Going Over Home

What to Do

2010-12-05T16:14:00.001-05:00

It's been a great weekend, and it started off with driving down to Nashville (Ind.) to see Richard Smith and his wife Julie Adams perform.

I'm not aware of any world ranking of guitarists, but Richard's ability puts him in the class of people like Tommy Emmanuel. He may or may not be the best, who knows, but he'd certainly qualify. I sat on the second row and just let myself be astounded. I had fun at the same time because Richard is a good entertainer as well as a phenomenal player.

You can learn more about Richard on his web site, www.richardsmithmusic.com.

After watching a performance like that, you can go one of two ways. You can either say, "I'll never be that good; I'm never picking up my guitar again," or you can take this approach: "If I recommit myself to practice and work really hard, by the time I'm that good, I'll be dead."

I figure playing my guitar every day would be a great way to go.

This Is Only a Test

2010-09-25T18:56:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday I heard a sermon on the first two verses of Luke 4. That scripture passage immediately follows Jesus' baptism and introduces his forty days in the wilderness. The sermon was titled, "This Is Only a Test."

I left that service thinking about tests, and about one test in particular: the final exam in MATH 300 at Kennesaw State University. I don't remember the exact title of the course, but I remember the instructor, Dr. David Morgan. He loved teaching that class, and he had a reputation for being challenging.

It was the requisite course for upper level math classes, the one I had to take in order to delve into deeper discovery: the beauty of the world that existed in calculus, and just how much of the music theory that I loved can be expressed with algebra. (Sets and operations, Virginia. Sets and operations.) The subject matter was set theory, but the purpose of the class was to teach you how to write and read a mathematical proof.

I was completing my undergraduate degree in math by taking classes at night. Class started at 6:00 p.m. The mid-term had given us a hint of what to expect. I had finished the mid-term at 10:00, and I was not the last one to leave. Some of my classmates had requested and been given permission to come early to get a head start on the final. That didn't work for me, so I arrived at 6:00 and got started.

The exam proved to be as tough as we had anticipated, but we worked at it. As I recall, only a couple of folks gave in to despair. Along about 10:30, another member of the math faculty came into the classroom and wrote a phone number on the chalkboard. He turned to leave but then returned to the board and wrote, "Domino's."

A theorem in math takes the form, "If A, B, and C are true, then D is true," or "Given A, B and C, then D." The purpose of the proof is to use the information in the "if" part, the givens, to demonstrate the result in the "then" part. One particular proof on the exam had me and others stymied. The hypothesis--the "if" part--was very complex. I struggled to find the piece I was missing, the link that would pull A, B, C and D together.

At about 12:30 a.m., the light came on. It was right there in the hypothesis. The thing I kept trying to prove in order to make the rest of the proof work was right there. It had been given to me as being true. I didn't have to prove it; I already had it. Armed with everything I needed, the rest of the proof poured onto the paper, and at 1:00 a.m., I headed home.

Back to that sermon, the preacher pointed out something that sustained Jesus through the tests in the wilderness. He had those things that he already knew to be true. He had the givens: we do not live by bread alone, worship only the Lord your God, do not put the Lord your God to the test.

When we encounter tests and trials, how often do we struggle harder, trying to prove something that will make it all work out, when the very thing we needed to know had already been given to us?

By the way, I earned an A in Dr. Morgan's class. As a result of that work and that test, abstract algebra and real analysis became enjoyable times of deeper discovery.

Sacred in Every Song

2010-05-02T19:01:00.000-04:00

Are you telling me I'm wasting my time here?

That was my question to the manager of a local winery recently. They feature live entertainment in their tasting room on a regular basis, so I wanted to get my name and music in front of them and see if it might be possible to play there. I had just given him a card and was preparing to write the address where I could send a DVD of a live performance.

My business cards contain this description of the music I perform: "An acoustic blend of folk, gospel and Americana." That prompted him to ask, "How much of what you do is gospel music?"

He went on to tell me that he was really averse to having any mention of God or religion or Jesus as part of the musical performances in the tasting room. In his mind, that's what Sunday was for. "On Saturday," he said, "people are out to sin. They can repent on Sunday."

I knew I wasn't likely to be booked there, but I thanked him for taking the time to talk with me.

Life seldom fits into neat little compartments, like we have a Saturday life and a Sunday life. The mathematician in me points out that life is continuous, not discrete. The distance between Saturday and Sunday is infinitely small. The beauty of calculus would indicate that no matter how close we think Saturday and Sunday are, they can always be closer, to the point where one may not be over before the other begins.

Our creation of boundaries between days is, in a way, arbitrary. We are who we are, regardless of how we name any particular day. Our feelings, thoughts, values and behaviors identify us each and every day. Every day has sin, and every day has repentance.

If you have seen me perform, you know that you will hear some hymns and gospel music of both the traditional and folk variety alongside everything else I do. My hope is that, like the distance between Saturday and Sunday, it's hard to tell where one leaves off and another begins.

I'm content to let a song say what it says. Quite often the song has a better message than anything I might conjure up. Whether it's Wayfaring Stranger, Love Divine, Five Foot Two or Five Pounds of Possum, a song will reach different people in different places, and performers do well to release the song into that space.

Trust the song, and you trust the Spirit. Give a song space; turn it loose, and it will stir up whatever might be in the pot. In laughter and tears, in quiet smiles and tapping feet, something sacred is happening.

Maybe I didn't waste my time after all.

Proclamation and Manifestation

2010-03-05T19:19:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday night, musicians from Brown County, Indiana, banded together and did a benefit concert for Doctors Without Borders. It was a delightful evening at the Brown County Library, and about 200 people jammed into the library's meeting room to watch ten local acts--eleven counting young Sara Maria, actress and mandolin artist.

Kara Barnard, owner of Weed Patch Music Company and one of the people on my "when I grow up I want to be like her" list, carried the emcee duties for the evening. As she introduced each act, including her own beautiful three song set, she described how she knew each person. She talked about their connection to the community. Some she knew from the Daily Grind, a local coffee shop.

As the evening wore on and as I had a chance to reflect, I realized that the evening was not so much about the performances or the performers. It was about that community of artists, those creative musicians who chose to live, perform and work in and around that little hamlet of Nashville.

Kara remarked a couple of times during the evening about how quickly each and every performer said yes when asked if they would be part of the concert. It was a stellar example of a community within a community, supporting one another because one of them had an idea about a way to do some good for something bigger than themselves.

Most people and many artists, I think, long for that kind of connection. These few months, I've been giving a bit of time to a class on conflict and resolution at Christian Theological Seminary here in Indianapolis. The topic will certainly benefit the work I do in ministry, but the way the class has spoken into other areas of life has been a most pleasant surprise.

This week, in talking about some of the group dynamics that are present in conflict, Dr. Lyon mentioned a spirituality of proclamation and a spirituality of manifestation. Public performance carries the elements of proclamation. The performer speaks, sings and plays a word or message into the assembled audience. The spirituality of proclamation has a recognition of being out of joint with things as they should be. Hence, we have a substantial volume of music of protest.

However, a spirituality of manifestation expresses the desire to be at one with the fundamental nature of things as they are. It carries with it a longing for community. One can find musical manifestation just the same as one can create musical proclamation.

Around the country, artisans of old-time, folk and bluegrass music will gather for competitions. A national competition is held at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Closer to home, the Indiana Picking and Fiddling contest is held in Princeton, Indiana, on Labor Day weekend.

This year I'm planning to make my first foray into these contests, especially now that I've come to realize that these events are more about the community than they are about the contest. Competitions afford the opportunity to gather with people who do what you do, who play and love the same music, who admire the same legendary players, as you do. Being able to say you were a finalist, or that you finished first, second or third is just gravy.

The music was fabulous at the Brown County Library last Saturday, but the connection, the manifestation of that community of artists, is what made it a special evening.

Harmony

2010-02-24T23:43:00.001-05:00

Sunday was a lot of fun. I went with the choir from Southport Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where Debbie and I attend, to a choral festival at East 91st Street Christian Church (E91) with eight other choirs.

It was a marvelous afternoon rehearsal and evening concert. Each choir sang one piece, then all nine choirs joined with the Covenant Orchestra from E91 for five more pieces. The combined choir numbered about three hundred.

Shockley Flick, director of the choir from E91, in introducing the evening's program, said that if we talked a while, we would pretty soon see our doctrinal differences. He was right. My guess is that we could have gotten into some spirited discussions.

But that night wasn't about debating the finer points of theology or doctrine. It was about music and worship. It was about harmony. It was about being in tune with each other. It was as much about listening to the whole as it was about singing each individual part. All of those individual parts united in a common goal of worship through sound, tone and word. Theologically diverse as we might have been, for that night we were one church.

If you ask me, when the church is singing, it becomes truly one. My tribe of Christians is the Disciples of Christ. We come out of the same reform movement as the Churches of Christ, churches that do not use instrumental music in worship, and in a way, I think they're really on to something.

In the Churches of Christ they sing, and they sing well. They sing in four-part harmony. Each person has their part to carry, but it's the unity of the group as they sing that makes it worship.

As I was mulling this piece, I happened upon a video clip from Avon Christian Church, the same church that hosted Patchwork and I during a stop on the Tenderness Tour. Carolyn Scanlan, pastor to the congregation, and three other women from the church join together on a four-part a capella piece. You can watch the video on YouTube. (And yes, it was Super Bowl Sunday.)

Watch how the harmony, the working together, elevates the sense of worship as they move through the piece. Each individual part is important, but it becomes worship as the parts come together and depend on each other to build the whole.

Thomas Campbell said, "The church of Jesus Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally and constitutionally one." I think he knew that the church needed to sing.

Hard to Beat the House Concert

2010-02-13T23:47:00.000-05:00

Tonight it was once again my honor to join up with Eli Beth to play music. You can read in early posts how I met Eli by wandering into the open stage she hosted at Corner Coffee here in Indianapolis.

Eli and I have always worked well together. Our musical tastes and styles complement one another. Quite frankly, she brings out the best in my playing, and tonight was no exception.

We played all our favorites, some originals of Eli's including Dead End Road and Dance With Me, Gillian Welch's Orphan Girl, I Only Want to Be with You, and many more. But tonight it was the audience that made the evening.

House concerts are a wonderful idea. We shared an evening of intimate music with 15 folks. We didn't use a sound system, opting for dessert and coffee or wine instead. We got to talk to everybody there and make some new friends along the way.

If you get a chance to go to a house concert, do it! It's a great experience. If you're feeling really froggy, host one. It just takes a willingness to share space with a few good friends to enjoy music up close and personal. As one of tonight's listeners put it, "It's way better than sitting in front of the hi-fi."

Haiti Relief: CD Baby Will Donate $1 from CD Sales

2010-01-26T00:41:00.000-05:00

For three years now, it's been my pleasure to handle online sales of CDs and song downloads through CD Baby. They are great folks who have worked to help independent musicians.

Now they're also working to help with relief efforts in Haiti. For the next two weeks, CD Baby will donate $1 from every CD sale through their web site to the American Red Cross and to Mercy Corps, a Portland-based (CD Baby is also based in Portland) relief agency. They will also donate $1 from every download sale over $8.99. (Read about it at cdbaby.com.)

Of course, I'd love it if you purchase or download my recordings, but you might also discover some other great music, like Patchwork or Chris Wolf. This would also be a great time to get your copy of Give a Girl a Chance.

You certainly don't have to shop to help. Please consider making a donation to relief efforts in Haiti through the Red Cross, Mercy Corps, or join me in supporting relief efforts through Week of Compassion, the relief agency of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), my tribe of Christians.

Blessings,
Dean

Back to the Living Room

2010-01-18T11:26:00.002-05:00

Last week was busy with a lot of time spent away from home. Two days were spent with my ministry colleagues and the officers for our region at a retreat center near Beanblossom, Indiana. We had a lot to talk about, and they were important conversations.

A board meeting for our region two months earlier had not gone as expected, and more than a few would say it had not gone well. The result left all of us confused, and nobody knew what to say or to whom to say it.

We could have attempted those conversations in a conference room, but we chose a living room setting instead. It may just be me, but I don't think we could have had a conversation as deep or as successful in the conference room. Something about the relaxed nature of the living room made those conversations possible.

The same relaxed atmosphere makes music a different experience in the living room than it is in the studio or on stage. In the studio, musicians, engineers and producers try to capture an experience that's as close to perfect execution as possible. Performers get to attack the same piece or portion over again until it comes out just the way they want it captured. The communication of the music is remote. The recorded project will be stored and distributed for folks that have no connection to or knowledge of the studio, months or years removed from the notes played and sung.

On stage, sharing the musical experience is direct and real-time but one-way. Everybody sharing the experience is there, but the experience primarily flows from performers to audience. The experience is generally well-staged and well-rehearsed on the part of the performers.

In the living room, though, the atmosphere is casual and the experience is spontaneous. Everyone in the room, whether they sing, play, listen, clap hands or tap toes, is directly involved in the experience. Words are forgotten; chords are missed to be sure. At the same time, magical moments happen, exhilarating passages and phrases experienced and left behind to be fondly recalled some later time, but never recreated.

The living room creates the environment for those magical moments and those precious memories. The stage, the studio and the conference room have their place and serve their function well. To truly help people connect, though, in music or in conversation, it's hard to beat the living room.

Update on the Fire at Sound Investment

My last post mentioned the fire that destroyed Sound Investment Recording earlier this month. There is now a web site up that shares more information about Steve Creech, the Sound Investment studio, and the fire that devastated both. Please visit the website for Sound Investment to learn about the studio and the fire. Also on the site you will find a link to donate to a fund set up to help Steve begin to recover.

This Old House and Give Us a Song are both products of Steve's talent, hard work, and desire to push artists to do the best work they can. That describes my relationship with Steve. Many of you who read this blog have enjoyed those recordings. If you would like to help me help Steve, purchase one or both of these recordings either through my web site or CD Baby. I will be donating the proceeds from those sales.

A Tragic Loss

2010-01-07T00:22:00.000-05:00

Last night a fire on the eastside of Indianapolis destroyed three businesses. I am sad to report that one of those business was Sound Investment Recordings, the studio owned by Steve Creech where I recorded both This Old House and Give Us a Song.

Steve and I had been planning to remix and remaster some of the songs from my first CD, Going Over Home. The original recordings were already at the studio, so they are lost. However, those are just tapes. I lost some masters. Steve lost his livelihood.

