Hey Everyone,
Just a quick reminder that we will be doing a huge New Year's Eve extravaganza with the amazing Rootstand at The Loading Dock, 205 Lake Ave, Traverse City, Michigan. 49684. Tel:231-941-4422 Website: www.myspace.com/theloadingdocktch Tickets are a lowly $10, show starts around 9pm and goes to the wee hours of the morning.
Thank you all for your continued support. Hope you all had an amazing Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, & Holidays. May 2011 be a year full of peace, joy, prosperity and inspiration.
See you out on the road,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Harper December Blog
Hey Everyone,
I hope all my friends in the USA and Canada had a Happy Thanksgiving. Wow this year has really flown by with tremendous speed. It has been a turbulent year for my band and I with some huge highs and some very deep lows. The release of my new CD "Stand Together" in May was a huge high. The number of excellent reviews gave me a true sense of accomplishment. Getting to number 10 on Billboard and number 2 on XM/ Sirius Bluesville was another achievement. Another huge high was working with the amazing special needs kids at The Buckingham Center For Exceptional Students in Fort Myers, Florida, the Williams Syndrome kids at the Williams Syndrome Camp in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the inner city kids of The Detroit Merit Academy. To help others through my music is a true blessing. I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity.
Of the lows would be the major accident we had in North Carolina in May. But this was not to be a one off event. I have to say that my wife Bobbi and I are very lucky to be alive. On early Sunday morning (November 21) after a fantastic show at Billy's Lounge in Grand Rapids, Michigan we were hit from behind with huge force by an SUV on our way home. Our Dodge Sprinter was catapulted through the air which caused the Sprinter to flip on to its passenger side. Bobbi and I were suspended in mid air, held securely by our seat belts. Thankfully no major injuries- just a little bruised and battered. The whole side of the passenger side was nothing but a twisted metal mess. The front window and all the passenger side windows were shattered. The frame was twisted and the back doors demolished. It truly is miraculous that Bobbi and I only have some bruises to show for our ordeal. Thankfully the driver of the other car and his passengers were also OK. A good Samaritan with powerful arms pulled both Bobbi and I out of the wreck. The rest of the band had driven to the gig in their own cars- which was also a true blessing. My didgeridoos didn't even get a scratch, my amp, my harps- all were OK. On a sad note- our Dodge Sprinter- named Sylvia is no more- she was totaled by our insurance company State Farm- who I would have to say were very helpful and supportive. Marc our drummer came and picked us up at the scene of the accident and even gave us a bed for the night. We were very lucky.
So as we enter this Holiday season, I would like to suggest that we all look over our lives and count our blessings. Material things can always be replaced, but a loved one can't. Think of those less fortunate than yourself and if you can, try to do something for others. It doesn't have to be big- helping someone with their groceries, or opening a door for a stranger, helping out at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Or as in our case- a perfect stranger pulling us out of our wreck of a Sprinter van. Every little bit makes this planet a much better place. Giving is the greatest gift of all. I can certainly testify to that.
Thank you all for your continued support. Have an amazing Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays to all. May 2011 be a year full of joy, prosperity and inspiration.
See you out on the road,
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
I hope all my friends in the USA and Canada had a Happy Thanksgiving. Wow this year has really flown by with tremendous speed. It has been a turbulent year for my band and I with some huge highs and some very deep lows. The release of my new CD "Stand Together" in May was a huge high. The number of excellent reviews gave me a true sense of accomplishment. Getting to number 10 on Billboard and number 2 on XM/ Sirius Bluesville was another achievement. Another huge high was working with the amazing special needs kids at The Buckingham Center For Exceptional Students in Fort Myers, Florida, the Williams Syndrome kids at the Williams Syndrome Camp in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the inner city kids of The Detroit Merit Academy. To help others through my music is a true blessing. I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity.
