Friends, I had to drop out for a while, and I hesitate even coming up for air for this newsletter, but I do want to stay connected and I know, I know – consistent content is the name of the game.
It’s only been a few weeks, but my tour with Scrappy Jud Newcomb across the southeastern U.S. was glorious but also a bit grueling with some very long drives. We made some new friends, we visited some old ones, and my first tour outside of Texas and Vancouver Island (my two centers for work, home life, and gigs) was a success, with a few tangles but primarily nothing but joy.
Chestnuts: 10 Fun Songs! – the album Scrappy and I made to sell at shows is now out on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music and all your digital platforms BTW. In an era where we aren’t supposed to be selling CD’s, we made 300 copies and sold more than a few (a big success in my book for a modest 12 gig tour). So we haven’t made our nut back yet, but maybe the next tour or with some digital sales we’ll get in the black. Maybe we’ll get back to Japan soon or do another tour. Moreover we wanted a collection of old songs (and one stellar new one from Scrappy) representative of what our live show was all about. 2 musicians, 2 guitars, 2 voices. Same thing on the record. Go check it out! I recommend the Bandcamp version but anywhere you like is fine by us.
Also, big thanks to everyone who came out to my birthday bash. “Jeff Plankenhorn’s 49th Earthly Apology” was a pretty stellar success. Setting up for a gig with a line around the block, playing with the highest caliber musicians Austin or anywhere else has to offer, and doing it all at The Saxon Pub in Austin; well that just humbled the ever-living shit out of me. No joke.
One thing I realized after the birthday bash, was how close I am getting to defining my direction for the next few years musically. As my budding solo career gets back into swing after nearly two years off, I know it is time for new music. I have so many songs, mostly co-writes, that I’ll never record them all. Thank goodness for my patreon page! It’s really great to put out new music every month - if you haven’t signed up, please do at patreon.com/jeffplankenhorn .
But touring is primarily solo (or duo with another songwriter/guitar-slinger like Michael O’Connor or Scrappy).
And I’m slowly (and terrifyingly I might add) including my songs on piano to the live shows that already have acoustic and electric guitar, and my signature “plank” lap steel driven songs. I’m playing Round Rock, San Marcos, San Angelo, and Austin in June with the full band. Texas gets both the full band treatment as well as a ton of solo gigs and house concerts. All my festival gigs on Vancouver Island are band gigs. No new music will be out by then, but I’m really trying to focus here. What’s a guy to record when he’s so all over the place stylistically? No more so than other writers, but a “voice” stylistically is a wonderful thing. Think of your favorite singers and songwriters now….
That’s why I’m “in the woodshed.” That’s why you have not heard from me much on socials. I’m writing. Intensely. To some success I might add. While on the road, Scrappy (my mentor and guru and oyster po-boy and Indian dosa brother in arms) suggested on one of our long drives a producer that is, shall we say, “out of my league.” There were a number of reasons he thought it might be a good fit for “where I am musically today” and “where I want to get with my career.” Famous by 50 sounds nice (lol). There were also a number of reasons I never would have thought to even approach this person. They also don’t have the notoriety or acclaim of a Jeff Lynne, Linda Perry, T-Bone Burnett, or anyone like that, but I love what they do. I love how their records sound. This producer also has worked with some people I really love (personally), and made some music I really enjoy.
So I sent said producer an unsolicited email, out of the blue. To my surprise, they got back almost immediately with interest. Maybe they checked out my music and previous records and EP’s. Maybe they are going by the friends and musical cohorts we have in common.
Shit. Now what do I do?
I’m not ready to record, I have TONS of songs, but lack of direction. Most of my songs over the past few years have been co-writes with incredible songwriters from Gabriel Rhodes, Scrappy, Michael O, Natalie Price, Guy Forsyth, Ruthie Foster, David Grissom, Jana Pochop, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Miles Zuniga, and a bunch more.
But what about me? What am I trying to say? Frankly, I couldn’t tell ya. I am getting closer.
I sent the producer a message - “I could send you a ton of songs, but they are kind of varied. Let me go write some new things. I’ll hit you in a couple weeks.”
So I’m in the shed, trying to put together 20 songs, that I wrote. No co-writes. I’m about half way there. I’ve written 4 and started 6 since I got home from the last tour. There’s also a couple I know I want to send that I’ve been playing live on occasion (Something Wicked, Juggling Sand). I wouldn’t say I’m frantically writing, that’s not my style. But I’m driven. It’s a craft people, I don’t know about anyone else, but I have to work at it. I go to my little downtown studio every single day when Donyne goes to work. When Donyne goes to bed, it’s lyric writing and listening and reading and absorbing and trying to find some direction to narrow it down. If those 20 tunes don’t come, or aren’t enough to put together an album, well I have all those co-writes to fall back on as well. Plenty of old songs from 20 plus years of touring and writing I have never recorded that are still requested at shows…
For those who don’t know, that’s another big job for most producers: take the songs the artist has, then trim the fat and arrange and compile those that fit together. Make the songs chosen sound “like an album.” Like the songs go together. I love producing, but for some reason I haven’t been able to strike a balance between letting go of the reins and running the show on my own project.
So this producer, what to send? What’s the direction this time?
Do I do a completely solo album, a la “The Speed Of Hope” or do I pull out all the stops and do another full band record featuring the piano, lap steel, and guitar tunes? My last 2 EP’s and the Sleeping Dogs record I really dig, but they have somehow led me to a place where people are calling me a “country” artist. I don’t get it. Not at all. It makes no sense. I don’t hear it. That’s not what I’m doing. I think they have small ears or just don’t care to listen deeper. Or I don’t know what I am creating myself.
Here’s the other thing; back in April I had a livestream for my patreon followers only, and was ready to play some songs for those who couldn’t get out to see me or who I wasn’t touring around anyways. What happened was a particular kind of beautiful. I only played about 3 songs in an hour, and everyone wanted to mainly talk and ask questions about what I was doing to get back out there post-lockdowns and when would I have new music for the public. It was like a “strategy” session with some of my biggest supporters (I need to do that again). Once again, I was humbled. Big time.
Most were hoping I would get back in the studio soon with the new songs they were hearing and enjoying at my shows, but I went into a bit of a rant on how I really don’t want to spend $20000 on a new recording and $30000 on promotion when I don’t have the right producer or the right team (I have a great booking agent, but not a dedicated manager, social media person, publicist, etc., etc. etc.). Usually that money comes from a loan of some kind. The last one was a personal loan I paid off in two and a half years of touring my ass off and selling every piece of merchandise I could (I have really soft t-shirts).
A full-time manager is really what I want more than anything for “the team.” Right now I have a young man helping me out since I’m in-between full-time managers again and he is wonderful. It’s extremely generous of him considering what he does vs. what I’m paying him. Thank you Sasha. Scores of artists better and more successful than me do it all themselves without managers, but I really have a hard time juggling all the pots I have my hands in.
But back to the producer: if this person likes the songs I send, I’ll most likely do it. Might even find a label (whatever those are these days) to front the money. We’ll see. If they don’t like it, or I can’t afford it, I’ll have written a bunch of songs. I haven’t been able to focus on writing like this since 2017 before we cut Sleeping Dogs. And I may even send these songs to multiple producers when I’m ready (if that ever happens).
So I’m in the woodshed. Hopefully narrowing in on a new direction. I’ll put up a demo of one of my brand new songs on the first of this month (tomorrow) on my patreon page. It’s a fun one, may even bring it to the band for the June shows.
Then I’ll be back in Texas in one week! I cannot wait to play with Scrappy, Cari Hutson, G Pat, and Brian Mendes on the band dates. The solo shows and house concerts all are gonna be a hoot as well. I am so lucky. Every single day.
Check out the dates below and at jeffplankenhorn.com
Some of these dates will sell out! So get tickets early online.
Wish me luck with the big time producer(s), and if you know a good manager who’s already in the bizness, don’t be afraid to reach out.
Tour
JUN 8 WED
Jeff Plankenhorn Band @ 7:00pm Round Rock, TX, United States
JUN 9 THU
Jeff Plankenhorn Band - Summer in the Park @ 7:00pm San Marcos, TX, United States
JUN 10 FRI
Plank's Band San Angelo @ 9:30pm San Angelo, TX, United States
JUN 11 SAT
Plank's Band at The Farm Austin! @ 8:00pm Austin, TX, United States
JUN 15 WED
Plank at Walther Wednesday @ 6:30pm New Braunfels, TX, United States
JUN 17 FRI
Plank Solo Johnson City @ 7:30pm Johnson City, TX, United States
JUN 18 SAT
Larry Klemm House Concert @ 8:00pm Old West Austin, TX, United States
JUN 19 SUN
The Resentments @ 7:30pm Austin, TX, United States
JUN 25 SAT
Plank Solo Weaver House Concert @ 8:00pm Victoria, TX, United States
JUN 26 SUN
The Resentments @ 7:30pm Austin, TX, United States
JUL 2 SAT
Chemainus Valley Blues Festival 2022 @ 3:30pm Chemainus, BC, Canada
JUL 8 FRI
Vancouver Island Musicfest 2022 @ 7:00pm Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
AUG 11 THU
Summertime Blues Festival 2022 @ 7:00pm Nanaimo, BC, Canada
AUG 19 FRI
Plank solo at Live From The Divide @ 8:00pmBozeman, MT, United States
AUG 20 SAT
Plank solo at Jimmy's Roadhouse! @ 7:00pmRed Lodge, MT, United States
Defining and Refining
at one point in these notes, you were wondering outloud (for us:) which direction you should go as you record next time...eg, full band or solo, a'la Speed of Hope. Well, as I read that album title, I felt like I outta' sign in and tell ya' something. I really, REally like the Speed of Hope. Alot. Your others that I've heard, I like, too but Speed of Hope is special and after I got it, it didn't leave the player in my truck for a looong time. I heard you play, then met and got cd (signed, of course:) in a small show you did Jan or Feb, 2015 (I think), in western West Virginia as you toured on your own. Still feel quite fortunate to have learned of and made it to that one :) DennyB
You have alot of question marks in this post, so I choose to interpret that as asking for feedback (if I'm wrong -- well, too late :) ). I love the Sleeping Dogs record, but that was a "band record" ... you play some of those songs solo but the songs are really (to me, anyway) "full band songs". If you're planning to tour solo or solo-ish for awhile, make *that* record. Personally, my favorite Plank moments are you solo, or you and MOC, or you and Scrappy -- all acoustic. My vote is -- make that record. Can't wait to hear it -- I'll be listening on Patreon in the meantime.