If you weren’t at Poor David’s Pub this past Monday for the second regular live Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub since early 2020. Not only were some of the regulars of the earlier open mic and the virtual open mic signed up to play, but we had walk-ins. Which was a pleasant surprise and a good sign.

Host Rob Case opened the show – as hosts are wont to do – and played a few songs to start us off. He played his song, Bayou City, which is about Houston and is one of my favorite songs of Rob’s. Although there are a few. Several of us regulars sing a part in the chorus. Rob had a friend that would sing the part at one time, but things change. We usually don’t sing the part on the virtual open mic, due to bandwidth and related issues. The point being that it took me until the third chorus to actually sing it to my satisfaction. Mainly because I had driven back from Oklahoma in the afternoon and hadn’t had more than twenty minutes to warm up. But Rob carried on, undaunted.

Gary White followed Rob. Gary has known Rob and his brother Lewis for a number of years. He took lessons from Lewis at the brothers’ shop, Fiddle and Bow Music. Which – incidentally – is a sponsor of the open mic. Gary, is, however, a newcomer to the open mic.

A quiet, assuming young man who goes by Vudu Childe came up next. His songs were intriguing and his voice ebbed and flowed with seeming grace. Check out his new single on all the regular online outlets. The inimitable Roy Howell was next. He was followed by Lovemore Phiri, who sang/rapped to the beats on his phone.

I followed Lovemore and my set included Chocolate Eclairs and Apple Fritters which is on my new cd, The L. A. Sessions. On all streaming services and at DanRoark.com.

John Mason was next, followed by Steve Troum, and then Allen Larson, all three regulars.

Next week it’s back to the virtual open mic. Due to the Case’s having a family event, I will be hosting the virtual open mic this coming Monday, the 6th. If you would like to play, email Lynda Case at Case16386@aol.com. If you want to join us to just watch and listen, it will also be live on my Facebook page. It’s usually at Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub as well and may be Monday if Lynda has time. I’ll be playing three songs off of my new cd. See you Monday.

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Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Paypal.me/danroark

On another one of my excursions to Colorado and back, I had a chance to take these pictures in west Texas. There were few vehicles on the road and I had time to slow down. In the first picture, the windmills were actually moving, but the picture doesn’t show movement. In the second picture, the lone windmill is how you see it, with no motion. But it was part of the larger wind farm with all others moving.

I was thinking while I was driving – as I am wont to do. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. I was just able to get pictures. But I don’t understand why one or two windmills were not working.

Did they get the day off? Do they rotate they days off between windmills?

Did a windmill call in sick, but the “doctor” was busy? Did it fall asleep on the job, but no one had come to wake it up?

I’m being facetious, but the questions are valid. Don’t they have crews that would fix a still windmill? If it was a computer issue, the windmill would probably never have stopped in the first place.

On the other hand, would I want to go up inside the windmill and fix something at the top?

No way in hell!

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Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Paypal.me/danroark

The picture followed a flash of lightning, which I missed. Unfortunately, the thunder, which could be a signal to the photographer that lightning is coming, actually followed the lightning. Truth be told, I was just trying to get a picture of rain at night. The lightning flashed so fast I almost missed it entirely.

It had been raining lightly on and off all day. Naturally, the humidity sucked. But about 9 p.m., give or take, the sky opened up. That doesn’t bode well for letting the dogs out and having to wipe off their paws when they come in. But we need the freaking rain. As it turned out, I needed the rain a little more than I thought.

My mom passed away early Easter morning. The family graveside service was that Friday. The memorial service at their church was a week and a half later due to scheduling issues with the church. In between the two services and ongoing, I’ve been helping Dad make arrangements to move out of the house into a retirement community. As an only child – since my brother was killed in 1987 – it falls on me to inherit the family things and coordinate with our children as to what they want or need that Dad isn’t taking with him.

Around the time Mom passed away, I released a new album, the L.A. Sessions. Naturally, promotion took a back seat. And I haven’t posted even though the ideas don’t stop coming. It’s all been a little more overwhelming than I thought it would be. I came up with a line for a song while I was sitting at my desk in the dark after Dad called me when she died. That kind of personal song is one of the hardest to write. You have to reduce all the memories you want to include to a line or two. And keep the syrup from oozing off the page. Not to mention I’ve been seeing my life flash before me on a nearly daily basis.