Of the lows would be the major accident we had in North Carolina in May. But this was not to be a one off event. I have to say that my wife Bobbi and I are very lucky to be alive. On early Sunday morning (November 21) after a fantastic show at Billy's Lounge in Grand Rapids, Michigan we were hit from behind with huge force by an SUV on our way home. Our Dodge Sprinter was catapulted through the air which caused the Sprinter to flip on to its passenger side. Bobbi and I were suspended in mid air, held securely by our seat belts. Thankfully no major injuries- just a little bruised and battered. The whole side of the passenger side was nothing but a twisted metal mess. The front window and all the passenger side windows were shattered. The frame was twisted and the back doors demolished. It truly is miraculous that Bobbi and I only have some bruises to show for our ordeal. Thankfully the driver of the other car and his passengers were also OK. A good Samaritan with powerful arms pulled both Bobbi and I out of the wreck. The rest of the band had driven to the gig in their own cars- which was also a true blessing. My didgeridoos didn't even get a scratch, my amp, my harps- all were OK. On a sad note- our Dodge Sprinter- named Sylvia is no more- she was totaled by our insurance company State Farm- who I would have to say were very helpful and supportive. Marc our drummer came and picked us up at the scene of the accident and even gave us a bed for the night. We were very lucky.
So as we enter this Holiday season, I would like to suggest that we all look over our lives and count our blessings. Material things can always be replaced, but a loved one can't. Think of those less fortunate than yourself and if you can, try to do something for others. It doesn't have to be big- helping someone with their groceries, or opening a door for a stranger, helping out at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Or as in our case- a perfect stranger pulling us out of our wreck of a Sprinter van. Every little bit makes this planet a much better place. Giving is the greatest gift of all. I can certainly testify to that.
Thank you all for your continued support. Have an amazing Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays to all. May 2011 be a year full of joy, prosperity and inspiration.
See you out on the road,
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Harper November Blog
Hey Everyone,
We are having some incredible weather here in Michigan, USA this Autumn. Just lovin' the sunshine!!! We began the month with a benefit for Robin Rogers at Callahan's in Michigan. Robin is on the same record label as me- Blind Pig Records. She has inoperable cancer so many musicians around the country have been putting together benefits to help pay for her medical costs. My band and I were only to happy to help out. Laurie Wright put this event together and we thank her for her incredible effort.
The rest of the month saw us touring to Tennessee, West Virgina, some home shows in Michigan, then on to Pennsylvania and Canada. We had a very sunny afternoon show at The Chattanooga State College then it was on to Brackins Bar in Maryville, Tennessee. We then headed to The Empty Glass in Charleston, West Virgina to perform to a packed house. We were very happy to be apart of the West Michigan Blues Society twentieth year bash at Billy's Lounge. The Rusty Wright band also performed which was a treat for us to see. October also saw the closure of Blues On Grand in Des Moines, Iowa- we thank Jeff Wagner for supporting us over the years and we wish him and his staff all the very best. We will really miss this great music venue.
We were very happy to visit our favorite club in Sharon, Pennsylvania - Tullys then we headed to the Canal Bank Shuffle in Thorold Canada. We had some fun and games crossing the border. The Canadian border guard kept asking me over and over whether or not I had any guns. Of course I didn't have- but it was funny to be asked the same question over and over again. As we waited in the Border lounge for our passports to be verified, we saw a young guy being handcuffed and being led away to a private room in the back. Not Good! Thankfully we were Kosher! The Canal Bank Shuffle was a superb event- huge crowd, big stage and fantastic sound. We finished the month with a show at Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was a Pazman Super session featuring some of Michigan's finest musicians. It was a great event with some almighty jams. News just to hand - Mark Pazman has just received a "Keeping Blues Alive" award for his Sunday blues radio show on WCFX. Congratulations to Paz. Please note that we have decided to move our December tour to the West Coast to April, 2011. So never fear we will get to you, its just going to be a little longer than expected. Hope to see you all out on the road this November.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
We are having some incredible weather here in Michigan, USA this Autumn. Just lovin' the sunshine!!! We began the month with a benefit for Robin Rogers at Callahan's in Michigan. Robin is on the same record label as me- Blind Pig Records. She has inoperable cancer so many musicians around the country have been putting together benefits to help pay for her medical costs. My band and I were only to happy to help out. Laurie Wright put this event together and we thank her for her incredible effort.
