I am honored participate in voting for the Grammy Awards this year. Kudos to the staff at Grammy.com. The main website so much better this year and the new music player they'e set up for voter listening is outstanding.

The Grammys aren't perfect but it is a vote for musicians by musicians.

Observations -

The Best New Artist category is pretty weak this year, but The Ting Tings stand out as having created a sound that's at least a little different.

There is lots of good songwriting in all categories this year and I am encouraged by that.

Taylor Swift is an angel.

I ignored all categories I have no expertise in - How I voted:

I stumbled across these photos today and thought they might amuse you.

1980 and in the throes of teaching myself how to play. I'm holding handmade Les Paul copy that I later traded for my first real classical guitar. This was probably December, but I'm wearing a down jacket, indoors, in San Diego. Maybe I was just sick. Dig the Kenny Loggins hair.

1982. I took this old Harmony guitar on trade for a $100 motorcycle I was trying to sell. I stashed it at my Dad's house for many years because I thought it was so ugly but on a 2008 trip to visit him I pulled it out and played it and saved it to use as my camping/travel guitar. It has a solid spruce top and mahogany sides. I've played outdoor concerts with this guitar and I don't think I'll ever part with it.

1980. Tour jacket, tour van. No I was not high.

One of my cousins died last week, at age 52, of a collapsed heart valve. I hadn't seen him in a long time but I always remember him having a sweet innocence and a goodness about him no matter what was going on.

My biological family is a combination of long-lived and short-lived. My mother died at 58. My grandfather was 96 when he died. I try to be mindful of this as I live each day to the fullest.

Godspeed, Chris.

I wrote this piece for my friend Mika. He made a little video of it, which I am honored by.  It will appear on my December release "Rotation Of Earth.

I want one of these. This is David Kilpatrick, of Scotland, one of my label mates over on Many Miles Music. A neat little guitar.

Learn more about the instruments if you like at David's website.

 

I think this says it all for right now ;-).

I played a nice little concert on Vashon Island recently. Nice venue, really nice audience engaged in the music. A beautiful ferry ride over and back. I'm hoping to return again soon.

Forgiving Dreams, produced by Will Ackerman and engineered by Corin Nelsen at Imaginary Road Studios released on Many Miles Music.

I remember shaking Will's hand for the first time. What went through my mind in that instant was the memory of every note I'd been moved by in his music. The fingers that composed and performed The Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter were gripping mine and welcoming me to Vermont. And I was supported in my desire to record my music in the most perfect environment possible.

The studio itself is warm, inviting, and hand made. Most of the wood that makes up the structure, and its finishing parts, was milled from trees grown on the property. Will and Corin Nelsen built the studio. It is beautiful.

On the second of my trips there I stayed in the dream garage, Will's guest house. As I awoke each morning I became aware of the greatness that has graced that space. Tuck Andress. Patty Cathcart. Michael Hedges stayed there many times.

I was nervous recording the first few days. How could I not be? Will and Corin are good at putting people at ease. They have an incredible system of working together to review mark each take. By 1:00 we had the first song finished and Corin's brilliant editing was complete. Will pulled out a felt pen and invited me to sign the studio door.

I just returned from Imaginary Road Studios in Brattleboro, Vermont, where I recorded the last three songs for my new record produced by Will Ackerman, and engineered by Corin Nelsen.

We’re working on mixing and graphic design now. The album will be mastered around August 8th. After that, files are transferred to the duplicator and copies of the new record will be ready to put in your hands. Stay tuned!

I've thought of Will Ackerman many times over the years. His music has always been an inspiration. After my mother's passing, a difficult time, I was working in an engineering office with a view over a stand of second-growth fir trees. Late one day the sun setting over the trees reminded me of the Windham Hill logo. The year was 1993. Ackerman had just sold his interest in the company and moved to Vermont to reinvent himself. When I got home that night I picked up the guitar. As my fingers touched the strings I knew I was at the beginning of a reinvention of my own.

When it came time to pick a studio, a year ago now, to record this next record in I immediately thought of Will's inspiration. I Googled him, simply to find out what he was up to. To my surprise I found that he is available to produce recordings for independent artists like myself. I called the studio, expecting that the requirements would exceed my budget.

What followed was a Saturday morning phone call with one of my heroes. Will generously spent an hour with me. I set about sending Will some demo recordings, and things were set in motion. Recording there was not an insignificant expense, to be sure. But I calculated the number of units I'd need to sell, and what I stood to gain from the experience, and decided it was worth it.

I just made the first of two trips there, intending to record five songs as a demo. We captured nine. I scheduled another trip and got to work on polishing another couple of pieces to finish the record.