But tonight, when the rain became hard and steady, I felt a sort of calm. The calm I imagine the ground feels after being parched for weeks. Which is when I went out to take the picture. The picture, as they often are, is more on point than intended even with the supposed flaws. Then I wrote this post with more enthusiasm than before Mom passed away.

I let the rain wash it all away.

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Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Paypal.me/danroark

My new cd, The L.A. Sessions, will be available in all of the usual places on April 1st, including my website. It will contain the re-mastered songs from my Hello Out There album, with other songs from the recording sessions in L.A. All songs were nicely recorded and mastered by my son, Conner Roark. Lou Castro, noted L.A. session bassist, and Ryan Brown, drummer for Dweezil Zappa, joined me for the sessions.

If you are in the Dallas area, I’ll be at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival on Sunday, April 3rd at 5:30 p.m. at the Dallas Songwriters Association stage at Trunk and Commerce. I’d love to see you and I’ll have cds available.

Of course, you can always hear me Monday nights on Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub Facebook page. The show runs from 7-10 p.m. and includes a number of singer-songwriters playing their songs. David Card – Poor David his own self, comes on about 8 p.m. to highlight the coming shows at Poor David’s Pub. Or we’ll be in person at PDP on the last Monday of the month.

I’m headed to Colorado for a few shows after the Arts Festival. I’ll keep you up on upcoming shows. In the meantime, enjoy the music!

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

If you weren’t at Poor David’s Pub last Friday night, you missed a dynamite show. Every songwriter brought the best they had. Fortunately for you, you can watch/hear a number of those songwriters tonight beginning at 7 p.m. on Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub page.

You’ll also be treated to special guests, Sara Hickman, Betty Soo, and Michael Fracasso. It’s the final of the four virtual open mics during Poor David’s Pub’s 45th birthday month. Making it especially fitting that Sara is on this particular show. David Card, Poor David himself, and Sara Hickman have had a close relationship throughout the years. She has played at PDP countless times. Be sure to tune in with your favorite beverage and snacks – then sit back and enjoy the music. You will not be disappointed.

As if that wasn’t enough, the last Monday open mic will start back up – live and in color! – at Poor David’s Pub on April 25th.

So mark your calendar for the 25th, and we’ll “see” you tonght! And take the time to make a donation that benefits both Poor David’s Pub, and Kerrville Festival. [paypal – David@poordavidspub.com, Venmo – David-Card-12]

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

The Wine Tasting Fundraiser for New Hope Equine Assisted Therapy hosted by Lindsay Meyer and Optima Fitness is this Saturday, March 26th at 917 N. Mill St., Lewisville, Tx 75057. There is a suggested $30 donation to participate in the tasting. More information below.

New Hope Equine Assisted Therapy is a non-profit providing therapeutic riding for people with disabilities. It is also often therapeutic for the horses as well. On a different level, it’s therapeutic for the volunteers, too.

Visit the website for an expanded explanation of the benefits of therapeutic riding. But since this is a fundraiser I thought I would show you that New Hope is so much more than simply therapeutic riding. The staff and volunteers are kind caring people who treat the riders like family. After a period of time, in a sense they are family. [Full disclosure: I have been married to Cyndy, one of the volunteers, for thirty years.]

I was able to attend the Chisholm Challenge, one of the first events in the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Riders with special needs from several non-profit therapy centers such as New Hope gather to compete. In the trail competition, which I observed, one volunteer leads the horse and another volunteer walks alongside. A few of the riders who are older or less challenged ride with no assistance – except from the horse. The course is a fairly basic course, but it still requires the rider to have control over the horse.

There are other events at the Chisholm Challenge, but this is about the riders and volunteers/staff at New Hope. As I watched the walkers and the riders I was fascinated by the interaction between rider and horse, and walker with both rider and horse. The look on the riders’ faces of concentration and then absolute joy as they made the final turn and saw the beaming faces of their families in the stands and felt a sense of accomplishment. The look also of concentration on the looks of the walkers and then their look of joy for the rider’s accomplishment.

There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes. Matching the right horse to the rider. The staff and volunteers put in many hours preparing trails conducive to riders with special needs, keeping up the grounds and stables. Then more hours patiently working with occasionally stubborn horses or mules. Then yet more hours patiently walking along with the riders.

New Hope Equine Assisted Therapy is a first class facility with a first class staff and volunteers. If you have someone in your family, or if there is someone you know, with special needs who needs the therapy that riding horses provides, New Hope is the place that will treat them with patience and care, as well as pairing them with the horse that will the provide the best therapy for them.

The level of care that New Hope provides comes with a cost. The cost of a separate fenced area with seating for the parents and families of the riders. The constant feeding and care for the horses. The upkeep of the grounds. Which is where the fundraiser comes in. You can donate even if you aren’t interested in the wine tasting.

For a $30 suggested donation,
https://newhope.harnessapp.com/wv2/donate…

You will have the option at checkout to make a ‘one-time’, ‘monthly’ or ‘keep-the-change’ donation.
join us for a fun night of:

-Sampling 10-12 different wines, taught and served by Wines With An Appeal instructors and servers.
-Yummy treats
-Great company

Your entry fee will be used to care for our very special therapy horses.

Wine available for purchase after the tasting.
New Hope is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub is back live with a Songwriters Showcase this Friday from 7-11p.m. as part of Poor David’s Pub’s 45th birthday month. A veritable smorgasbord of songwriters providing one of the most entertaining live shows you have seen in quite some time – especially when you consider that live music just recently started back up. For all that music, the $10 admission is actually cheap. Seriously folks, it’s going to be a hell of a night!

The virtual open mic is a fundraiser for Poor David’s Pub and Kerrville Folk Festival to help them through hopefully the final bumps in this long road back from Covid. [paypal – David@poordavidspub.com, Venmo – David-Card-12]

Come out Friday, tune in on Mondays, and just sit back and enjoy yourself. We’ll do all the work and bring you the music. See you there!

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

Last night was the third Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub virtual open mic during Poor David’s Pub‘s birthday month. If you missed it, I’m truly sorry. You missed a great show. All month we have been featuring songwriters who have played at PDP over the years. Both Tish Hinojosa and Caroline Aiken have performed at PDP for a number of years and on the virtual open mic a few times. David Card – Poor David himself – introduced Tish, then after her set, told everyone about the upcoming events at PDP and introduced Caroline. In my opinion, both songwriters played their best sets of their appearances on the show last night.

In fact, every one on the show brought their best stuff last night. You can still see the show on the Rob Case’s Open Mic – Poor David’s Pub Facebook page. Joe Kidd and Sheila Burke have been on the show a couple of times and also performed well on some good songs. See and hear it for yourself.

The virtual open mic is also a fundraiser to help Poor David’s Pub and the Kerrville Folk Festival through the lean times that began in the pandemic and are not over completely. David@poordavidspub.com for Paypal and Venmo@David-Card-12. Donations are split between the two venues.

If you haven’t seen the show, you should really take the time on Mondays to relax with your favorite beverage, enjoy a late dinner, and listen to some good music. I’ll be posting the line-up for next week in a few days.

Don’t forget the Songwriters Showcase at PDP – featuring the performers from the open mic – this Friday 7-11p.m. Admission is $10, which is cheap for the amount of entertainers you’ll get to hear. I’ll post the list of performers tomorrow. If you don’t get there this Friday – well, you’ll miss a damn good show – but my point is, tune in next Monday. You won’t regret it.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

Finally putting this out there. The version of Chocolate Eclairs and Apple Fritters that won was the version from the album Southern Plains Revisited. Which was a re-mixed version of a cd Joel Nichols and I recorded in the 90’s before he passed away in 1999. Revisited includes a couple of songs I recorded that didn’t make my cd, Chasing After Wind. It’s always nice to be honored on any level. Thank you to the World Songwriting Awards!!

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

Tonight is the second of four virtual Rob Case’s Open Mics – Poor David’s Pub in March, PDP‘s birthday month. The special guests are Hogan & Moss and Ann Armstrong/Steve Hughes. Enjoy the guests and the regulars for some good original songs while you hang out at the house with your favorite beverage and snacks. And while you’re enjoying the good music, donate at paypal – David@Poordavidspub.com, or Venmo – Venmo@David-Card-12. Each donation is split between Poor David’s Pub and the Kerrville Folk Festival to help keep the venues open during trying times.

Also mark your calendar for Friday, March 25 to see your favorite virtual open mic performers live at Poor David’s Pub. Stay tuned for the lineup when it’s finalized. In the meantime, we’ll “see” you at the virtual open mic tonight and each time before the Showcase at Poor David’s Pub.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Paypal.me/danroark