The rest of the month saw us touring to Tennessee, West Virgina, some home shows in Michigan, then on to Pennsylvania and Canada. We had a very sunny afternoon show at The Chattanooga State College then it was on to Brackins Bar in Maryville, Tennessee. We then headed to The Empty Glass in Charleston, West Virgina to perform to a packed house. We were very happy to be apart of the West Michigan Blues Society twentieth year bash at Billy's Lounge. The Rusty Wright band also performed which was a treat for us to see. October also saw the closure of Blues On Grand in Des Moines, Iowa- we thank Jeff Wagner for supporting us over the years and we wish him and his staff all the very best. We will really miss this great music venue.
We were very happy to visit our favorite club in Sharon, Pennsylvania - Tullys then we headed to the Canal Bank Shuffle in Thorold Canada. We had some fun and games crossing the border. The Canadian border guard kept asking me over and over whether or not I had any guns. Of course I didn't have- but it was funny to be asked the same question over and over again. As we waited in the Border lounge for our passports to be verified, we saw a young guy being handcuffed and being led away to a private room in the back. Not Good! Thankfully we were Kosher! The Canal Bank Shuffle was a superb event- huge crowd, big stage and fantastic sound. We finished the month with a show at Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was a Pazman Super session featuring some of Michigan's finest musicians. It was a great event with some almighty jams. News just to hand - Mark Pazman has just received a "Keeping Blues Alive" award for his Sunday blues radio show on WCFX. Congratulations to Paz. Please note that we have decided to move our December tour to the West Coast to April, 2011. So never fear we will get to you, its just going to be a little longer than expected. Hope to see you all out on the road this November.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Harper October Blog
Hey Everyone,
Autumn is upon us already here in Michigan and Im starting to feel the chill in the air. We managed to escape the fury of Hurricane Earl over Labor Day Weekend. The national news services had us all terrified but thankfully Earl turned out to be more of a storm than a hurricane. After our shows at the Dinosaur BBQs in upstate New York, we drove to Albany just to be careful. At that point we weren't sure if our show at Harry's Bar in Hyannis, Massachusetts would be happening. Hyannis was directly in Earl's angry path. The show went ahead & it was bitter sweet, because Harry's was due to be closed after Labor Day. Despite the weather, we had a packed house and perhaps the wildest after party at a club I have ever experienced. I guess Harry's owners Laddy & Fred decided to let their hair down after more than twenty years in the business. Its such a pity that the owners of the building got greedy and doubled Harry's Bar's rent, making it impossible to continue operations. But that's corporations for you. Very little ethics, always after the dollars no matter what the cost to people's lives!! Our shows at Inn on the Blues & The Time Out Pub were also alot of fun. We are sorry to hear of our amazing timeout friend Kathy whose partner passed away suddenly. We are sending all our love to you Kathy.
So then it was back to Michigan for Dally In the Alley in down town Detroit. At first we were a little disappointed that we had an early afternoon slot. But it turned out to be the best slot of the festival because after our set- it just poured with rain for the rest of the day. We visited a new club for us- Treasure Lake Ski Lodge in Du Bois in Pennsylvania which was fun. The next day was Camp Jam in the Pines in New Jersey which was just fabulous. Camp Jam is located at The Old Cedar Camp Ground in Monroeville, a stunning location with a bunch of very cool people. We met up with other road musicians- the Skyla Burrell Band who played a great set. Then it was back to Michigan for the Rootenanny at the Rocky Top Farm in Ellsworth. We got to hang with the Rootstand guys who are the nicest people that you could ever meet. We will be doing a double bill with Rootstand at The Loading Dock in Traverse City for New Year's Eve. It should be a great show.