Please keep my friend Steve in your prayers. I can't begin to imagine what this is like for him.

A Blessed Way to Start the Year

2010-01-02T12:03:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

Yesterday, we brought in 2010 in the best way I could imagine. My friend Doc Possom--the same fellow who said of me, "Although he's a Reverend, he's not very churchy"--and his lovely wife opened their home for a benefit brunch. NESCO (Near East Side Community Organization) was raising money and supplies for the Duvall Center, a work-release center in the neighborhood.

From where I stood, it looked like the benefit was a success. Lots of folks participated, bringing cash, stamps and supplies for the men at Duvall. We met a man who introduced himself as a graduate of Duvall. The company was upbeat, and the food was delicious.

But the best part for me was the living room. You hear Emmylou Harris talk about the living room on the second edition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken. The best musical moments happen in the living room, and the same was true for me yesterday.

My friends Holly and Rick of Patchwork were there, and the musical fun we have steps up to a whole new level in a living room. The Duvall graduate had a beautiful tenor voice, and he, Rick and I knew a lot of the same selections from the hymn book. The group's rendition of Amazing Grace was memorable, as were Holly's impromptu fiddle lessons.

Then Eli Beth and daughter Sarah arrived. When Eli and I play together, something wonderful always happens. Sarah's singing of the Judds' song, Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days), got me choked up to where I couldn't get the harmony out on one chorus.

Talk about your good days. I got to play with so many of my favorite people to bring in a new year, in a warm and welcoming home with friends old and new gathered around. For me, that's the fundamental of music. It's about community and shared experience. Music helps us realize that, in spite of it all, there's still a lot of good in the world, and a lot of that good lies in the connections we share. Music lifts that up.

Yes, it was a blessed way for me to start 2010, and I wish for you a new year filled with blessings of peace, joy and wonderful surprise. With appreciation for your support, I remain

Sincerely yours,
Dean

February 6 and 7
Monticello Christian Church
1002 S. Airport Rd.
Monticello, Ind.
On Saturday evening, the church is hosting a coffee house in the fellowship hall. I'll play from 7:00 until 8:00. Then on Sunday, I get to sing during each of the three worship services at the church, 8:00, 9:00 and 10:30. Google Maps puts the church on Airport Road. The church web site shows a Gordon Street address. The church is on the corner.

A Christmas Greeting

2009-12-24T10:03:00.000-05:00

One of the little joys of Christmas is that the holiday has its own music. Sure, at Thanksgiving we can sing We Gather Together or Come, Ye Thankful People, Come, but seriously, when was the last time you saw an artist promoting their latest collection of Thanksgiving classics?

This Christmas, a few songs have settled into a groove. I'll Be Home for Christmas is one. Doug's remarkable performance of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus with Three Preachers and a Drummer provided new appreciation for that tune. The song that has settled for me this year, though, is John Jacob Niles' I Wonder As I Wander.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor, orn'ry people, like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

Niles wrote this Christmas song from a fragment of a melody he heard in an Appalachian church in 1933. The song tickles my memory, as music as the power to do.

Hoping that it will bless your Christmas as well, I made a recording of I Wonder As I Wander in my home studio and uploaded it to ReverbNation. Use this link to listen. If you would like, you can also download the MP3 file from my ReverbNation page. Look for the little down arrow symbol to the right of the song title.

I hope this Christmas fills you with wonder and that the celebration lights up your day.

Merry Christmas!
Dean

Heading on Toward Christmas, Two Benefit Performances

2009-12-08T21:30:00.000-05:00

All the inside decorating is done at our house. The tree is up. The nativity set is out, along with assorted candles, pillows, towels, and our nativity scene snow globe that plays Silent Night. We've had it for most of our married life, and it became part of our tradition a long time ago. The only decorating that's left to do is outside.

Musically, this weekend holds the last performances of the year for me, and in the spirit of the season, they're both benefits.

This Thursday through Sunday, Beasley's Orchard in Danville, Ind., will have Christmas at the Orchard. Visit their web site to get all the details on the events in both the Old Barn Market and the Warm Tent of Wonderland. They have a whole weekend of music planned, and it will be my pleasure to provide music on Friday afternoon from 3:00 until 6:00. Proceeds from the festival benefit Project A.N.G.E.L.

Then on Saturday, my friends Holly Smith and Rick Garrett, a.k.a. Patchwork, have organized a benefit for PourHouse at Strange Brew in Greenwood. It will be twelve full hours of music and fun starting at 8:00 Saturday morning and featuring the delicious food and wonderful coffees and teas at Strange Brew.

I'm thrilled to be playing a one-hour set starting at 12:30, and I plan to stick around for the acoustic jam that starts at 2:00. They have received several nice donations, and the raffle drawing for those items will be at 7:00.

Finally, a word from our sponsor. The holidays typically stand as a reminder of the tendency to over-indulge. We can go overboard on a lot of things, especially our desire to spend and consume. That said, however, the holidays also provide an opportunity to remember those dear to us. Music can be a nice way to let people know you thought of them.

Imagine how much fun it would be to delight your friends and family by putting My Dog Jesus in their Christmas stocking. I'm serious; I ain't misbehavin'. You can make some precious memories, and they'll all be feelin' groovy. It really is a simple gift, so please drop by the web site or CD Baby to share a little Dean for the holidays.

Ready or not, here comes Christmas. May its many blessings find their way to your heart and home.

Blessings,
Dean

Old Friends, New Venue

2009-12-03T22:43:00.000-05:00

Friday night will find me sharing the stage with Patchwork once again. Rick, Holly and I always enjoy playing together. We have fun, and that usually translates into everybody having a good time.

We'll be playing on the north side of Indianapolis, at a new venue for us. Bar Louie is located in Carmel at 14299 Clay Terrace Blvd. It's an over-21 venue, but it's also smoke-free. This will be our first time there, and we hope not the last.

You may notice that after December, there's not a lot on the calendar. That's intentional. After a pretty intense performance schedule this year, I want to lay back for a couple of months. During January and February, I'll be building the calendar for 2010. I'll also polish up some new tunes and get ready for a year of fun at festivals and farmers' markets, coffee shops and churches.

As the year winds down and Christmas approaches, the pace seems to pick up. So much needs to be done, but don't forget to pause every now and then and take a breath. Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the season so that when Christmas arrives, you'll have joy enough to share.

Advent blessings,
Dean

A Time for Gratitude

2009-11-26T11:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Thanksgiving morning in the Phelps household. We'll be celebrating away from home later in the day, which presented the opportunity to sleep in, an opportunity for which I'm extremely thankful! And as the year winds down into the holidays, Thanksgiving presents an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings this year has brought.

Because of online social networks, I've been able to reconnect with friends and former classmates, the kind of folks I would sometimes wonder about, "Whatever happened to..." In days gone by, I would have continued to wonder. We are blessed to live in an amazing time.

One of those reconnections was a woman I often sang with back in Lexington. Jennifer Yount Baker and I sang together in various groups and always for fun. She made the trip to Danville and Lexington last weekend, giving us the chance to harmonize again.

Since moving to Indianapolis, it's been a blessing to make so many friends that I've been able to play music with and who have encouraged me to keep working, to record, to develop the thumbstyle guitar, and to start writing lyrics.

The high point of the year, musically speaking, has been sharing in Richard Propes' 20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour and having If You Come Up Empty included on the compilation CD, Give a Girl a Chance. Looking at the list of artists included on that album is humbling to say the least. I often joke that it's the only time my name can be used in the same sentence with Carrie Newcomer.

However, folks like you are the blessing I least want to overlook, folks who read these posts, come out to shows, buy CDs, share my music with your friends and offer your support and encouragement. You bless me more than you could know. Thank you for being friends and fans.

My prayer is that this Thanksgiving finds you grateful. Whether you are celebrating with a large group of family and friends, gathered in a more intimate group, or just going about the normal business of your life, may this holiday and this season be a time of grateful reflection for you as well.

Blessings,
Dean

Back to the Bluegrass This Weekend

2009-11-18T23:40:00.000-05:00

You can take the boy out of Kentucky, but sooner or later he'll go back.

This weekend holds the opportunity to return home and play in two wonderful coffee shops located in the heart of the Bluegrass. On Friday night, I go to Danville, Ky. for a two-hour set at The Hub Coffee House and Cafe. The Hub is a delightful cafe in downtown Danville, just a few blocks away from the campus of Centre College.

Then on Saturday, I will play the 9:00 set at Common Grounds Coffee House in Lexington. Common Grounds is in my old stomping grounds near the University of Kentucky campus. It will truly be a return home for me to be back on High Street.

As if that's not enough, the following weekend--after Thanksgiving--I get to go back home again to play a two-hour set at Main and Maple, a coffee shop in old town Nicholasville, Ky. on Saturday evening.

I'm expecting a lot of old friends and a few family members for these shows. If you can't be there, or even if you can, could you help spread the word? I've set up a page on my web site where you can download flyers for each of these shows. You can print them, save them, post them, send them to friends. Anything that helps get the word out will be appreciated.

Having these trips back home will make Thanksgiving extra special for me this year. Wherever you are, I hope that you enjoy a blessed time of gratitude for this holiday.

Frosty Mornings and a Swing Through Kentucky

2009-11-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

The past couple of mornings have greeted us with frost on the grass. We're getting the flower beds and our little garden plot settled in to receive the winter snow. Soon the holidays will be here, and I'll be taking a little rest from the year's vigorous performance schedule.

However, a few more gigs have me pumped up for finishing out the year, including more gigs with Patchwork at Strange Brew and at a new venue for me, Bar Louie in Carmel, Ind.

Before and after Thanksgiving, I get to make a swing through central Kentucky and play at some of the finer coffee houses in the Bluegrass. The Hub is located in downtown Danville, just a few blocks from the campus of Centre College. I had a great time playing there earlier this year and look forward to being back on Friday, November 20.

Then on Saturday the 21st, I head to Lexington to play a one-hour set at Common Grounds, located in the Chevy Chase part of Lexington, my old stomping grounds near the University of Kentucky campus. Several friends and family are planning to come out for this one, so it's shaping up to be an outstanding good time.

After Thanksgiving, on Saturday, November 28, I get to make a return trip to Main and Maple in downtown Nicholasville, Ky. You can take the boy out of the Bluegrass, but you can't take the Bluegrass out of the boy. It will be good to visit back home.

I hope this finds you doing well. If you can, come on out for a little fun and acoustic folk before settling in for that long winter's nap.

Happy Birthday, Eddie

2009-10-25T22:28:00.003-04:00

When I moved to Indiana in 2005, one of the first people I met was the pastor of Sixth Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Middletown, Ind. We met at a men's retreat where he was leading music, and he told me about the jam session he hosted in the basement of the church on Sunday nights, Sixth Street Sunday Night.

I couldn't resist, so first chance I got, I headed east from Anderson over to Middletown. There I discovered that you could put a couple of accordion players in a room with several guitars, a dobro, two mandolins, a banjo and a penny whistle and create one whale of a good evening of music.

But I left out the harmonica. I met Eddie Russell at Sixth Street, where he is a member. Eddie plays harmonica, and has been playing a lot longer than I've been alive. It's guaranteed that some time during the evening, he's going to break into "San Antonio Rose."

Tonight we celebrated Eddie's 91st birthday at Sixth Street. We had cake and ice cream, pretzels and chips, but mainly we had music. We got out the guitars, tin whistles and accordions and gave Eddie a fitting tribute. And, yes, we played "San Antonio Rose."

Happy birthday, Eddie. You're a great example of continuing to live as long as the good Lord gives you breath.

CICSA Songwriters in the Round

2009-10-23T16:38:00.002-04:00

Due to job-related conflicts, I had to cancel two gigs this weekend, Friday night at The Lighthouse Cafe and Saturday night at The Bread Ladies. It hurt to do it, because I love playing in both those places.

However, I received an invitation to fill in for a cancellation at the CICSA Songwriters in the Round at Language and Culture International this Saturday night. I have the privilege of joining Greg O'Haver and Cathy Howie for an evening song-sharing that starts at 7:00 and runs until 9:30.

Language and Culture International is located at 158 E. 14th St. in Indianapolis. Come on out to hear music by a couple of outstanding songwriters and me.

This Weekend's Shows Cancelled

2009-10-20T22:31:00.002-04:00

I was booked to play two shows this weekend, Friday evening at The Lighthouse Cafe in Alexandria and Saturday afternoon at The Bread Ladies in Greenfield. However, a job-related conflict came up that made it necessary to cancel both these gigs.

It hurt to do it because these are both places that I enjoy playing, but sometimes you have to set priorities and do what needs to be done. That was the case this time around.

If you were planning to come out either to The Lighthouse or to The Bread Ladies, thank you, and I'm sorry.

Meanwhile, I am getting excited about another swing through central Kentucky that I have coming up next month. I'll be heading back to The Hub in Danville on Friday, November 20. The next night I will play a one hour set at Common Grounds in Lexington. The following weekend I go back to Nicholasville to play on Saturday, November 28.

I've been uploading video clips from a few performances and creating a channel on YouTube. We had a great time at Earth House Collective on Sunday night for the wrapup of The Tenderness Tour. I should have some video from that show posted soon.

Tenderness Tour Concert This Sunday

2009-10-15T08:51:00.002-04:00

Last weekend was tremendous fun with concerts at two stops on the Tenderness Tour, one at Beasley's Orchard in Danville and one at Avon Christian Church. It's been an honor to support Richard Propes and the Tenderness Tour this year, including having a song selected for the "Give a Girl a Chance" compilation CD.

This Sunday, at Earth House Collective in downtown Indy, the Tour will wrapup with a concert featuring six of the 19 artists from Give a Girl a Chance. Starting at 7:00, Frank Bradford will perform a one-hour set in the cafe at Earth House. Then upstairs, the music will continue with Luke Austin Daugherty, Ann McWilliams, Soulshine, Patchwork and me. Patchwork and I will contribute a short set beginning at 9:00.

TIckets are $7, and all proceeds benefit The Tenderness Tour. Visit the Earth House Collective web site for more information about location and parking.

If you're in the Indianapolis area, please come out this Sunday to support a great cause and enjoy some really good music.

The Tenderness Tour

2009-10-09T23:12:00.001-04:00

On October 8 Richard Propes embarks on the 20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour with one more wheelchair ride across the state of Indiana from Terre Haute to Richmond. All proceeds from this 20th Anniversary Tenderness Tour benefit three organizations: Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, New Community Project and Young Peacemaker's Film Project.

