“Oh, my mother's in St. Louis, And my bride's in Tennessee
So, I'm goin' to Arizona With a banjo on my knee
I’m a rider in the rain
He's a rider in the rain And I'm goin' to Arizona
I’m a rider in the rain”-Randy Newman

Hi.
Texas was great. Thank you for asking. It feels like the normal rhythm of things to be in Austin, Texas in March during the same time as the SXSW festival. It’s a chance to see friends from all over. I don’t know how much longer the SXSW festival will be a thing. Nothing really lasts forever. However, none of that really matters to me as I skirt the industry. I am barely a participant in the world that values that sort of thing. I have freed myself from that game some time ago. I like to think my work exists in the room. Whatever room will have me. So: I had a handful of great shows, including a very memorable visit to Peggy’s Porch Party in Austin and Poor David’s in Dallas. Both of those shows were shared with my friend and mentor Walt Wilkins. Our visits are always full of good things and illuminating moments. We had all the laughs and we wrote a song together. That is good stuff.

Today, I am writing to you from Tucson, Arizona, where I am positioned in the corner of a very hip coffee place filled with young people staring into laptops, living on the screen. EarPods. Iced Lattes. Tattoos. Information. So much has changed since my last extended visit to Arizona which I believe was in 2010. The world was a different place then. It will be a different place in another 15 years. I hope this part of the world will continue to have water and services in the face of the changing earth. By the looks of the consumption here today, I don’t see that as a sure bet.

In 2010 I was just about to release a record called Downhauler. I wrote the liner notes while visiting friends and family in Scottsdale. I spent a few days driving around and wandering into the desert. I performed in a few places around Phoenix. I had no concept of the year 2025. I couldn’t possibly have realized that I would be releasing that same record again in April of this year as a 15th-anniversary celebration for songs and a time that carried me very far.  But here we are. More on that release and some others in our next talk.

Tomorrow I will pick up my best friend Abbie Gardner at the Tucson airport. Our fearless Susie Markland will be there to guide us to six upcoming shows that will conclude with a headlining spot for Abbie and me at the Tucson Folk Festival on April 5th. Before we get there, we will be in Phoenix, Cave Creek, Safford, and Prescott Valley. All the details are contained within. I love sharing the stage with Abbie. It is an easy exchange. A smooth ride. We laugh a lot. Come and see us. 

 TICKETS for all upcoming shows can be found HERE. 

Ok. Like the Randy Newman lyric above, I suppose I’m just a rider in the rain. I feel like I’m in a lucky place. Rain or shine, I love it out here. 

MDB
3/26/25
Tucson, AZ