We finished the month with a show in Chicago at Martyrs for the Chicago World Music Festival. My band & I opened up for an Indian Sitar group which was a very unique experience. I also received some great news. I will be writing the music for a documentary about the life of Marilyn Chambers. Some other exciting news is that drummer Marc Dixon became a proud new home owner. Hope to see you out on the road this Autumn.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Autumn is upon us already here in Michigan and Im starting to feel the chill in the air. We managed to escape the fury of Hurricane Earl over Labor Day Weekend. The national news services had us all terrified but thankfully Earl turned out to be more of a storm than a hurricane. After our shows at the Dinosaur BBQs in upstate New York, we drove to Albany just to be careful. At that point we weren't sure if our show at Harry's Bar in Hyannis, Massachusetts would be happening. Hyannis was directly in Earl's angry path. The show went ahead & it was bitter sweet, because Harry's was due to be closed after Labor Day. Despite the weather, we had a packed house and perhaps the wildest after party at a club I have ever experienced. I guess Harry's owners Laddy & Fred decided to let their hair down after more than twenty years in the business. Its such a pity that the owners of the building got greedy and doubled Harry's Bar's rent, making it impossible to continue operations. But that's corporations for you. Very little ethics, always after the dollars no matter what the cost to people's lives!! Our shows at Inn on the Blues & The Time Out Pub were also alot of fun. We are sorry to hear of our amazing timeout friend Kathy whose partner passed away suddenly. We are sending all our love to you Kathy.
So then it was back to Michigan for Dally In the Alley in down town Detroit. At first we were a little disappointed that we had an early afternoon slot. But it turned out to be the best slot of the festival because after our set- it just poured with rain for the rest of the day. We visited a new club for us- Treasure Lake Ski Lodge in Du Bois in Pennsylvania which was fun. The next day was Camp Jam in the Pines in New Jersey which was just fabulous. Camp Jam is located at The Old Cedar Camp Ground in Monroeville, a stunning location with a bunch of very cool people. We met up with other road musicians- the Skyla Burrell Band who played a great set. Then it was back to Michigan for the Rootenanny at the Rocky Top Farm in Ellsworth. We got to hang with the Rootstand guys who are the nicest people that you could ever meet. We will be doing a double bill with Rootstand at The Loading Dock in Traverse City for New Year's Eve. It should be a great show.
We finished the month with a show in Chicago at Martyrs for the Chicago World Music Festival. My band & I opened up for an Indian Sitar group which was a very unique experience. I also received some great news. I will be writing the music for a documentary about the life of Marilyn Chambers. Some other exciting news is that drummer Marc Dixon became a proud new home owner. Hope to see you out on the road this Autumn.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Harper September Blog
Hey Everyone,
Wow the summer has really flown and Labor Day Weekend here in the USA is upon us. We head to the East Coast this Labor Day weekend with shows at Harry's, Hyannis, Mass, Inn on The Blues, York Beach, Maine & The Time out Pub in Rockland, Maine. Hurricane Earl is not going to effect our shows. August saw more festival madness. After our incredible weekend at the Maximum Blues Festival in Quebec, Canada we headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan to do a free show for the kids at the Williams Syndrome Camp. Now that was a saga- do you think we could find the Indian Trails Camping Grounds?. We drove up and down, Bobbi got out of the van to ask for directions three different times. It seems our GPS couldn't get her act together, so we had to rely on old fashioned local knowledge. We arrived about one hour late which was a first for us, but it didn't seem to matter, because everyone was so happy to see us. I have to say that this part of my musical career is the most fulfilling. These kids just give you so much love. I invited one of the kids up on stage to sing a 12 bar blues. The teachers told me he had a great voice. Well that kid sang like an old Chicago blues dude- it was amazing.