The Tour includes stops in Terre Haute, Brazil, Greencastle, Danville, Avon, Indy, Greenfield, Knightstown, Cambridge City and Richmond with special events & outreach in each city. It will be my honor to support the Tenderness Tour and welcome Richard when he arrives in Danville on Saturday, October 10, and in Avon on Sunday, October 11.

On Saturday from 5:00 until 6:00, I'll be playing at Beasley's Orchard in Danville. Richard will be there to talk about the Tour and its work toward eliminating violence against children. On Sunday, Patchwork and I will welcome Richard to Avon with a concert at Avon Christian Church starting at 4:00. At both shows, you will have the opportunity to support The Tenderness Tour by making a donation or by buying a copy of Give a Girl a Chance.

You can visit the Tenderness Tour website to learn more. You can also watch an interview with Richard by Carolyn Scanlan, pastor of Avon Christian Church.

It would be great to see you either in Danville or Avon, but if not, please pick up a copy of the CD, spread the word about the concerts, and help support Richard and The Tenderness Tour.

In the Merry, Merry Month of May

2009-05-04T21:20:00.002-04:00

April proved to be a blessed and busy month. My last email talked about some of the blessings, and they just continued to come. I posted a note on Facebook about the harmonica blessing.

This week I get to do a couple of shows with Roots and Branches. On Wednesday, the band will be at Westview Christian Church in Indianapolis, and on Thurday, we'll be at First Christian Church in Kokomo.

Speaking of Roots and Branches, please keep our lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Maynard Powell in your thoughts. Maynard is on the guitar-playing disabled list for a few weeks after breaking a finger in an automobile accident. He's doing okay after surgery to repair the broken middle finger of his left hand.

The finger is in a splint now, and all is going well, except for this past Sunday, when Maynard lifted his hand to give the benediction to his congregation, said, "The Lord be with you," and the congregation responded, "Same to you, buddy!" (Thanks, David L.!)

Promise Road Writers' Round

I have the privilege of being back at the Promise Road Writers' Round this Friday. The Promise Road Round meets at Promise Road Coffee, which is located in the gathering space of the Geist Christian Church North Campus, corner of 126th and Promise Road in Fishers. The round is in two sets 7:00-8:00 and 8:00-9:00. I'll be playing in the 8:00 set with Tim Gilger, host of the Writers' Round, and Cathy Howie, one of my favoritest people. I plan to be there at 7:00, though, to hear all the great music. I hope you'll be there, too!

The Bread Ladies

And The Bread Ladies is one of my favoritest places. I'll be back there a week from Friday. If you've never been to this cafe in downtown Greenfield, you owe it to yourself to pay them a visit. Come for the chicken salad, stay for the music. The Bread Ladies is located at 5 American Legion Place in Greenfield, across from the Hancock County Court House to the east. Come for the chicken salad; stay for the music. I'll be playing from 6:30 until 9:30.

Meanwhile, enjoy the spring that continues to spring up. As always, thanks for being a blessing to me.

Blessings,
Dean

Blessed Beyond Measure

2009-04-19T22:35:00.001-04:00

It's hard to express what a wonderful weekend this has been. I made my first swing back through my old stomping grounds in central Kentucky this weekend, playing at Main and Maple in Nicholasville on Saturday evening and at South Elkhorn Christian Church on Sunday.

A dear friend from Georgia, now living in Lexington, graciously received me into her home and came down for the evening at M&M. She also arranged for me to share in worship at South Elkhorn. On Saturday, three of my dad's sisters made the trip with one of my cousins to Nicholasville. We had a great time to visit before I "went to work" and enjoyed some of the delicious food at Main and Maple.

Knowing that others care about you is a powerful thing. As I sit here tonight, it's just plain overwhelming. I am truly blessed beyond measure.

Now it's back to work, and then back to Nashville for more music. This Saturday from 11:00 - 1:00, I'll be back in front of Cafe Interlude as part of the Taste of Brown County Festival. If you're in the area, come on down for some good music and good eats.

Thank you, each and every one.

Blessings,
Dean

From Nashville to Nicholasville

2009-04-13T12:37:00.002-04:00

This weekend has a couple of performance opportunities that I've been looking forward to for a while now.

This Friday, April 17, I'll be in Nashville, Ind. as part of the Singer, Songwriter and Storyteller Festival. The festival is part of the Red Carpet Extravaganza in Nashville this weekend. Singers, songwriters and storytellers will be performing live sets throughout the weekend.

My set will be at Cafe Interlude from 4:00 until 6:00 on Friday afternoon. Cafe Interlude is just west of Van Buren on Franklin St., behind the Honeysuckle House.

Other performers at the SSS Festival include Patchwork, Greg O'Haver, Jenn Christy and many, many more. Head on down to Nashville this weekend for a great spring getaway! For more information, visit the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau web site.

Then on Saturday, April 18, I head back to my old stomping grounds in the Bluegrass State for an evening set at Main and Maple Coffee House in Nicholasville, Ky. There is no charge for admission, and I'll be playing from 8:00 until 10:00. Main and Maple is located in downtown Nicholasville at, you guessed it, the corner of Main and Maple!

If you have friends or family near Lexington or Nicholasville that you think would enjoy this, would you pass the word along to them? Thanks!

The following Sunday morning, I'll be providing special music during worship at South Elkhorn Christian Church on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington. The service starts at 10:30.

Many thanks to the folks that came out for the Promise Road Writers' Round. It was a great evening, and I'm looking forward to being back next month (May 8).

Blessings,
Dean

Promise Road Writers' Round

2009-04-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

There's a new round in Indianapolis at Promise Road Coffee.

Tim Gilger, a songwriter who just moved to Indianapolis from Nashville, is organizing a songwriters' round on the second Friday of every month at Promise Road Coffee. Yes, this is the second Friday, and yes, it is short notice, but I hope you can come out.

The hours for the round are 7:00 - 9:00. Promise Road Coffee is located in the gathering space of Geist Christian Church's North Campus, at the corner of 126th St. and Promise Rd. in Fishers.

I'm thrilled to be part of tonight's line up, and especially thrilled to be there with Rick Garrett of Patchwork, Tim Gilger, Justin McElhaney and others. I'll also be back for the May 8 Promise Road Writers' Round.

If you can't make it tonight, try to come out on May 8. You'll hear some great music for no cover charge in a relaxed family-friendly atmosphere.

Coming Up in March

2009-03-02T23:32:00.004-05:00

March came in with one of those icy winds that can split you in half. Hopefully, that's lion-like enough to get us a lamb-like exit as the days get longer and spring gets closer.

March will involve a little bit of travel to hit the three shows that are booked this month. This Friday, March 6, I'll be heading back up to Alexandria to The Lighthouse Cafe for a 6:30 set. As I write that, I realize that means I've got two tickets to the second round of the Horizon League Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse that I'm not going to be able to use. If you're interested, shoot me an email.

"By cracky, it takes sum travelin ter get ter Brown County," according to Kin Hubbard's Abe Martin. I'll be doing me sum travelin to play at Cafe Interlude, a "Chef's Choice" restaurant in Nashville, Ind., on Saturday, March 14. They serve good food, well prepared, and I'll accompany that with some acoustic seasoning from 7:00 until 9:00. This is a small venue, so reservations are recommended (812-988-2441).

Cafe Interlude is located at 67 W. Franklin in Nashville. Visit their web site to read about the wonderful culinary adventure of Chef's Choice.

Then on Friday, March 27, Patchwork and I will head back to the Battleground General Store and Diner (109 North Street in Battleground). We had such a good time when we played there in January. Despite the cold, icy weather, we had a great turnout and a fun time. We're looking forward to being back.

Then again, if you told me I was going to play in a cave with Rick and Holly, I'd look forward to it. We always have such a good time together. Hopefully, Rick's new dulcimer CD will be available by then!

The March 2009 issue of Maverick Country magazine is now available, and this issue contains a review of Give Us a Song. The five-star review (out of five stars) calls the CD "an amazing sounding album which combines great harmonies with fantastic songs that at times are played with just an acoustic guitar; all of which is to Phelps advantage and certainly a joy to hear." Joy to hear. I like that.

Thanks once again for your continuing support. Spring will get here, and it will be beautiful!

Two South Side Gigs This Week

2009-02-15T22:35:00.002-05:00

I hope you had a wonderfully happy Valentine's Day!

This weekend was so enjoyable! On Saturday, I had the opportunity to entertain and to enjoy the company of some of the near east side's finest folks at J. S. Reutz Cafe. The Valentine's dinner was exquisite. Debbie and I had a great time. Many thanks to Jeff, his team, and the folks from Second Helpings that made it happen.

This week I have two gigs on the south side of Indianapolis. On Thursday evening, I'll be playing at Books on Sale. This is a new independent bookstore located in the southwest corner of the Southern Plaza shopping center. You will find Southern Plaza just north of I-465 on East Street. I'll be playing from 7:30 until 9:30, so come on by, browse the shelves and enjoy the music.

Then on Friday, I will team up with the always lovely, charming and talented Eli Beth for an evening of acoustic merriment at The Bean Cup. Chris and Jason run this great little independent coffee shop just north of County Line Road, across from Greenwood Park Mall. Eli and I will be playing from 7:00 until 9:00.

I'd love to see you at one of these fine south side locations. Come on out and warm up to some live acoustic music!

This Friday in Battleground

2009-01-15T00:48:00.002-05:00

Just north of Lafayette, Ind., is the town of Battleground. Battleground is the historic site of the Battle of Tippacanoe. In the summer, it's home to the Indiana Fiddler's Gathering. It's also home to the Battleground General Store and Cafe.

This Friday, there won't be any battles (except maybe "Battle of New Orleans"), but there will certainly be some fiddle playing! Friday evening, I'll be joining my friends Patchwork for an evening of music at the Battleground General Store and Cafe. With Holly on fiddle and Rick on guitar and dulcimer, I'm looking forward to another delightful musical evening.

If you have friends up in Tippacanoe, pass the word along about this one. When the three of us get together, we never know what expect, except that we know we're going to have a great time!

Battleground General Store is located at 109 North Street in Battleground. We'll start picking right around 6:30.

Other upcoming shows include:

January 30, 6:30
The Bread Ladies
5 American Legion Pl
Greenfield, Ind.

February 6, 6:30
The Lighthouse Cafe
102 N Harrison St.
Alexandria, Ind.

February 19, 7:30
Books on Sale
4200 S. East St.
Indianapolis, Ind.

February 20, 7:00
Ye Olde Folkz Trio (with Eli Beth, Greg O'Haver)
The Bean Cup
8908 St. Peter St.
Indianapolis, Ind.

Hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Dean

Thanks for a Great Year

2008-12-31T02:36:00.003-05:00

As we approach a new year, I want to thank each of you for your support. 2008 was a year well worth remembering, including the release of a third CD and a reunion with a dear friend. The best musical times of the year were those occasions when I got to join friends on stage and in living room and on back porch to make music. It is always fun to hook up with Ye Olde Folkz Trio (with Greg O'Haver and Eli Beth), Roots and Branches, and Patchwork (Rick Garrett and Holly Smith) for musical shenanigans of all sorts. In addition, this year also brought the opportunity to appear on Patchwork's debut CD.

Looking ahead to '09, the year kicks off with returns to some favorite haunts.

On Friday, January 9, I'll be back at The Lighthouse Cafe in Alexandria, playing from 6:00 until 7:00. Deanne Carroll and the folks at the Lighthouse are always a gracious and fun-loving group of folks.
Then on the following Friday, January 16, Patchwork and I will load up the truck and head to Battleground for a gig at the Battleground General Store. When the three of us get together, we never know what to expect. I always end up putting the set list aside and just going wherever the spirit leads us. One thing we know for sure, though. It may be unexpected, but it will be fun!
On January 30, after the dawn of my second half century, it's back to The Bread Ladies in Greenfield. As many of you know, I love this place. Music at The Bread Ladies will start at 6:30. Enjoy some good food, and we'll get Rocky Raccoon and Five Pounds of Possum worked into the set list.

Thank you again for letting me share bits of music and life with you in 2008. I hope that your Christmas was indeed merry and that the new year will bring you great joy and hope.

Blessings,
Dean

www.deanphelpsmusic.com

This Saturday at The Bread Ladies

2008-12-09T23:08:00.002-05:00

Come for the chicken salad; stay for the music.

This Saturday I'll be making music at The Bread Ladies in Greenfield from 12:00 until 3:00. (I'm not kidding about the chicken salad. It is over the top good!)

Grab a break from holiday preparations and enjoy some good food and live acoustic music at The Bread Ladies this Saturday.

The Bread Ladies
5 American Legion Pl.
Greenfield, Ind.
Visit The Bread Ladies on the web

Also, please remember that 20% of all CD and cassette sales from my web site through the end of December will be donated to the Pension Fund of the Christian Church for Ministerial Relief. Read more about this fund and shop for CDs on the web site at http://www.deanphelpsmusic.com/.

Blessings,
Dean

December News

2008-12-08T21:28:00.003-05:00

November ended with a fun show at The Bean Cup with my friends Eli Beth and Greg O'Haver (Ye Olde Folkz Trio). We had a good time playing for a full house of folks who seemed to be having a good time as well. I've put a couple of video clips from the evening on YouTube if you want to look and listen.

Our rendition of Eli's "Dead End Road"
A "suite" of Michael Nesmith tunes (yes, there was a real musician in The Monkees)

Now we're into December, and this weekend starts with a Holiday Fun Frolic at Boulevard Place Cafe (at the corner of Boulevard Pl. and W 42nd St. in Indy) this Friday. I'm honored to join some very talented Indianapolis artists like The Shirtless Biddles, Stasia Demos, Chad Mills and Jason Hathaway at the BPC. There is a $5 cover for this one, and the music starts at 7:00. Dates for other shows are on the calendar, but between now and Christmas, I'll be returning to Bookmama's in Irvington, the Lighthouse Cafe and The Bread Ladies.

The web site (http://www.deanphelpsmusic.com/) has gotten a bit of an update. It has a slightly different look, but the bigger change is that you can now buy CDs and cassettes directly off the web site. Yes, I said cassettes. A long time ago in a galaxy far away, that's how we stored music. My first recording, Going Over Home, is just about sold out on CD, but lots of cassettes are still available. Think of it this way, for just $4 you can own a little piece of history.

