Truckstop Souvenir: News

We're happy to announce a new partnership with Matt Eimer of Simple Man Enterprises. Matt is now Truckstop Souvenir's official manager and we will be working closely with him over the next year to move the music forward and out into the world. Matt started and ran the "Simply the Blues Festival" in Fort Madison, Iowa for seven years. Simple Man Enterprises will no longer be putting on that festival, but Matt will continue his work in the music industry by representing a few independent musical acts, and we are honored to be one of them. Matt's website is http://www.simplemanenterprises.com.

We wanted to assure everyone that we are safe and dry here (relatively speaking), as there are no rivers running through our town. The county has experienced some minor flooding, but nothing like the devastation Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and other river towns in the Midwest have experienced.

We just learned about a fund for Iowa artists and musicians affected by the floods. The Iowa Artist Relief Fund has been set up through the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and the Legion Arts to assist artists who have lost equipment, portfolios, tools, studios, housing and more. If you have a little spare change to help these folks out, you can donate via the Legion Arts website:

http://www.legionarts.org/

Every little bit helps and on behalf of our fellow artists and musicians, we greatly appreciate anything you can give.

Thanks for all the continued support. We'll be in touch as we get closer to that second album we keep talking about ... the finish line is in sight!

Well, it's been such a long while since we've posted anything, figured we were about due. The best news in our world these days is Lauryn's new guitar, an Oriskany Model B made by Curtis Rockwell and Johanna Mutti. Curtis and Lauryn had a duo way back in her Colorado days and they reconnected last April. After we had the experience of playing their unbelievably beautiful guitars while touring the East Coast, Curtis and Johanna designed "Daisy May" for Lauryn who couldn't be happier with the results. Check it out here: http://oriskanyguitars.com/projects/index.htm.

In other news, the new recording is coming along, slowly but surely. We're writing songs faster than we can get them recorded, so there may actually be two new albums in 2008. We'll definitely keep you posted.

Until the next time (hopefully not 7 months later), have a safe and happy holiday.

We want to apologize to anyone who went to either Oskar Blues in Lyons, Colorado or The PS Collective in Omaha, Nebraska expecting to see Truckstop Souvenir. Our dear friend George Wilson lost his battle with cancer on May 17 and both shows were cancelled in order to attend his funeral. We hope to reschedule both dates sometime in the future.

George was a wonderful friend and beautiful human being and we deeply mourn his passing. His friendship was a true blessing and gift and we are grateful to have had him in our lives, even if his time here was cut way too short.

Been awhile since we've posted, so we thought it was time to hit the keys and give an update ...

Thanks to all the support from our east coast tour ... it was great meeting so many new people and getting to see some old friends from many years past. Had a blast playing a house concert at a home built in 1765, just up the river from where Washington made his historic crossing of the Delaware. We got to stay in the 1802 addition, the slaves' quarters. Great accomodations for a couple of history buffs and story tellers with big imaginations!

We've begun pre-production on the follow up to "Leave Nothing Behind" and are very excited about the new material and arrangements. After our west coast romp in May, recording will kick into full swing.

Until next time ... hope to see you on the road sometime!

We want to send a big thank you to everyone who came out to see us on our most recent tour, and especially thank all of those people who opened up their homes and hearts to us. We had a great time, got to see some absolutely beautiful parts of this country we call home, and had the pleasure of sharing the stage with two amazing women, Sara Hickman and Corinne West.

We're continuing to add new dates for our April and May tours ... be sure to come out and say hi if we're in your neck of the woods!

Good news! "Leave Nothing Behind" has debuted on the Euro-Americana chart at Number 9. Check it out here: http://home.hetnet.nl/~noci48/

Having a great time on tour, loving being back on the road. We're so grateful to all the good folks coming out to see us and all the support we're receiving. Check out the calendar for more shows and help spread the word in other parts of the country!

"Leave Nothing Behind" has made another top albums list, this time WVPE's "The Back Porch Best Albums of 2006". The Back Porch/WVPE is an NPR affiliate station out of Elkhart, Indiana, with co-hosts Al Kniola and Norm Mast: http://wvpe.org/backporch.html

In the words of one of our favorites, Robert Earl Keen, Merry Christmas from the Family!

Just found out "Leave Nothing Behind" has been named one of Colin Fielding's (Folk and Roots, Australia) best international releases for 2006.

"Leave" was also given an honorable mention on Rootstime (Belgium) for top releases of 2006.

Howdy Folks. Well, we're back in the saddle again, and how good it feels to be out playing again. Many thanks to Jeff Phelps and Saints Rest in Grinnell, Iowa, for welcoming us for our first show in our new home. Absolutely wonderful venue -- for performing and listening -- if you're ever in Grinnell!

Dennis hosts his first radio show today, "Gravel Road Radio" on KRUU FM, 100.1. Stream live every Tuesday from 2 -5 p.m. Central Time at http://www.kruufm.com. Roots and Americana, at least the way he sees it.

Howdy folks. We're finally getting ourselves settled into our new home in Iowa and loving it ... bike rides through the cornfields, high school football on Friday nights, flea markets, crickets at night, and gorgeous autumn weather.

We'll be back out performing as we get ourselves situated ... in the meantime, check out the sound clips and reviews for our debut CD! Thanks for stopping by.

See you on the road ...

Good news, folks. We have our first "number one" hit, on Cosmic American Radio. "My Heart Ain't Yours" was number two the week of July 9, 2006 and number one the week of July 17! Check it out here: http://thecosmicamerican.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_thecosmicamerican_archive.html

Thanks to all of you who came down to the Sunset Tavern for our CD Release party. We were so thrilled to have such a packed house and such an appreciative audience.

We also want to thank Kurt B. Reighley of the Stranger for his wonderful profile and review, as well as Gene Stout at the Seattle Post Intelligencer for the Seattle Noise profile on us.

We especially want to thank KBCS for truly supporting local music. We had a great time going into the studio with Sean Donovan, who made our first in-studio performance and interview a real treat.

Just found out we'll be opening for one of our all-time favorite musicians, Corb Lund, on August 30 at the Tractor Tavern. You may not have heard of him, but his newest album won a Juno (the Canadian version of the Grammy Awards) and his video was number one on CMT's Chevy Top Twenty Countdown. Check him out at http://www.corblund.com and definitely reserve the date!

Howdy y'all. Mark your calendars ... we'll be doing our CD release party at the beautiful Sunset Tavern in downtown Ballard on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at 9 p.m. See you there!