The next day we headed to The Cow Pie Festival in Alaska, Michigan. The weather was stifling hot, but no one seemed to care at the Cow Pie, and you really did need to watch where you stepped. The Festival was held on a working Angus Cattle Farm- so the cow pies were a plenty!!! There was no time to stick around as we had to drive to Madison, Wisconsin that night. It was a bummer because our good friends Biscuit Miller and Larry McCray were there and we all wanted to hang out. We made it to Duluth Minnesota the next day for the brilliant Bayfront Blues Festival where we performed just before Rod Piazza and Dr John. Bobbi & I hang out with Dr John before his set and we had a very in depth conversation about New Orleans and the BP Oil disaster. It was very inspiring because a week later we saw Dr John on the HBO Katrina Documentary by Spike Lee "If God is willing and the da creek don't rise" We had a fantastic set at Bayfront and was the highest CD seller of the day. We performed at a very cool bar called the Smiling Moose in Wisconsin on the way home to Michigan.
The next week we performed at the Cross Roads Music Festival in Ypsilanti, Michigan, we had a great set but the festival was closed down because a bunch of kids were fighting at another festival close by. We drove to Chicago that night & the next day we arrived at the hotel in Wausau, Wisconsin for the Big Bull Falls Festival. As we were rolling into the car park of Country Inn & Suites, the crank shaft pulley fell off our van. Yes it fell off!! After the accident in May, the transmission in late June and then having to wait for nearly 4 weeks for the body work to be repaired, Sylvia the Silver Bullet (Dodge Sprinter) was out of action yet again. Well I have to say on the positive side, we did land in Dodge Sprinter heaven- there was a dealership just 2 miles up the road and the kind folks at the festival came and picked us up & took us to the festival. The coordination was amazing- really no stress at all. We had a great set at the festival and we were the highest CD seller that day. We experienced the amazing music of Ruthie Foster and the Tommy Castro Band, the weather was picture perfect and the location was just stunning. Having a break down on a weekend, meant that we had to wait till Monday for any work to be done. So after the wrong part arrived on Tuesday, the van wasn't ready to go till Wednesday afternoon. I think everyone was going insane because we were only supposed to be away from home for one day which turned in four and a half days. But thankfully we are back on the road. I really have to thank the folks at The Country Inn & Suites in Schofield who really helped us out with a great deal on accommodation and a very late check out.
We are now driving home from a great weekend at The Paola Roots Festival in Kansas where we hung out with Hamilton Loomis and his band and Anthony Gomes who rolled in late Friday night from Chicago. We all stood about in the lobby of the hotel swapping road stories for hours-it was great to catch up with these guys. On a sad note we performed our last show at Blues On Grand in Des Moines, Iowa, unfortunately this club will be closing down in October. We will miss Jeff Wagner and his crew at this amazing blues mecca. We are all praying for a miracle to keep this club open. On another sad note, Harry's in Hyannis, MA will be closing after this weekend. Another great club gone, such a pity! Hope to see you out on the road this summer and fall.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Wow the summer has really flown and Labor Day Weekend here in the USA is upon us. We head to the East Coast this Labor Day weekend with shows at Harry's, Hyannis, Mass, Inn on The Blues, York Beach, Maine & The Time out Pub in Rockland, Maine. Hurricane Earl is not going to effect our shows. August saw more festival madness. After our incredible weekend at the Maximum Blues Festival in Quebec, Canada we headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan to do a free show for the kids at the Williams Syndrome Camp. Now that was a saga- do you think we could find the Indian Trails Camping Grounds?. We drove up and down, Bobbi got out of the van to ask for directions three different times. It seems our GPS couldn't get her act together, so we had to rely on old fashioned local knowledge. We arrived about one hour late which was a first for us, but it didn't seem to matter, because everyone was so happy to see us. I have to say that this part of my musical career is the most fulfilling. These kids just give you so much love. I invited one of the kids up on stage to sing a 12 bar blues. The teachers told me he had a great voice. Well that kid sang like an old Chicago blues dude- it was amazing.