Please visit the music page and give a listen, maybe pick up a couple of CDs for yourself or your friends. They make great Christmas gifts, and if you buy a set, they also make great coasters!

If you're in the area, come out to Boulevard Place Cafe this Friday and catch a great evening of live acoustic music.

Blessings,
Dean

Ye Olde Folkz Trio live at The Bean Cup

2008-11-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, November 29, from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m.

We'll be singing our hearts out, if we can just remember where we put the car keys.

It's an evening of acoustic music with two of my favorite people. Eli Beth, Greg O'Haver and I will be sharing songs and stories in the round at one of south Indy's treasures. You'll find us at The Bean Cup, 8908 St. Peter St. in Indianapolis. This fine venue is located just off County Line Road across from Greenwood Park Mall, next door to the Arthur Murray Dance Studio.

Ye Olde Folkz Trio
(Eli Beth, Greg O'Haver, Dean Phelps)

at The Bean Cup
November 29, 7:00 p.m.
8908 St. Peter St.
Indianapolis
www.thebeancup.com

This Friday at Beanzie's

2008-11-17T22:42:00.002-05:00

This past weekend was a great way to get back into the swing of performing. The show at Bookmama's was intensely fun. Several friends stopped by, and we had a blast passing the guitar around, sharing songs and singing harmonies.

I had such a good time that I'll be back at the store on Saturday morning, December 5. Browse the shelves, find the perfect Christmas gift, and enjoy some acoustic music while you shop!

This Friday, I'll be back at Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee in Avon. If you're out on the west side, stop in this great cafe. Beanzie's features some great live music to go with their fine food and beverage menu, and you can bring the whole family. The music starts at 6:30.

If you can't make it out to Avon, Cliff Snyder will be hosting another session of the Indianapolis Songwriters Cafe at Boulevard Place Cafe this Friday at 7:00.

On Saturday, November 29, Ye Olde Folkz Trio is getting back together at The Bean Cup on the south side of Indy. I'll be back with Eli Beth and Greg O'Haver, sharing songs and stories in the round. We'll get started at 7:00, so take a break from shopping or just relax after the Thanksgiving holiday with delicious coffee and good music.

Thanks again for your support, and please come out to support these fine venues that do a lot to promote local music!

Blessings,
Dean

Back in Action This Weekend

2008-11-11T22:15:00.001-05:00

I am grateful to each of you that remembered me in your prayers and who checked in to see how I was doing during and after my recent hospital stay. I am very much on the mend now. Also, to those of you who went out to the Bread Ladies Saturday before last only to find that I wasn't there, I am sorry you found an empty stage. Your faithful support means so much. Thanks!

Having to recover also meant having to back out of the show last Friday in Terre Haute with Patchwork. From what Rick and Holly told me, a great time was had by all. It always is when Patchwork's around.

However, I'm climbing back up on the stool this weekend when I make my first appearance at Bookmama's in Irvington. This is a delightful neighborhood bookstore, located on Johnson Ave., right across the street from Lazy Daze Coffeehouse. I'll be playing from 1:30 until 3:30, and of course, I'll have CDs available for anyone who'd like to get an early start on Christmas shopping! Come on out and browse the many interesting shelves at Bookmama's.

Mid-October News

2008-10-16T13:57:00.004-04:00

Howdy-hi there, friends and neighbors!

My upbringing with Cincinnati television makes me want to finish the greeting: "This is your old pal, Kash Amburgey, from Kash's Big Bargain Barn in South Lebanon, Ohio"

These past few weeks have been pretty harried, what with September's marathon of men's retreats and then the statewide assembly of Disciples of Christ this past weekend, which I had a major role in planning. That still didn't stop me from travelling down to Cincinnati to Carthage Christian Church for their homecoming weekend. And what a refreshing and blessed weekend it was! I played a coffee house concert on Saturday night and had the opportunity to preach on Sunday morning. It was just the boost I needed to push me into Assembly weekend.

The Assembly was a blast, and the weekend afforded not one but two opportunities to play with Roots and Branches. We provided dinner music at the Assembly on Friday night. Then we travelled to Bedford on Sunday to play for the annual picnic of First Christian Church in Bedford. Talk about fun!

The picture on the left is from the closing worship service for the Assembly last Saturday. We had some wonderful musicians there, and I was honored to be a part of it.

Now looking ahead, I've got some fun times for pickin' coming up.

Next Friday, October 24, I'll be hooking up with Patchwork again, this time at Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee in Avon. Rick, Holly and I always have a good time together, and that translates into a good time for the folks that come out to hear us. We'll be getting started at 6:30. Beanzies is located at 1118 N State Road 267, Avon.

Saturday, October 25, I make my first trip to Fort Wayne to perform when I play at Firefly Coffee House. If you have friends in the Fort Wayne area, let them know about this one. The music starts at 8:00, and there's a $1 cover charge. Firefly is located at 3523 N Anthony Blvd in Fort Wayne.

Saturday, November 1, I'll be back at The Bread Ladies for lunch and music, and I'll be playing from noon until 3:00. I was there for Riley Days earlier this month, and it's true I love the Ladies! Come for the chicken salad (Mmmm); stay for the music. The Bread Ladies is located at 5 American Legion Pl, across from the Hancock County Courthouse, in Greenfield.

Then on Friday evening, November 7, Patchwork and I will roll down I-70 to Terre Haute for another evening of laughs and licks. We'll be playing at Coffee Grounds, which is a new venue for us. The music gets underway at 7:00, so tell your friends in Terre Haute about this one! Coffee Grounds is located at 423 Wabash Ave in Terre Haute.

I'd love to see you at one of these fine venues, so mark a calendar and save a date for some acoustic folk, gospel and Americana.

"Then just follow the arrows! Follow the cars! To Kash's Big Bargain Barn, where you save cash with Kash!"

Blessings,
Dean

October News and Calendar

2008-10-05T20:23:00.002-04:00

Hey folks! It was a busy September with retreats and travel, but it was a fun month. September included a trip to Estes Park, Colorado to co-lead a men's retreat. Free time allowed me a trip into Rocky Mountain National Park where the aspen were turning. The shimmer of golden aspen leaves is yet another reminder of the glory and wonder of God's creation.

As we head into October, the coming month presents some great opportunities for music. The first ones come up this weekend. The Riley Days festival is happening in Greenfield (pretty sure I got the right Green this time), and Friday afternoon I'll be back at The Bread Ladies from 1:00 until 4:00, playing music for festival goers and lunch enjoyers.

In addition to playing solo in familiar venues, October's calendar has dates with old friends and new venues. I'm looking forward to taking the stage again with my friends Patchwork at Beanzies on the 24th. On the next night, I'll be making my first musical trip to Fort Wayne to play at Firefly Coffee House.

Here's the remaining show schedule for October. It would be great to see you at one of these fine venues.

Oct. 3, 1:00-4:00
The Bread Ladies
5 American Legion Pl
Greenfield, Ind.
http://www.thebreadladies.com/
Oct. 4, 6:00-8:00
Carthage Christian Church
Cincinnati, Ohio
Oct. 10, 6:00, with Roots and Branches
Regional Assembly
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana
Purdue University
Oct. 12 with Roots and Branches
Bedford Christian Camp
Bedford, Ind.
Oct. 24, 6:30, with Patchwork
Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee
1118 N State Road 267
Avon, Ind.
http://www.beanzies.com/
Oct. 25, 8:00
Firefly Coffeehouse
3523 N Anthony Blvd
Fort Wayne, Ind.
http://www.fireflycoffeehousefw.com/

Blessings,
Dean

"Give Us a Song" Featured at DisciplesWorld Site

2008-07-29T00:33:00.003-04:00

Give Us a Song, my latest CD, is the subject of the current feature article at DisciplesWorld.com. I couldn't be more excited if my picture were on the cover of the Rolling Stone!!

DisciplesWorld is a journal of news, opinion and mission for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Please visit the DisciplesWorld site and read the article by Rebecca Woods.

Medford

2008-07-22T23:20:00.001-04:00

Those who've listened to The Hobo Song on Give Us a Song have heard me tell about my grandmother-in-law, Lillie Rosebery, and about the hobos who always found their way to her house. Listen carefully and you can hear a little more of the story at the end of the CD's title track.

Debbie and I went through Medford on our way home from Oklahoma City, and we brought back a few images to share.

The grain elevator is probably where hobos hopped off the train there at Medford, Oklahoma.

They'd walk up this alley.

And find their way to where Miss Lillie's back door used to be. It's now a parking lot for the Methodists.

This is First Christian Church, where Lillie went to worship.

And where you have tracks, you're likely to find a hobo.

World Championship Barbecue

2008-07-16T23:46:00.002-04:00

A short 290-mile drive from Indianapolis is Super Smokers BBQ, and I'd say it's worth the trip. We were passing through Eureka, Missouri, and it was one of those serendipitous stops on a road trip: "Let's get off here and see what there is."

This is not your everyday run-of-the-mill barbecue joint. These folks are world champions. That's right. They went to the Super Bowl of Swine, the Memphis in May Festival Barbecue Cookoff, and they won the thing.

How many sauces are enough? We had our choice of six, everything from a Carolina mustard-based sauce to a sweet and smoky Kansas City sauce. They had Texas boucoups hot sauce, and if you like your sweet with a little spicy to it, they've got the Tennessee sauce. I think I detected just a hint of molasses in the Championship sauce.

Okay, maybe it's not a day trip from Indy, but if your travels take you on the road between St. Louis and Springfield, treat your taste buds to Super Smokers. Oh, but if you stop by on Sunday, they'll be closed.

Video from CD Release

2008-07-02T10:59:00.002-04:00

Video clips from the release celebration for Give Us a Song are posted online at BlipTV. Many thanks to Mike Maynard for taking the video and sharing the files. You can view the video clips by going to http://goingoverhome.blip.tv.

"Give Us a Song," New CD, Available Online

2008-06-25T09:30:00.005-04:00

Yes. This blog post is a commercial.

Give Us a Song, my latest CD is now available in two online outlets: CD Baby and Amazon.com. You can also purchase the CD directly from my web site using PayPal.

Both on my site and at CD Baby, you can also listen to samples from each track.

If you're a bricks-and-mortar shopper and are in the Indianapolis area, Give Us a Song is also available at Indy CD and Vinyl in Broad Ripple, Arthur's Music Store in Fountain Square, and both Luna Music locations.

To learn more about Give Us a Song, click here for a promotional description (PDF, 2MB).

I Didn't Take Pictures

2008-06-16T23:01:00.003-04:00

So I'm going to be dependent on the kindness of my friends, but the memories of the release celebration for Give Us a Song are indelibly stamped on my mind. The new CD certainly got a most fitting launch. I've been promised some pictures and video, so there will be more to come later. For now, I just need to express my deep gratitude.

It all went so well. The weather was fabulous. So many of our best friends were there. Center Stage was rockin'. Looked like the reuben was a happening thing. Cold drinks, coffee, ice cream, cookies. It was all good. A friend showed up that I didn't expect because he and his wife saw the event posted on the Indy.com calendar.

Patchwork played as well as I think I've heard them. Rick had his new hammered dulcimer in fine tune, along with his new Morgan Monroe guitar. Holly's fiddle and voice were prime. And one of the many highlights for me was when they let me sit in on iron pipe on a cover of Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Knock Three Times." Yes. Iron pipe. You can get a lot of music out of plumbing.

Eli Beth was her lovely and charming self. She played a beautiful set of originals and covers. "Blue Bayou" brought me to the stage, then Holly, and we had a dandy three-part harmony happening.

I don't think I've enjoyed a set more than the one I played. There's something special in the connection between performer and audience, and it was certainly there. Energy flowed back and forth. We laughed and sang together. A few tears fell. Holly and I sang the rendition of Angel Band that appears on Patchwork's new CD.

Of course, I hope this disc sells well. I hope people enjoy it. I'll be working to get it out there, but I am extremely grateful for the many friends who came out to celebrate with me. That, right there, makes it all worthwhile.

Release Celebration: So Many Wonderful People

2008-06-12T09:30:00.002-04:00

It's going to be a large time this Saturday at Center Stage Cafe. Patchwork and Eli Beth will share the stage with me to celebrate the release of my third CD, Give Us a Song. The music will be going from 8:00 until 10:00.

It's hard to believe how blessed I am to work with so many wonderful people. First of all, Catrice and Dana, the owners of Center Stage Cafe, are just the greatest. They have a great downtown venue and run a fabulous business. If you haven't been down to 970 Fort Wayne Avenue in Indy, drop in for good food and non-alcoholic drinks. Catch Spoke-N-Heard, the open mic hosted by TonyWHOA and Simple', on Tueday nights and Friday Night Jamz on Friday.

You also owe it to yourself to hear Rick Garrett and Holly Smith, Patchwork. Their new CD is now available at CD Baby, and they'll be having their release celebration at Center Stage on July 12. Patchwork's music has a simple charm that draws you in, and before you know it, you're tapping your foot, singing along, and enjoying good music performed by great people.

Eli Beth, in addition to being a lovely, charming and talented singer-songwriter, is one of the people that made Indianapolis feel like home to me. I stumbled onto her open mic at Corner Coffee shortly after moving here, and it was the beginning of coming out of the artistic and musical black hole I had been in. When she let me do harmony vocals with her on Karla Bonoff's "Home," I was hooked. Eli is an extremely gifted songwriter, a talented guitarist, and this woman has a silky smooth voice. I could listen to her for days.

Patchwork leads off the evening at 8:00. Eli takes the stage at 8:30, and I go on at 9:00. It's going to be an evening of acoustic merry-making, and I am so extremely pumped!

Back on Schedule

2008-06-11T14:05:00.004-04:00

Didn't it rain! Our neighborhood saw 10 inches in about 12 hours. I haven't seen anything like it before and would be most grateful not to see it again! Still, all in all, we have a lot to be thankful for. We had all the carpet pulled out of the basement today, but at least we have a home to pull carpet out of.

Meanwhile, the storm rained out the Woodruff Place Flea Market, and the work at our house forced me to cancel the show at Beanzie's on Saturday. We've got another busy day on Monday, but then things should settle back in. So this week's shows are still on, including the release celebration for Give Us a Song this Saturday at Center Stage Cafe.

If you can't make the release party, or if you're looking for something to do on Thursday, hit the downstairs at the Corner Wine Bar in Broad Ripple. I'll be there with Eli Beth and Greg O'Haver, together again as Ye Olde Folk Trio. We'll be playing from 7:00 until 10:00. Corner Wine Bar is at 6331 Guilford. Click here for a map.

Our prayers are with lots of folks, some not far from us, who had to
leave their homes as a result of the weekend storms.

Blessings,
Dean

June Date Set for CD Release

2008-05-25T22:35:00.002-04:00

June 16 is release date for Give Us a Song, the newest CD from Dean Phelps. The CD is the third release by Phelps, and the second full-length recording in which he has teamed with Indianapolis engineer and producer Steve Creech.

The release will be marked by a private release celebration at Center Stage Cafe in Indianpolis.

Give Us a Song contains twelve tracks that return to Phelps' acoustic Americana style. Featured tracks on the disc include an original by Phelps, If You Come Up Empty, and several new arrangements of traditional hymns. Phelps also goes back and reclaims a few songs from his earliest days as a solo performer, including Paul Simon's Feelin' Groovy and the Jonathan Edwards cover that provides the title track. Another centerpiece of the record is My Dog Jesus, a cleverly crafted story song by Kurt Fortmeyer, C.J. Watson and Al Detrolio.

Give Us a Song will be available on the artist's web site, www.deanphelpsmusic.com, as well as CD Baby and iTunes.

First Christian, Mooresville, to Host Concert on the Lawn

2008-05-09T17:14:00.003-04:00

Local musicians will perform on the lawn in front of First Christian Church, Mooresville, Ind., on Saturday, May 17, from 11:00 until 3:00. The performances will be part of the church's annual Concert on the Lawn.

Included among this year's artists are the Indianapolis band, Joshua's Vision, and Greenwood singer-songwriter Dean Phelps.

Proceeds from the Concert on the Lawn will help the church in its ministry to purchase backpacks and supplies for local school children.

Center Stage to Host Fundraiser

2008-05-09T10:24:00.002-04:00

Center Stage Cafe and Deli, 970 Fort Wayne Ave., Indianapolis, will host a fundraiser to benefit the Leon L. Jett Minority Family Admission Fund at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. The fundraiser at the cafe will be on Saturday, May 17, 2008 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

The Fund’s mission acknowledges the late Leon Jett’s efforts to include the voices of African-Americans in telling the story of the American West, and honors Leon’s commitment to diversity and his outreach to those who often found themselves to be on the edges of society.

The event will feature food, live entertainment, children’s activities and the raffle of artwork created especially for the occasion. The entertainment lineup includes Urban Vibes drum ensemble, Tony Artis and friends, Summer Snow and The Shooting Stars Youth Clown Troupe, and the Inner City Music School—directed by Hazel Johnson Strong.

Tickets for the event are priced at $10.00 in advance and at the door. Children under 12 are admitted free. For ticket information contact Vivian Williams at (317) 319-3213-Cell or vivian.williams123@sbcglobal.net.

Parking the day of the event will be directly across the street from Center Stage Cafe on the American Red Cross parking lot, 441 East 10th Street.

Gigabytes for the Gospel

2008-04-25T10:06:00.002-04:00

From Disciples News Service

Does your congregation need a web site? Do you want to learn how to improve your existing site? Would you like to learn what makes an effective church web site and how to build it? Then make sure you attend the "Gigabytes for the Gospel" retreat on May 2-4 at Christmount Christian Assembly in Black Mountain, N.C.

Everyone is welcome: from those who are wondering how to start a church web site to "old pro's" looking to pick up some new tricks. Workshop sessions will look at technology, design and the construction of web sites and tricks and tips for improving your website. Saturday afternoon will allow for free time to explore in and around Christmount. Sunday will include both workshops and worship.

The event will be led by Buddy Ray, web master for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia; Dean Phelps, Director of Church Multiplication for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana; and Heath Coffey, Guest Services Coordinator and web master for Christmount.

For more information, visit: www.christmount.org/gigabytes_for_the_gospel.htm

"Give Us a Song" Release Celebration Set for June 14

2008-04-17T23:26:00.002-04:00

Fans, friends and family will gather on Saturday, June 14, to celebration the release of Dean Phelps's latest recording, Give Us a Song. The celebration will be held at Center Stage Cafe, 970 Fort Wayne Ave. in Indianapolis.

Give Us a Song is the third CD released by Phelps. He has teamed again with Indianapolis producer Steve Creech and Penny Lane Recordings. Creech was the producer and engineer on Dean's 2006 release, This Old House.

A full-length, 12-song effort, Give Us a Song features Dean's vocals and acoustic finger-style guitar. Like Dean's earlier recordings, the CD includes original arrangements of hymns and music of the Christian faith alongside music by notable singer-songwriters. Give Us a Song also marks the first time that Dean has released recordings of original music.

Give Us a Song will be available in local retail and online outlets by May 31.

The Bread Ladies

2008-04-13T16:47:00.002-04:00

Just east of the Hancock County Courthouse in Greenfield is a wonderful little cafe, The Bread Ladies. Their five-star rating at Gusto.com is just one indication that this is a place worth trying. Service and food are both outstanding, and the atmosphere is comfortable.

You can come for the food and stay for the music. The Bread Ladies features live music most Friday nights, mostly bluegrass, but they welcome other styles of music as well. Well-known Anderson jazz artist Gordon Brooks is a regular favorite.

This Friday, April 18, Indianapolis singer-songwriter Dean Phelps will take the stage at The Bread Ladies starting at 6:30.

The Bread Ladies is located at 5 American Legion Place on the east side of the courthouse.

Dean Phelps Returns to Lighthouse Cafe

2008-04-08T22:35:00.002-04:00

Dean Phelps will return to Lighthouse Cafe in Alexandria, Ind., on Saturday, April 12. His program of acoustic folk and gospel music will begin around 7:30. The performance will include several songs from his upcoming CD, Give Us a Song.

Lighthouse Cafe is located at 102 N. Harrison St. in downtown Alexandria.

Patchwork, Dean Phelps at Center Stage

2008-04-04T23:17:00.002-04:00

The Indianapolis folk duo Patchwork will welcome guest artist Dean Phelps to join them when they perform at Center Stage Cafe and Deli on Friday, April 11 at 8:00. Center Stage Cafe is located at 970 Fort Wayne Ave. in Indianapolis.

The performers are no strangers, having played together in such Indianapolis venues as Boulevard Place Cafe and the Indy Hostel House Concert Series. It promises to be a fun evening as Patchwork and Phelps once again team up to swap songs and stories in the round.

The evening will feature songs from both Patchwork and Phelps that will appear on their respective upcoming CDs. They have all spent time in studio this winter and are anticipating spring releases of new recordings.

Friday Night Jamz is a weekly music event at Center Stage. In addition to live music, this downtown Indianapolis venue has received stellar reviews on their food and beverages.

Ye Olde Folk Trio at Indy Hostel

2008-03-31T23:39:00.002-04:00

This Thursday, April 3, Indy Hostel welcomes Ye Olde Folk Trio as part of the Indy Hostel House Concert Series. The trio will perform acoustic music in the round, swapping songs in the living room of the Hostel beginning at 7:30.

Ye Olde Folk Trio is made up of Indianapolis singer-songwriters Eli Beth, Greg O'Haver and Dean Phelps. Sharing more than a century of performance experience between them, the trio performs a variety of original music and covers. The free form of playing in the round allows for the unexpected and for a variety of musical combinations.

Indy Hostel is located at 4903 Winthrop Ave., at the corner of Winthrop and 49th, in Indianapolis. Visit them on the web at www.indyhostel.us.

Center Stage Cafe Review on Indy.com

2008-03-28T13:45:00.003-04:00

Our friends Dana and Catrice at Center Stage Cafe and Deli received a very nice review in this week's Indy.com. You can read all the great things about their coffee shop and music venue at
http://www.indy.com/posts/6389. If you've not visited this fine Indianapolis establishment you owe it to yourself. The food and drinks are excellent and reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is very comfortable.

Go for food, but don't miss an opportunity to be there for live entertainment. Whether it's part of Friday Night Jamz or the Tuesday evening open mic hosted by Spoke'N'Heard, this is a great place for live music.

Some upcoming Friday Night Jamz artists include:

March 21: Tom Schereck
April 4: Adam Wicker and Sean Hannigan
April 11: Patchwork with guest Dean Phelps
April 18: Cliff Snyder and guests
April 25: Venitia Sekema
May 2: Daniel Young
May 9: Dean Phelps
May 16: Jascha
May 23: Riley O'Connor
May 30: Scott Bravo

Friday Night Jamz start at 8:00. Open mic starts at 9:00 on Tuesday nights.

Visit Center Stage Cafe on MySpace at www.myspace.com/centerstagecafe

Ye Olde Folk Trio at Indy Hostel

2008-03-27T23:09:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, April 3, the Indy Hostel House Concert Series presents Ye Olde Folk Trio, featuring Indianapolis singer-songwriters Eli Beth, Greg O'Haver and Dean Phelps. With more years of performance experience between them than they care to count, the three will swap songs in the round to make for an enjoyable evening of acoustic music in the coolest living room in Broad Ripple.

Indy Hostel is located at 4903 Winthrop Ave., Indianapolis, just east of College Ave. on 49th St. The music starts at 7:30 and goes until 10:00.

Oh, How I Love Beanzie's

2008-02-05T20:27:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, I made a return trip to Avon to play a couple of sets at Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee Company. Beanzie's is a great little coffee shop and café, and it's always a pleasure to play there.

The shop is located in a little strip center, so it may be a little hard to find on your first trip. However, those who commit to the search won't be disappointed. In addition to delightful, elegantly served coffee drinks, Beanzie's serves up an assortment of good sandwiches. The shop also features live music on Saturday nights, 6:30 - 9:30. I got word last week that they're looking to add live music on Fridays as well.

Musicians set up in a little room with overstuffed chairs and a sofa toward the back of the shop. Even though the room is somewhat separated from the rest of the shop by an archway, the acoustics are really good. I have no problem setting my system up to deliver sound that carries throughout the shop without blowing away the people sitting in the room with me. All in all, it's a very pleasant experience for the performer, and I figure, if people don't run screaming from the room, it's a pleasant experience for the listener as well.

If you're in Avon, Brownsburg or Plainfield, head up (or down) Indiana 267 and find Beanzie's. From the west side of Indy, head out U.S. 36 to Avon, the head north on 267. It's located one mile north of U.S. 36. If you're headed north on 267, you'll see the strip center on your left just north of County Road 100.

You won't be disappointed!

Olivia Kay Skinner

2008-01-29T21:15:00.000-05:00

We went out to catch Olivia Skinner last Saturday night at Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee. Olivia and I met online after she found my MySpace profile and asked me about getting some guitar pointers. I was happy to oblige. You can visit her web site at http://www.oliviakay.org/ to learn more.

Olivia is a fourteen year old singer-songwriter from Indianapolis, but she writes with a maturity that denies her years. A couple of the originals that she performed last night, "Save Me" and "You're Free", demonstrate just how much potential she has as a lyricist. She comes by her writing gift honestly, also performing songs that her father had written. I was especially taken by "Drive South".

Her performance needs polish, but that's to be expected given the short amount of time Olivia has been performing. I have no doubt that, with some coaching, she will grow into the role of singer, guitarist and performer as well as songwriter.

Some of the songs selected could also benefit from a little percussion to propel the songs along--a shaker or tambourine could go a long way here--and really draw the audience into the beat.

Olivia is accompanied by Indy guitarist and singer Joel Nowacki. Joel was performing as we arrived, and he included some excellent selections such as Bon Jovi's "It's My Life," which worked quite nicely as an acoustic number. Joel has a good musical instinct and does quite well both as a solo performer and in a supporting role.

I'm really anxious to see what good things lie ahead for this young talent.

A funny thing happened on the way to Amazon

2008-01-28T15:40:00.000-05:00

I've released two CDs: Going Over Home in 1997 and This Old House in 2006. This Old House is the only one of the two available for sale through Amazon.com. At least that's what I thought.

I forget exactly what I doing, but I needed to double check the address of the Amazon.com page for This Old House. The address contains a product code that does not lend itself well to memorization. (Found out it was http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M9CDSQ.)

It made sense that the best way to come up with the address was to go to Amazon's site and search for myself. (We Baby Boomers are always searching for ourselves, aren't we?) Search 'Music' for 'Dean Phelps'. Ah, the convenience of the 21st century.

I found This Old House, but the search also turned up Going Over Home for sale at Amazon.com! But that wasn't the stunning part. What arrested my attention was the line that said "1 new & used from $39.99." 39.99!? Somebody is selling that CD for forty freakin' dollars! My work is appreciating, and I'm not even dead.

I truly hope it sells, but not to somebody kind enough to read my ramblings on the blog.

Folks, you don't have to shell out forty bucks for the CD. It's not out of print yet, although it's close. My guess is that I'll sell the last copies of it that I'm going to sell sometime this year. You can find Going Over Home in CD Baby's bargain bin for 5 dollars. (It's in the Country / Americana section.) Buy it there. I'll appreciate that you bought my music, and you'll save $35.

A Great Night at Boulevard Place Cafe

2008-01-12T22:41:00.000-05:00

The room was packed, and the iced tea was flowing freely. Bob was cooking up his usual tasty fare in the kitchen, and Dace was providing excellent service. That was the setting at Boulevard Place Cafe last night, so Rick, Holly and I tried to do our part. We rared back and let fly with the best acoustic, folk and gospel music we could muster.

Rick and Holly are the Indianapolis folk duo Patchwork, and it was my honor to share the stage with them at Boulevard Place. The evening had been set up through Robin Coleman and Segment of Society Promotions, and what a fun evening it was!

We played it "in the round", sharing songs back and forth, occasionally jumping in with a harmony part or a fiddle or lead lick. The energy in the room was great, and when it came time to stop, I could have played on for another hour.

Many thanks to Robin for setting the evening up, and to Patchwork for allowing me the opporunity to be part of such a delightful evening. On March 8, it will be my pleasure to appear with Patchwork again, as well as with Cliff Snyder, for the Westside Club Benefit Concert. See the calendar on my web site for more information on this March 8 show.

Review from The Bean Cup

2008-01-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

The review below came from Carolyn Doyle and appeared on the Indy Folk News discussion group.

++++++

Rev. Dean packs 'em in by Carolyn Doyle

Very nice performance by the relaxed and accomplished Rev. Dean Phelps on Friday night at The Bean Cup (on the north side of County Line Road, across from Greenwood Park Mall). I was impressed by the number of cars parked outside, and at first wondered if the adjacent Arthur Murray Dance Studio was having a hoedown. But no, they were all there for Dean ... it was so crowded, I had to take my chicken salad to the one available table, which was front and center.

