Howdy Folks! Thanks for tuning in. Here at home it’s full-blown Indian Summer. Leaves turning bright colors, toasty, sunny...not bad.
Lily (left), doesn't want us to go...
Summertime has been fantastic this year, with lots of fun trips and great gigs. Right now, we’re gearing up for the big annual tour of the UK, with over 30 dates this year, at arts centres, concert halls, clubs, schools and I’m doing several guitar workshops as well. The tour kicks off Oct. 13th on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, then goes all throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Check out the Tour Dates page for full details.
Look for feature articles in two of the best UK blues magazines; Blues in Britain October issue and an interview is also in Blues Matters Oct/Nov Issue 34. Thanks to all for your kind support and we look forward to having a blast on this tour!
I’ll be performing with a couple of guitars on the tour. I’ll have the ever sturdy and big bottom sound of my National Baritone Tricone, and will introduce my new small body acoustic guitar built by the world-class Iowa luthier, David Flammang. This guitar is called an EL 12-fret, and is very similar in body shape to my1926 Nick Lucas Special, with the cute curvy lines and really fantastic sound. It's been a real joy to twang the strings on this puppy and I can’t wait to play it on tour!
LOST HEROES
This year has been a tough one, as we’ve lost quite a few of my major blues heroes. Jessie Mae Hemphill passed away late in July, and Henry Townsend and Etta Baker both died very recently. We knew Jessie Mae and Henry Townsend personally, doing gigs together sometimes, and I feel like they were like my musical grandparents.
CATFISH IN THE GALLERY IN LONDON!
At the renowned Redfern
Gallery in London, David
Oxtoby's painting, "Guitar Man," of
yours truly, is now on display, also with an etching of Oxtoby's of John Lennon. An earlier
version of the painting was used on the cover of my Pony Run CD
(left). Check it out.THE FUTURE
After the UK tour, which goes from Oct 13th through Nov 25th, this winter we’ll follow the sun to California in January for a tour, also appearing at the NAMM Show in L.A. with National Guitars, and in February we’ll do a Florida tour. The end of February and early March takes us to Puerto Escondido, Mexico for the Puerto Blues Festival, and in May we may go to Italy. Plus shows around the Midwest and much more to come in 2007.
My Sweet Pea album has continued to get lots of notice and healthy sales. It’s charted on hundreds of radio station playlists and made the Living Blues Radio Charts as well.
Look for a brand new CD in 2007. I’ve been working on a new batch of songs and can’t wait to get in the studio again.
NATIONAL GUITARS
I am always happy to help if you want to buy a new National, just email or call 319-338-3614 anytime. We have their amazing new 2-CD-and-trading-cards 2006 Catalogues available. The newest National models include the El Trovador, Cutaway Tricones, Lefty Tricones and the 14 fret Style O, replete with chicken feet!
THANKS
Extra, extra special thanks goes to my beautiful wife Penny Cahill for keeping everything humming here at Fish Tail. She does so much and I feel really very blessed to have her by my side. She’s Fish Tail Records Pres., and my tour manager and ace sound engineer. It means the world to me to have her strength and faith in our longtime mission of spreading a little joy around the world. Thanks again, Penny!
Hope to see you at the shows. Please come say Howdy. Feel free to email or call, it’s always great to hear from you.
yours truly, Catfish Keith
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