The next day we headed to The Cow Pie Festival in Alaska, Michigan. The weather was stifling hot, but no one seemed to care at the Cow Pie, and you really did need to watch where you stepped. The Festival was held on a working Angus Cattle Farm- so the cow pies were a plenty!!! There was no time to stick around as we had to drive to Madison, Wisconsin that night. It was a bummer because our good friends Biscuit Miller and Larry McCray were there and we all wanted to hang out. We made it to Duluth Minnesota the next day for the brilliant Bayfront Blues Festival where we performed just before Rod Piazza and Dr John. Bobbi & I hang out with Dr John before his set and we had a very in depth conversation about New Orleans and the BP Oil disaster. It was very inspiring because a week later we saw Dr John on the HBO Katrina Documentary by Spike Lee "If God is willing and the da creek don't rise" We had a fantastic set at Bayfront and was the highest CD seller of the day. We performed at a very cool bar called the Smiling Moose in Wisconsin on the way home to Michigan.
The next week we performed at the Cross Roads Music Festival in Ypsilanti, Michigan, we had a great set but the festival was closed down because a bunch of kids were fighting at another festival close by. We drove to Chicago that night & the next day we arrived at the hotel in Wausau, Wisconsin for the Big Bull Falls Festival. As we were rolling into the car park of Country Inn & Suites, the crank shaft pulley fell off our van. Yes it fell off!! After the accident in May, the transmission in late June and then having to wait for nearly 4 weeks for the body work to be repaired, Sylvia the Silver Bullet (Dodge Sprinter) was out of action yet again. Well I have to say on the positive side, we did land in Dodge Sprinter heaven- there was a dealership just 2 miles up the road and the kind folks at the festival came and picked us up & took us to the festival. The coordination was amazing- really no stress at all. We had a great set at the festival and we were the highest CD seller that day. We experienced the amazing music of Ruthie Foster and the Tommy Castro Band, the weather was picture perfect and the location was just stunning. Having a break down on a weekend, meant that we had to wait till Monday for any work to be done. So after the wrong part arrived on Tuesday, the van wasn't ready to go till Wednesday afternoon. I think everyone was going insane because we were only supposed to be away from home for one day which turned in four and a half days. But thankfully we are back on the road. I really have to thank the folks at The Country Inn & Suites in Schofield who really helped us out with a great deal on accommodation and a very late check out.
We are now driving home from a great weekend at The Paola Roots Festival in Kansas where we hung out with Hamilton Loomis and his band and Anthony Gomes who rolled in late Friday night from Chicago. We all stood about in the lobby of the hotel swapping road stories for hours-it was great to catch up with these guys. On a sad note we performed our last show at Blues On Grand in Des Moines, Iowa, unfortunately this club will be closing down in October. We will miss Jeff Wagner and his crew at this amazing blues mecca. We are all praying for a miracle to keep this club open. On another sad note, Harry's in Hyannis, MA will be closing after this weekend. Another great club gone, such a pity! Hope to see you out on the road this summer and fall.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Harper August Blog
Hey Everyone,
Some amazing news just in- the new CD "Stand Together" is currently number 2 on the XM/Sirius Bluesville charts- woohooo!. It looks like the songs "Love=Peace=Freedom" & "Not My Brother" are the favorite tunes. And the CD has also entered the top 20 for the second time at number 17 on the national blues charts (Roots Music Report)
The month of July was festival madness. Our van was still stuck in Peoria Illinois so we had to make do. Our road angel friend Matt Eimer lent us his mini van for two weeks. It was just driving madness- in one week in particular we drove to Traverse City Michigan from Grass Lake, Michigan and back in one day for the Cherry Festival where we opened for the very talented Tommy Castro Band. And Whoah it was HOT!!! but the cool thing was that I got to hang out with Kenny Olson (Ex Kid Rock) and Larry Mccray. Then we drove to Nescopeck, Pennsylvania for the amazing Briggs Farm Festival where I opened the festival with an Acapella version of "The Star Spangled Banner". Pretty nerve racking for an Australian- but it all worked out fine. And yes we plan to post some footage up on facebook soon. Then we drove to Rochester, New York for a quick set at the Big Rib Festival. Managed to hang out for a little bit with Chef Jimi & Leslie and a few other cool folks such as Ken McKenzie from Florida. Then we had to head back to Michigan for another festival- Blissfest up in Northern Michigan- the very next day. So after driving to Blissfest, doing two festival performances and a workshop- Bobbi & I had to drive home that night - so that we could drive to Peoria, Illinois the next day to pick up our van.
