Mike's Newsletter

The fall and the early winter season have been fabulous. The Autumn Acoustics Festival was a blast. (http://www.autacoustics.com) I highly recommend this festival to everyone. It has lots classes on a variety of instruments. I just got back from the George West Storyfest in George West, TX. (http://www.georgeweststoryfest.org/). What a great storytelling festival. There was something for everyone. I had a grand time sharing the stages with all the tellers, particularly the cowboys who are amazingly tall!

I am still teaching two days per week. My school district talked me into teaching the 5th and 6th grade gifted education classes. I am having a ball. I get to teach without the specter of testing hanging over my head.

This schedule – 2-day workweek and 5-day weekend – has allowed me to perform a great deal more and still have health insurance. So, before all my days are filled, give me a call and set up shows or workshops at your school!

Mike’s now on the Illinois ArtsTour Roster! Click here to see how this can help you bring Mike to your school, library, festival, or museum!  Or click  http://www.arts.illinois.gov/roster/includes/AT.htm

Two new products:

MIRRORS

My new, and long anticipated mountain dulcimer CD made its debut in mid-March. This was a project I just got behind and pushed. Many changes happened during that time as well as I dealt with the death of my father and coming to grips with all the legalities that involved. This recording was a great relief to work on during that stressful time. I let a lot of my silliness flow through it.

THE DULCIMER GUY’S SONGBOOK

A collection of both Ionian and Mixolydian songs. These are the songs I use with my Dulci-Kids and in a lot of my workshops. Great basic tunes presented in a simple format.

I have projects almost completed.

1. A new chapter book for kids: Questions

I have had it raked over by two editors, and I revised it. Now it is going through the editing process again.  I can tell you that it concerns a kid who talks to plants, a ghost, and a cornfield. So far the reviews have been very good.  I am setting up author talks; so if you know of a place that might need one let me know.

I am setting up author talks; so if you know of a place that might need one let me know.

2. A Children’s Song Book. This songbook is in the final stages. Kathy Lanier did a lot of work making sure my music was right. I have hopefully fixed all of the notation mistakes and am checking all of the tablature. The book will include 20 songs complete with chords, mountain dulcimer notation, a page per song that has just the lyrics and chords. Eventually there will be a CD to accompany it.

3. The Other Stuff CD: Ok, I’ve talked about this one for a long time. But I have actually recorded several songs for it and lined out the material that will appear. This will be a vocal CD consisting of my favorite material on banjo, guitar, dulcimer, and jaw harp including that song I keep quoting at the end of this newsletter.

So that’s what I’m doing in between teaching, performing, going to my son’s baseball games, being a hands-on father, and everything else we all do.

If you are looking for an informative, entertaining speaker for your conference, give Mike an e-holler: mike@dulcimerguy.com.  Have talk - will travel!

I hope to see you somewhere.
Come up and say hi!
Be careful on the highways. We all have people who want to see us come home.
If we all work together, we won’t let them down.

--Mike

The old man comes to the Midwest blowing in with his ice and snow.
He covers the field with a blanket to help the winter wheat grow.
There’s time to go for a sled ride pulled by the old John Deere
When Winter comes to the Midwest on the Prairie

From Big Storm’s A-comin song by Mike Anderson © 1997 MW Productions