streaming internet radio, WRIR 97.3 FM in Richmond VA, WLOY 1620 AM at Loyola University in MD, and on streaming internet Whole Wheat Radio in Talkeetna AK.

In 2005, my CD was played on Loyola College (MD) and Gaston College (NC) student radio stations, and on radioioACOUSTIC.com and Whole Wheat Radio, two streaming internet audio stations.

In 2004, my CD was played in Italy, England, Talkeetna AK, Blacksburg VA, Spain, Richmond VA, Belgium (two stations), Austria, and two U.S. internet streaming audio stations.

--- "Without privatization, I don't see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits." ~ John McCain, Republican presidential candidate, 2004
--- "I'm not for privatizing Social Security. I never have been. I never will be." ~ John McCain, Republican presidential candidate, 2008

GIG HOUNDS -- LET'S GET BUSY!

If ever y'all should run across some joint that might be a good place for an Americana performing songwriter like me to perform, I'd appreciate a "heads-up" e-mail or phone call.

Plus, if anybody would like to invite me over to play a set or two in their living room for a group of friends -- that's called a house concert, y'all, and they're FUN! I'll do two 45-minute sets and an encore if anybody wants one. E-mail me -- you'll be surprised and delighted at how low my fee is!

"Bush thinks he's the president, but he's Cheney's toy. He didn't come up with the policies he's selling, Cheney did. Cheney's been working on it for 30 years, in the Nixon and Ford administrations. Cheney wants Iran back, but the cost is too high right now. Cheney's not going to back down. He just managed to fire Admiral William Fallon who was commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East. He didn't want to go to Iran, so he's out. Before that it was General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He told Cheney that he'd refuse an order to use nuclear weapons against Iran, would resign before he'd follow the order, so he's out, too. Bush is just a puppet in my mind ... he's just Cheney's toy." ~ James McMurtry on his song "Cheney's Toy"

A GOOD RESOURCE

Wondering where SVSA members are playing this weekend? Or next week? Or next month? Check out the FREE monthly SVSA Music News e-newsletter. When an SVSA member sends in their gig info, it goes into the SVSA Music News -- it's not quite a comprehensive list, but it's as close to it as you can get! E-mail svsa@davidsimpkins.com and let Kathy put you on the FREE list.

"Opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil development would only slightly reduce America's dependence on imports and would lower oil prices by less than 50 cents a barrel, according to an analysis by the US Energy Department ... if Congress gave the go-ahead to pump oil from Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the crude could begin flowing by 2013 and reach a peak of 876,000 barrels a day by 2025. But even at peak production ... the US would still have to import two-thirds of its oil..." ~ The Associated Press, 2004

"A new Department of Energy analysis adjusts that estimate to 75 cents. The price of crude oil per barrel has jumped 100 DOLLARS in the Bush Era, leading prices at the pump to more than double. Shaving the crude oil price 75 cents per barrel by 2025 amounts to NO savings at the gas station." ~ Bill Scher

NOW HEAR THIS

Get my CD, Long Story Short, at the following locations:

• Barry's Music, 1083 E Main St, Radford VA 24141
• Coffee Buy The Book, 10 W Main St, Pulaski VA 24301
• Coffee Depot, 41 W Main St, Christiansburg VA 24073
• The Coffee Mill, 1144 E Main St, Radford VA 24141

Hear clips, read reviews, and buy it on-line at: CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/simpkins

Buy the whole CD on-line at:

Amazon.com: Go to http://www.amazon.com and search my name. (They've got the Visible Shivers' "Four Things" as well!)