As you all may remember the Dodge Sprinter's transmission died a horrible death in June. It cost $5300 (triple ouch) to repair. I tell you that van (aka The Silver Bullet) was a sight for soar eyes when we finally picked her up. Then we had to drive the van and the mini van to Burlington, Iowa to pick up our bass rig and drumkit from The Washington Club and to give Matt back his van. Bobbi and I decided to put four new tyres on the mini van as a present to Matt for his incredible generosity. He made a joke about wanted to let us borrow his truck as well- so I guess he was pretty happy.
The following week we performed on Fox TV's Morning show and also the Mitch Albom's radio show. The TV performance is up on the Harper website if you would like to take a peek. The International Blues Fest, Windsor, Canada was amazing. There had to be 10 000 folks in attendance. The whole performance was aired on Roger's TV in Canada and it was such a great show. We opened for Foghat who performed a great set. We were rained out at the Michigan Brewer's Guild Summer Festival. It just amazes me how many people were perfectly willing to stand in ankle-to knee deep water just to drink some great beer. Serious beer drinkers in Michigan, that's for sure!!!!. The Taste of Lincoln Festival in Chicago was also a great day with picture perfect weather.
We headlined the Maximum Blues Festival de Carleton sur Mer in Quebec, Canada on August 7. The Silver Bullet was still in the body shop- getting the body work done from our accident in May. (Yes its been quite the saga). So we had to squash five people into a Hyundai Sonata rental car for the trip- What fun! I would have to say the Maximum Blues Fest was just brilliant. Stunning location, amazing sound and lights and fabulous hospitality. It was worth the forty hour round trip. As of today FINALLY we now have the Dodge Sprinter back on the road
We have some amazing festivals coming up- The Cowpie Festival, Michigan, Bayfront Blues Festival, Minnesota, The Crossroads Music Festival, Ypsilanti, Michigan, The Big Bull Falls Festival, Wisconsin and the Paola Roots Festival, Kansas.
Hope to see you out on the road
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Some amazing news just in- the new CD "Stand Together" is currently number 2 on the XM/Sirius Bluesville charts- woohooo!. It looks like the songs "Love=Peace=Freedom" & "Not My Brother" are the favorite tunes. And the CD has also entered the top 20 for the second time at number 17 on the national blues charts (Roots Music Report)
The month of July was festival madness. Our van was still stuck in Peoria Illinois so we had to make do. Our road angel friend Matt Eimer lent us his mini van for two weeks. It was just driving madness- in one week in particular we drove to Traverse City Michigan from Grass Lake, Michigan and back in one day for the Cherry Festival where we opened for the very talented Tommy Castro Band. And Whoah it was HOT!!! but the cool thing was that I got to hang out with Kenny Olson (Ex Kid Rock) and Larry Mccray. Then we drove to Nescopeck, Pennsylvania for the amazing Briggs Farm Festival where I opened the festival with an Acapella version of "The Star Spangled Banner". Pretty nerve racking for an Australian- but it all worked out fine. And yes we plan to post some footage up on facebook soon. Then we drove to Rochester, New York for a quick set at the Big Rib Festival. Managed to hang out for a little bit with Chef Jimi & Leslie and a few other cool folks such as Ken McKenzie from Florida. Then we had to head back to Michigan for another festival- Blissfest up in Northern Michigan- the very next day. So after driving to Blissfest, doing two festival performances and a workshop- Bobbi & I had to drive home that night - so that we could drive to Peoria, Illinois the next day to pick up our van.
As you all may remember the Dodge Sprinter's transmission died a horrible death in June. It cost $5300 (triple ouch) to repair. I tell you that van (aka The Silver Bullet) was a sight for soar eyes when we finally picked her up. Then we had to drive the van and the mini van to Burlington, Iowa to pick up our bass rig and drumkit from The Washington Club and to give Matt back his van. Bobbi and I decided to put four new tyres on the mini van as a present to Matt for his incredible generosity. He made a joke about wanted to let us borrow his truck as well- so I guess he was pretty happy.
The following week we performed on Fox TV's Morning show and also the Mitch Albom's radio show. The TV performance is up on the Harper website if you would like to take a peek. The International Blues Fest, Windsor, Canada was amazing. There had to be 10 000 folks in attendance. The whole performance was aired on Roger's TV in Canada and it was such a great show. We opened for Foghat who performed a great set. We were rained out at the Michigan Brewer's Guild Summer Festival. It just amazes me how many people were perfectly willing to stand in ankle-to knee deep water just to drink some great beer. Serious beer drinkers in Michigan, that's for sure!!!!. The Taste of Lincoln Festival in Chicago was also a great day with picture perfect weather.
We headlined the Maximum Blues Festival de Carleton sur Mer in Quebec, Canada on August 7. The Silver Bullet was still in the body shop- getting the body work done from our accident in May. (Yes its been quite the saga). So we had to squash five people into a Hyundai Sonata rental car for the trip- What fun! I would have to say the Maximum Blues Fest was just brilliant. Stunning location, amazing sound and lights and fabulous hospitality. It was worth the forty hour round trip. As of today FINALLY we now have the Dodge Sprinter back on the road
We have some amazing festivals coming up- The Cowpie Festival, Michigan, Bayfront Blues Festival, Minnesota, The Crossroads Music Festival, Ypsilanti, Michigan, The Big Bull Falls Festival, Wisconsin and the Paola Roots Festival, Kansas.
Hope to see you out on the road
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Harper July Blog Fox TV appearance
Hey Everyone,
For those of you who missed my performance with Midwest Kind on The Morning Show on Fox Television Detroit check out this link:
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/entertainment/the_vault/harper-performs-on-fox-2
The new CD "Stand Together" hit number 10 on the national blues charts (Roots Music Report) and number 13 and climbing on the Bluesville sirius/ xm radio chart. So please keep requesting tunes- it really helps.
The Silver Bullet (Dodge Sprinter van) is back on the road after being stranded in Peoria, Illinois for two long weeks getting her transmission replaced. Wooohoooo! Got an incredible show on Friday July 16 at The Windsor Blues Fest, Canada opening for Foghat & then Saturday July 17 at The Cabbage Shed in Elberta, MI.
Hope to see you all out on the road this summer.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
For those of you who missed my performance with Midwest Kind on The Morning Show on Fox Television Detroit check out this link:
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/entertainment/the_vault/harper-performs-on-fox-2
The new CD "Stand Together" hit number 10 on the national blues charts (Roots Music Report) and number 13 and climbing on the Bluesville sirius/ xm radio chart. So please keep requesting tunes- it really helps.
The Silver Bullet (Dodge Sprinter van) is back on the road after being stranded in Peoria, Illinois for two long weeks getting her transmission replaced. Wooohoooo! Got an incredible show on Friday July 16 at The Windsor Blues Fest, Canada opening for Foghat & then Saturday July 17 at The Cabbage Shed in Elberta, MI.
Hope to see you all out on the road this summer.
Peace,
Harper & Midwest Kind
www.harper.biz (Official Harper Website) CDs, E Book & T Shirt orders
www.myspace.com/harperband
www.youtube.com/harperband (for live video clips)
www.facebook.com/harperandmidwestkind (just for chatting)
www.blindpigrecords.com (for CD orders & downloads)
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