James McMurtry and the band are just wrapping another European adventure and are heading back to the States for more dates this weekend. See jamesmcmurtry.com for the details. And while you're there, check out the hula hooping video. I have joined the "hula hooping to James" movement, and have actually acquired a hula hoop that appeared at one of his shows!
You know, the new album came out this week! In 2009, James McMurtry and his merry band traveled overseas to play their very first European tour in Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Scotland and Belgium. And Ian McLagan was on board for keyboards on the tour! They have culled through for the best recordings from the Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Geislingen, Germany concerts, which were combined to create Live in Europe. I know it's a hard choice, but you can get it two ways: as a CD with a bonus DVD, or as a deluxe vinyl LP package with a CD and DVD insert. And yes, this song is on it. We filmed this version at Threadgill's in March...You'd a' Thought (Leonard Cohen Must Die).
Bonnie lives in Nashville now, and drat, when we were there, we didn't even have time to grab a cup of coffee, let alone see her for a session! We are also text buddies, so we did keep in touch, though. And I have a bit of a mystery to solve. She shot me a message saying, "Nice pants." Now, Bonnie, are we talking the leather pants that I wore to the Americana Honors and Awards Show? Were you there? Cause if you weren't, how do you know? Do tell, I am dying to know!
Bishop is on the road this weekend for a Southern swing, playing Friday in Opelika, Alabama at 8th and Rail, and then Saturday at Octoberfest in Port Royal, South Carolina. I encourage you to catch her if you are close. Here is incentive. From just a couple of months back, "Be With You."
We love Eric Brace and Peter Cooper. And we love them separately, too. We chased each other for days, random snippets of text messages as we poked the soft white underbelly of time for a hook up moment while in Nashville. I think I even said something like, "...if we could only get you on the bus..." which prompted Eric to fire a text back referencing my forwardness and cheekiness, "Well, I never!" But it wasn't meant as that kind of come on, and we were finally able to get the mist clear enough to see our way to do this as we were winding down, on our last night, second to last session, as I recall. There was only one problem. There was no Peter Cooper. We heard he was cooking scallops (we wanted some), then that he had a previous commitment which was not initially time specific, but then became so. We waited, we drank beer, we kibitzed. And then we said, "What the hell..." and told Eric to do a solo tune. It is a brand new one called Missoula Tonight.
Not to worry, Peter finally showed up and we got one from the duo, too, coming at you soon.
![James McMurtry - Live in Europe (Audio Version) - You'd a'Thought (Leonard Cohen Must Die) [Live]](http://ax.itunes.apple.com/images/badgeitunes61x15dark.gif){kind=small}