Target: Go to http://www.target.com and search "Long Story Short"

Wal-Mart: Go to http://www.walmart.com/music, go to "Music Downloads," and search my name (PC only)

Downloads: Buy the whole CD or individual clips at:

Amazon, Apple iTunes, Arvato, Bitmunk, BuyMusic, Choice Records, Daiki, Destra, DigiPie, DigitalKiosk, Emusic, Flip, GreatIndieMusic, GroupieTunes, HearMusic, Inprodicon, Intent Media Works, Interia, iSound, Liquid Digital Media, MOD Systems, MOL, MP3tunes, MPGreek, MSN Music, MusicIsHere, MusicMatch, MusicNet, Muze, Napster, Nareos, Nokia/OD2, NTT, PassAlong, PayPlay, PeerImpact, PlayIndies, Puretracks, QTRnote, Rhapsody, Ruckus, RuleRadio, Sonific, Sony Connect, Starzik, Target, TastyAudio, Tradebit, USEN, Verizon, WalMart, Zune

From the horse's, uh, mouth

Mail $10 to David Simpkins, 125 Polk St, Radford VA 24141

Podcasts

Listen to a whole on-line "show," a 20-minute-long Podcast hosted by the Roanoke Times' Tad Dickens. We yak a little bit and I perform two as-yet-unrecorded songs, "The Sound Of Love Dying" and "Big Soft Bed." Go to the podcast.

Hear three complete songs from the "Long Story Short" CD (plus the Podcast) at the Roanoke Times' C.R.A.M. site.

"Out of over 170 countries in the world, only four have no form of paid leave for new mothers: Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, Liberia, and the United States of America; our child mortality is 37th worldwide; we have 40,000 kindergarteners home alone after school and 14 million children unsupervised; our health care system is a study in dysfunction; our schools are underfunded." ~ Joan Blades

2008 GIG LIST -- THE STORY SO FAR

1. Courthouse Cafe, Pearisburg, Virginia, Friday, Jan. 18

2. Third Street Coffeehouse, Roanoke, Virginia, Friday, Jan. 25

3. The Coffee Mill, Radford, Virginia, Friday, Feb. 22

4. Coffee Buy The Book, Pulaski, Virginia, Friday, Feb. 29

5. J&J Social Hall, Burnt Chimney, Virginia, Friday, March 14

6. The Whole Note, Bedford, Virginia, Friday, March 21

7. Coffee Buy The Book, Pulaski, Virginia, Friday, March 28

8. Stacy's Coffee Parlor, Falls Church, Virginia, Friday, March 29

9. The Coffee Mill Radford VA Fri Apr 11

10. Coffee Buy The Book Pulaski VA Fri Apr 25

11. Third St Coffeehouse Roanoke VA Fri May 09

12. The Coffee Mill Radford VA Fri May 16

13. Radford Farmers' Market Radford VA Sat May 17

14. WUVT 90.7 FM Blacksburg VA Sun May 18

15. Coffee Buy The Book Pulaski VA Fri May 23

16. Coffee Buy The Book, Pulaski VA, Fri June 20

17. Radford Farmers' Market, Radford VA, Sat June 28

Previous Gig Lists available by e-mail request.

"O Lord our Father:
   "Our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe.
   "O lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun, flames of summer, and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it.
   "For our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."
~ Mark Twain, "The War Prayer"

FINE PRINT

If there's something that you'd like to see added to (or removed from) this newsletter, let me know. My goal is to make the MCG as entertaining as possible for everyone.

And if some of it seems rather obscure -- please reply to this post and/or check out my web site at http://www.davidsimpkins.com. The web site should give you a clearer idea of who I am and what this is all about. Or, if you'd prefer, I can send you some back issues so that you can catch up.

Should you need to know anything about the Visible Shivers, please go to http://www.soundclick.com/visibleshivers If that doesn't do it for you, then e-mail me.

Performing songwriter David Simpkins is available for clubs, festivals, house concerts, benefits, private parties -- anywhere anyone might want to listen to a guy play an acoustic guitar and sing mostly original Americana music. David will be happy to perform as an opener, for multi-act bills, or for full-length solo shows, up to four hours. Have sound equipment; will travel. Contact David at (540) 633-1204 or e-mail him at amosflame@aol.com.

I'd like to thank all my friends both old and new for your support, faith, and encouragement. Without you, none of this makes any sense.