Dean played one of the most varied song lists I've heard in awhile ... everything from "My Grandfather's Clock" to the Beatles' "Rocky Raccoon" to Jim Croce's "Roller Derby Queen" to my favorite of the amazing C.J. Watson's vast repertoire, "My Dog Jesus."

Dave had to work, but I hope we can both be there nexttime, Dean.

And I noticed that the Eastside's own Sean Hannigan will be playing at The Bean Cup at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12, we plan to be there for that one!

-- Carolyn

Recalling 2007

2007-12-31T19:37:00.000-05:00

It's raining in Indianapolis on New Year's Eve, and the forecast has a snow advisory, so Debbie and I decided to settle down in our own living room to ring in the new year. As the fire gets started in the fireplace, we're watching some video and recalling memories of the past year.

We watched the video of the evening when the Corner Coffee open stage visited our house. We watched some video and looked at pictures from Christmas with Debbie's family here.

We celebrated as my brother and sister came to Indy for our annual gathering, and my friend Jen came from North Carolina. Frank and Barb joined us that evening for some porchside pickin'.

We welcomed family from near and far, and it was indeed a good year for reconnecting with cousins from all over.

The major event of the year, though, was moving Debbie's mom and brother from Georgia to Indianapolis. It was certainly not without challenge, and it involved the longest day of my life. In one August day, we unloaded furniture at two apartments, then stayed up all night putting together the bed at Alan's place. Not without challenge, but it all seems to be working out like we had hoped.

Through it all, we look back and see how we've been blessed throughout the year. We are certain that if it were not for faith, we would not have made it through. So as we wrap up 2007 and look ahead to 2008, we thank God for steadfast love and enduring faithfulness, and we wish for all our friends peace and joy in the new year.

Keeping Commitments

2007-12-16T17:03:00.000-05:00

We had a winter storm move across the midwest this weekend. The snow started in Indianapolis on Saturday morning. On that morning I was committed to play at Irvington's best little coffeehouse, Lazy Daze. Lazy Daze has always been a great place to play, and it's even better now that they've expanded and share space with The Bread Ladies II.

The weather threat was serious, as the weather forecasts touted a winter storm warning complete with sheets of ice and several inches of snow. When the first wave of snow started, it would have been easy to pack it in.

Nevertheless, we all kept our commitments. Lazy Daze was serving coffee. The Bread Ladies II was serving up sandwiches, soup and salad. [Side note: Gotta love the Honey Wheat Beer Bread . . . and the chicken salad . . . and Rocky Raccoon!] Indianapolis Talent Search was there to take registrations for their upcoming competition and to give away a pretty blue Asheville guitar.

I kept my commitment as well. As a result, I got to entertain a woman and two children while they enjoyed hot chocolate. Several folks stepped in out of the cold and stayed a while to warm up with coffee and acoustic blend. I got to meet and hear a new group of young songwriters from Fishers called Un, Deux, Trois. All in all, it was a superb morning.

A friend dropped in toward the end of my set. She was killing a little time before she went to see her mother. Her mom is an Alzheimer's patient, and those visits are difficult more often than not. Yet, here she was, making the visit because she knew the weather was going to keep her in the rest of the weekend. It was the only chance she'd have to see her mom over the weekend. Even though mom may not know her or may say terrible things to her, she was going to see her mom.

Occasionally, the commitments people keep are nothing short of amazing.

Meredith Holland Jones Scholarship Fund

2007-12-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

Meredith Jones was an extremely dedicated and well-loved elementary school music teacher in Rockdale County, Georgia. She had that gift that makes a great teacher. She had the capacity to love each and every one of her students. She also had the determination that everything she did was going to be the best that it could be.

Sadly, Meredith left us too soon at 29 years of age after ending her 18-month battle with cancer on November 30. I had been Meredith's pastor for a time and had the honor of hearing her vows as she married her husband Chris. It was especially difficult to then go just a few years later to participate in her funeral service. But it is because of the special person that Meredith was that I want to help spread the word about one memorial opportunity that her family has established.

The Meredith Holland Jones Scholarship Fund will be set up at the University of Georgia, Meredith's alma mater, where she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She was doing work at Georgia toward her Ph.D. at the time of her death.

The scholarship will help supplement the cost for a rising Junior or Senior music major who wishes to pursue elementary school music education. The music department at the University is helping to set up the fund through the University of Georgia Foundation.

In order to contribute to the fund, make a check payable to "University of Georgia Foundation" and note "Meredith Jones Scholarship Fund" on the check. Mail checks to:

Dr. Mary Leglar - Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Univeristy of Georgia
250 River Rd.
Athens, GA 30602

Kara Barnard and Co.

2007-12-04T18:46:00.000-05:00

Kara Barnard brought her instrumental, lyrical and vocal talent to Boulevard Place Cafe last Friday night, along with her sister, Pam Barnard Hays, and their cousin Mary. (I am certain that Mary has a last name, but I looked back through a bunch of old email newsletters and can't find it.) Kara and Pam, with Mary on percussion, did several songs from their latest CD, Flying Down King Street, as well as from earlier recordings.

As if that wasn't pleasing enough for an evening of music, Kara, Pam and Mary were joined by Pennsylvania singer-songwriter Nicole Reynolds and Missouri singer-songwriter, Kara Kulpa, also known as Kara Jr. When all five shared the stage and found their resonance, the result was so invigorating that it's no wonder Kara Barnard, also known as Kara Sr., calls this ensemble her ideal band.

Nicole started the evening off with a solo set. I have to admit that I am not as taken by her songwriting as others seem to be. Her vocal performance is so understated that her lyrics are all too often imperceptible. However, Ms. Reynolds really shines when she steps out of the spotlight. As a supporting musician, her melodic instincts and sense of ensemble take over, and as a result anyone she plays with rises to another level.

Kara Kulpa (Junior) took the stage next. Kara obviously enjoys herself on stage and carries her songs with beautiful, strong vocals, although at times her vocal overwhelmed the room and the sound system and became cutting. Her song, This House, is Kara Kulpa at her best, and she closed the set with, well, a song in praise of her capo. Handy little gadgets they are!

Kara Sr. then took the stage with Pam and Mary. Opening with my favorite Kara Barnard song, Never the Less, from the Home CD, and moving on into the title track from Kara and Pam's latest release, Flying Down King Street, the rest of the evening was a musical joy ride. Kara Sr. is the kind of seasoned professional that welcomes the opportunity to let younger performers shine.

When Kara Jr. and Nicole joined the ensemble, the group hit a zone where they instinctively played off one another. Kara Kulpa's multi-instrumental skills shined. Nicole's burgeoning guitar virtuosity rolled the group along. Mary played the best percussion solo on a bucket I've ever heard. Pam delighted and engaged the crowd. The only disappointment was that Kara Sr. never strapped on her Jeff Russell custom-built banjo. Next time, please!

This was a delightful evening that blended the rawness of emerging musicians with the seasoning of experienced players. Check out any of these musicians any time you can hear them play.

When I Grow Up

2007-11-25T19:26:00.000-05:00

I talked with my sister by phone this week. We had shared similar experiences recently.

My sister is one of the most resourceful people I know. She's been knitting and crocheting as long as I can remember. A few years ago, she learned to spin yarn. At that point I told her, "Next you'll be raising sheep."

Now she runs the whole process. She raises sheep and sheers them. She cleans and dyes the wool. She spins it into yarn. She knits it, and she also weaves.

She recently had a couple of her weavings accepted in a juried art exhibit. She's not only resourceful; she's good.

She told me about the compliments she had received from other exhibitors. These were people who have been spinning and weaving a long time, folks who were masters of the craft, and they took the time to tell her that they like her work. What a great feeling it is to receive praise and encouragement from people you respect!

Last week I attended a gathering of the Indianapolis Guitar Society for the first time. The IGS is a group of pickers that meets in one member's garage on a Sunday afternoon three or four times a year.

Comer "Moon" Mullens, a former national champion thumb-style guitarist, was the featured performer that day, but several folks took a turn at the mic. These were really good, experienced musicians. Some have toured and done extensive musical work.

I arrived late, so my "reward" was that my turn on the stool was immediately after Mr. Mullens. [Note: I have a new musical high point. It's the day that Moon Mullens opened for me.] Later, a few of the fine pickers paid me compliments like how cleanly I played. Now that will help a fellow keep practicing!

When I grow up, I want to be a respectable player. I would be nice to be the kind of guy who made folks wonder, "What was he like back in the day?" But more than that, I want to be the kind of player that can offer compliments, support and encouragement to the younger folks coming along behind me.

That would make life worthwhile.

Andra Moran

2007-11-18T20:48:00.000-05:00

Andra Moran is a very talented singer, guitarist and songwriter from California, now living in Nashville. She's also part of my tribe of Christians, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

I first became aware of Andra when we each appeared on a compilation CD, Disciples Sampler. Then, along with a few thousand Disciples, I've been blessed by her presence in the worship band at General Assemblies (the biennial gathering of U.S. and Canadian Disciples) in Portland and Fort Worth.

This past week, Andra led worship at a conference on new church planting for a group sixty or so pastors, lay leaders, and denominational leaders. Her musical gifts are obvious, but Andra is also a very gifted worship leader. She skillfully led us through three days and five worship services, stitching it all together nicely with coffee. (In a way, you just had to be there.)

I came away from the event enriched and in possession of two of Andra's CDs. The Someday Sessions (2003) is a short collection of seven tracks, mostly original tunes. It's recorded live, which features Andra's vocals and guitar with some supporting guitar work from Chris Cottros. The liner proclaims, "no vocal tuning," but none is needed. Andra's soprano rarely strays off-pitch, and she nails her beautiful melodies dead on.

Listening (2005), released on the Insta-Rock label is a fine studio effort recorded at Alex the Great in Nashville. She assembled a stellar cast of supporting musicians for the project, and the production stays out of the way, allowing her writing and vocal stylings to shine through.

To pick up a copy of these recordings or If Not For This, Andra's first release with friend and co-writer Josh Elson, visit her web site at www.andramoran.com.

Open Mic at Cognizant Coffee

2007-11-10T23:35:00.000-05:00

John W. Rockwell sings about his Open Mic Night Tragedy, but last Friday at Cognizant Coffee was no tragedy. It was, in fact, a delightful evening of music.

Jason Hathaway, formerly of the Tecumseh Flyers, began hosting a new open stage at Cognizant Coffee last month. After a somewhat slow start in October, last night several musicians came out to lend their talent to the lineup.

Cognizant is a great place for an open mic. The room has the ambience of its Fountain Square location. Being on Prospect, near Deano's Vino and Radio Radio, it picks up some walk-in traffic. Performers sit in the window area by the front door, so folks walking by see that live music is happening.

In addition to Jason and myself, Chris Wolf was in the house with a new song. Greg O'Haver and his trusty Guild entertained with songs from the sacred and secular, the humorous and thoughtful. Neighborhood songwriter A.J. played a set of his tunes, closing with a bit of Tom Petty.

A highlight of the evening was when another member of the Tecumseh Flyers, Steve Guichelaar, unpacked his mandolin and joined Jason on stage for some old Flyers tunes and gospel standards. Greg had his dojo, and we couldn't resist joining in.

Open stages are a lot like Forrest Gump's famous box of chocolates. You really don't know what you're going to get. Friday night at Cognizant Coffee, we enjoyed a sweet musical sampler. The box gets opened again on Friday, December 14 at 7:00.

Appalachian Weekend

2007-10-31T21:56:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful weekend in north Georgia as the Craddock Center held its annual Appalachian Weekend. Appalachian Weekend celebrates the art, craft and folklore of southern Appalachia. The Craddock Center serves to relieve poverty and illiteracy in the north Georgia area where it is located. For those who don't know, Cherry Log is located right halfway between Maxwell and Lucius (seriously, about 90 miles north of Atlanta).

For me, it was a beautiful weekend to see old friends again. Cherry Log Christian Church was my first ministry out of seminary, at the time a new congregation, so the invitation to come back for Appalachian Weekend and play was readily accepted. Many members of the church displayed their mountain crafts: Ron Midkiff's bead weaving, baskets by Jim Wieland and the unique painting style of C.W. Connor, just to name a few.

Curator Anna Fariello, a former research fellow with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and former field researcher for the Smithsonian Folklife Center, spoke on the revival of southern craft in the mountains during the Saturday afternoon program. It was an honor to precede her lecture with music. I've never been the warmup act for a curator before. I must say it was a grand experience. Wayfaring Stranger was, of course, on the set list along with other mountain gospel tunes.

It was while serving in Cherry Log that I first heard Five Pounds of Possum. During the fall when folks from the city would come up to drink in the dazzling fall displays in the mountains, art and craft fairs would pop up all over. I played at one apple barn, and after my set I listened to the group after me, and they played the best song about roadkill I've ever heard. Well, they played the only song about roadkill I've ever heard. From that point on I wanted to learn it. Now, with a little help from Google, it's part of the repertoire. Every performer needs a good roadkill song.

Those mountains carry a lot of good memories. Although life's circumstances prevented us from staying long, our time in Cherry Log and Blue Ridge made a lasting impression. The draw of friendships made keeps the heart connected to a place, even after being away for years. Hearts are tricky that way. They can stay with you and stay behind all at the same time.

The mountains are beautiful, especially in the fall. The photo at left was taken from the deck of the friends' house where we stayed.

The people of the mountains are beautiful, native and newcomer alike.

On Sunday morning, we worshipped at Cherry Log Christian Church, and I sang Love Divine during communion. After that, we made our way back to our Indiana home.

We'll be back. The heart draws you back to those places, to say nothing of the stomach. We didn't get any barbecue from the Pink Pig. We've got to go back!

Four Miles to Go.

2007-10-21T18:50:00.000-04:00

Saturday afternoon found me at mile 22 on the course of the Indianapolis Marathon. For three hours on a beautiful afternoon I got to remain stationary, play guitar and sing while an assortment of runners and walkers passed by.

Uptempo was the order of the day as runners needed a little extra push by that point, and having a very transient audience allowed me repeat songs. Route 66 got played several times. More than a few smiles broke each time I opened The 59th Street Bridge Song: "Slow down, you move too fast."

