I’ve just returned from a tour of Holland, Germany and the Eastern USA that started the second week of October.  Before I get into that, though, I’d like to tell you about a couple of special gigs I had at the end of the summer.  Also, following this “What’s Up” piece I’ll include an article I wrote recently for the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung about The Summer of Love (1967).

I’m off to Amsterdam today;  a couple of days r&r in that wonderful city and then I head off to play some gigs.  I’ll be playing a few in Holland and then I go to Berlin to start a ‘book tour’ of all things.  Joe Boyd is out pushing his new book, “White Bicycles”, and I’ve been asked to join him in Germany.  He’ll be reading from the book and telling stories and I’ll be picking and singing for textural relief.  I’m very much looking forward to getting back to Munich where, in addition to a gig with Joe, I’ll be doing a guitar workshop at a sweet little shop called Folkladen and visiting with my friends there.

Just back from Vancouver a couple of weeks ago.  I’ll tell you about that, but first I need to backtrack and tell you about my trip to Europe in April and May.

Recently back from Maui, where I played a gig and ran a guitar workshop… and admittedly, took a little time to enjoy myself.

I’m recently back from a tour of the Midwest, New England, the UK, and Germany with a short stop in Fort Worth and Oklahoma City on my way back home to Los Angeles…. a real good trip with many new friends to remember fondly.  It was an extra bonus to return to the USA just as the elections were producing some hope for the Republic.

Just back from Portland, Oregon via Cambridge, Mass via England, via Scotland and Sweden via Ireland.  Whew.  First about the Fritz Richmond Tribute in Cambridge on April 16th…..

Well one picture is worth a thousand you-know-whats. Above is Kweskin, Sebastian and myself with the Old Southern Jug Blowers at The Fritz Richmond Tribute in Tokyo. What a natural ball we had. Filmaker Todd Kwait pulled together his resources to get us there. He's in the final stages of shooting the footage for his jug band documentary.

I first played the Haus der Kultur performance center in Waldkraiburg, Germany - about an hour east of Munich. This was one of those gigs where very few people in the audience knew anything about me, but Hans-Jorg Malonek, the promoter, was as hip as they come. Consequently, he filled the place with willing listeners.

I just got back from the Bay Area.  First, though, I’ll tell you about a brief trip I made to Texas before the Bay Area, the description of which got delayed due to the passing of Fritz Richmond (his bio/obit follows below).

Just returned from Texas and I've got a little bit to tell you about that. But the real "What's Up" for today is, sadly, the death of my dear buddy, Fritz Richmond. I've written a short bio: