[ From Butch Ross ] August Tour begins! (and there's a lot of Ukulele in it!!!)

[Butch Ross]

*Upcoming Shows:*
*
*This Saturday and Sunday! Aug 3 - 4, 2013
*Midwest Uke Fest
*Folkcraft Instruments Store and Factory
Woodburn, IN

Tuesday, Aug 6, 2013 - $20 per workshop
*A day of workshops in Marine City, MI
*Marine City, MI
*Contact Tom Hoy if you'd like to attend.
(586) 747-4197  thoy999 at yahoo.com
*
Thursday, Aug 8, 2013 - $25
*A day of workshops in Findlay, OH
*College First Church of God
Findlay, OH
*Contact Phyllis Schaffer if you'd like to attend. (419) 424‐0213
*
Friday, Aug 9, 2013 - 8pm
*Taffy's of Eaton
*Eaton, OH
http://www.taffysofeaton.com/
*LOVE this place!!!
*
Saturday, Aug 10, 2013 -
*Second Saturday Clinic
*Folkcraft Instruments
22133 Main St.
Woodburn, IN
*More Uke wondrousness! (is that a word?)*

Friday, Aug 16, 2013 - 7:30 - $10.00
*333 Coffeehouse
*351 DuBois Rd
Annapolis, MD

Saturday, Aug 17. 2013 - 7:30pm - Free
*Taylors Books
*226 Capitol Street,
Charleston, WV
(304) 342-1461

*There might be some stuff happening in central Ohio too. I'll be sure and
let you know when that gets finalized.*

So, I'm going to let you in on a little secret; August is the one month of
the year where it's no fun to be in Chattanooga. As a result, I try and
book myself out of town for as much of it as I can. Of course, I heard just
yesterday that it's been reasonably mild this summer and that we can expect
those mild, wonderful conditions to continue throughout the month of
August. Well my loss is your gain (or something like that 'cuz I'm headed
your way).

Although I have no intention of giving up the dulcimer anytime soon, and
am, in fact, looking forward to playing some new clubs and festivals in the
coming year. I have to say that attending last year's Midwest Uke Fest was
a revelation. Richard Ash and company know how to put on a festival that is
fun and informative, and even the threat of a tornado didn't stop us from
having a blast whatever we were doing. I'm very excited to get back up
there with Bing, Ehukai, Gerald Ross (no relation), and YOU!!!

After a week that will find me teaching some nice all-day workshops in
Michigan and Northern Ohio, I'll be back at Folkcraft for the Second
Saturday Clinic. I'll be teaching Uke and Maureen Sellers will be handling
the Dulcimer stuff. The Second Saturday Clinic manages to cram workshops,
jamming, and concerts all into a jam-packed afternoon that you can still
get to and back in a single day, and all for just $20 dollars.

Finally, I'll be performing at a new (to me) coffeehouse. The 333
Coffeehouse in Annapolis, Maryland is a fun series that has, in the past,
hosted some of my favorite performers. I don't know how they found me, but
I'm happy to be a part of this lively concert series.

*News on the new CD*
Nothing too much to report here. Progress IS being made, but you gotta be
in town to record so it's been catch as catch can. But, the hard work is
getting done, The guest musicians are coming and going, and I can see the
light at the end of the tunnel. I've been saying this for a while, but I'm
pretty sure that when this tour ends we'll be kicking off the Kickstarter
campaign.

Kickstarter <http://www.kickstarter.com/>, for those of you who don't know,
is a "crowdfunding" site where "backers" (that's you) pledge to give some
amount toward the completion of my financial goal, in exchange for some
level of reward. This can be everything from a download of the album, to a
physical CD, to Vinyl, T-shirts and even House Concerts. It's very Public
Radio except that the pleas will come mostly via email and I won't be
holding your programming hostage until I make a certain amount. Also,
Kickstarter is an all or nothing thing: If I don't make my goal, nobody
gets charged. This last bit is actually my favorite part—it means we're
literally in this together.

This record has taken a long time to get off the ground, but that's because
it is an ambitious and emotional undertaking. I'm excited for you guys to
hear the results, and one of the levels on the Kickstarter campaign will be
just that: the ability to hear mixes of things and the work in progress.

That's all the news I got for you, come see a show, take a workshop or just
say hi.

C-ya out there.

--Br
www.butchross.com

"Now I know what a dulcimer is supposed to sound like" —Jake Shimabukuro