As the afternoon wore on, I started making up lyrics around "Four miles to go." The job was to encourage the runners who had already run 22 miles and just had four more to go. That may be an idea worth pursuing. You've come this far; don't quit now. Keep pressing on 'til you reach the end; you've only got four miles to go.

The afternoon was reward in itself with an assortment of smiles, claps and "thank you"s from the runners. I had forgotten to bring a water bottle, and one runner set his water cup down to share a drink with me. From the house across the street, a woman sent her son and his friend out to bring me a bottle of water. She sent them out later with cookies. I signed a CD and gave it to them. I think I got the better deal.

What a great time, and what a great opportunity to encourage some folks. We've come pretty far. Let's not quit with just four miles to go.

Picking with John.

2007-10-18T20:59:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to write about this for several weeks now.

If you've looked closely at my profile on MySpace, you may have noticed John Matsel listed among my influences. Although there is a group of folks out there that knows exactly who John Matsel is, I suspect there are many who don't know him from Adam's house cat. From what I know of John, I suspect he prefers it that way. I'm blessed to know him.

John is a retired Disciples pastor. I get the chance to meet up with him about once a year. It's always a time to remember. John learned a lot about playing guitar when Merle Travis's brother Tommy was a member of his church. He's a premier thumb-style player. He's sat with players like Merle and Chet.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit with John. We were at a men's retreat together, relaxing on the porch and talking about how we play when he said, "Let me show you a couple of chords if you don't mind." If I don't mind. Shoot!

He showed me how he played My Old Kentucky Home. He showed me a couple of handy six-string chord shapes that I hadn't used before. We played I Wandered Today to the Hills, Maggie, even though I kept landing on Great Speckled Bird. I showed him how I play Precious Memories. We agreed that the open E is one of the prettiest chords on a guitar. He offered suggestions and complimented what I did well. He emphasized, "You have to play it like you feel it." It was like having a master class with your next door neighbor.

John is one of my influences, but not just for how he plays. John's an influence for how he relates to other people. John's an influence for how he wants to share what he has with somebody else. Yes, John's one of my influences, because that's how I want to play, relate and share.

Broad Ripple Fall Music Festival.

2007-10-07T23:21:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, October 13, the Broad Ripple Fall Music Festival will take place on 21 stages in 19 venues and will benefit 20 charities across Indianapolis. The venues are all located between 38th Street and 71st.

The festival is uniquely organized in a decentralized way (individual promoters), yet with a common foundation: each venue will collect money for a charity of their choice. The fest will feature hundreds of Indiana musicians and will offer a good time for locals of all ages, not just the 21 and over crowd. It will appeal as well to all musical tastes, from rock to hip-hop, electronic to acoustic.

Sponsors include NUVO Newsweekly, The Broad Ripple Village Association, Musical Family Tree, Rock Music Review, My Old Kentucky Blog, IndianapolisMusic.net and Hot Box Pizza.

The cover will be $6 at most venues and many will have none. After entering a venue at full price, attendees will receive a stamp that allows them to get into other venues for $3 off. Charities will receive 25% of money taken at the door for venues charging a cover, while venues with no cover will collect donations for the charity.

I am thrilled to be part of this event and will be performing at Boulevard Place Cafe, located at Boulevard Place and 42nd. The charity that will benefit from Boulevard Place is Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. Here's the line up for BPC.

Jason Hathaway 2pm-2:40pm
Dean Phelps 2:45pm-3:25pm
Marcy Hook 3:30pm-4:10pm
Brooke McKinney 4:15pm- 4:55pm
Chad Mills 5:00pm-5:45pm

Robin Coleman of Segment of Society Promotions is promoting the performances at Boulevard Place Cafe and at The Indy Hostel. Please come out to support the musicians, the promoters, the venues and especially the charities that will benefit from a full and far-reaching day of music!

Riley Days and More in October.

2007-09-30T23:23:00.000-04:00

The Riley Festival celebrates the birthday of Indiana-born poet, James Whitcomb Riley, with one of the largest craft festivals in Indiana, and it opens this Thursday in Greenfield. I'm thrilled to be returning to The Bread Ladies as part of their entertainment lineup for Riley Days. The Bread Ladies is located on the east side of the courthouse on American Legion Place. I'll be playing 12:30-2:30 on Friday. Enjoy the festival and drop by The Bread Ladies!

On Sunday at 2:30, stop by the entertainment tent at the Riley Festival to hear Roots and Branches. Roots and Branches is like the Grateful Dead of folk-gospel groups. They will be there with eclectic instrumentation for an entertaining hour of roots music. If you're at the festival on Sunday, don't miss it!

October 13 will be a busy Saturday. It will be good to be back at Lazy Daze Coffeehouse that morning, 10:00-11:30. Then I'll be at Boulevard Place Cafe as part of the Broad Ripple Music Festival at 2:45 that afternoon. That evening, I'll try to catch CROSSOVERroad at The Fellowship Coffeehouse.

I'm very excited to be making a return to Georgia at the end of the month. On Saturday, October 27, I'll be performing as part of Appalachian Weekend at Cherry Log Christian Church. The weekend is sponsored by The Craddock Center and celebrates Appalachian music and arts. I'll also get to see several old friends as Cherry Log was my first call out of seminary.

Last Friday at The Bean Cup was lots of fun. Several people came out, including some friends who came all the way from Monon, Indiana to the south side of Naptown. What a fun evening! I'm hoping to post some photos from that one soon.

As the days get shorter and the nights get a little chillier, may you have near to you whatever it is that brings light to your days and warmth to your heart.

Peace,
Dean

Friday at The Bean Cup.

2007-09-24T23:26:00.000-04:00

It was a great time at Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee this past Saturday. If you're out in Avon, stop by and try this fabulous coffee shop, located about a mile north of US 36 on Indiana 267. I had the caramel frappucino. Delightful!! I'm already looking forward to being back there in November.

My next show is at The Bean Cup this Friday, September 28. The music gets underway at 7:00. The Bean Cup is another excellent independent coffee shop located on the south side of Indianapolis. Store owners Chris and Jason run a quality business and do a lot to support local artists and musicians. Come on out and show them some support. The Bean Cup is located at 8908 Saint Peter St., off County Line Road, right across from Greenwood Park Mall.

Be sure to check goingoverhome.com for more upcoming dates. Several shows are scheduled in October, including a return to Lazy Daze Coffeehouse (Oct 13) and a second appearance in the Indy Hostel House Concert Series (Oct 25). Rumor has it, too, that an October show might be cooking up with Chris Wolf, so you better be scared!

New venue this Saturday.

2007-09-17T22:35:00.000-04:00

I'm just back from two straight weekends of retreats. It happens every September. The first two weekends are spent at men's retreats for Hoosier Disciples of Christ men. Men's ministry is part of my ministry portfolio, but if this is work, then just throw me in that briar patch! This work involves fellowship, study, worship and music. Lots of music!

My first two weekends in Indiana were spent at these same retreats, and these were the places I met some of the people who rekindled music in me. It's a glad reunion with instruments and campfires. I'll write more about it on the blog.

Now that the retreats have passed, I've got several appearances coming up. Wednesday evening I'll be at Southport Christian Church for the kickoff of their Feasting on Faith Wednesday evening activities.

This Saturday, Sep. 22, I'll be playing at a new venue for me, Beanzie's Gourmet Coffee in Avon. The music will start at 6:30. It would be great to see you there. The shop is located at the intersection of 10th Street and State Road 267 in Avon. (View map) Pass the word to your friends out that way!

The following Friday, Sep. 28, I'll be back at The Bean Cup on the south side of Indianapolis. It's located at 8908 S Saint Peter St., off County Line Road directly across from Greenwood Park Mall.

Finally, I'm very excited about going back to Cherry Log, Georgia in October. Where is Cherry Log, you ask? It's right halfway between Maxwell and Lucius. It's the home of the Pink Pig Barbecue Restaurant, where former president Jimmy Carter used to dine. Cherry Log is also the place where I began my pastoral ministry with the planting of Cherry Log Christian Church. I'll be playing for Appalachian Weekend on Saturday, October 27, then staying for worship on Sunday morning.

Please visit the web site for more information about upcoming shows. Your support means more than I know how to say!

Blessings,
Dean

www.goingoverhome.com
www.myspace.com/deanphelps
www.indyfolknews.org

1978.

2007-08-29T22:55:00.000-04:00

I've been doing a little mastering on the CD from my past, mostly noise reduction to get the tape noise out of the way. I'm still amazed at how good a condition the tape is in.

At any rate, I thought I'd share a sample. You can hear how I sounded in 1978 (or how my brother sounded) by clicking right here.

So I Listened.

2007-08-17T12:42:00.000-04:00

So I listened to the CD that my friend PJ sent. In a previous post, I mentioned the tape and CD as one of the intrinsic blessings that are part of being a musician and performer. Figuring such a trip back in time would require a mellow state of mind, Debbie and I chose a merlot for the journey.

I was amazed at the quality of the recording. I don't remember exactly how we recorded it, but I think we just used a regular cassette player typical of the late 1970s. It sounds like we probably used the external mics available at the time, with the miniature phono plugs and the little plastic table stands.

We recorded it in her dorm room. I've done some noise reduction processing, and with the tape noise out of the way, you can hear girls in the hallway in the background from time to time. Not exactly a pristine recording environment!

Then considering that the oxide on the tape has had thirty years to decay and that the tape has been played numerous times, according to PJ, I was astounded at how good it still sounded.

It was strange, interesting and wonderful all at the same time. I was 19 when this tape was made. My playing style has changed, and I'm a better player now than I was then (I guess 30 years of practice has helped that). I sound so young! It was curious how much I sounded like my brother.

The songs made synapses in my brain fire that had not fired in a couple of decades. The tape had songs that I had forgotten that I even knew and had songs that I now do completely differently. It might be interesting to post "Long Haired Country Boy: Then and Now" on the web site sometime.

I didn't recall knowing so much John Denver. That man could sure turn a love song! And I was, at the time, truly smitten for the first time in my life. I recall that I used to know a lot of Paul Simon, but not the songs on the tape.

Did I really used to sing Elton John's I Need You to Turn to? It's a great tune! Then out of nowhere came the Jonathan Edwards tune Give Us a Song. That one's going back into the repertoire and may well go on the next record.

When it was all over, what really struck me was the blessing of sitting in my living room, watching 50 come over the horizon in my direction and getting a glimpse back at myself when I was 19. From long hair to less hair, time and experience have made a path between yesterday and today. With apologies to Bob and Jerry, it has been a long, strange trip. Here to the hills, curves, and plains that lie ahead!

Today's 19 year old musician will someday, Good Lord willin', be a 50 year old musician. What will that singer/player/performer see if he or she gets a chance to look back on themselves? I hope they get that chance.

Intrinsic Blessings.

2007-08-12T17:47:00.000-04:00

"How could life be so cold?
Where did all the water go
That my boat was floating on yesterday?
Has my ship run aground,
Or have I finally found
That the ocean I was on was just a bay?"

"And as I stand here on the shore
I can hear the ocean roar;
The tide's gone out I'm stranded on my own.
Not a love, not a friend,
But on God I can depend
To show me the light and safely lead me home."

(Partial lyrics from The Gospel by Charlie Gearheat, originally recorded by Goose Creek Symphony.)

Not long ago I was reminded that it's important for musicians and performers to remember why we do what we do. It's especially important during the lull periods when gigs seem to be few and far between and when it seems like fewer and fewer people are coming out to the shows.

My schedule has been extremely hectic the past few weeks. It's been a draining time, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Yet in the midst of swirling activity and physical strain, I've received some blessed reminders of what this business is all about for me.

En route to Fort Worth, Debbie and I stopped in Oklahoma to spend the night with a friend, fellow pastor and musician. We enjoyed a great evening of conversation, and he told me the story of his decision to retire from active ministry. Having received a suggestion from a few of his church leaders that it might be time for him to go, he went on a personal retreat with a copy of Going Over Home.

The Gospel, Charlie Gearheart's tune, is the first track on that CD. The lyrics reproduced above helped guide the journey that brought my friend to what is proving to be a very happy retirement. Some three decades after the song was written and almost a decade after my recording of it, the song made a difference. It touched someone else's life.

Then, a few weeks ago, a friend from my days at the University of Kentucky contacted me after finding my music on iTunes. She still had in her possession a cassette that I recorded in her dorm room almost 30 years ago. Over all those years and through several life changes, she would listen. It was recorded on a whim but had a lasting impression.

For me, the blessings of being a musician are intrinsic. These are not easily counted, but they are the ones that make the most difference to me. One story like either of those above, and I'm good to keep playing for a long time.

Maybe CDs sell, and maybe they don't. Maybe people come out to shows, and maybe they don't. Either way, it's still music to touch the spirit, and that's what matters.

Good Ones

2007-07-15T21:25:00.000-04:00

I'll help someone in time of need,
And journey on with rapid speed;
I'll help the sick and poor and weak,
And words of kindness to them speak.

That's a verse from A Beautiful Life, a bluegrass gospel quartet standard. The song talks about using the time we've been given (Life's evening sun is sinking low; a few more days and I must go) to help others. In a day when the news is filled with celebrities, politicians and athletes who crave our attention, it sometimes slips by us that the world is filled with good people who are living A Beautiful Life.

These are the good ones. They have developed themselves into the best that they can be at what they do. Then they found a balance. They also take what they've learned and what they've become and share it with others so that they too can become the best they can be.

Running in musical circles, opportunities abound to meet all kinds of folk. However, if you look around the right corners and stand on the right thresholds, you get to meet some of the good ones.

I met the pastor of a new church outside of Houston a few years back when his church was just getting started. In addition to being called into ministry, he was a professional musician, talented guitarist, and gifted songwriter. This summer some youth from the church I attend now went on a mission trip to work at this pastor's church. The group included a couple of young fellows who were learning to play guitar.

During the time of the trip, the church was having a benefit concert. As the story was related to me, the pastor was setting up the stage and getting his sound check. At one point he turned to one of the young players in our group and asked him to come up and play so he could listen. Afterwards, this extremely gifted pastor complimented the younger man's playing and started sharing tips and tricks to help him be a better player. A sound check turned into a mini-clinic while talent and experience were shared rather than hoarded. That's one of the good ones. That's a beautiful life.

Here's my thanks for all of the good ones that have blessed my life, along with my hope and prayer that I can make some flowers bloom.

While traveling down life's weary road
I'll try to lift some traveller's load
I'll try to turn the night to day
Make flowers bloom along the way

Pubs and Churches

2007-07-03T11:26:00.000-04:00

It was a great time last Saturday at Malloy's Irish Pub in Terre Haute. As the afternoon turned into early evening, the crowd began to build and the party got underway.

On the way back to Indianapolis, I thought about the comraderie, the mutual respect and support I had seen there, and the ways people supported and celebrated one another. It occurred to me that some aspects of life in the pub should be part of life in the church. Maybe churches would be more attractive if we celebrated people rather than suspected their motives or judged their actions. When I came to the table of the Lord with my church on Sunday, I know that I approached it a little differently.

UPCOMING

Three shows are booked this week and next, then I'll be taking a break for the national assembly of my tribe of Christians. Appearances pick up again in the middle of August.

This Friday, I'll be playing at Strange Brew, located in Greenwood at 4800 W Smith Valley Road. The music gets underway at 7:00.
Then on Saturday, 7/7/07, at 7:00, I'll be making my first appearance at Higher Grounds' Fishers location. Higher Grounds is located at 116th St. & Olio Rd in Fishers.
On July 12 it's a return to Boulevard Place Cafe with Meg Kohen.
I'm also looking forward to appearing at The Bread Ladies in Greenfield on August 17.

ON THE WEB SITE

On the MySpace profile, you can now purchase and download MP3 files of tracks from This Old House. Each track is 99 cents. I'm still working on making tracks from Going Over Home available, but I've hit a bit of a snag there.

I'm also working on a major update to goingoverhome.com that will also have MP3 downloads available.

BLESSINGS

I hope you enjoy a safe and happy Fourth. Please come out to one of the shows if you can, and please help spread the word by passing this message along to folks you think might be interested.

Peace,
Dean

The music of Dean Phelps: An acoustic blend of folk, gospel and Americana
http://www.goingoverhome.com/
www.myspace.com/deanphelps

The Changing Music Business

2006-12-16T21:12:00.000-05:00

This Old House, the new CD, is now available at CD Baby!! Visit the site to listen to samples and to purchase the CD.

This is really exciting. Nine years ago, when I released Going Over Home, the idea of selling CDs through an internet store was very new and was limited in scope. Now the distribution of music is changing, making it easier for independent and unsigned artists to find avenues for distribution.

In addition to buying CDs, songs are available for download. Consumers build their own music libraries to satisfy their own tastes. Music is no longer a product; it's a service. The consumer, not the record company, is in control. And I like that.

So download songs, buys CDs, stock up on the music that you like. It's a new day in an exciting, wonderful, changing world!

The New CDs Are Here!

2006-12-09T23:11:00.000-05:00

This Old House, my latest CD, arrived from the manufacturer yesterday. It's been several months since Steve (producer) and I first started pre-production, but now the finished product is stacked up in the dining room. (It will get moved, Sweetie, honest!) We invested a bit of money in doing this, and now we see the results.

After the time and money invested, and after questioning whether I should even do it, yesterday I got to open up the first one, put it in the CD player and decide if it was worth it.

I'm proud of it. It's a good piece of work, if I say so myself. Steve did a great job of production, not letting me settle for good enough. We worked really well together, and I look forward to doing another project with him, although the first priority is distribution of this one.

That said, here comes the commercial.

Do you need a last minute Christmas gift? This Old House is available on my web site, www.goingoverhome.com. On the site, you can also listen to samples. There are some full-length songs on my MySpace page, and on the latest music site I've found, ezFolk.com.

If you like the music, the CDs make a great gift. If you don't, they make great coasters!

We now return to our regularly scheduled program.

I hope you'll stop by the site and give a listen. If you're moved to buy a CD, thank you. Either way, I hope you find something in it that makes you say, "That's all right."

A Following of Friends

2006-12-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

Last night in Indianapolis, the storm that dumped a foot of snow on St. Louis was pouring rain over Indy. I was booked to play at Boulevard Place Cafe, and the weather had me believing that it would be a short show. "Nobody's going to come out on a night like this," I thought.

But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but most of the members of Roots and Branches, a Disciples pastor from Anderson with her husband and some folks from Middletown. Not only had these folks come out, but they'd made an hour's drive through nasty weather to be there.

We had a great time, probably the most fun show I've done in years. Everybody sang along, and the four-part harmony on Marching to Zion was, well, heavenly. I don't know if I'll be able to do that song without a choir again.

What a wonderful thing friendship is! Everyone told me how much they enjoyed the music, and I know they were sincere.

I recall the story that ends with a young boy telling his teacher, "Long walk part of gift." I received a special gift last night, and I don't know how to begin to say "Thank you."

Blessings,
Dean

St. Mark the Evangelist

2006-11-19T22:18:00.000-05:00

What a blessed night playing for the festival dinner at St. Mark the Evangelist here on the south side of Indy! The pitch-in dinner was fabulous, complete with chicken and noodles. The people were so kind and made us feel very welcome. It's always fun to be part of a group of people having a good time. Lots of folks came out to enjoy fun, food and fellowship, and we're thankful to have been part of it.

First Time

2006-11-18T23:51:00.000-05:00

It was third Friday last night, so I was back at Corner Coffee but with a new twist. Our charming hostess, Eli Beth, was feeling a little under the weather, so she asked if I would host. Being my first time hosting an open stage, I was a little nervous, but a good assortment of performers showed up. We ended up having a really good time.

Caleb Hawkins was there and played a good set on guitar, banjo and mandolin (not all at the same time). Daver Sparks was relieved of his duties as barrista long enough to play a short set that included a couple of originals.

Eric Murtough was there in shirt and tie having just come from work. He's a young performer with a real gift, and he improves every time I hear him.

Chris Wolf played a set as only Chris can play 'em. He was there with several copies of his new CD, Better Be Scared. The CD features many of Chris's originals and will be available on cdbaby.com soon.

As the evening wound down, Steve Shaeffer played an amazing set of classic, jazz and rock guitar. The only appropriate word is "awesome."

Thanks to a great group of performers, my first hosting experience was a good one, and thanks for the opportunity, Eli!

Regional Assembly

2006-11-18T23:22:00.000-05:00

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana held its biennial assembly last weekend. This is the region where I serve in ministry, so I was very involved and very busy during the days and weeks leading up to it. Toward the end of this week, a couple of people asked if I had recovered from the assembly yet. If they'd asked on Monday, I would have said I was doing great, but as the week wore on, I knew I really needed this weekend and the upcoming holiday.

It was a great assembly though, a great opportunity to renew acquaintances and make new Hoosier friends. The assembly, although busy, provided a couple of opportunites to play. Roots and Branches opened up on Saturday morning. Then during the Saturday evening worship service, some members of Divine Intervention played alongside Phoebe.

Now that I've rested up a bit, there are pictures posted on the web site.

A good cause, a good time

2006-11-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

Friday night it was back to Corner Coffee for a benefit. Some of the staff at the coffee house were holding the benefit for an Indy-based charity that works with AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe. Several excellent performers were there, and they raised over $800. It was a good night all around. Eli Beth was there, as was Dave Spears. It was a great night to hear some local songwriters who were new to me. Hopefully, they'll come back for open stage in a couple of weeks.

During my set, Eli asked if I knew "Christmas in Prison," a John Prine song. I used to do it, but it's been long enough that Debbie had never heard me sing it. I did what I could remember, but by breakfast on Saturday morning the little man in my brain that retrieves song lyrics had put all the pieces back together. That song will go back in the repertoire for a while.

Next weekend, it will be great to rejoin Roots and Branches at the Indiana regional assembly of the Disciples and then to sing and play with Phoebe Spier. It will be a busy weekend but a great one.

Peace,
Dean

Music and sanity

2006-11-01T22:01:00.000-05:00

It's been hectic on the job lately. A lot of events and deadlines are all hitting at the same time. Thankfully, I work with great colleagues who handle pressure with humor. Nothing like a good laugh to relieve the pressure.

When the stress gets high, I wear out more guitar strings. Playing music is a form of prayer for me. It's one of my spiritual disciplines. And when the pressure's on, the spirit needs nurture.

Music and sanity. They just go together.

Another fun night at Corner Coffee

2006-10-21T10:50:00.000-04:00

It was a year ago on the third Friday night in October that I stumbled into Corner Coffee in Indianapolis to check out an open stage. I had originally set out that night to play at a jam session in Franklin, only to find instead a Halloween party with a band fronted by some guy who seemed to think he was George Jones.

I had read about the open stage on Cary Allen Fields' Fields of Bluegrass site, so rather than just go home disappointed, I thought I'd check it out.

I met the hostess, Eli Beth, listened to a couple of performers, played 2 or 3 songs, and made some new friends. These folks became both a kind of family and a kind of church for me as I adjusted to a new life in Indiana and waited for Debbie to move here with me.

That's a long story to say that I had a great time celebrating my Corner Coffee anniversary last night!! Dave and Jesse were on duty as our barristas, doing their usual fantastic job! BTW, if you live in Indy and haven't visited Corner Coffee at 11th and Alabama, you're missing a treat.

Eli hosted, and I enjoyed the chance to play some fills and sing some harmony with her. Caleb Hawkins was there with his new Blue Ridge guitar and Kustom amp. Eric was there, and he keeps getting better and better. Chris Wolf, who should always be able to play more that three songs that close to Halloween, has a CD coming out. That's exciting news. There was Uncle Dave-O, Dorothy and Korey Quinn. As we closed the night, Eli took her new baritone guitar out for a spin, and (God bless her!) Sara showed up and sang an impromptu version of Love Me Like a Man. There are pictures on the web site.

As always, I left this Corner Coffee open stage looking forward to the next one on November 17.

Boulevard Place

2006-10-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

What a grand time at Boulevard Place Cafe last night! That's the most fun I've had at a gig in I don't know how long. So many friends and co-workers came out, and that means more to me than thay may ever know. It's one thing when folks come out to support you; it's another when they stay for the whole show and genuinely have a good time. One table of folks were there because the owner thought they'd enjoy the music and suggested they come out. They stayed for the whole show, too. I'm both humbled and honored.

It's possible that the gig at Boulevard Place may happen on a recurring basis. We'll stay posted on that.

Again, thanks to everyone who came out. If you had half as good a time as I did, it was a good evening.

Blessings,
Dean

The Back Porch

2006-04-09T22:27:00.000-04:00

I think God may have given us porches as places to make music. They just seem to go together. My mind rolls over some of the great musical times I've had, and many of them happened porches: "The Sun Room Sessions" in Athens, Floyd and Liz's back porch in Ardmore, more pickin' sessions with KB than I can count. The only time Janetta and I played together it was on her porch. The porch of Peachtree Lodge at Camp Christian Conference Center is ideal, screened in overlooking the lake. Regardless of the settingm though, porches and pickin' just go together.

This past week Debbie and I spent a few days at her mom's. One evening, after dinner on her back porch, it was just perfect picking time. The sun had gone down, and we just had candlelight. The mood was perfect. I didn't entertain; I was able just to add relaxation to an already marvelous evening. Debbie had her new harmonica (G, of course), so we played together, which we absolutely must do more of. But what added magic to the evening, I think, was the porch. It wouldn't have been the same experience anywhere else.

If you play, try not to let a good porch get away from you.

Peace,
Dean

Good Times at Corner Coffee

2006-03-29T23:18:00.000-05:00

OK, OK, so I'm new at this blogging thing. Somehow I feel like I should post here more often than once a month, but I'm also the kind of person who wants to make sure he has something to say before he opens his mouth or his laptop! I do struggle with what to write here still. I'm not enough of an exhibitionist to just post an online diary. Not ready for that much self-revelation yet!

Shortly after moving to Indianapolis last September, I found the open stage hosted by Eli Beth at Corner Coffee. Trying to get settled in a new city is a challenge, but meeting some other musicians there made me feel right at home. Now, as often as possible, the third Friday of the month I'll be there to play, sing and listen.

One of the people I met there is Frank Watson, a/k/a Doc Possum, a musician in his own right, a man of deep faith and insight and an all around good guy. Frank is a supporter of local Indy folk musicians, and it was great to see him a couple of weeks ago at CC. Frank had a good post on his blog about the last gathering at Corner Coffee, and I always appreciate the kind words he has for me and all the musicians there.

I also met a young musician this time around, Caleb Hawkins. Caleb reminds me somewhat of me when I was 18 and first getting out to play in front of people I didn't know. I think he's got game. He has a sense for entertaining in addition to talent. Caleb is Christian, the son of a minister, so I wasn't quite sure how he'd take me, a minister who has no qualms about using phrases like "kiss my ass." But it's not Corner Coffee without "If I Had a Boat," so off we went. No prob!

The most fun part of the evening, though, was being in the background. It's great fun to sing harmony with Eli, and when I get to throw in a few lead licks behind Eli's daughter Sarah singing "Love Me Like a Man," well, then I'm good to go for a few thousand miles. I like to sing and play for folks, and if they have half as much fun as I do, we've all had a good time, but there is something special to me about being in the supporting role, helping someone else look or sound good. In life and in music, having a tasty lick to put in the background and having the opportunity to share it are great blessings!

Peace,
Dean

Musical ecumenicity

2006-02-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

Occasionally, Sunday nights will find me in Middletown, Indiana, joining in a jam session in the basement of a church. That's where I was tonight.

What a musically ecumenical bunch we were tonight! We had two mandolins, two accordians, a dobro, a penny whistle, two harmonica players and a host of guitar players. In addition, several choir members from a nearby church joined us. We moved from A. P. Carter (Stand on the Rock Where Moses Stood) to Marshall Tucker (Can't You See) with a little bit of Beatles thrown in (a "Hey Jude" solo on Can't You See).

All in all, it was a great cap to the weekend, some sacred space time that can be hard to come by in my line of work.

Peace.

Introduction

2006-02-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

This is new.

I've found some old friends who blog. My niece is keeping all of us stateside up to date on her semester in New Zealand via her blog. I advise others to be aware of how those generations following us are learning, communicating and processing information. So in a way I'm heeding my own advice. I'm starting a blog.

I'm a teacher by giftedness, a pastor by vocation, a musician whenever I can play (and even when I can't). I always want to think and learn. Words are important to me, so I'm starting a blog.

The title of the blog comes from a CD of Christian faith music that I released in 1997, and that title comes from a line in Wayfaring Stranger: "I'm only going over Jordan; I'm only going over home." While travelling through, I hope to record thoughts, observations and occasional pointless diatribes.

If you've passed this way, welcome. Let's see where the road goes!